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Costa Rica excursions?



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 31st, 2008, 08:36 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Judy Heuman
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Posts: 44
Default Costa Rica excursions?

We're taking a Panama Canal cruse, leaving in mid-April. I've started
to look over possible excursions in Costa Rica and would like your
opinions of the following:

1. Puna Vida Gardens

2. Doka Estate, coffee plantation

3. Orotina area -- Tarcoles River boat ride through mangroves -- also
a train ride, but I can't figure out where the train goes!

Is there anything worth doing in Puntarenas, the town where the ship
docks?

One last question: If you shopped for crafts, what did you buy and
was it very expensive?

Thanks for any personal insights you can offer.

Judy

================================================== =============
Judy Heuman
  #2  
Old December 31st, 2008, 10:15 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Seehorse Video
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Posts: 332
Default Costa Rica excursions?


"Judy Heuman" wrote in message
...
We're taking a Panama Canal cruse, leaving in mid-April. I've started
to look over possible excursions in Costa Rica and would like your
opinions of the following:

1. Puna Vida Gardens

2. Doka Estate, coffee plantation

3. Orotina area -- Tarcoles River boat ride through mangroves -- also
a train ride, but I can't figure out where the train goes!

Is there anything worth doing in Puntarenas, the town where the ship
docks?

One last question: If you shopped for crafts, what did you buy and
was it very expensive?

Thanks for any personal insights you can offer.

Judy

================================================== =============
Judy Heuman


All I can help you with is Puntarenas. I was there about ten years ago and
took a cab ride from the ship into and around town and directly back to the
ship. It was a pleasant enough thirty minute cab ride, but nothing more.
We drove past a school, a hospital, some fishing boats, some hovels said to
be homes to some foreign nationals, and, ah, well..., I guess that was it.
The stop was primarily to allow a five hour jungle tour which did not
interest us.

Things may have changed in the interim and others may have found more
excitement. Or, you could stay on the ship.

Harry Cooper



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  #3  
Old January 1st, 2009, 09:01 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Becca[_3_]
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Posts: 63
Default Costa Rica excursions?

Judy Heuman wrote:
We're taking a Panama Canal cruse, leaving in mid-April. I've started
to look over possible excursions in Costa Rica and would like your
opinions of the following:


In Costa Rica, I did the Aerial Tram. This excursion gives you a good
view of the rain forest, but we did not see any animals, except for one
sloth. I went with friends and we had a good time on the bus ride, but I
would not do the aerial tram again. The noise of the tram frightens the
wildlife. I am glad I did it once, though.

http://www.rainforestrams.com/crpintro.html

On another visit to Costa Rica, I took a boat ride on the Tortugero
Canal. I would take this excursion again. We rode up the canal on a
small boat. We saw alligators, a few iguanas, 5-6 sloths, blue herons,
a basilisk lizard that walks on water, butterflies and many different
birds. We also saw bats, and a few epiphytes in trees; orchids,
vanilla, bromeliads. We heard howling monkeys, but I was too slow to
catch sight of them. It was a nice canal tour. Take your binoculars and
your camera. After the canal tour, the taxi driver took us to a
Chiquita banana plantation. He also drove us into town, giving us a
tour of the city.

This tour was $45.00 pp, but the cruise line sold it for $80.00. Prices
may have changed. We purchased this tour from an independent operator.
They are located under the blue awnings at the pier, near the ship. You
will see large signs offering you different excursions. There is plenty
of shopping at the pier if you want to purchase souvenirs.

Enjoy your cruise!

Becca
  #4  
Old January 1st, 2009, 09:09 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Sue Mullen
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Posts: 1,730
Default Costa Rica excursions?



Becca wrote:

On another visit to Costa Rica, I took a boat ride on the Tortugero
Canal. I would take this excursion again. We rode up the canal on a
small boat. We saw alligators, a few iguanas, 5-6 sloths, blue herons,
a basilisk lizard that walks on water, butterflies and many different
birds. We also saw bats, and a few epiphytes in trees; orchids,
vanilla, bromeliads. We heard howling monkeys, but I was too slow to
catch sight of them. It was a nice canal tour. Take your binoculars and
your camera.


We also did the Tortugero Canal boat ride and enjoyed it very much. We
took an afternoon tour and didn't see as much wild life as you would see
in a morning tour, still it was very nice. Becca is right about taking
binoculars and if you have a camera with lots of zoom, this is the time
to use it.

sue
  #5  
Old January 6th, 2009, 07:26 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Rosalie B.
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Posts: 1,575
Default Costa Rica excursions?

Becca wrote:

Judy Heuman wrote:
We're taking a Panama Canal cruse, leaving in mid-April. I've started
to look over possible excursions in Costa Rica and would like your
opinions of the following:


In Costa Rica, I did the Aerial Tram. This excursion gives you a good
view of the rain forest, but we did not see any animals, except for one
sloth. I went with friends and we had a good time on the bus ride, but I
would not do the aerial tram again. The noise of the tram frightens the
wildlife. I am glad I did it once, though.

http://www.rainforestrams.com/crpintro.html

I think judging from the OP's reference to Puntarenas , the stop is
on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The aerial tram and the Tortugero
Canals are from Puerto Limon, which is the Caribbean coast. I also
liked the Tortuguero Canal trip and would have liked to take the zip
line (not the aerial tram which is primarily for plants and flowers
IMHO) but they rescheduled it so that it conflicted with the Tortugero
trip. The zip line is mostly for the adventure - not for seeing
anything.

On another visit to Costa Rica, I took a boat ride on the Tortugero
Canal. I would take this excursion again. We rode up the canal on a
small boat. We saw alligators, a few iguanas, 5-6 sloths, blue herons,
a basilisk lizard that walks on water, butterflies and many different
birds. We also saw bats, and a few epiphytes in trees; orchids,
vanilla, bromeliads. We heard howling monkeys, but I was too slow to
catch sight of them. It was a nice canal tour. Take your binoculars and
your camera. After the canal tour, the taxi driver took us to a
Chiquita banana plantation. He also drove us into town, giving us a
tour of the city.

This tour was $45.00 pp, but the cruise line sold it for $80.00. Prices
may have changed. We purchased this tour from an independent operator.
They are located under the blue awnings at the pier, near the ship. You
will see large signs offering you different excursions. There is plenty
of shopping at the pier if you want to purchase souvenirs.


One last question: If you shopped for crafts, what did you buy and
was it very expensive?


I have shopped a little bit each time I went to Costa Rica, and if the
things are expensive, I don't buy them. I usually buy coffee for my
children who drink coffee - if you buy the beans be sure that they
have a way to grind them.

I also like those little wooden puzzle boxes, and one of my best
purchases was the wooden creche figures that are hand carved there.
They also have things like wooden trivets.

On our first visit, we went to Sarchi and I bought a folding rocker
with leather seat and back, and also a small ox cart replica that
could be used as a cocktail cart. It was painted with orchids. But I
don't know if they will have those types of things at the port.
  #6  
Old January 6th, 2009, 08:36 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Nonnymus[_7_]
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Posts: 169
Default Costa Rica excursions?

Rosalie B. wrote:

I have shopped a little bit each time I went to Costa Rica, and if the
things are expensive, I don't buy them. I usually buy coffee for my
children who drink coffee - if you buy the beans be sure that they
have a way to grind them.

I also like those little wooden puzzle boxes, and one of my best
purchases was the wooden creche figures that are hand carved there.
They also have things like wooden trivets.

On our first visit, we went to Sarchi and I bought a folding rocker
with leather seat and back, and also a small ox cart replica that
could be used as a cocktail cart. It was painted with orchids. But I
don't know if they will have those types of things at the port.


We've been to Sarchi from both the east and west, and I recommend it as
a little get-away with a fairly good bus ride. The PanAmerican highway
is itself something to see. Personally, we found the souvenirs a bit
pricey, but YMMV. Yes, the painted ox carts are in abundance, as were
some pretty darn good looking furniture that'd be great for a covered
porch. They will ship it for you, naturally. What Mrs. Nonny and our
friend enjoyed most was the large display of free fruit to sample at the
factory. The church is a bit of a fizzle, but if your tour arrives
earlier in the day, there's typically a straw market on the East side
that is interesting and a lot less expensive. The ice cream is touted,
but we didn't partake.

--
Nonny
Good health is merely the
slowest possible rate at
which you can die.
 




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