[travolta]

Last year I was bumped from a flight and was given a $400 flight voucher as compensation. I just booked a round trip flight to Costa Rica for a month (leaving June 26th). I don't really have any plans other than to meet some cool people, chill, check out the scenery, and experience new things. I'm planning to do this trip on a tight budget (from a financial standpoint I shouldn't even be going really, but I couldn't let the voucher go to waste, and my seasonal substitute teaching job is ending right before I leave).

What are some must see places/sites in Central America? All I know for sure is that I want to see Costa Rica and check out Panama City for a bit.

[Cr33pin]

[Sourcecode]

If we are talking about a cool adventure

Panama City
maybe
Area de Conservación Guanacaste

San Jose and Jaco..ive heard they are nice places and party cities

If youre into that thing..prostitutes should be around...you could probably shore one of them

[johnw28]

Costa Rica is great but can be expensive. I lived there for the better part of 4 years. If you have a month I would spend a few days in San Jose, check out la calle amargura in San Pedro, this is a great place to party, Also you should go to El Pueblo. If you are looking for a daytime bar go to Chubbs at Parque Morazon, which is next to the Del Rey and Key Largo, but that is a place for whore mongers.

Beach towns that I like are Manuel Antonio/Quepos, Uvita, and Dominical. Uvita is kind of a boring dusty town but the beach is amazing at Parque Ballena. And Dominical has great nightlife. In Quepos Check out Arco Iris.

Another great place to check out is Perez Zeledon, highest number of women per capita in the country. All the men go to San Jose or New Jersey to work. The nicest, classiest and prettiest women in my opinion however come from San Carlos.

BTY I will be in CR for a week in July. Send me a message if you want more info. If you are going on a budget I would suggest to spend more time in San Jose or Perez Zeledon than at the beach, as it is cheaper and you can find monthly rentals easier in those two cities.

[Brian]

I actually thought Costa Rica was pretty cheap. I spent a week in Mal Pais and thought it was a great place to chill, unwind, enjoy the beach, and so some surfing. Also heard good things about Dominical. Jaco is a dump.

[azulsombra]

Yeah, I found Costa Rica cheap as well. As long as your not comparing it to Guatemala or something.

[travolta]

thanks for the replies. I'll definitely look into the places you guys mentioned. I'm thinking that I'll give myself a $1,500 budget for the month. As much as I'd rather do this trip differently, I'll more than likely end up doing the backpacking route. I suck at speaking Spanish and am not going to be away for too long. Another one of my purposes for this trip is to test myself to see if I'm able to work on my online business while traveling abroad (I'm not successful with the online business yet, but it's surely going to come sometime sooner than later).

Do a lot of the local women in the big cities like San Jose and Panama City have their own places, or is it common for them to live with their families (like in Asia)? Unless I find cheap hotels, I'll likely be staying in hostels. Not sure if the local broads are going to be down with me hard-dicking them in my hostel.. I'll settle for backpacker girls, but obviously I'd rather collect some Central American flags

[OGNorCal707]

The most epic spot in Costa Rica for nature, is the national park, Rincon de la Vieja. It's a little off the beaten path, near the town of Liberia, probably one of the least visited parks in Costa, there's something like 6 different eco-systems in the park, tons of rivers, waterfalls, etc.

I digged the Carribean coast more than the Pacific, although the Pacific is better for surfing, Carribean has a different culture, and food, lot's of black people, more reggae style.

As far as the rest of C.A., from the spots I've been to, I really liked Guatemala for history, culture, natural beauty, the Mayan ruins of Tikal, Antigua and the Volcanoes, plus the Lake is pretty cool too.

[FretDancer]

Stayed a few days at Puerto Viejo, Limon. Great amazing beach, the place there is very reggae influenced, very Rhasta, I liked it. Its a good place to surf and swim as well, best wave's I've ever felt in my life, but I am no surfer.

[travolta]

Rincon de la Vieja sounds awesome. I'm a huge nature guy so I'll be sure to check it out. Does anyone know how the rock climbing is in Costa Rica & Panama?

I'm not much of a surfer, I just want to chill out on the beach. Is it legal, easy, or cheap to get weed in the beach towns?

I finally got in touch with my boy down in Panama City. I'll definitely be spending a little bit of time doing my thing there. He told me that Casco Viejo is the place to stay. I was also told that Calle Uruguay is the high class area in Panama.

[freshcream]

Hoping to more recommendations, will be going to Costa Rica in september.

[Parlay44]

Check out Jaco (pronounced Hock-O) Beach. They just finished a highway from San Jose to Jaco Beach.
From what I hear it's like an hour drive now. I have a cute Colombian girl in San Jose that mails me coffee
once in a while.

Baldi Spa is pretty dope too. Hot mineral water spa at the top of a volcano.

Definitely go white water rafting as well. That was a blast!!

[OGNorCal707]

(05-23-2012 10:20 PM)travolta Wrote:  

Rincon de la Vieja sounds awesome. I'm a huge nature guy so I'll be sure to check it out. Does anyone know how the rock climbing is in Costa Rica & Panama?

I'm not much of a surfer, I just want to chill out on the beach. Is it legal, easy, or cheap to get weed in the beach towns?

I finally got in touch with my boy down in Panama City. I'll definitely be spending a little bit of time doing my thing there. He told me that Casco Viejo is the place to stay. I was also told that Calle Uruguay is the high class area in Panama.

I definitely can't speak on Panama, but as far as the ganja goes in Costa Rica, I'm quite certain that it is not legal, but is pretty chill on smoking. The Carribean (Puerto Viejo) it's pretty widely smoked and available. It's not uncommon to see dready dudes lighting up joints. The quality is way better on the Carribean side as well, if you're picky you can find decent ("mid-grade") locally grown seedless outdoor bud, (pretty damn good by C.A. standard).

If you are looking for ganja, and in Puerto Viejo, I recommend you chill at the hostel, "Rocking J's", you can probably just tell them you want to chill and buy/drink beer and they'll let you hang out, if you're not staying there. Rocking J's is the chill, hippy, stoner, counter-culture spot, all the people that work there, will know who has the best ganja in town and can direct you where to go.

Rincon is amazing, and I highly recommend you go there, easily the best place I've been to for natural beauty anywhere, with the Sahara desert being a close rival.

Also Parlay mentioned the Baldi hotsprings, that is near the town on Fortuna, which is pretty cool, some nice waterfalls and swimming holes around there, plus the Arenal Volcano. However, if you go there, I'd recommend you skip the Baldi hotspring and go to the Tabacon hotsprings instead, Tabacon hotsprings is more expensive, but I regret not going. Baldi you sit in manmade tile soaking tubs, but Tabacon they diverted the hotspring, and created a manmade river with cascading waterfalls into soaking pools, surrounded by exotic tropical flora.

[Parlay44]

If you speak Spanish you'll probably be able to get laid no problem. If not you can bang out some hot
18 year old Colombian hookers on the cheap there. P4P is legal and no big deal. Hit up some massage places

[temujin]

Where's the best place to be in Costa Rica if you already have a chick with you and just want a beautiful secluded spot to bang away with some nice restaurants/fresh food markets and stunning scenery all around you?

[thegmanifesto]

(05-24-2012 02:06 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  

Check out Jaco (pronounced Hock-O) Beach. They just finished a highway from San Jose to Jaco Beach.
From what I hear it's like an hour drive now. I have a cute Colombian girl in San Jose that mails me coffee
once in a while.

Baldi Spa is pretty dope too. Hot mineral water spa at the top of a volcano.

Definitely go white water rafting as well. That was a blast!!

Jaco has been know to be the absolute worst place in Costa Rica for over 20 years.

Why are you recommending it?

[Locksmith]

Personally, I don't like Panama City that much as it's the spot most devoid of "couleur locale" in C.A. But that's me.

Most of the tips for Costa Rica mentioned here were good. Guanacaste is definitely worth it and will be easy for you to get to.

From Guanacaste you can cross to Nicaragua, which is a budget-friendly place. See the lake of Nicaragua (Ometepe Island) and Granada.

Guatemala is also great, mainly indeed Tikal, the jungle, and also the area surrounding Livingstone in the Caribbean. Lake Atitlan up the mountains was also cool when I went there years ago. But Guatemala, if you are limited in terms of time and money, is more of a (logistical) challenge, especially if you're landing in Costa Rica.

Except for some great natural-historical sites and caribbean islands, I'd avoid Honduras, especially the bigger cities.

[Chapulin]

Costa Rica: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Tamarindo have good nightlife and tons of tourists. Good partying.
Nicaragua: GRanada is cool, there are tourists and there are some nightlife but dont expect too much
Isla Ometepe is good for hiking, 0,0000001% chance of getting laid
Honduras: Bay Islands good for scuba diving (if you dont dive yet Utila is good for getting your open water certification)
Guatemala: I love Guatemala, Guatemala City and Antigua has great nightlife. Also be sure to check Tikal, Lake Atitlan and Semuc Champey
Belize: When I say Belize is good for picking up european tourists people in this forum tend to say otherwise...

[FretDancer]

(03-07-2013 09:02 AM)Chapulin Wrote:  

Costa Rica: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Tamarindo have good nightlife

Do you mean Puerto Viejo in Limon? If so, can't say I agree. I stayed there for like 5 days during April last year. There was no nightlife whatsoever, just people eating and drinking at the restaurants/pubs. No clubs at all.

I didn't stay for the weekend for the exact same reason, who knows if it changes completely.

Anyways, I still had a pretty good time. I enjoyed more the day than the night over there though.

[Hencredible Casanova]

I'm heading out to Guanacaste with a chick third weekend of April. Flying into Liberia and then I'm renting a car and driving down to Guana. Staying at a baller resort but I could use some ideas about the town. What's good around there?

[thegmanifesto]

(03-28-2013 07:45 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

I'm heading out to Guanacaste with a chick third weekend of April. Flying into Liberia and then I'm renting a car and driving down to Guana. Staying at a baller resort but I could use some ideas about the town. What's good around there?

Witch's Rock is there if I remember correctly:



Watch out for crocs:

Place is beautiful. Mad monkey's and Iguanas. Huge ones.

Tamarindo is there as well (if I am getting my geography right), but it has been years since I was there and I heard I wouldn't recognize the place.

When I was there, I camped and slept on the beach a few nights.

Now there are hotels and condos.

Lunch was an old Costa Rican lady frying up fresh fish on the beach.

Now it is nice restaurants.

Or so I have heard.

Probably the perfect place to go with a fly girl.

[Hencredible Casanova]

Nice. I've heard of Tamarindo. They say it's sometimes referred to as "TamaGringo." Ha. I know the Caribbean side well but haven't dabbled on the Pacific coast. Look forward to it. Thanks for the intel. That first image is sick.

[OGNorCal707]

(03-28-2013 07:45 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

I'm heading out to Guanacaste with a chick third weekend of April. Flying into Liberia and then I'm renting a car and driving down to Guana. Staying at a baller resort but I could use some ideas about the town. What's good around there?

Dude, you have to check out Rincon de la Vieja, easily the most beautiful park in Costa Rica and very close to Liberia, it is one of the most epic nature spots I've been to anywhere in the world.

[thegmanifesto]

(03-28-2013 08:04 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

Nice. I've heard of Tamarindo. They say it's sometimes referred to as "TamaGringo." Ha. I know the Caribbean side well but haven't dabbled on the Pacific coast. Look forward to it. Thanks for the intel. That first image is sick.

Yeah, I heard it has changed tons.

I remember also liking Dominical in Costa Rica.

I don't remember where that was though.

Again, I am sure that town is nothing like when I left it.

[Bacchus]

(03-07-2013 01:04 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

Do you mean Puerto Viejo in Limon? If so, can't say I agree. I stayed there for like 5 days during April last year. There was no nightlife whatsoever, just people eating and drinking at the restaurants/pubs. No clubs at all.

I didn't stay for the weekend for the exact same reason, who knows if it changes completely.

Anyways, I still had a pretty good time. I enjoyed more the day than the night over there though.

I agree with FretDancer about Puerto Viejo. I went there for a night and it sucked. There weren't any good bars at night. Most of the people there are surfer types with filthy dreads or pudgy backpackers. The locals see the tourists as dollars and just want to hustle all the money they can. Every guy you see, it's "I got that smoke" or whatever. Then they yell "Fuck you," when you don't want anything. It was a nice beach, but there are a lot of nice beaches in Costa Rica.