As Costa Rica continues to mature as a tourist destination, change and growth are fairly constant. Here are some of the new hotels, restaurants, and assorted other developments you can expect to find.
Planning Your Trip
The second phase of the expansion and remodeling of Costa Rica's Juan Santamaría International Airport has been stalled for quite some time, but negotiations were expected to get construction rolling again by October 2005.
In the meantime, however, one substantial change has been made at the airport, and it has made the already chaotic and uncomfortable departure from Customs and immigration even more of a nightmare. When exiting Customs and immigration, you now have to decide whether to exit to the left or right, where you will still find a mob of touts and pirate taxi drivers waiting to flag you down. However, if you are being met, it is wise to decide in advance which side you will choose to meet, even though the two exits are only 50 feet or so apart.
As of mid-August 2005, the official exchange rate was 480 colones to the U.S. dollar.
Taxi rates were recently raised to 330 colones (69¢) for the first kilometer, and 300 colones (63¢) for each additional kilometer.
506TravelCell.com (tel. 877/456-4350 in the U.S. and Canada, or 440-4292 in Costa Rica; www.506travelcell.com) is a new company offering competitive rates on short-term cellphone rentals in Costa Rica.
The start of the 2005 rainy season has seen a marked increase in cases of dengue nationwide. Protect yourself from mosquito bites by using plenty of repellent and wearing adequate clothing.
San José
Taxi rates were recently raised to 330 colones (69¢) for the first kilometer, and 300 colones (63¢) for each additional kilometer.
The Choice Hotels group has opened a brand-new 86-room Sleep Inn (Avenida 3 and Calle 11; tel. 222-0101; www.choicehotels.com) in the heart of San José. The hotel is located just off the popular Parque Morazán, and adjacent to the hotel's partner Club Colonial, which houses a large casino, sports bar, and 24-hour restaurant. Room rates run between $90 and $110 for a double, including a full breakfast.
Although the downtown Serpentarium has closed, Mundo Salvaje (Wild World; tel. 241-5656; www.mundosalvaje.com) is taking its place. Located on the northern outskirts of the downtown area, not far from the El Pueblo shopping center, this new attraction features a broad collection of local snakes, frogs, and arachnids in enclosed terrariums.
Costa Rica Canyoning (tel. 256-0901; www.costaricacanyoning.com) is a new operation offering day trips out of San José to partake in the exciting new adventure sport of "canyoning." On the tour, you will rappel down the face of several waterfalls, hike through a forested canyon, glide along several zip-line cable rigs, and cross a rustic "hammock" bridge over the forest canopy.
In San Rafeal de Escazú, Toku (tel. 289-9335) is a new fusion restaurant, bar, and live performance space. Although the food has been disappointing on several visits, the large stage and steady offering of live music and theater are a welcome addition to the nightlife scene on the west side of town.
Guanacaste & The Nicoya Peninsula
Work has begun on a swimming pool at the Hotel Playa Hermosa Bosque del Mar (tel. 672-0046; www.hotelplayahermosa.com), in Playa Hermosa. The pool should be finished in time for the coming high season.
Two new restaurants opened by one owner have made a quick splash in Tamarindo: Dragonfly Bar & Grill (tel. 653-1506; www.dragonflybarandgrill.com) is a casual yet innovative spot serving up contemporary cooking that mixes fresh local ingredients in creative concoctions and shows the influence of both Asian and Latin American cuisines; Firefly Barbeque (same contact info) is their much more simple sister restaurant, which features U.S.-style barbeque pork and chicken, as well as barbeque fish and a host of other hearty options.
Unfortunately, Tamarindo's nightlife took a serious blow with the tearing down of the Big Bazaar. This establishment and several others, including Pedro's Fish Shack, were apparently built without permits too close to the high-tide line, and were summarily torn down by local authorities.
In Playa Grande, the former Hotel El Bucanero is now the Rip Jack Inn (tel. 800/808-4605 in the U.S. and Canada, or 653-0480; www.ripjackinn.com). The new owners have already made some improvements in the room decor and plan to add several new rooms as well as a swimming pool. They've also added an excellent restaurant, Restaurant Pan, with one of the former chefs from Tamarindo's popular Lazy Wave Food Company heading up the kitchen.
Hotel Luna Azul (tel. 821-0075; www.hotellunaazul.com) is a new, intimate boutique hotel on Playa Ostional. This remote beach is the popular site for mass nestings, or arribadas, of Olive Ridley turtles.
The Northern Zone
Nature Air (tel. 220-3054; www.natureair.com) now has daily flights to La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area from San José, Tamarindo, Liberia, and Quepos/Manuel Antonio. This greatly reduces the need for a rental car, and facilitates visiting multiple destinations in a short period of time.
Santa Elena is now home to the Monteverde Tree House (tel. 645-5757; www.monteverdeinfo.com), a commercial complex that -- at three stories -- counts as the town's only "high-rise." On the first floor you'll find a tour agency and souvenir store. The second floor is taken up by a restaurant and Internet cafe, while on the third floor the Tree House Hotel offers up seven new and modern rooms, which to me feel a bit out of place in this quintessential ecotourism destination.
I've been advised that recent volcanic activity has renewed the flow on the southern flank of the Arenal Volcano, once again making the Arenal Observatory Lodge an excellent spot from which to enjoy nighttime eruptions and lava flows.
Central Pacific Coast
Costa Rica's newest national park, Parque Nacional Los Queztales, is a 5,021-hectare tract of land running from the inland mountains down to the sea. The park currently has no trails, facilities, or infrastructure for tourists, but all are planned for the coming years. The park does contain much primary habitat used by the beautiful Resplendant Quetazal.
Cabinas Las Arenas (tel. 643-3508; www.cabinaslasarenas.com) is an excellent new budget option catering to surfers in Playa Hermosa.
A little farther south, in Playa Esterillos, Coral Ranch Surf Camp (tel. 778-8648; www.ranchocoral.com) is a more upscale option catering to aspiring and long-time surfers alike.
In downtown Quepos, Marsha Bennett has sold her longstanding and immensely popular restaurant El Gran Escape. The early word is that the new owners have so far kept the same quality menu and excellent service.
The Caribbean Coast
Bread and Chocolate (tel. 750-0723) is an excellent new breakfast and lunch spot in "downtown" Puerto Viejo, specializing in fresh baked goods and fruit shakes.
In late July 2005, the very popular Bar El Bambu in Puerto Viejo burned to the ground. Currently there is no clear indication on whether or not this hopping joint will be rebuilt.
Totem (Playa Cocles; tel. 750-0758; www.totemsite.com) is a comfortable new hotel option on Playa Cocles. The hotel has six rooms and an Italian restaurant that is getting good early reviews.
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