After Cocos- Arenal and SJO airport info.

[wahlaoeh]

Hi there,
I'll be going on a 10 days Cocos trip in Jan-2008. We're planning to stay few days in Costa Rica for some land activities (most probably in Arenal) after the LOB. What is the best (easiest) way to get to Arenal (La Fortuna) from San Jose? I know that Nature Air has daily flight there but the domestic flight has very tight baggage allowance (~30lbs for check-in). Are there any left luggage facilities in San Jose (SFO) airport? Thanks.
Any other info. on this topic would be greatly appreciated.
Happy bubbles,
Jovin-

 

[pakman]

I had the same issue about not being able to take the local flights (to a different location). Best to have a tour operator arrange land transportation. 2hrs? The drive I suspect should be pretty scenic once you get out of SJ.

 

[wahlaoeh]

I had the same issue about not being able to take the local flights (to a different location). Best to have a tour operator arrange land transportation. 2hrs? The drive I suspect should be pretty scenic once you get out of SJ.

Ya, think we'll have to arrange for land transportation. Probably not worth the effort to take the domestic flight (45 minutes + 1 hour before check-in time). We're planning to spend one week in Costa; would like to do some trekking, hot-springs, zip lines and my boyfriend wants to do some surfing. Maybe 3 days in Arenal and 4 days bumming at a nice surf beach.

 

[mjh]

If you are going ten days I assume you are going with Undersea Hunter, Alan (w/UH) arranged all our transportation and did a great job, see trip report at our website. If anyone gets car sick I suggest Dramamine, some of the roads are turny and rough.

 

[pakman]

and my boyfriend wants to do some surfing. Maybe 3 days in Arenal and 4 days bumming at a nice surf beach.

Try to find an earlier post I made about "what to do for 2 days in Costa Rica". There were some good posts from some of the surfing SB'ers about the various surf beaches...

Compared to some Asian countries, I found the roads pretty good in Costa Rica except... between Quepos (Manuel Antonio Nat'l Park) and Dominical which turned into a nasty pothole filled dirt road that took 1hr to drive thru!

Depending on how much traveling you will do, consider renting a 4x4. If I was staying there longer I think I would have gone that route. Some of the bigger rental car companies will also allow you to drop off the car at a different location (pick up at one of the major beach locations, drop off at the airport/ SJO).

Oh and here's a map of Costa Rica which shows where the main roads are...
http://www.mapcr.com/CostaRica.pdf

 

[wahlaoeh]

Hey guys, thanks so much for the advice. I'm getting really excited and is trying to decide between staying 6 or 7 days in Costa, all depends on TACA flight schedules. Our flight out from LAX is on 21-Jan 00:20. TACA only have the afternoon 14:30 flight out from SJO to LAX on certain days, arriving in LAX on 19:55. We'd love to stay an extra day but is it too risky to take the 18:15 flight, arriving in LAX at 22:20 (2 hrs layover)?

20-Jan (Sun) LR604 SJO 18:15 LAX 22:20
21-Jan (Mon) CX881 LAX 00:20 HKG 07:45+1

19-Jan (Sat) LR680 SJO 14:30 SAL 15:50 (El Salvador)
19-Jan (Sat) TA528 SAL 16:35 LAX 19:55
21-Jan (Sun) CX881 LAX 00:20 HKG 07:45+1

Thanks.
Jovin-

 

[wahlaoeh]

If you are going ten days I assume you are going with Undersea Hunter, Alan (w/UH) arranged all our transportation and did a great job, see trip report at our website. If anyone gets car sick I suggest Dramamine, some of the roads are turny and rough.

Hi mjh, Thanks for sharing your trip report. Very informative and fantastic pixs you have got there. More pixs? Yes, we'll be going on the Undersea Hunter from 3-13 Jan and staying one week thereafter.

Happy bubbles,
Jovin-

 

[mjh]

If you have the time there are more pics and video clips in the slide show for Cocos. You do have to download their free viewer but I have found they do not spam you later. Can't wait for our Mapelo/Cocos trip in April!

 

[pakman]

Jovin, I had the same dilemma when I was originally looking at flying back straight from SJO via LAX. If you had US passports, you might make it in that time but I recall the non-US citizen line looking like a nightmare at LAX... Plus you're going to have to pick up your luggage, walk over to the int'l terminal and check in again...

Enjoy a layover in LAX and do some sightseeing. There are worse places to be stuck overnite than LA...

did you look into transiting in Tokyo instead of HK? Then you could take the Continental direct flight from Narita to Houston and then their direct flight to SJO. But I don't know how their flights match up.

 

[wahlaoeh]

Jovin, I had the same dilemma when I was originally looking at flying back straight from SJO via LAX. If you had US passports, you might make it in that time but I recall the non-US citizen line looking like a nightmare at LAX... Plus you're going to have to pick up your luggage, walk over to the int'l terminal and check in again...

Enjoy a layover in LAX and do some sightseeing. There are worse places to be stuck overnite than LA...

did you look into transiting in Tokyo instead of HK? Then you could take the Continental direct flight from Narita to Houston and then their direct flight to SJO. But I don't know how their flights match up.

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the advice. I'll be using my friend's miles on Cathay Pacific so can't do the SIN-Tokyo-Houston-SJO route. I'm not holding an US passport so will have to cut short our stay by a day and depart SJO on 19th to take to SJO-LAX flight with more than 4 hours layover in LAX. Should be fine ya.
Jovin-