CA Trip

[hopefulist]

1 more thing - on your way home, you can fly straight from Roatán to the airport at San Pedro Sula.

 

[rleslie]

Hopefulist - GREAT web site. Been reading it for the last hour.

Tons of information from everyone....will take a while to absorb.

thanks
Roger

 

[hopefulist]

Great - let me know if I can answer more questions.

 

[rleslie]

After your great advise and a lot of time on the internet, we have come up with:

Costa Rica(6 nights): Arenal Valcano - WW rafting on the Pacuare - Monteverde Cloud Forest
All three are close to San Jose. Is there a central location where we can stay for 5-6 nights and easily reach all three?

Tikal(3 nights): I have found several tours that originate in Belize and go to Tikal. Since we will be diving Belize, would these tours actually give enough time to really see Tikal or would you suggest finding lodging near the ruins? I'm thinking staying close to the ruins would be best.

Diving(7 nights): We're leaning towards Ambergris Caye. Would dive with Protech (if Peter will ever answer my pm<grin>) and stay @ Caribbean Villas or Sunbreze. We are also considering Roatan, but my wife will not dive as much as me and she needs other distraction while I'm in the water. My impression is that there is more to do in Ambergris Caye than Roatan (other than diving).

Any thoughts?

Thanks for all the help!!!!
April can't get here soon enough!!!

Roger

 

[Rivermonkey]

Sounds like a great plan. For Costa Rica I suggest you spend a day or two in a little town called Turrialba then head off to the Arenal area. I guarantee you will love Turrialba, its quiet and very picturesque...and most all the rafting outfitters are based there. If you stay in one place it won't be nearly as nice. Once you get to the Arenal area you can do day trips and such to Monteverde or vice versa with Monteverde and Arenal. Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

[Valwood1]

After your great advise and a lot of time on the internet, we have come up with:

Costa Rica(6 nights): Arenal Valcano - WW rafting on the Pacuare - Monteverde Cloud Forest
Tikal(3 nights):
Diving(7 nights): We're leaning towards Ambergris Caye. Any thoughts?

Thanks for all the help!!!!
April can't get here soon enough!!!

Roger

We were in Costa Rica in 2004 and in Tikal and Belize (Amergris Caye) in September, 2006. A few comments on your tentative plan are:
1. It's certainly easiest to stay at Tikal Park, particularly if you plan to do the "Temple 4(?) dawn tour" or the night tour. As I recall, staying elsewhere means about an hour drive to-and-from the park. We stayed at Tikal Lodge, which was fine, as long as you remember that they turn off the electricity at about 10pm each day, and that also turns off the ceiling fan. And while in the park, don't worry about all the guys with shotguns or machine guns -- they're for your protection. And the zip line canopy ride outside of the park is great -- I thought it better than the one we did in Costa Rica.
2. I think that it's a bother to drive from Tikal to Belize (we did) -- roads are very poor. But, you can fly from Flores to Belize City fairly easily; the planes are small, but the flight is fun. I think that the airlines are Tropic Air and Mayan Air.
3. Belize has an exit tax, at least from the airport in Belize City, of $30(?)US per person. This tax seems to apply each time you leave from Belize to another country. Consequently, do NOT do as we did, and fly to Belize City and then change planes to Flores when you plan to return to Belize after Tikal, or you'll pay two exit taxes from Belize.
4. Costa Rican roads also are less than ideal. Thus, do not equate short distances with short travel times. There's a very nice resort near Arenal.
5. You certainly won't go wrong with Protech -- I used them and was quite pleased. There's not a lot to do in Ambergris Caye, other than doing nothing. But, it's fun to rent a golf cart and drive around the town. There are a number of inland attractions that can be reached on tours from Ambergris Caye. The diving is excellent, and requires only a short boat ride (unless you go to Turneffe or Blue Hole).

You should have a great time.

Bill