
Costa Rica: Rainforest and Beaches
Table of Contents
- 15 days
- 2017 Spring
This was our second trip to Costa Rica. On our first trip, we were unable to do a planned day trip to Corcovado National Park, so we came back to try again. This time we made it! While we were here we took the opportunity to spend some time at a couple of laid-back beach towns, Montezuma and Brasilito. Both towns are located on the drier Nicoya peninsula in northern Costa Rica. Montezuma is more the prototypical beach town. Brasilito feels more like a typical Tico village that happens to have a great little hotel and a beautiful beach nearby.
Food & Beverage $41 per day*
Average per person per day. Breakfast was included everywhere we stayed.
Lodging $60-$119 per night*
Finca Maresia in Drake Bay was our lowest price lodging. We were graciously charged the rate we paid the first time we stayed there. (The newer rate of $70 would still have been the lowest.) Adventure Inn in San Jose was the highest.
Transportation $421 per person*
We took shuttles from San Jose to Drake Bay, Montezuma to Brasilito, and Brasilito to San Jose. We flew from Drake Bay to Tambor. We also had taxis in Drake Bay and Tambor to Montezuma.
Entertainment $140 per person*
For our day trip to Corcovado National Park and for horseback riding.
* Costs in US dollars at time of trip
Days 1-5: Drake Bay
The Plan: We’re coming back to do the day trip to Corcovado National Park. This time we’re not waiting until the last day! And we planned our trip around the full moon since high tide was another factor in us not being able to go last time. We also added another day just in case, and because we know we like the area.
The Reality: We made it! We were able to get to Corcovado as planned. It was worth coming back for. We also tried horseback riding for the first (and probably last) time. It was also great to be at Finca Maresia again. Simply one of our favorite places ever.
- Corcovado National Park
- Horseback riding
- Hike along the shore
We spent our first night in San Jose. The following day we took a shuttle to Sierpe and a boat from there to Drake Bay.
Related Posts: The first post describes daily activities and the destination. Other posts cover anything that generated lots of photos!


Corcovado National Park

Drake Bay Beach Hike

Horseback Riding
Days 6-10: Montezuma
The Plan: We don’t have a real agenda. We just want to spend some time at the beach and this sounds like a nice, laid-back beach town. With some nearby wildlife sanctuaries and such if we get bored.
The Reality: We didn’t get bored. We hiked in to see Montezuma Falls one day, checked out the butterfly sanctuary where we were staying and spent the rest of the time at the local beach. We didn’t feel the urge to do any daytrips.
- Montezuma Falls
- Montezuma Gardens
- Beaches
Related Posts: The first post describes daily activities and the destination. Other posts cover anything that generated lots of photos!
Days 11-15: Brasilito
The Plan: The big draws are Playa Conchal, which is supposed to be a really nice beach, and Conchal Hotel, a small hotel I’ve heard great things about.
The Reality: Playa Conchal is a beautiful beach and offers shade under the trees. Conchal Hotel was everything we were looking for. And Brasilito exceeded our expectations.

Brasilito

Playa Conchal and Playa Brasilito

Resources
We used Costa Rica: The Complete Guide (Kindle version) as our primary resource. It had a wealth of information about activities, culture, and dining, and a separate web reference for lodgings. Highly recommended.
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