Costa Rica - Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Corcovado
Costa Rica
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Feb 18 - Feb 26, 2023
We had a fabulous time in Costa Rica, and really appreciated the planning help we received from Nuria. We particularly loved Sunset Lodge in Drake Bay, and the guided trip in Corcovado National Park. In Manuel Antonio, our lodging at Hotel San Bada was a wonderful location just steps from the park entrance and a short walk to the beach. Our night hikes were amazing, and we were happy with the choice to not use a guide inside Manuel Antonio NP. There were so many guides around that we didn't feel like we missed anything.
Kimkim and our specialist Nuria were really helpful to us. I think the Corcovado region in particular would have been difficult to plan and navigate without inside knowledge.
I will say, however, that we learned a bit about ourselves while planning. In general, we like to make decisions based on value. The Kimkim system didn't allow us to do that since prices of individual activities and expenses aren't shared, and we found that to be a bit difficult. Whether or not we want to do something is often balanced with the cost tradeoff in a typical situation. With Kimkim, we didn't know the relative prices of trip components, so when it came time to trim or change, it was difficult. Ultimately, that has to do with our own travel and decision-making style, not a flaw with Kimkim.
The trip was amazing and everything came together without a hitch. All car pick ups and drop offs; boat transfers; activities; shuttles; etc. went smoothly. Thank you!
Hotel Reviews
This hotel was perfectly fine for what we needed. Nothing too fancy, but comfortable. A great place to stay before a flight.
Excellent location right near entrance to Manuel Antonio NP. Comfortable room facing the ocean was great for early morning bird watching and howler monkey listening. Included breakfast was an excellent buffet.
This place is absolutely beautiful and the hosts were wonderfully kind and friendly.
Activity Reviews
This was really a high adventure. We left Drake Bay very early in the morning (before 6am) via boat transfer to arrive as early as possible at the national park. Our guide was excellent and we saw some amazing animals including tapirs, spider monkeys, howler monkeys and more.
This was excellent. The coffee and chocolate portions of the tour exceeded expectations and were really fun and engaging. The night walk was great! We saw lots of wildlife including kinkajous and vipers. We also enjoyed the gift shop.
We did the self-guided trip to hanging bridges and really enjoyed it. It was nice to just listen to the birds and enjoy the quiet as we walked through the canopy. We didn't see lots of wildlife, but really enjoyed the experience.
This was really fun! We had a private guide and he was really informative and great at spotting frogs, insects, snakes, etc. He was less interested in mammals, but we did see 2-toed and 3-toed sloths. He was really great with his spotting scope also and took photos with our phones through the lens for us, which was pretty cool.
This was so fun! We joined a small group on a catamaran for a morning of snorkeling and playing off the boat, with lunch included. The snorkeling was guided and we were tightly monitored and kept in a group. I hadn't experienced that before on a snorkeling trip, but it worked out. We saw a huge stingray, several turtles, and lots of fish. The visibility was ok, not amazing, but we all had a great day. We also saw turtles and dolphins from the boat.
Hello Tara&Paul,
Thank you so much for your feedback, it really helps us to continue improving our services. It has been a total pleasure to help you plan your holiday.
I'm super happy to know that your family had a great in the tropics, looks like you enjoyed a lot Corcovado!I hope this won't be your last experience exploring Costa Rica.
Pura vida!