Holiday review by Mr. Adrian Davies
Name: Mr. Adrian Davies
Date of trip: 17/08/2019
Number of people: 2
Tribes Overall:
The great variety of experiences without overly long travel distances. Highlights included turtles and anteaters at Manatus, rafting in Sarapiqui, and dozens of macaws on the beautiful Playa Blanca beach near Carrara.
Tribes Service:
First hire car was booked for one day too long so left at Finca Rosa Blanca but without any problems.
Other than that, all very efficient.
Guides:
Manatus guides excellent - even on the bus transfer.
Maquenque guides good.
Exceptional guiding at Tirimbina for day trip.
The places you stayed
Finca Rosa Blanca
Costa Rica
Very convenient after the flight whilst being reasonably rural and very quiet. Good restaurant, good pool and spa. Handy for Central Valley whilst avoiding central San Jose but still took a while to drive out of the conurbation.
Manatus Hotel
Costa Rica
Very high quality accommodation and guiding.
Very good restaurant with kids menu. Great opportunities to see wildlife generally and turtles in particular. The lodge is very much set up for 2 night stays. If staying for longer you might feel a bit short changed or would have to be very clear what you were going to do beyond the ‘set’ activities.
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Arenal
Very nice villa. Excellent location. Good restaurant and kids menu if a little large and impersonal. Excellent kayaking from Fortuna. Lots of wildlife in a rather tamer environment than Tortuguero although therefore easy to see.
Bosque de Paz
Costa Rica
Quite rustic. Good food but set dishes, so some children might need a bit of practice elsewhere first. Very friendly staff. Amazing numbers of humming birds at feeders and flying right around you
Macaw Lodge
Costa Rica
Beautiful location. Set menu probably the least inspiring on the trip. Bungalows quite basic but great views. A bit of an end of season to the place with a few things not working (fans, tripping electric etc). Pleasant enough staff. Reasonably remote and a bit of a challenge getting back there last night after very heavy rain due to several fallen trees.
