Recommendations about Costa Rica
As we assume that you do not intend to travel to Costa Rica "for one week only", here are some recommendations for before and after your stay with us
Arriving earlier or staying longer is a good option.
From Portasol you can also take a lot of tours: To the beach of Matapalo, Day tours: by kayak through the mangroves, Manuel Antonio National Park and much more.
Directly in Matapalo on the beach:
To El Coquito: beautifully situated beach bungalows with and without air conditioning, pool and restaurant
Email: maletor05@yahoo.com
Enrique Male (speaks Spanish and English):
Tel: (00506) 2787 5031
Mobil: 00506 8834 5253
Internet: www.elcoquito.com
Hotels near the airport (Alajuela city) and San José:
Alajuela is smaller, quieter and safer than San José.
Super Hotel located in Alajuela:
Linda Vista Montana in Tuetal Norte
tel: (00506) 24 30 20 29 | Mobile: 89 359 593 Ronny
about US$ 40.- per person per night including breakfast and transfers to and from the airport.
Quite close to the airport:
A small clean Hotel Paradise Alajuela:
75 m east of the open post in Alajuela, 24 hours.
tel: (00506) 2431-2541 | Mobile: 8353-4025
email: info@hotelparadisealajuela.com
appr. US$ 30.- including breakfast
For reservations, book room with window.
Guarded parking nearby.
Hotel Alajuela
suitable for larger groups, as it has about 40 rooms
Directly on the Parque Central, central location, so rather loudly, Parking
Location: Av. Central, C. 2
tel: (00506) 2441 1241
San José
Cheap and always available rooms, backpacker-level, colorful mix of clients, close to the Main Avenida and the gold museum.
Hostal Pangea:
District: Barrio Amon. Av 7/C. 3Y5
tel: (00506) 2221 1992
email: hostel@email.com
Flughafen-Abholservice, Internetzugang
Casa Leon:
Location: Av 6/C.13
tel: (00506) 2222 9725
email: casa_leon_sa@hotmail.com
relaxed, friendly, Swiss management
Recommended the year-round:
3-4 days in the southwest pacific:
On Sierpe to Drake Bay and from there a one-day tour to Corcovado National Park. When booking the stay the Uvita Information Centre with Sonja and Maricella are happy to help. A tour in the park can be booked on the spot.
Also recommended is the snorkel or diving trip to Cano Iland.
In January, February and August there are also impressive whale watching tours from Uvita.
Uvita Information Centre:
tel: (00506) 2743 8072 oder 8889
email: mail@uvita.info
Skype: 
Internet: www.uvita.info
Languages: Spanish, English and German
A stay in Uvita
A moderatly developed tourist spot. There you will find accommodation for all price categories.
Right on the beach, simple, clean and indigenous:
Cabinas el Bambú
Manager is Don Jesus Molina,
tel: (00506) 2743 8143
appr. 15.000 Colones (about US$ 30 )
Speaks Spanish
Learn Spanish
I know Oswaldo and really can recommend him, I learned with him too:
Immersion Spanish Classes
Learn Spanish and live in a rural Costa Rica village, where you will live Spanish and cultural experiences.
Contact info: email: osbe21again@yahoo.es
facebook: Os Muñoz Jiménez
In August, especially, but also year-round interest:
3-4 day stays on the northeast coast: Tortugero
Here, the giant turtles lay their eggs in August on the beach in the sand. Nature Observation on the branched channels is really worthwhile, but beware: well developed for tourists.
For these and other tours Mapachetours to assist you.
Languages: Spanish, English, German
tel: (00506) 2479-8333 oder 8454
email: info@mapachetours.com
Internet: www.mapachetours.com
I can recommend very much Biologist Barbara Hartung with her trips in Tortugero:
www.tinamontours.de
She organizes also accommodation in Tortuguero and can help with arrival and departure. Particularly impressive is a trip with the canu where everyone sits in the same boat and paddles calmly and quietly through the channels… and watch crocodiles, caimans, monkeys, yellow snakes and a lot more, which we wouldn't see without a guide.
And still, the Caribbean side:
Very beautiful but sometimes very wet. I like the village of Manzanillo best, right at the park. Ask for Meltema which also has rooms to rent -with greeting from Doris.
Cahuita is very beautiful too.
La Fortuna in the Arenal Volcano
sometimes you don't get to see it, then a bath in the hot springs is the perfect consolation
Ecotermales: an easy and simple establishment! Few guests in the afternoon, and in the evening a little fuller: and right next door is Baldi: Also beautiful, but rather Mickey Mouse
The waterfalls at Fortuna are worth visiting but you will need good shoes as it is often slippery. You can swim there too.
Accommodation:
Cabinas Sissy are simple and clean with very helpful staff
Address: 100m south and 100m west of the Catholic Church in La Fortuna
tel: (00506) 2479-9356
Whoever is in Costa Rica at the end of the year and is interested in old customs shouldn't miss "El Juego de los Diabolitos" highlight of the three day ceremony is the 2nd evening of January.
From Palmar Norte is in the mountains to Boruca, 4-wheel drive is recommended.
Should you want more infomation about hotels:
Here is an Internet portal where guests assess their accommodation: www.tripadvisor.com
