- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
mr bee and i had an amazing time in costa rica! we stayed in manuel antonio because it was the perfect combo of adventure and relaxation. many opt for monteverde/arenal, but that's a lot of travel on really bad roads. once day we'll go back for those two cities!
here are some posts i wrote that may be useful!
http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/01/17/costa-rica-and-more/
http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/03/06/pura-vida/
http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/03/09/manuel-antonio-part-1/
http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/03/13/manuel-antonio-part-ii/
http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/03/14/manuel-antonio-part-iii/
My husband and I went to Costa Rica on our honeymoon in October 2008. It was absoultely perfect!
We spilt our time between Arenal Volcano and Playa Conchal/Guanacaste. That way we had a mix of adventure and amazing natural wonder and the ultimate relaxation of lounging on the beach with a tropical drink.
We stayed at the Tabacon Grand at Arenal volcano http://www.tabacon.com/ The volcanic hot springs were lovely and soooo relaxing after the stress of a wedding. Who can ask more than to sit in a hot spring and stare at an erupting volcano. The service was exceptional at Tabacon and the food was excellent. We opted for a package which included breakfast each morning which was great. Costa Rican coffee and fried cheese and beans for breakfast?!?! Yes please! It was a short cab ride into town for dinners. The food is fresh, tasty, and cheap to boot.
When we were at Arenal we went on a nature hike which was fabulous and ziplining which I highly recommend.
We hired a private transfer to take us from Arenal to Playa Conchal. While it was a 4 hour drive it was wonderful to see the country and its people which we would not have been able to enjoy from the air. Our driver was extremely friendly and we got to brush up on our spanish. You can rent a car, but as mrsbee said, the roads are poor and conditions can be scary.
In Playa Conchal we stayed at a private rental condo at Reserva Conchal. http://www.reservaconchal.com/ This place was truly perfection. The food, the atmosphere, the service, the beach, I could go on and on. We were treated like royalty. There is an all-inclusive resort on the Reserva property, the Paradisus. But we wanted a more intimate experience. It was possible to walk to a nearby area with a handful of restaurants. At the Happy Snapper we ate right on the beach and I had a meal consisting of a whole lobster, 2 Mahi Mahi filets, and an appetizer for $24!!!! Unheard of in the US. I also had a whole fried red snapper at another place which was also wonderful.
I have attached on picture from each place and have more if you would like.
.
IMG_1168_jpglargethumb.jpg (146.3 KB, 69 downloads) 3 years old
I'd recommend staying at Arenal Observatory Lodge--not as luxurious as some of the resorts, but its the only hotel on the lava side of the volcano so the views are unbeatable! You can watch the lava flow at night from your private balcony, or the hotel jacuzzi or their huge observatory deck. If you stay anywhere else you have to arrange a night tour to get to the lava side--many of which came to our hotel deck!
And if you go to Monteverde Cloud Forest, El Sol is a fun place to stay. They have two private little cabins (very romantic) and the hostess arranged for yummy dinner and wine to be delivered to our door. We also did horseback riding through private waterfalls!
For info/pics from our trip:
http://patrinadoestheglobe.blogspot.com/2008/09/costa-rica.html
The Peace Lodge at La Paz Waterfall Gardens is quite the beautiful escape. Accommodations are rustic-luxe and you can't beat the scenery, nor the hike through the waterfall gardens themselves.
I also love the Arenal region because of the volcanic hot springs! There are a few choices when you're there, but I recommend Eco Termales. It's smaller than the other hot spring spas, but also not as touristy or commercialized. And you don't really need much more than they offer - there are plenty of natural stone pools available in varying temperatures, all tucked into the jungle. They only allow something like 100 people in per day, so you have to make reservations for your arrival, and they also offer an excellent menu at the onsite restaurant.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest is also worth visiting, if you're up for the adventure of just getting there! We rented our own car for the drive from Arenal to Monteverde and it's the craziest unpaved road I've ever seen. If you like to offroad though, it's a lot of fun. 
And the cliffside view of the countryside is beautiful, something you can't get from flying.
Pura vida!
Hi! We are doing our honeymoon in Costa Rica in June! We are staying at the Paradisus Playa Conchal. One of my clients owns a travel agency - he had just gotten back from there and said it was amazing.
My fiance is not the type to sunbathe, so we thought it would be awesome to do adventurous activities - zipline, deep sea fish, etc. We also had friends that went there on their honeymoon - they said after deep sea fishing (which you really don't have to go out that far to catch amazing fish) - the chef cooked the fish they caught THAT day, and they had a dinner for two that they set up especially for them! I thought that was a really neat touch.
I like the idea of all-inclusive because you know ahead of time what you're spending. I also think it's nice because if you want to have a private night without anyone around, you can order in, or if you want to meet people and mingle, you can do that as well! Good luck on deciding!
If you're heading to the Tamarindo area..check out the breakfast burrito place on the main street. There is only one main street throught the town, so you can't miss it, but holy crap were those good! Basically any restaurant is delicious here....eat everything seafood if you like it. Delicious!!!
I have been to Manuel Antonio 2x & loved it! I also spent 1 night in Arenal area. What month is your honeymoon? We stayed @ Costa Verde in Manuel Antonio...their saying is "more monkeys than people" the 3 restaurants (one is a short hike) are delicious & so relaxing...I think you would be happy eating all meals there, but you can also go into town for "shakes" and their bakery & surprisingly a decent sushi place...our rooms were not super luxe but very affordable...one thing I thought was funny is that we had satellite FV, minifridge, ministove, but NO alarm clock I *heart* Costa Rica, lol...oh, and not to mention the yummy coffee! I rarely like coffee, and the guanabana (sp?) juice
If you stay @ Man. Ant., I would pay for the nat'l park. The tour is not necessary, but it definitely helped me learn about animals & spot things I wouldn't have. I recommend only bringing comfy/outdoors shoes, and of course a rain jacket (I went in rainy season). On my 3rd trip, I packed lighter & took advantage of their laundry service. Also, I recommend booking all your activities through the hotel unless you really know what you are doing. The zip line tours are a must! I didn't really like the horseback riding waterfall tour, though...it was fun but not very safe!
Hi,
We stayed at this wonderful all inclusive villa near the Manual Antonio area. They only bok one couple at a time. You have your own rain forest, waterfalls, etc, and a very romantic villa. They give you a great package for a very reasonable price. It includes a chef, activities, private photograher .... really amazing!
If you like that kind of thing, check it out; www.mytropicalhoneymoon.com
Best wishes!
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| Lyndzo | 26 |
| his chippymunk | 20 |
| Ms. Salamander | 18 |
| LammChop | 17 |
| fivemonthsnotice | 17 |
| beargoose | 16 |
| kat2014 | 15 |
| mypinkshoes | 15 |
| aussiebee | 15 |
| Mrs. Chai | 14 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| RahlyRah | 3 |
| fishbone | 3 |
| beargoose | 2 |
| redheadem | 2 |
| Ellegee | 2 |
| vreelans | 2 |
| CinderellaSoon | 2 |
| princesswedding | 2 |
| KristenGotMarried | 1 |
| ElbieKay | 1 |
Hello hive!
My fiance and I would really like to visit Costa Rica for our honeymoon. If you have any suggestions on places to visit and/or places to stay, I would LOVE to hear from you! Would you recommend an all-inclusive, or are there yummy restaurants to try?
Thank you!