Which parts of CR to visit? (1 Viewer)

[nkbj]

My wife and I have started planning a trip to CR in January or February 2025.

Our initial plans include visits to (flying in and out of San José):
Corcovado
Manual Antonio
San Gerardo de Dota (suggested by our travel agent as an alternative to Monteverde)
Isla Chiquita (nature and beach time)

Are there alternatives to these places, that you will suggest? We know we will be missing the Caribbean parts, but we will only have two weeks in country.

Best regards,
Niels Kristian

 

[Mike Crawley]

Lots of bird tour companies have Costa Rica trips, perhaps visit their websites and look up previous tours for suggestions ?

for example, I went on this trip

Limosa Holidays | Costa Rica trip report

www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Hope that helps.
It’s a fabulous country.

 

[TicoTyler]

Hi Niels,

Corcovado is fantastic. I'd recommend going with Surcos Tours there. Nito and Henry both really know their stuff. Nito (the owner) just hit 3k species a few weeks ago and Henry is also a fantastic guide. On the way there look for the Yellow-billed Cotinga at the bridge where the road splits to either go to Drake Bay or to Puerto Jimenez (the two towns that access Corcovado). Also if you want to see the Black-cheeked Ant Tanager it's a better probability outside the park, depending on which of the four sectors you visit.

Honestly, I'd skip Manuel Antonio. Personal preference but I find it to be overcrowded and overrated. If you want the beach time sure. Near to MA though is Esquipulas which is very good. If you don't want to do the hotel, the road up to the hotel also has some good birding. I've seen more Charming Hummingbirds there than any other place I've visited on the Pacific Coast.

I definitely concur with the Dota recommendation. Monteverde is iconic, but I much prefer Dota. A lot fewer people, secluded, and great highland birding. The trails at Savegre Hotel are fantastic. I have stayed there as well and it's a very nice place to stay. You can find the Spotted Wood-Quail (and if you're lucky, which I am not, the Scaled Antpitta) behind the rooms where the organic waste treatment is. The hotel and the nearby Alma del Arbol restaurant are both great eats. Keep an eye out for Dark Pewee a little bit before the hotel (1-2 km) in the tree tops. There's also a great photo spot at Savegre up behind the plant nursery.

The Isla Chiquita area doesn't have a ton that I'm familiar with birdingwise. Although if you take the ferry keep an eye out for Wedge-rumped Storm Petrels and Black Terns in the gulf.

 

[nkbj]

Hi Niels,

Corcovado is fantastic. I'd recommend going with Surcos Tours there. Nito and Henry both really know their stuff. Nito (the owner) just hit 3k species a few weeks ago and Henry is also a fantastic guide. On the way there look for the Yellow-billed Cotinga at the bridge where the road splits to either go to Drake Bay or to Puerto Jimenez (the two towns that access Corcovado). Also if you want to see the Black-cheeked Ant Tanager it's a better probability outside the park, depending on which of the four sectors you visit.

Honestly, I'd skip Manuel Antonio. Personal preference but I find it to be overcrowded and overrated. If you want the beach time sure. Near to MA though is Esquipulas which is very good. If you don't want to do the hotel, the road up to the hotel also has some good birding. I've seen more Charming Hummingbirds there than any other place I've visited on the Pacific Coast.

I definitely concur with the Dota recommendation. Monteverde is iconic, but I much prefer Dota. A lot fewer people, secluded, and great highland birding. The trails at Savegre Hotel are fantastic. I have stayed there as well and it's a very nice place to stay. You can find the Spotted Wood-Quail (and if you're lucky, which I am not, the Scaled Antpitta) behind the rooms where the organic waste treatment is. The hotel and the nearby Alma del Arbol restaurant are both great eats. Keep an eye out for Dark Pewee a little bit before the hotel (1-2 km) in the tree tops. There's also a great photo spot at Savegre up behind the plant nursery.

The Isla Chiquita area doesn't have a ton that I'm familiar with birdingwise. Although if you take the ferry keep an eye out for Wedge-rumped Storm Petrels and Black Terns in the gulf.

Thanks Tico.

Someone suggested Carara instead of Manuel Antonio for the same reasons you give. We will get beach time at Isla Chiquita (my wife has fallen in love with the description of that island).

Best regards,
Niels Kristian

 

[nkbj]

Lots of bird tour companies have Costa Rica trips, perhaps visit their websites and look up previous tours for suggestions ?

for example, I went on this trip

Limosa Holidays | Costa Rica trip report

www.limosaholidays.co.uk

Hope that helps.
It’s a fabulous country.

Thanks Mike.

I will digest the trip report.

Best regards,
Niels Kristian

 

[TicoTyler]

Thanks Tico.

Someone suggested Carara instead of Manuel Antonio for the same reasons you give. We will get beach time at Isla Chiquita (my wife has fallen in love with the description of that island).

Best regards,
Niels Kristian

Carara is much better than MA in my opinion. Look up Johan Chavez if you want a guide there. It's basically the dividing line between dry forest (Pacific Northwest) and rainforest (Pacific central-south). So you get a good mix of species from both habitats.

 

[Val35]

Preparing a trip to CR myself and from what I read Carara is indeed much better than Manuel Antonio...
Scarlet Macaws seem virtually guaranted there.
In Carara NP there are trails around the NP headquarters and also one more trail north from the NP HQ (Sendero La Meandrica) both are apparently great for birding.

There are also boat tours on the Tarcoles River, some are very touristy and are more aimed at crocodile/general wildlife watching but other are more birding oriented and might allow you to see mangrove specialties, boat-billed heron, kingfishers...

There are two main birdy hotels in the area, Cerro Lodge and Villa Lapas.
The road to Cerro Lodge is good for dry forest species and Double Striped Thick Knee.
There's also a chance to see Yellow Billed Cotingas from the observation tower at Cerro Lodge (and from the famous crocodile bridge in Tarcoles).
The road from Villa Lapas to Bijagual is very birdy too apparently.

I agree that Monteverde/Dota Valley have some birds "in common" (notably Resplendent Quetzal) but it seems to me that Dota Valley is higher elevation than MV and thus has different set of species (Wrenthrush, Timberline Wren, Volcano Junco, Unspotted Saw Whet Owl, Dusky Nightjar...).

We will go around same time and in two weeks we plan to do Arenal, Monteverde, Carara and Dota Valley.

 

[TicoTyler]

Preparing a trip to CR myself and from what I read Carara is indeed much better than Manuel Antonio...
Scarlet Macaws seem virtually guaranted there.
In Carara NP there are trails around the NP headquarters and also one more trail north from the NP HQ (Sendero La Meandrica) both are apparently great for birding.

There are also boat tours on the Tarcoles River, some are very touristy and are more aimed at crocodile/general wildlife watching but other are more birding oriented and might allow you to see mangrove specialties, boat-billed heron, kingfishers...

There are two main birdy hotels in the area, Cerro Lodge and Villa Lapas.
The road to Cerro Lodge is good for dry forest species and Double Striped Thick Knee.
There's also a chance to see Yellow Billed Cotingas from the observation tower at Cerro Lodge (and from the famous crocodile bridge in Tarcoles).
The road from Villa Lapas to Bijagual is very birdy too apparently.

I agree that Monteverde/Dota Valley have some birds "in common" (notably Resplendent Quetzal) but it seems to me that Dota Valley is higher elevation than MV and thus has different set of species (Wrenthrush, Timberline Wren, Volcano Junco, Unspotted Saw Whet Owl, Dusky Nightjar...).

We will go around same time and in two weeks we plan to do Arenal, Monteverde, Carara and Dota Valley.

Carara is great. The only problem is like all National Parks in CR they open late for birding. I think 8 am? It changes between either 7 and 8 or 8 and 9 depending on the time of year I can't remember off the top of my head. The mudflats in Tarcoles are a great spot to do some birding while waiting for the park to open, just don't leave things in your car that could be smashed and grabbed. It's not straightforward on eBird or Google Maps, but the mudflat I like is found at 9.78255104995687, -84.6373531531976 you access if from the Tarcoles town side of the river, not the north side.

DON'T stay at Cerro Lodge. They're under new management since the pandemic and I've heard a lot of negative experiences (including one personally). There was a whole thing recently with how they treated a birding guide in particular that got attention on social media. The former owner of Cerro Lodge who had to sell the place during the pandemic opened another place nearby called Tarcoles Birding Lodge.

True, Dota is higher than Monteverde. More of the paramo endemics but fewer species overall. Dota is between 2,000 and 3,000 masl whereas Monteverde is closer to 1,500.

If you're in the Arenal area and want some hyperspecific local tips for some targets or a need guide let me know. I do a bit of freelance guiding on my off days and if not I know all the best guides and spots so can recommend someone. I've been based in La Fortuna for 12 years.

 

[Val35]

Carara is great. The only problem is like all National Parks in CR they open late for birding. I think 8 am? It changes between either 7 and 8 or 8 and 9 depending on the time of year I can't remember off the top of my head. The mudflats in Tarcoles are a great spot to do some birding while waiting for the park to open, just don't leave things in your car that could be smashed and grabbed. It's not straightforward on eBird or Google Maps, but the mudflat I like is found at 9.78255104995687, -84.6373531531976 you access if from the Tarcoles town side of the river, not the north side.

DON'T stay at Cerro Lodge. They're under new management since the pandemic and I've heard a lot of negative experiences (including one personally). There was a whole thing recently with how they treated a birding guide in particular that got attention on social media. The former owner of Cerro Lodge who had to sell the place during the pandemic opened another place nearby called Tarcoles Birding Lodge.

True, Dota is higher than Monteverde. More of the paramo endemics but fewer species overall. Dota is between 2,000 and 3,000 masl whereas Monteverde is closer to 1,500.

If you're in the Arenal area and want some hyperspecific local tips for some targets or a need guide let me know. I do a bit of freelance guiding on my off days and if not I know all the best guides and spots so can recommend someone. I've been based in La Fortuna for 12 years.

Yes, I think it's 7am during dry season, that's why it's important to stay at an hotel with birdy gardens/have back up sites for early morning that don't have specific opening times !

Thanks for the tip on Cerro Lodge ! I wasn't aware of this at all !

And thanks for the offer on Arenal, I'll pm you if I think of anything (I'll maybe take guides for a day in some places so I'll let you know).

 

[opisska]

We spent a night in Cerro Lodge in July 2021 - I am not sure if this was already "since the pandemic", but we had no complaints. We found it randomly on booking.com and it was the most absurdly luxurious accomodation for such a budget cost that I have ever seen.

 

[TicoTyler]

We spent a night in Cerro Lodge in July 2021 - I am not sure if this was already "since the pandemic", but we had no complaints. We found it randomly on booking.com and it was the most absurdly luxurious accomodation for such a budget cost that I have ever seen.

I think the change was sometime in 2022 but I could be wrong there. The situation I had with them was in late 2022. Long story short, they contacted me to create some content for them about the birds on their property and some videos they could use for marketing. I make educational content on Tiktok about wildlife with a focus on birds here in Costa Rica. However, I'm not some influencer going around looking for free stuff. I just make educational content as a public service and something I enjoy doing. I asked what they had in mind and was good with their proposal. Coming up on the actual date for it I was trying to confirm some logistics and they started pulling this huge bait and switch.

Keep in mind, they contacted me and they proposed what they wanted and compensation for it. Suddenly what went from two nights staying in a room with my wife so I could have one day to enjoy the property and do some birding and a day and a half to film and create content for them. They'd feed me and we'd discuss them giving some gas money. This in exchange for me not charging them for the work. When I went to finalize the logistics a new person started talking to me and they disavowed their whole previous arrangement (which I had in writing) saying that was never the case. That they'd put me in a "pod" (basically if someone turned a morgue into a hostel dorm). And only for me, I could pay for one for my wife. No food would be provided and no compensation for gas. Again, they were the ones supposedly contracting me, not me looking for a free gig. So of course I didn't do the job.

Recently a guide had a similar experience. They were supposed to be staying in a room and got there and they tried to put them in one of their "pods". And the hotel didn't handle the negative review of the situation at all professionally. I've seen some other reviews of having issues with the management. But plenty of people have had good experiences there too per the reviews. I just had a rather negative experience with their current management as have some others I know.

 

[Elkhornsun]

Be careful to avoid long drive times and expect an average speed of about 55 kph on the roads. This is a good place to find the amount of rain at specific locations during the year:

Costa Rica Rainy Season – Monthly Rainfall Map

Costa Rica's rainy season is traditionally from May into December but precisely how wet it is depends on when and where. The rainfall map shows inches of accumulation for each month of the year in a dozen regions.

costa-rica-guide.com

You can hoover the mouse over a place on the map and see at a glance the amount of rain by month.

You should be aware that January is a time when many of the people in Costa Rica travel to spend time with relatives and so hotel rooms may be hard to find or priced significantly higher than at other times of the year.

Tripadvisor is a good starting point and there are quite a few websites operated by tourism agencies.