JJP
Well-known member
Hamhead, many of the fast moving streams around Arenal are productive for Fasciated tiger-Heron. Don't drive too quickly over bridges.
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Affordable or budget lodging options for birding in Costa Rica (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Birdingcraft
- Start date
Hamhead, many of the fast moving streams around Arenal are productive for Fasciated tiger-Heron. Don't drive too quickly over bridges.
JJP
Well-known member
Torrent Tyrannulet needs lots of exposed rock in fast moving water. I've seen it at a couple of times in Costa Rica, but I can only remember seeing it near Rancho Naturalista.
Pat probably has a better read on that one.
ebwilderae
Well-known member
Steve, we did better at Trinimbina by calling. When Daniela is there she will take care of the reservation but sometimes she seems to be busy drinking a lot of coffee...We are there late January for 3 nights and greatly looking forward to what we find there. Cheers. Mike
Hamhed
Well-known member
Mike, we don't have the means to call them from the States, like Skype or whatever else is out there. There seems to be plenty of alternate lodging in La Virgen if our reservations are a day short. For instance, the folks at Posada Christina have a friend who rents space close to La Virgen. With 5 weeks to go, we'll keep trying the email route. Thanks for the tip - next time we'll try Daniela.
BTW, none of the places in Sarapiqui or La Fortuna where we inquired about lodging were too booked to accept us. I wonder how high the demand is in this poor economic situation.
Steve
BTW, none of the places in Sarapiqui or La Fortuna where we inquired about lodging were too booked to accept us. I wonder how high the demand is in this poor economic situation.
Steve
JJP
Well-known member
For the record, I have frequently had poor email communications with even the most upscale lodges.
You are right to call if you're concerned. But keep emailing if you don't want to make the call.
schiffornis
AWBirder
On of my favourite locations for birding the La Selva area is Hotel Ara Ambigua (Puerto Viejo de Sarapaqui), an ideal location for exploring La Selva Biological Station grounds and surrounds (e.g. El Tigre Marsh, El Gavilan, Entrance road, Selva Verde etc) and up to Braullio/Quebrada Gonzalez/Hummer gardens and all those important sites around that area.
There are plenty of good cheap locations around the country, drop me an email if there are any specific areas you require help for.
Cheers Andy
There are plenty of good cheap locations around the country, drop me an email if there are any specific areas you require help for.
Cheers Andy
Hamhed
Well-known member
Hi, Andy -
We had a vague plan of walking the road the goes past Ara Ambigua. Goggle Maps shows that track going through a good bit of forested area. Our thought was to get a taxi to take us to the town of Muelle, north of Sarapiqui, and walking the 6-7 km back to our lodging at Posada Christina. Have you walked much of that particular road?
I've heard of El Tigre marsh but don't know its exact location.
Steve
We had a vague plan of walking the road the goes past Ara Ambigua. Goggle Maps shows that track going through a good bit of forested area. Our thought was to get a taxi to take us to the town of Muelle, north of Sarapiqui, and walking the 6-7 km back to our lodging at Posada Christina. Have you walked much of that particular road?
I've heard of El Tigre marsh but don't know its exact location.
Steve
schiffornis
AWBirder
Birdingcraft
Well-known member
Sounds like an interesting place! Im not sure how forested the habitat will be around the lodge itself but it probably has some good birds. I bet you will run into some good stuff walking up the volcano though! I think you have a fair chance at Orange-bellied Trogon up there. They are fairly common and not too difficult to see in the Tilaran Mountains.
Birdingcraft
Well-known member
Yes, s JJP says, check all of those streams although you have a pretty good chance of getting it at Tirimbina on the Sarapiqui. Most birders visiting Costa Rica get F. Tiger Heron on the Sarapiqui near there around Selva Verde or along other forested, rocky streams as they flow out of the foothills. They occur at Quebrada Gonzalez too but arent exactly easy there.
I used to see Torrent Tyrannulet there on every visit some years ago but havent seen it at QG in a while. I wonder if that species has declined or moved upslope in Costa Rica because I dont see it as much as I used to in general. In any case, you have a good chance for it on larger rivers and open streams (as JJP mentioned) in the Arenal area. Also occurs near San Ramon. It is so small that it is surprisingly easy to overlook.
gdhunter
Well-known member
It does sound nice, and we're staying three nights. Mainly for relatively easy access to Quebrada Gonzalez (which I hope remains feasible in view of your posting about landslides). We're planning to travel to Quebrada Gonzalez on our second full day, and I'm hoping to find some birding near La Boruca for our first day. It is apparently about 8 Km northeast of San Jose, just off Hwy 32 (near the San Luis intersection). One landmark mentioned is the San Luis Soccer Field. Any suggestions would be welcome. The owner suggested a trip to Lankester Gardens, but I suspect that would take most of a day that is intended for post-flight relaxation.
BTW, just found your BirdingCraft blogs. Very informative. Glad you discovered Cerro Lodge (a favorite from our 2008 trip to the Pacific Slope). Wish we had been as successful in our birding as you have been!
gdhunter
Well-known member
Yes, the folks at Tirimbina are a bit relaxed, but I genuinely believe the effort is worthwhile. At least for this birder the all-weather trail system into the primary forest is phenomenal! My non-birding spouse appreciates the A/C and likes the atmosphere of the place.
I will pass along my observations regarding La Boruca.
gdhunter
Well-known member
We did see Torrent Tyrannulet at Tirimbina a few times during May 2010
gdhunter
Well-known member
In his CR bird-finding guide Lawson describes El Tigre as being 4.6 Km south from La Selva on Rt 4 (toward Guapiles), at a point where a small dirt road on the left leads through a "strange cement arch", and he recommends parking there. Since I'll be coming from the other direction I hope the arch is distinctive!
Costa Rica is full of budget options, including at many of the birding sites - most of those discussed so far on this thread would not come under my definition of budget, nice though they may be. Read Lonely Planet or their Thorntree and many small cheap ( and basic) hotels will be found.
Hamhed
Well-known member
Jos, I agree that this thread has not explored true "budget" lodging. Patrick O'Donnell started this as a reaction to another thread (http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=178466) on the out-of-reach pricing of some of the often visited "eco-lodges". I don't remember too many parameters being set for this discussion except that they be "affordable", a very subjective term. For my wife and I, $80 is pretty much the limit for lodging, taxes and breakfast, though we usually look for much less.
I remember that you wrote a trip report on CR. Any particular places you care to add to the list?
Steve
I remember that you wrote a trip report on CR. Any particular places you care to add to the list?
Steve
gdhunter
Well-known member
Like any other consideration, "budget" is a relative term. For a number of reasons I've tried to find lodging that happens to offer access to reasonably large tracts of undisturbed (or minimally disturbed) habitat. I've also settled for a few spots (especially upon arrival or just before departure) that offer gardens. I recall paying more than $80 per couple at only two places during the three trips I've made since 2008, and I'm not scheduled to pay more during my fourth trip in early 2011. I've paid less at several places, but have not been unhappy paying $80 when I find myself at or very near quality birding habitat.
Need to go back through my notebooks, but remember I paid $14 for two persons in a double room in La Fortuna and only a little more in a few other places. All places were basic, but clean and okay by me, many very close to major birding areas (I don't go anywhere else).
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