My favorite side trip deserves a thread.

Bushpilot-

Quepos is my favorite side trip in Costa Rica too...at least so far. Quepos is a 3-4 hour drive from San Jose or a 15-20 minute commuter flight. Either way you get to see some beautiful views of the countryside. If you drive, be sure to stop and get out and walk out on the bridge of the only major river you cross, about half way between San Jose and Quepos. I don't remember the name of the river, but you will see people on the bridge. Why are they there..... they are watching huge crocodiles sunning on the river banks. Two - three dozen of them..... what a sight.

If you decide to fly the is cost about $70 RT, there are two domestic airlines, Sansa and TravelAir. Remember that if you take a girl with you and she is a Costan Rican national her fare is 1/2 price. The girls love to go to Quepos.

Quepos is right next to Manual Antonio, the most prized national park in Costa Rica. It is awesome, the town is at sea level and one paved road heads up the Mountain side and winds for about 3-4 miles until you get to the Park Entrance. Between Quepos and the Park Entrance there are numerous small quaint hotels with none of them having over probaly 20-30 rooms. They range in prices from about $25-$150 a night depending on the season. Here is a great website with about 3 dozen links to Hotels in Quepos in all price ranges. www.maqbeach.com. Many of these hotels sit on the mountain side in the middle of the rain forest with incrediable views of the Pacific Ocean. Don't be suprised when you walk out on your balcony in the morning and see a sloth climbing a tree or a toucan or a troop of spider monkeys chattering about. It is a great experience.

There are all kinds of things to do around Quepos. There is great deep sea fishing, I have been kayaking with dolphins, we went horseback riding back in the rain forest to some awesome waterfalls and went swimming and then ended up riding the horses on the beach. We also went whitewater rafting and one my favorite things was renting motorcycles and exploring the backroads and trails in the mountains and rainforest.

If you don't bring a girl with you from San Jose the are two places for female company in Quepos besides the 2 Dicos that open late around 11-12o'clock where you might get lucky. One place is the local Tico bar, Bar Rosa it is on the main road coming in to quespos about 1/2 mile out of town. I stopped by once and didn't see any thing worthwhile. I was told there are rooms on site, but there were only 3 women there and were to rough for me. I heard sometimes there are some cuties but it is hit and miss.

The othe place is much more upscale, a place called Club Hotel ITZAMANA. It isn't a hotel you can stay in but is a hacienda one floor style setup and the girls live in the former rooms. They have a outside bar and terrace and the girls dance and are available for lap dances. The price to go to a girls room is $125 for an hour or you can take them to your hotel for 24 hours for $250. Don't ask me why there is such a differencein the pricing. There are some real beauties here. Usaually about 6-12, girls some 8-9s and a couple bordering beening a 10. A real bargin for $250 for 24 hours. You need to get there in the late afternoon or early evening to get the good ones. There are alot of guys with lots of money that go to Quepos deep sea fishing and pay for these girls for a whole week and take the best 3-4 with them. So it can be hit and miss on who is available for you if you should go.

That is why if you find a girl you like in San Jose invite her to go with you to Quepos........they love Quepos.

Club Hotel ITZAMANA
Tel. 777 0351

Yes, Quepos is a great place ....there is so much to see and do. But if you only want to stroll down the beach watching incredibaly awesome sunsets over the Pacific Ocean holding hands with a beautiful, young chica.....knowing she is going to be in your bed with you all night.....now that is a fantasy come true.

Beachman

I posted this on RS but I think it is worth repeating because I had such a great time there. The 'Beach Club' as it is know by is down the hill toward Manuel Antonio Park it is an outdoors area with a large bar and large covered dance area. It has a huge crowd (200-250 people)on Fri/Sat, definatly all ages from 18 -65 range of people, I met one Tica who was 22 and there partying with her parents? go figure... its just a great scene and I was 2 for 2 there, a cutie from Holland and a local from Quepos.

Anyone have a little more recent info on Quepos. I'll be in CR for only four days in mid-May, but I'd like to spend a couple of them at the beach, preferrably in the company of a young, thin Tica.

EMK

I don't know what kind of recent info you're looking for. The info in Beachman's report is still valid. Peak sailfish season has ended and the serious anglers are heading to Guanacaste now. There's still plenty to do. Manuel Antonio is one of the best beach areas in the country, and is popular with visitors and residents alike, particularly on weekends. Girls are harder to find and more expensive than in San Jose so, if you want female companionship, you are generally much better bringing someone with you from San Jose.

Incidentally, there are three express buses per day from SJ to Quepos, leaving from the Coca Cola Terminal at 6am, Noon, and 6pm. Tickets are cheap, about $5 or $6 to the best of my recollection. Take the express busses only - they're comfortable and fast, about 3.5 hours unless there are traffic problems.

Thanks Tampagringo,

that's the info I was looking for. Just looking to relax at the beach for a couple of days. To take the girls to Quepos, would Blue Marlin be the best place to look?

EMK

If you only have 4 days stay in San Jose. The BM girls will want serious bucks.

If you are determined to go to the beach with a girl go to this website

http://ticaintheknow.com

she will bring you several girls until you find one you like. They charge about $250 per 24 hours but you get quality here. The BM girls will want this or more and won't give you the passion these girls will.

Really? I did a 3 day/2 night trip to Manuel Antonio with a slender curvy Panameña hottie from the BM, for $200 total. That was last August, before 9/11 (if it matters)...

Has anyone here ever rented a house or apartment in the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area for an extended period of time, like for several months? If so, please post or send me email. I'm considering doing such some time next year, but on a tighter budget than a mongering trip. I'd also consider another location on the Pacific Coast.

Maybe it can be done but each time I took a girl to the beach (3 times) One was a GF of 6 months I had wished I had left her in San Jose. Bottom line if you are only going to be in Costa Rica for 4 days you don't have time to go to the beach.

You may be right Beavis.

I was thinking of trying the beach for a couple of days, but while I can get some things across, in no way can I carry on even a semblance of a conversation in Spanish. Which may make it a little uncofortable 24/7.

I just like the idea of getting out of the city and seeing the beach. Maybe I'll take my chances, and just go for a night, that way I could get a session in the morning, and get another when I come back the next day.

Thanks to all who offered advice.

I'll post when I get back, about a month from now. Of course I'm not leaving for another three weeks

EMK

Also I'm telling you the girls in the BM are going to want some serious money to go. Balam said he found a good deal and I'm not saying you cant but it will be difficult. The girls are there to to make money and unless she really likes you it is going to be hard to get her to give up making the money she knows she could make.

If you have only 4 days it is going to be hard to get to know a girl enough for her to sacrifice to go with you. Nothing is carved in stone but just ask 2 or 3 and see what she wants to go with you.

I have been to Costa Rica 19 times and I speak spanish very well so I am speaking from experience. I have had girls hang with me for a day for dinner and drinks and also I have scored with a few regular girls where I didn't have to pay anything however, these girls you won't find in the BM. Every girl in the BM has to show her health card to get in the place so figure it out.

Have a good trip.

Was in Quepos for one Day on my last trip Sunday May 25TH.. Flew in on Sansa in the AM from San Jose.. went fishing all day JP SPortsFishing.. 3 out of 8 Sailfish Caught and released.. Our Guide who picked us up at the airfield in Quepos had as pick up a hottie at Laylas on the way to the boat and she accompanied me all day fishing and providing services. Stayed at the Hotel Parador, off season price 130 plus tax it was MAGNIFICENT... and caught the mid morning Sansa flight back to SJO on Monday... Nice way to break up the SJO Trip... Wont do it again till Green Season is over as the flight back was through 20 minutes of massive T/Storms that I could have done without..... But a great time non-the less.

Hi TommyB, what was the total cost for your Quepos side trip? I may be interested in that on my next trip to Costa Rica.

TommyB, looks like you had a great fishing trip! You had at least "two poles" for fishing, huh! One off the boat, one on the boat! You weren't skunked out on either end!

Muy, muy bueno! sf4dfish

What are the prospects for a fun couple finding Ticas here? Where is the best place to stay?

Hmm, this brings back some memories.... One night in a bar I was sitting next to this rather unattractive tica in a bar in Quepos. She was talking to her American boyfriend and got into an arguement with him. He left, she turned to me and started talking. She was quite drunk. Since she was on the bottom of the rating scale it was just not my scene and I decided to pull out. Sure enough she asked me if she can walk back to the hotel with me (she was staying with her boyfriend in the same hotel). Thinking I would simply accompany her to the hotel, I said "sure". That chick practically forced herself into my room, crashed onto my bed....with her boyfriend in a room in the same hotel, same floor!!!! After a little pushing and shoving, I finally got her out of the room - she was just to ugly! Anyway, I love that shit!!! Adds to the memory of the trip! Moral of the story? Do not leave your drunk tica in a bar alone after a fight! This guy just got lucky because she was ugly!

Nice story, but what is the best place to stay with your girlfriend? Where should we go to pick up other girls?

I've stayed at numerous hotels in the Quepos area, and my favorite by far is the hotel Parador. Beautiful hotel with great views, but expensive and a little off the beaten path. If you're looking for something a little closer Hotel Costa Verde and Hotel Como Si No are also nicer places.