The Costa Rica Connection
This page last edited:  Sunday May 11, 2008
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Come visit Manzanillo and stay in either of our 2 Beachfront homes. 
There are only 3 Beachfront homes for rent in all of Manzanillo!
 

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Costa Rica is full of tropical experiences from beach to mountain.  On the Caribbean side of Costa Rica is a little village at the end of the road called Manzanillo, located in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife and Marine Refuge.  Its' a small traditional town, about 4 hours by car or bus from the capital, that offers prime fishing and ocean adventures as well as all jungle wildlife.  This area is relatively undiscovered, uncrowded and therefore much more laid back as compared to the Pacific side.  The culture is also distinctly different, being Afro-Caribbean.  For weather info visit
  TIDE CHART    WEATHER REPORT

    A couple from Bozeman, Montana, Jim and Ann DiBerardinis, has lived in the area on and off for 10 years and created a triplet of sustainable tourism projects: sportfishing, dolphin studies and cultural tours.  Manzanillo Tarpon Expeditions has trained and employed the local fishermen as catch and release fly fishing guides for tarpon, and lure-fishing for wahoo, snook and other saltwater species, mostly caught on 12 weight fly rods.  The Talamanca Dolphin Foundation (TDF) was born out of sheer keen observation by Ann, her colleague Shawn Larkin, and several other local people.  They discovered a unique intermingling of species and created a non-profit foundation to study, preserve and protect the three species of wild dolphins inhabiting the waters near Manzanillo.  Ann and TDF have also encouraged and promoted cultural tours to teach visitors about the local culture, foods and jungle wildlife.  Included in all stays is a professional presentation of the history of the Talamanca Dolphin (upon request).

     The place to stay during all this tropical adventuring is Jim and Ann's beach house, the rustic Coral Reef House, which is literally built on and around a 30-foot high coral outcrop in the shady forest along the beach.   Our caretaker family (read reviews) now lives in a house behind the main house, so they are your hosts at the house, and can provide local information and optional services such as cooking and laundry.  We have finished remodeling the Coral Reef House to include a second master bedroom/living area & bath.  The Coral Reef House has 2 king size bedrooms which can sleep 3 people in each (one king, plus a twin bed, and the king bed downstairs can be split into 2 twins), 1 single bedroom downstairs, and 1 double bedroom upstairs.  The house has 3 bathrooms.  To see more photos of both the Coral Reef House and the surrounding area, click here.

    The other option is the rustic Dolphin Lodge next door.  The Lodge has 4 bedrooms, the two upstairs bedrooms each having 2 king size beds (or 4 twin beds), and one of the downstairs bedroom has 2 twins or 1 king bed.  The the other downstairs bedroom has a full size bed.  In all there are 3 full bathrooms, full kitchen, and plenty of deck space.   Click on the link below the rate chart to see the web page with more photos of the Lodge, complete with recent guest reviews.  During Dec-May there is a one week minimum for advance reservations.  Meals and daily cleaning are optional and can be arranged in advance as with the Coral Reef House.  To see more photos of both the Lodge and the surrounding area, click here.

"Just wanted to drop you a note telling you what a wonderful time we had at the Coral Reef House!  It was one of our most memorable vacations. The setting and the house is beautiful.   Everything was perfect and Dolfi, as you must know, is the best.  He set us up with everything we asked for, without hesitation.  He is truly the Mayor of Manzanillo.  Big thank you's go to Patsy, Carlos, and Omar as well.  These people are truly the salt of the earth. I could go on and on, but I'm sure you have heard it all before.  We cannot wait to go back."  John   December 2005

"Hello Paul, We had a fantastic time at the Dolphin House!  It rained 2 days straight when we got there, but then cleared and was gorgeous.  The river crossing was up to our waists, adding to the adventure.  Tino was a fantastic rainforest guide, very knowledgeable and speaks great English.  Thanks for the recommendation..."  Marc  November 2004

RATES for Coral Reef House or Dolphin Lodge
Winter Rates: Dec-May

Summer Rates: June-Nov

    NOTE:  Both houses are reached by walking or biking 200 meters beyond the end of the road, along the ocean on a sand beach road.  You may drive in to unload your luggage and supplies, but regulations prohibit cars to be left inside the refuge after your luggage has been delivered.  There is also a small creek to cross which during dry conditions can be anywhere from 0-8" deep depending on the tide, and if there has been recent rainfall it can be deeper, adding an adventurous aspect to your experience!
    If you see wading the creek, a short walk along the beach, and the rustic secluded nature of the setting as an asset, then our two lodges are for you. But if you are looking for a resort setting with daily services then there are many fine resort hotels in Costa Rica for you.  After a hard rain storm and on rare occasions, you might have to  take a boat across the channel. Usually it is not more than shin deep, and  you can walk to town in 10 min. Since the houses are literally located under the forest canopy facing the beach with little other development, you hear the never-ending sounds of the nature, the forest and animals.  
     Most of the bugs you will encounter are a few mosquitoes and many harmless but interesting insects and spiders. At night the sand flies come out and you should protect yourself with repellent and long pants and sleeves if you plan to walk on the beach after dark. Being in a wildlife preserve is like being in a national park.  For the preservation of the wildlife and your own personal safety, refrain from touching flora, fauna, and insects.  As long as you watch where you step and don’t reach out to touch everything you’ll most likely be fine. You’ll learn about all the creatures of the forest if you take a jungle tour with one of the highly trained guides, and then you’ll feel more comfortable.  People hike on the local trails most everyday without incident. For people that have medical conditions, allergies or other aversions to plants and insects, consult your doctor or local health department for health information.
    Our guests that seem to get the most pleasure out of their experiences, are people who spend time in the outdoors, appreciate raw nature at its best and those that are looking for a unique situations We have plenty of demand from guests to rent the houses, therefore we try hard to match our guest with best situation for them. When we're successful at that then everyone is extremely satisfied, as you can see from the reviews. To meet that goal, the owner talks to each inquiring party to make sure they understand as much as possible about the houses. If you would like Jim to call you then just email him at manzanillojim@msn.com.

    In addition, local certified naturalist guides can provide fascinating jungle tours from 2-4 hours, an old time cultural tour, sea kayaking in both fresh and saltwater, and dolphin watching (complete list below with prices).  I have done two jungle walks as well as the dolphin trip and was thoroughly impressed by each.  The best guides for the jungle trip are organized through the MANTguides, which is a non-profit, community based organization.  The guides all are native and speak both English and Spanish, and are very well organized and trained, with field guide books and life-long knowledge of the animals and birds and fruits along this walk. It's nothing like walking around out there on your own!  You'll learn more than you could ever remember.  To set up the tours or dolphin tours, contact TDF, MANTguides, or stop in at their offices in Manzanillo.  Manzanillo is a tiny little town at the end of the road so everything is easy to find and people are very friendly.
    Traveling to Manzanillo takes 4-5 hours from the airport near San Jose Airport (code SJO) where most flights land.  Many people rent a car and we offer a 5% discount from Adobe Rentacar which is the only Costa Rican company in the business and also the best.  They'll bring your car to the front of the terminal so you can skip waiting in line at the airport car rental desks, or they'll meet you at your hotel or B&B.  For those that enjoy immersion in the daily life of the culture the bus system is excellent.  The long distance buses are large and clean, and cost about $2.50/person/hour.  My favorite part about taking the bus is that they stop for food peddlers who ride along for a few minutes and supply the whole bus with fresh juices, cookies, tamales and much more.  When everyone is satisfied the driver lets them off (usually in the middle of some horrendous curve in the road) and they hop a bus going back the other way.  Just one example of how fluid their lifestyle is!  There are a handful of buses every day going to almost all parts of the country, but there are only 2 buses per day for Manzanillo so once you have made it to the coast taxis may be necessary for short trips near town.  Currently the morning bus from San Jose leaves at 10:30 from the Caribbean bus station (you'll need to take a taxi), but you should be at the bus station an hour early to buy tickets.  If you opt for not renting a car, bikes work great along the coast as it is quite flat and within 3 km you can access quite a lot of beaches.  Bikes are for rent in Manzanillo for $2.50/day at last report. 

We recommend Adobe Rentacar of all the rental car companies.  Book thru us and receive a 5% discount:  www.adobecar.com

You can also arrange a van to shuttle you (email Leo at the Costa Verde B&B in San Jose, which is where we recommend staying in the capital on either end of your trip.  See 6th paragraph down).  Rental cars cost between $300-500/week with unlimited mileage after you add on the mandatory insurance.   If you are the adventurer type, get a good guide book like The New Key to Costa Rica,  Moon Travel or Lonely Planet. 

Another option for getting to Manzanillo is the Interbus system, which works well for small groups. They run 10 passenger vans all over the country every day, so you arrange your shuttle ahead of time. Their web site for San Jose to Manzanillo is: http://costaricapass.com/BrowseRoutes.asp?dRouteSegment=300, and that shuttle costs $30/adult, $15/child; leaving San Jose at 10 AM and arriving in Manzanillo at 3 PM. You probably won't get the personal service of Leo's van and driver, but it may be cheaper.  For return schedule, go to this page and select Manzanillo from the pulldown menu. 

The surfing on the Caribbean coast is best near Puerto Viejo, which is a half hour before you reach the Coral Reef House, and there are also waves right near Manzanillo,. There are other spots between the 2 places, but the legendary area is the 6-foot wave called La Salsa Brava, Dec-April. Puerto Viejo is where you want to stay if you're looking to stay up late and dance in the bars.  It's a young town with lots of cheap places to stay, but you have to watch your stuff, day and night.  Manzanillo is secluded and quiet like most end-of-the-road towns, and relatively safe especially if you are staying in the Coral Reef House or the Dolphin Lodge which are slightly beyond the end of the road and very private. 

Here is a map link to the area.   TIDE CHART    WEATHER REPORT

If you need to stay in San Jose we highly recommend the Costa Verde B&B, located in Escazu 20 minutes from the airport and just 5 minutes west of downtown San Jose.  They do airport pickups and also shuttling around the country in a fully certified 12 passenger van.  We make dozens of reservations at the B&B every year for our guests if they arrive in San Jose after 2 pm or depart earlier than noon, and everyone loves the B&B.  Leo is great at organizing other locations to visit during your trip and along the way to Manzanillo, and can arrange day trips with their van out of San Jose to cloud forests, waterfalls, canopy tours, Volcano Arenal, hot springs, etc.  The van is $250 round trip to Manzanillo with 4 people or less, $300 with up to 6 people, and $350 for up to 10 people.  For an extra fee you can take the long way to the coast and see some sites along the way to round out your trip.  Since you really don't need a car once you get to Manzanillo this is a great way to not get lost or deal with driving and maps.  Email Leo for more information and to arrange shuttles.

Coral Reef House / Dolphin Lodge
Jim DiBerardinis, Owner
Bozeman, Montana 
(406) 586-5084
Email for Info