The Costa Rica Connection
This page last edited:
Sunday May 11, 2008
PLEASE VISIT THE
FAQ PAGE (including weather tips)
Come visit Manzanillo and stay in
either of our 2 Beachfront homes.
There are only 3 Beachfront homes for rent in all
of Manzanillo!
Skip the worrying about weather, sign up for affordable travel insurance
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
"Just wanted to drop you a line and let
you know that we had a great week at the Dolphin Lodge. Dolfi & Ofelia
were very helpful and everyone had a great time. Things looked a little
rocky at first, since the first day and a half was almost straight rain,
but we ran into an older gent on the beach who gave us some very sage
advice. "You must be pationable, man, pationable, and that way you will
get the sweet, sweet juice." Of course, after a declaration like that,
the next day dawned bright and sunny, and the good weather saw us through
the rest of the week. We were able to squeeze in a nature hike (led by
Tino), an ATV ride, and a lot of swimming." Ken December 2006
| Guest
Reviews
ON-LINE RESERVATION PAGE FAQ Page View Map More Photos of Coral Reef House and beach area |
Coral Reef House
Rustic & secluded
beach house on Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast. Built around a
30-foot high coral rock, the simple Coral Reef House with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, a full
kitchen and beautiful deck overlooking the forest and ocean, and great reef
snorkeling just a coconut-throw away. 4 Bedroom 3 Bath $171-221/n $1200-1400/wk Prices based on 8 person capacity. Addt'l occupants are $10/night. 4-night minimum Dec thru May
Currently Booked for:
(dates in italics are tentatively booked,
and 'Jan 1-7' means leaving Jan 7) |
RATES for Coral Reef House or Dolphin Lodge
Winter Rates: Dec-May
|
# of nights |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
Add'l |
|
total |
886 |
1057 |
1229 |
1400 |
186 |
Summer Rates: June-Nov
|
# of nights |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
Add'l |
|
total |
771 |
914 |
1057 |
1200 |
157 |
| Guest
Reviews
ON-LINE RESERVATION PAGE FAQ Page View Map |
Dolphin Lodge
Right next door, The Dolphin Lodge has 4
bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, full kitchen, decks, etc. Perfect for larger groups in a
secluded, immersed in the jungle, new yet simple, rustic lodge-style house.
4 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath $171-221/n $1200-1400/wk Prices based on 8 person capacity. Addt'l occupants are $10/night. 4-night minimum Dec thru May Currently Booked for: (dates in italics are tentatively booked, and 'Jan 1-7' means leaving Jan 7) Mar 15-May 16 June 24-July 1 Aug 2-9 Dec 20-Feb 1 March 1-June 1, 2009 |
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.
PLEASE VISIT THE FAQ PAGE
Instructions to our guests:
The Coral Reef House and The Dolphin Lodge have joined with the Manzanillo community in efforts to conserve and preserve this rich environment. Some of these efforts are:
*Installing environmentally safe septic systems in ever business and home in Manzanillo.
If you would like to contribute to these efforts, please let us know. For everyone one contributing $25 or more, your name will be enter in a drawing and the winner will get a week use of the Coral Reef House or Dolphin Lodge when you revisit Costa Rica. Every $25 donated we will enter your name into the drawing.
If you have any ideas on how we can make this beautiful place "greener" we would appreciate your input
MANZANILLO TOURS
Rates- 2007-2008
rates subject to changeItem Rate/person 2-4 people Rate/person 5-10 people
Walking tour in Reserve, 4 hrs $25 $18
Walking tour to Monkey Point,
$65
$50
Return by boat
Kayak in Gandoca, RT by boat $105 $80
Bird watching, 4 hrs $30 $25
Dolphin watching $40 $30
Horseback riding without guide $15/hr $15/hr
Horseback riding with guide $20/hr $20/hr
Sport fishing/Fly fishing, full day, 8 hrs $250
Sport fishing/Fly fishing, half day, 4 hrs $180
Cultural fishing, 3 hrs $130
Turtle observation- land transportation $100 $70
Turtle observation- walking and boat $100 $70
Night tour – snake watching $60 $45
Snorkeling without guide $3/hr $3/hr
Snorkeling with guide- 2 hrs $25 $20
Snorkeling with guide- 4 hrs $40 $50
Note:
All prices are approximate and per person except when noted otherwise.
For the Turtle observation tour- walking and boat, the client has to spend
the night in Gandoca,
for which he/she pay a local family for a room, supper and breakfast the next
day (approximately $25/person).
Fines:
Lost flippers: $20; Lost mask: $10; Lost snorkel: $5
Special children’s rates:
8 yrs – 15 yrs: Half price
0 – 7 yrs: No charge, except for horseback riding
To book a tour, or for questions:
Tel/Fax: (506)759-9119
(if calling directly from U.S. dial 011-506-759-9118)Tel/Fax: (506)759-9064
(if calling directly from U.S. dial 011-506-759-9064
Skip the worrying about weather, sign up for affordable travel insurance
For more great vacation rentals all over the world - See Vacation Rentals by Owner
Coral Reef House / Dolphin Lodge