Costa Rica
I managed to get in a couple surfing lessons. Learning here was much better than trying to learn in Mexico! I even got good enough to ride a dozen or so waves right into the beach. Turns out, surfing is a lot of fun. But, when you are not good at it, it is also a bit of work. I see why most surfers are quite young. :-)
I also went diving out in the Catalina Islands. This turned out as well as I could have dreamed...octopi, Manta Rays, white tipped reef sharks...we saw it all. At one point, we had 15 foot Manta Rays floating just a few feet next to us, or over our heads. So close, you could reach out and touch them, until you try and they move away...dang!
I was out with the divemaster, Michael, and another diver, Diego, on vacation from Mexico. We had a great time!
Surf's up!
Under the Water
Tamarindo
Wanna be on the beach or in the water? this is the place to go!
One of the more popular places to visit in Costa Rica, so expect some crowds. But, I have found that there are plenty of services available to accommodate everyone. There are more than a dozen surf shops, and at least 10 dive shops. Not bad for a town of about 7000 people. Plus, there is no lack of bars and restaurants.
You can get to Tamarindo with a 4-5 hour drive from San Juan, or more likely, just a 2 hour drive from the Liberia airport.
Nuevo Arenal
If you love the outdoors that don't necessarily mean the ocean, this is the place to be. Lakes, mountains, hiking trails, jungle. I prefer to stay near Lake Arenal, but closer to the east side of the lake. it is a pretty big lake, and Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal is to the east. But, staying near the village of Nuevo Arenal gives you a better choice of markets and restaurants.
Getting to and around Costa Rica
You can fly into San Juan, but I prefer Liberia. It is closer to the things I like in the north of the country. And, you can even fly to Liberia direct from cities like Miami and Minneapolis and Los Angeles, among others.
From Liberia, it is only a 90 minute drive to either Nuevo Arenal or Tamarindo.
If you want to go to the beach and will spend your whole vacation there; but don't want to drive, there is an hourly bus from the Liberia airport to Tamarindo that takes about 2.5 hours.
If you want to also explore around, a car will be necessary. But, don't worry. Driving in Coast Rica is quite easy and the roads are in pretty good shape.