I don't have a TON of time down there, but I have been to Costa Rica and Belize a couple times.
Costa Rica is as safe or safer than USA.
The police CAN shake you down for a 'Mordida' - translates to 'a little bite" for a Gringo traffic fine ect.
San Jose's 'Gringo Gulch' area of Gambling and legal prostitution can get dicey if you are dumb. Women are more inclined to separate you from your caishe than an actual mugging.
Both Belize and Costa Rica HIGHLY value their tourist industries and will do a LOT for the American Tourist. Belize has the British Crown backing up it's country / security as well.
As for seeing other Americans on va-ca.....I saw way more in Belize - Diving / boating. Not so much in C.R. I saw mainly Europeans, especially French on the Atlantic side.The French love to go to Limon for the boating and yacht races.
Questions ? Ask away.
How is the diving in costa rica?
Armson Wrote:How is the diving in costa rica?
ehh...some main roads are BETTER than ours, but the majority are dicey and where WE like to go (jungle)...heck, the shoulder is often a sheer cliff.
Dogs are everywhere walking casually on the roads, daring you to hit them. Some children too ! Cars in the cities do NOT stop at all, especially for minor inconveniences like stop signs. Cars merely honk their horn and blow right on through intersections.
Rental cars are $$$ and they are a police / robber magnet. Everyone can pretty much guess rental cars. NEVER leave your shit in a car in any other country. I don't here in bumfuq Gainesville.
Take a small van when you need to go cross country. For only @ $40.00, you can go from one side of CR to the other and THEY do the driving. The vans are super nice and new. Good AC and the drivers know just where to stop for lunch or cervezas or anything you want.
Stop sign intersection anyone ?? Good luck with that ! HONNNK !
Armson Wrote:How is the diving in costa rica?
Scuba diving
But thanks for the dRiving info
Didn't go diving.....only driving.
Go to Belize for DIVing....best barrier reef this side of Oz.
Diving in CR prolly sucks.
The surfing on the Southern Atlantic side is not the shabbiest...
This is Cahuita
Philsuma Wrote:Go to Belize for DIVing....best barrier reef this side of Oz.
Diving in CR prolly sucks.
I have not been to Belize but I have been diving in just about everything else in the caribbean.
I have heard there is good diving in costa rica. Just need to find a good place that does diving.
-Byron
If you have that kind of Dive hobby interest, forget about dart frogs and head to the Cayes...any Caye in Belize. Better than Roatan or anywhere in the Caribe. The Belize barrier reef is on a million bucket lists.
Armson Wrote:How is the diving in costa rica?
The dining is great :mrgreen:
But the diving is also great. Costa Rica and Belize are just different. I personally like Costa Rica for overall experience.
World class diving at the Gulf of Papagayo. Guanacaste and out to Catalina island, Playas del Coco out to Bat islands. And tons of other places......pretty much where you find water.....
Philsuma Wrote:Go to Belize for DIVing....best barrier reef this side of Oz.
Diving in CR prolly sucks.
That is waaaayyyyyyy off.
Its epic as is the surf.
Well, you better start typing your ass off and posting pics to sway us then...
Hmmm
Do I do my usual yearly dive trip to Cozumel??
or do switch to Costa Rica this year?
I don't know how I feel about the gambling and legal prostitution.
I just know I won't have any restraint. My winnings will go straight to the hookers.
Philsuma Wrote:Well, you better start typing your ass off and posting pics to sway us then...
Please start with pictures of the hookers....
I'm not up on the current taxonomy, but I'm pretty sure that particular species prefers a different name.
Hookers = San Francisco 1960's or possibly Victorian England.
Philsuma Wrote:Well, you better start typing your ass off and posting pics to sway us then...
OK. I'll get on it tomorrow.
Just don't hurt me with your venom :mrgreen:
Armson Wrote:Hmmm
Do I do my usual yearly dive trip to Cozumel??
or do switch to Costa Rica this year?
I don't know how I feel about the gambling and legal prostitution.
I just know I won't have any restraint. My winnings will go straight to the hookers.
Done Cozumel and it is amazing for sure. Some of the ledges outside the reefs are legendary.
But it will look the same as it did last year........
Gambling well its the same everywhere. Hookers I of course have no experience with :?
Blonde ticas well.......
If had to choose Costa Rica or Cozumel I would choose Costa Rica. Cozumel just feels like a big resort to me. Costa Rica feels like an adventure.
Just about all of the caribbean looks the same to me now.
Cozumel is by far the best bang for buck.
What I enjoy about Cozumel is that you can do your diving in the morning get out have lunch and then go explore the island.(bar hop)
What is appealing to me about Costa Rica is that I could dive in the morning and then go frogging after lunch. That would be the ultimate vacation.
I just don't want the diving to suck.
-Byron
Driving around Cozumel? About 1 hr if you really drag it out... maybe a few beers at Bob Marleys. Then... then just drive around the island til you come back to the same spot.
There are 2 picturesque views in Cozumel.
I painted these in memory of a dive trip. Enjoy.