Monday, May 7, 2018

Why book your Costa Rica vacation with Down East Guide Service?


Dear Anna,
Our thanks to you and George for making our Costa Rica vacation so wonderful! 

You made our travels effortless.  I did not know the huge task I was creating when I asked you to plan our trip to Los Suenos and the Arenal volcano areas, and it went off smoothly.  The several transfers worked out very well so get us to all the spots we wanted to see.  We had considered driving ourselves, and the unmarked gravel roads were a surprise, so we were very glad to have knowledgeable people in charge.  The drivers were very helpful and shared their knowledge freely, which added to our enjoyment  and understanding.  They arranged our monkey boat tour and recommended El Avion, and we never would have found Manuel Antonio without them! 

The condo you recommended in Los Suenos was perfect for our three couples.  The girls really had a nice area to enjoy while the guys were fishing, and the golf cart is a fun way for them to get access to the entire resort.  One day they ventured to Jaco and enjoyed that outing as well. 

Fishing on the Dragin Fly was the real reason for our trip, and they exceeded my expectations.  They are extremely professional and knowledgeable, and I’ve never seen a more conscientious crew.    A blue marlin, 5 sails plus the tuna and dolphin gave us a great couple of days fishing. I know they ran some extra miles in order to find the sails for us and we are very glad it worked out so well. The fruit breakfast is a treat, and having tuna and mahi sashimi on the boat is a new level of fresh!  I’ll pull a naked circle-hook ballyhoo beside the teaser next time I go offshore, and I’m still working on that knot they taught me….

Our group split at Selvatura, some opting for the zip line and the rest of us for the hanging bridges.  Either option was great!  I’ll admit to being confused when we stopped on the road beside Lake Arenel with nothing in sight – until the ferry boat came across the lake!  We enjoyed that ride and the views of the volcano, and the ride is then very short to Tabacon.  The Tabacon Hot Springs are a treat!  The resort and restaurants are very nice, and the complex of pools in the hot springs is beautiful.  We spend most our time in the Shangri LA Gardens, as those are reserved for hotel guests. 

We are very glad that you recommended Peace Lodge!  Sharon loves waterfalls, so we especially enjoyed the La Paz Waterfall gardens.  The grounds are extensive, and we enjoyed the separate habitats for the aviary, reptiles, big cats, butterflies and hummingbirds.  The girls loved the very unique rooms as well! 

Thanks for making this a very memorable trip for our family!  We look forward to doing this again!
Clark and Sharon