Need Help (1 Viewer)

[ScottishBirder]

OK here I am again, going to Costa Rica on September 25th for two weeks staying at Riu Guanacaste. I need some questions answered as I am getting frustrated with the mixed response. If you have been or live there please feel free to answer, no guessing please,,,,,lol

1. In the rainy or green season are we talking showers in afternoon or belting down most days, September-October.

2. Is the birding around this area enough to keep you busy.

3. Does anyone know any reasonable guides here as I have been quoted $200-$300 per person per day. Unfortunately its only me.

4. Any sites nearby. ???

5. Lastly anyone know a decent car hire company as the prices I am getting ar ridiculous. $400 for 5 days and a $2000 deposit. :eek!::eek!:

Any help gratefully accepted. Thanks as always.:t:

 

[njlarsen]

Re rental: I almost always use specific search engines, such as this: http://www.rentalcars.com/SearchRes...10&filterName=CarCategorisationSupplierFilter

Regarding question 4, have you looked in the book: https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Finding-Guide-Costa-Rica/dp/0801475848

Niels

 

[ScottishBirder]

Re rental: I almost always use specific search engines, such as this: http://www.rentalcars.com/SearchRes...10&filterName=CarCategorisationSupplierFilter

Regarding question 4, have you looked in the book: https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Finding-Guide-Costa-Rica/dp/0801475848

Niels

Thanks, I have looked into it and they all say you need a CDW Coverage, what on earth is that and how do you know if your Credit Cards have it.?????

 

[njlarsen]

Close down the browser, reopen it and do a new search with your dates: this might help because I thought I saw that as an included feature of those cars. With rentalcars.com CDW often is included in my experience.

Anyway, CDW is essentially comprehensive insurance. In most US credit card agreements or in the insurance agreement for regular car insurance, there is coverage included for rental cars. For European cards that is probably only available for gold or platinum cards.

If you do not have that on your credit card, and a fresh search will not give it to you, then try other search engines such as holiday autos or carrentals.co.uk. Taking on the risk for the entire car on your own probably is too much

Niels

 

[ScottishBirder]

Close down the browser, reopen it and do a new search with your dates: this might help because I thought I saw that as an included feature of those cars. With rentalcars.com CDW often is included in my experience.

Anyway, CDW is essentially comprehensive insurance. In most US credit card agreements or in the insurance agreement for regular car insurance, there is coverage included for rental cars. For European cards that is probably only available for gold or platinum cards.

If you do not have that on your credit card, and a fresh search will not give it to you, then try other search engines such as holiday autos or carrentals.co.uk. Taking on the risk for the entire car on your own probably is too much

Niels

Hi and thanks for that, I have found a car for £150 but the Insurance is £200 which is weird, they still want a ¢750 deposit as well.If you take a lower insurance or no extra insurance they want ¢2500 deposit. Very weird system indeed

 

[njlarsen]

The insurance has an excess, which is a an amount you are liable for even when the insurance has been paid That is the deposit they take. It is usually possible to pay an extra insurance to bring that excess down to 0.

If, on the other hand you take less insurance you would be increasing your excess and they would then take a deposit from you to cover that excess. If you return the car in a state they agree is good, then the deposit gets returned into your credit card.

Niels

 

[binus1963]

Hi and thanks for that, I have found a car for £150 but the Insurance is £200 which is weird, they still want a ¢750 deposit as well.If you take a lower insurance or no extra insurance they want ¢2500 deposit. Very weird system indeed

car booked through rental cars pick up at riu palace for 9 days £327 with full cover.

 

[binus1963]

also

we have booked two nights la fortuna b/b £32 per night for three of us, and also cerro lodge £35 per night b/b for three of us. check on the likes of trivago etc. also check patrick o'donnell known on here as (birdingcraft) he has a link to a excellent app telling you everything you need to know with regards birding costa rica, really is well worth £13 quid or so.

 

[ScottishBirder]

Thanks for all your help I now have a car rented through Vamos delivered to my hotel with full insurance. I am a happy camper.oo

 

[andrew c]

hi, i stayed at riu guanacaste 29/5 to 12/6,we had a odd shower late afternoon for about an hour then fine in 30s. Good number birds seen hotel grounds/ beach/ local tracks past monkey bar incl- ringed kingfisher, double striped thick knee, orange fronted& orange chinned parakeet, hoffmans woodpecker,red billed pigeon, white collared seedeater, rose throated becard, brown booby, squirrel cuckoo, groove billed ani, elegant & black headed trogon, blue grey tanager, white throated magpie jay, rufous naped wren, clay colored thrush, melodious blackbird, streak backed oriole, crested caracara, black & turkey vulture, brown pelican, turquoise browed motmot, great kiskadee, tropical kingbird, magnificent frigatebird, white winged & inca dove, great tailed grackle, neotropic cormorant. definitely would return, also got howler monkeys in trees at side of hotel, and white faced just along beach. Did trips palo verde, rainforest hike rincon de la vieja, and overnight arenal rainforest/ monteverde cloudforest hanging bridges. Added many more sps, incl- keel billed & black mandibled toucan, three wattled bellbird, crested guan, king vulture, three striped warbler, rufous collared sparrow, buff throated saltator, bare throated tiger heron, blue crowned motmot, swallow tailed kite, masked tityra, 8 different hummingbirds, green honeycreeper. So many great memories & very friendly people.

 

[JJP]

I've had these two guides on my website for a couple of years. I assume they are still available in Guanacaste.

... "There are at least two competent bird guides working with natural history tours who are sometimes available if their time permits. Oliver Esquivel is both a bird guide and a natural history guide with a company called "Natural History Costa Rica" http://naturaldiscoverycostarica.com/ and may be available for personalized bird tours.

Carlos Luiz Jimenez works for a company called "Eco Explorer Costa Rica" http://www.ecoexplorercr.com/ and also doubles as a bird guide. Carlos has been written up in tripadviser.com"

 

[ScottishBirder]

Thanks guys

 

[ScottishBirder]

Can you tell me where and with whom you booked your rainforest trip with ?? I hired a car whilst there but not sure if I should do overnight or just drive there and back

 

[andrew c]

we did our trips with tui/ hotel beds from the hotel. next time will hire car but i would stay overnight because it takes longer than you think to reach rainforest areas, because of road surfaces off of the main roads, the guides call it costa rican massage. we stayed at tabacon spa lodge nr la fortuna/ arenal, plenty birds seen in gardens, wanted to stay there longer

 

[ScottishBirder]

Guide pRICE

Thanks again. Can you tell me if $150 per person is the normal guide price.???

 

[Birdingcraft]

Thanks again. Can you tell me if $150 per person is the normal guide price.???

That sounds pretty expensive but I get the impression that it also varies quite a bit among guides. It also seems like there are few experienced birding guides in Guanacaste.

 

[dwminnich]

That sounds pretty expensive but I get the impression that it also varies quite a bit among guides. It also seems like there are few experienced birding guides in Guanacaste.

Patrick, do *you* guide in Guanacaste?


--dave