Tours and/or tour operators in Puntarenas

[cal101]

We are sailing on the Infinity's March 13th - 14 day Panama Canal cruise and will be in Puntarenas on March 20th. Does anyone have any suggestions on things to do or tour operators to use in that port. We would prefer not to go on the ships tours. I have read a lot about Oscar Brown on this board, does he also operate tours from Puntarenas? Any information will be sincerely appreciated.

[degarr]

I recall reading another poster receiving a note from Oscar that he doesn't service Pacific Ocean side (but could be wrong!)

[virgenia]

Oscar only does tours out of Puerto Limon. This is an email he sent me when I asked him about doing something out of Puntarenas.

 

I am so sory. For know I am not working in that area. But I know this person doing tours there, is name is Mauricio Vásquez (506) 3527697 (506) 826 7438

 

God bless you.

[mountainmare]

We were in Puntarenus last week on the Oosterdam and had a wonderful private tour with Mauricio who I found from this board. He has a very comfy airconditioned van and will do whatever you want to do. We were interested in wildlife and local culture. He is a guide in Carrara national park and takes a telescope with him so that you can see aninmals up close. If you are interested in ziplining or something else crazy he's your man!! He has connections with everyone. I used his E-mail to get in touch

with him :mauriciovp@hotmail.com .

 

By the way, last year we did tour with Oscar Brown and I feel that Mo gives you the same type of personalized service.

[c-to-sea]

cal101

 

Have you been able to contact Mauricio? We are interested in doing

something from Puntarenas in April from Summit. Would appreciate any feedback on this fellow. Our first choice would be the Skywalk in Monteverde which

seems to be the only suspension bridge facility in the area. We haven't

made up our minds yet on doing the zip-lining.

Thanks for any info.

[tinkerme1]

I've emailed Mauricio several times at the email address given above, but in three weeks, I have yet to hear from him? Is it possible the address is incorrect? I'd love to contact him! Your review was very nice. We'll be in Puntarenas in April aboard the Radiance of the Seas.

[tinkerme1]

What date will you be in Puntarenas? Have you been able to contact Mauricio?

[divepal]

I too have tried to contact Mauricio via e-mail without any luck. :( I would love to get in touch with him. If anybody hears from him, please post his response.

 

Thanks

[Deloresgardella]

I have also tried emailing Mauricio with no response as of yet.:( We be docking at Puerto Caldera is that about the same as docking at Puntarenas. Will the tours be the same.:confused: Thank you

 

Delores

[lahore]

Have a look at my posting further down this thread entitled 'recommendations for Costa Rica' - I should have titled it recommendations out of Puntarenas. I think you might find it worth reading.

[c-to-sea]

Tinkerme1 and Divepal

 

 

See my response on Skywalk thread above. Also, I have e-mailed Mauricia after

getting an e-mail back from a cruiser who had just returned and used him for

his Puntarenas tour. Apparently, he has to get his e-mails from the

local store and only does so occasionally

but he does reply. However, there are some phone

numbers posted for him on another thread. I have these on file and might

try foning as a last resort.

[mountainmare]

I did double check the address and it is correct. We ledt home before he reponded to us, but I read on another thread that this happened to some other cc posters and they just asked for him at the dock. We had planned on doing the same and were just about to leave the room at 7:30 when gangway security called to say that he was waiting for us.

He didn't know about cc and was sort of puzzeled by the requests he has been getting from cruise passengers. I had some of the reviews with me and he was so excited that he had to call his wife to tell her!! By the way, he LOVES baseball caps, if you have room pack one from your hometown (or favorite team ) for him. He had to stop and show everyone the Phillies cap DH gave him.

[virgenia]

I posted upthread a copy of the e-mail sent to me by Oscar about his friend Mauricio. His email included only telephone numbers, so I am guessing that is the most reliable way to communicate with him. I understand e-mail service in Costa Rica is not 100% reliable. Try the phone.

[tinkerme1]

Would someone please post the phone number for Mauricio. I can't seem to find it.....

[Deloresgardella]

I got a responce from Mauricio to day. I will copy and paste it. I would really like to go with but he takes a minimum of 8. Maybe there is somebody else that would like to go at the same time.

 

Delores

 

Mrs. Delores Gardella

We have a great tour to the rainforest, where wildlife can be enjoyed, we

can also the tipical tour, and the ziplining.

But we need a minimum of 8 passengers to honor this rate: $ 35.00 usd.

p/person; If the tour is private, only two people, the cost is $200.00 usd.

 

Mrs. Delores, if you are interested, please be kind to confirm the tour.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Mauricio Vásquez P.

 

>From: Dgardella38@aol.com

>To: mauriciovp@hotmail.com

>Subject: tours

>Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 11:35:06 EST

>

>Hi Mauricio, My grandson and I will be on the Coral Princess on May 5,2005.

>We will be docking at Puerto Caldera, from 7am till 7pm.Have heard some

>good

>things about your tours. Do you have a web site? Or could you send me some

>brochures? I think my grandson may will want to go zip lining, but I won't.

>I

>understand you will drop them off then pick them up on the way back. Please

>give me

>any information that you can. Price, where we would meet you, what tours

>you

>offer and anything else that you might think of. Thank you.

>Delores Gardella

[c-to-sea]

I also received a reply from Mauricio today. He says much the same

 

as he did above. I am now trying to get 8 people together from our

Summit cruise in Puntarenas Apr. 29th.

 

I have a feeling that he only gets to check e-mails once in a while on

a commercial computer site.

 

Any feedback from others prior to mid-April appreciated.

Cliff

[divepal]

I received a reply as well. Does anyone know what the additional cost for the National Park and the ziplining is? The price quoted by Mauricio is strictly for his tour guide and transportation services. I think you'll find it's still less expensive and considerably more flexible than ship excursions.

[c-to-sea]

If I remember correctly from several posts elsewhere, the park entry is

 

US$8. The only price I have been able to find beside this is for the Skywalk

from the hotel at US$20. This is at http://www.villalapas.com/e_skyway.html .

An e-mail to them might get more information.

[mountainmare]

I received a reply as well. Does anyone know what the additional cost for the National Park and the ziplining is? The price quoted by Mauricio is strictly for his tour guide and transportation services. I think you'll find it's still less expensive and considerably more flexible than ship excursions.

 

Yes, the park entrance fee is $8. There are restrooms where you pay for the park(have exact change to make things easy). Then you drive to the entrance for the walk through the park (no restrooms). Take bugspray, good walking shoes that you don't mind getting dirty and water.

 

We saw tons of wildlife that the ship people did not get a chance to see, we were also interested in local culture so we drove into the mountains to little towns and stopped at a food stand to try local food.

 

There were four of us and we paid the flat fee of $200 so if you just find two more people you will be ahead of the game.

[Cruise99]

Has anyone done the Costa Rica Off Road Adventure tour out of Puntarenas?

 

We are torn between doing this and going with a group that will have a private tour with Mauricio. We've done several off road adventures in various ports and enjoy them.

 

We are on RCCL Radiance OTS 4/17

 

Thanks

gary

[tinkerme1]

Yes, I finally heard from Mauricio and he will do our tour on April 17, 2005. We're sailing on the Radiance of the Seas.

 

We have eight people already, so the tour should be fabulous.

 

Does anyone know how much it was to zipline with Mauricio. I have several folks asking me that question. Also, where does he take you to do the ziplining? Any information would be great.

 

Gary, glad you posted. Hope somebody can help you with the information for that shore excursion.

[mountainmare]

tinkerme 1

 

I'm so excited for you. You'll have a great time!! If you have an extra baseball cap from your favorite team don't forget to take it along to add to M0's collection.

[yoshi]

Cal 101-I am also going on the Infinity March 13 and wanted a zip-line tour in Puntaneras, have you booked a tour with Mauricio? I have a family of 4 total.

 

Does anyone know if you have to book in advance or can you just arrive at the port and hope to pick up a tour? I am concerned about all of the port cancellations that I have read about.

[VikkiGarcia]

Yoshi there were tons of guys at the port willing to take you zip lining. They will take you to the closest facility which is at "hotel" something. It is not deep in the rain forest like the others, but should be a fun day.

[cal101]

Yoshi,

 

We did not book with Mauricio. Think we will probably book the jungle river cruise either with the ship or with jdwatersports. J D Watersports also have a zip Line tour, you may want to check out their web site jdwatersports.com or call their toll-free number 1-800-477-8971. The lady I talked with was Jamie Crall, she was very nice and very helpful.

 

We have a good thread going on the Roll Call Board for our cruise, please come over and join us. Very nice group of people!

 

Carol