Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Do people speak English? If not, do you recommend a guide?
Most of the locals speak a little English and all of them want to learn more! We have English speaking contacts in both San Jose and Puerto Jimenez.
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Rent a car and enjoy a beautiful drive (either on the Pan American Highway or the Pacific Coast road). A rental car is nice to have, but is not necessary.
Catch a 12-15 seat plane into Puerto Jimenez. From there catch a taxi for $25.00 out to the property.
The taxi driver will allow you to shop before going out to the casa and arrangements will be made to pick you up when it is time to go to the airport for your return flight to San Jose.
Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Is it safe to walk the beach/trails at night? Is the region safe?
The beach is safe at night. It is beautiful to walk and see the stars and moon reflecting off the water and sand, but it is not recommended to walk in the jungle after dark. If you choose to do so, make sure you have good flash lights with plenty of batteries! Stay on the trail!
This region of Costa Rica is very safe. The lifestyle is very laid back and slow. If you visit the the larger cities (such as San Jose), we would suggest that you take greater care with your personal safety. Just as in any large city, there are places one should just not go after dark or alone.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. What is the weather usually like?
There are basically two seasons at Casa Dulce: Summer (little if any rain and very hot) and Winter (quite a bit of rain but comfortable temperatures). Summer months are from January into the middle of May. It rains quite a bit from August until mid-December. We think it's beautiful all year round!
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Is the water safe to drink?
The water is pure clay-filtered well water from a well located on our property and tastes wonderful! Water throughout Costa Rica is safe to drink.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Can I rent a car? Do I need one?
You can rent cars near the airport in San Jose. We have a good friend who meets our guests at the airport and will assist you with renting a car or anything else you might require. Although convenient, you do not have to rent a car to get around.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.How many people are normally on the nearby beach? Is it crowded? Noisy?
The beach is sometimes deserted, but at other times, can have several people on it (depending on the time of the year). Easter can be pretty crowded! The beach is generally very quiet and peaceful.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Is it safe to swim? Are there dangerous fish or tides?
The beach is one of the best swimming beaches in the area. The one thing to look out for are stingrays that nestle in the sand near the shore.
It is recommended to do the "Texas-Shuffle": slide your feet through the sand, one in front of the other, instead of picking them up and placing them down after each step. When you shuffle your feet through the sand, you will bump into the hiding stingray, and it will swim off instead remaining hidden where you are likely to step on it.
If you are stung by a stingray, heat water on the stove (make it as hot as you can stand it) and soak your foot in the hot water! Treating the wound with meat tenderizer is another excellent way to ease the pain of a sting. We recommend bringing some with you!
Other than the infrequent stingray, the beach is very safe.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Where is the closest store/restaurant for groceries or eating out?
There are two restaurants within walking distance (about a mile), in opposite directions. We recommend cooking at the casa. Just pick up what you need in Puerto Jimenez on your way to the property.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Are the bugs very bad? Do they come in the house?
The house is completely open-air, so there will be an occasionally bug that makes its way in. All the beds have mosquito net canopies so you can sleep in comfort. We recommend that you bring some "OFF" or other bug repellent spray.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.What do you recommend that we pack?Pack light! People always bring way too much! Once you get to the beach, you will live in a pair of swim trunks or shorts. Bring your camera! You won't want to forget all you see here.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Do you have a phone? Electricity?
While there is no phone available, you can communicate with the outside world via the Marine Band Radio. You can communicate with folks in Lapa Rios, nearby establishments and neighbors.
You will find a laminated information sheet posted in the lock-up room containing radio numbers and other contact information you might need.
The house is powered by a solar system, so electricity is limited, but there is one 110 volt outlet for recharging camera batteries, MP3 players, etc.
There is hot water and a stove/oven. There is a refrigerator, but if you use a lot of ice, it is recommended to get a block of ice every time you go to town. The freezer is slow when it comes to making ice! Close
Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Do you allow pets?
Pets are allowed, but not recommended. You will have to research what types of paperwork or quarantine periods might be required by the Costa Rican government.
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Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.Do you provide fishing equipment/water toys (floats, tubes, water wings) etc.?
No, we don't provide any fishing or swimming gear. There is a sporting goods store in town, but we can't guarantee what they will stock from week to week, so it's best that you bring your own gear, floats, etc.
There is excellent beach fishing and we can suggest the type of tackle that has worked for us in the past. Light tackle is recommended for beach fishing. If you go deep-sea fishing, all tackle and gear is provided.
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