RELATED LINKS:
Academia de Espanol D'Amore
Founded in 1992, it is the area's original beach
school and campus in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
The Lounge Bar
Manuel Antonio's hottest place to party! Check it out so you can fully prepare yourself for one of the greatest nights you'll have!
Plan your trip to Costa Rica today!
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Directory of information for moving to Costa Rica
The Insider's Guide to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica is a must-read eBook packed with all of the information you need to know but didn't find in your guidebook!
"From language tips to cultural faux pas, this book covered it all and allowed us to enjoy our short 4 day trip to the fullest. If you want to experience the area as an outsider don't read this book; however if you want to get below the surface I consider it required reading."
--Ben Clary
"Reading this book made my trip to Costa Rica go really smoothly. She really gets into the details that I don't think I could have found on my own, answering questions like: Which airline should I take to Quepos? Which hotels are the good ones? Should I stay in Quepos or Manuel Antonio? It saved me a lot of grief and got me just the kind of vacation I was looking for."
--Brian Williammee
My first few minutes in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica involved me, the bathroom, and a sneering cockroach that caught me by surprise with my pants down. I screamed, and instantly jumped on top of the toilet seat, straddling it as if it were my only hope. Naturally, my new host family was immediately concerned for this seemingly psychotic American girl that just moved in and is now shrieking at the top of her lungs in their bathroom, and came running to see what the commotion was all about. Entertainingly enough, they are just as afraid of “cucarachas” as I was, and my host father chased it down with a shoe until finally we heard the relieving crunch.
and was really starting to roll those R’s like a pro. Maybe it had something to do with my chatty host mother, Beleida, or the cute Tico boyfriend I somehow acquired within two weeks of arriving. Either way, I spent my free time lounging on the beaches with the other students, or meeting up at night for cocktails and a salsa lesson. I was never very good at salsa, but I grew very passionate about trying to dance it, anyway.
Time flew, and so did the money in my bank account. But to me, it was worth every dime. By the end of the semester, I had not only gained an education in the Spanish language, but also a very practical one concerning the human race and the world as a whole. Like most travelers, I gained a newfound sense of priorities—what matters, what doesn’t, and when to pass the freaking tequila.
Genuine laughter and hard-earned sweat fills the streets—no blank-faced, walking drones in suits here—and the passion of the people is always present in the air; it swirls around you, teasing your practical side and then grabs you by the hand and forces you to the land of anti-nine-to-fives forever. I think that grateful is an accurate word to describe the people of Costa Rica; they are grateful for the children that pass by with their mothers, for the delicious food being served in heaps on a plate at lunchtime, for friends that stop to chat—even if they’re in a hurry—for the guaro that will be consumed later that evening, and for the $2 per hour they are happy to be making.
Since my very first time visiting Manuel Antonio 2004, I have had the fortune to return several times (my passport is basically a tribute to Costa Rica), and I’ve picked up quite a few valuable tips about what it takes to survive in Manuel Antonio. For example, I will never again play Good Samaritan and bend down to retrieve anyone’s glasses that they have dropped while riding on the bus. The last time I did this, while I was in mid-bend, my wallet got snatched right out from my beach bag. Minutes after exiting the bus, I realized what had happened, rushed back to the bus stop, and found the driver. Exasperated, I pleaded with him in my best Spanish to allow me onto the bus to quickly scan the aisles to be sure I hadn’t dropped it. The exchange went something like this:
What was really frustrating about this? Señor Power Play Bus Driver was playing pinball. Yes, pinball. Which was obviously more important than my impending mental breakdown.
I’m not too sure what the issue was there. I mean, I had always followed the proper bus etiquette (yes, there is one), paying in the correct manner and not holding up the line. I had always been pleasant and greeted him, as well as the other two bus drivers who commonly ran the route from Quepos to Manuel Antonio, with my cheeriest, “¡Buenos dias!” and I never had any pesky surfboards that require storage underneath the bus. (Sometimes, depending on the driver and/or his particular mood that day, they just refuse you a ride on the bus if you’ve got a surfboard. I’ve seen it happen.)
We reach the bottom (sigh of relief) and instead of having the driver take me to my home, I decided it would be in my best interest to have him drop me off immediately, and told him to let me out at El Pueblo, a restaurant in town. My request was met with a look of sheer excitement: “Great! We’ll come get some pizza too!” Let’s just say it was interesting trying to escape. Escape tactics seem to be quite useful while in Manuel Antonio, that’s for sure.
But despite a few mishaps here and there--some comical, some just downright scary--as soon as I would return to the United States, no more than a couple of hours would pass before I was already wishing I were back in Costa Rica. . . nevermind the fact that I could once again shower with warm water, be relieved of the ongoing effort to elude many-a-mosquito, and once again be able to ride in a taxi without fearing for my life.
Soon enough, the epidemic grew. Friends started contacting me with questions galore about Costa Rica. And then their friends began contacting me with more questions. And then friends of friends of friends got in touch.
...Eventually, I decided it might be more efficient to just put all of the answers down on paper; thus, the idea of this eBook was born. I thought back to when I was going to the country for the very first time, and remembered how frustrated I was from being unable to find any detailed information on Manuel Antonio. After all, I was excited/scared/anxious/a little frightened of the unknown, and wanted to find out as much as I possibly could about the place. But instead, all I found were companies offering to take me zip lining, throw me atop a horse on the beach or--worse--on an ATV in the rainforest. (No joke, when I actually did do the ATV thing . . . wouldn't you know I ended up taking out a fence?)
So, here it is:
With 66 pages of regularly updated need-to-know information, this book is sure not to disappoint.
A Small-Town
Pennsylvania
Broad Tells
It Like it Is
-Information about the experience in general; what Quepos/Manuel Antonio is like, what to expect as a tourist, and the real scoop on Spanish immersion schools
-How to choose the right form of transportation for YOU to get from the capital city of San José to Quepos/Manuel Antonio, depending on your own specific needs
-The reason it's a bad idea to rent a car
-Why you should NEVER EVER pull over on the side of the road if you do rent one and get a flat tire
-The best of the BEST places to stay in Quepos/Manuel Antonio, divided up into categories ranging from super budget conscious all the way up to extra luxurious (including which ones have hot water!)
-The surefire secret way to get a taxi home in Manuel Antonio and pay a quarter of the price!
-One of Costa Rica's best kept secrets: Una cerveza michelada! Find out what it is, and how to get your hands on one immediately (trust me, you WILL want to)
-Recent scams that have occured in Quepos/Manuel Antonio, and what to do if you think one is being run on you
-Where to hit the town! In Quepos/Manuel Antonio, the place to be changes every night, and so do the prices i.e. Thursdays are ladies' night at a bar called The Lounge, where women can drink for absolutely free!
-Costa Rican etiquette: What you need to know before heading out of your hotel to avoid unexpected misfortunes and/or look like a fool
-The low down on what prices really are; sometimes tourists get taken advantage of because a local vendor knows that he/she doesn't know the real scoop i.e. beach chair vendors on Manuel Antonio beach are infamous for this
-Which restaurants you should ABSOLUTELY block out time to dine at, in both Quepos and Manuel Antonio
-How to look like you know what you're doing when ordering food, eating food and paying for food
-The ONLY foolproof way to keep the mosquitoes off you, while everyone else is getting bit!
-Things you MUST do while visiting. Tour companies offer such a wide variety of activities such as ziplining, four wheeling through the rainforest, whitewater rafting, etc . . . but not all of them are worth the money!
-What not to do EVER. With tourists being the primary target for petty crime, it's important to know how to ensure your safety
-The scoop on "the shot" they offer at the pharmacy--what it is, and why I encourage you to go get one!
-Dealing with the ever-popular stomach illness . . . where to go, what to say and what to expect
-Other nearby towns worth visiting if you've got the time
-Some common Costa Rican slang that's sure to impress the locals!
-THIRTY full-color pictures relevant to each topic at hand
-Personal anecdotes of my own unfortunate mishaps following each chapter that are sure to make you laugh!
-Two full-length interviews with Quepos/Manuel Antonio locals in which they offer their opinion on the subjects of their biggest pet peeves regarding tourists that visit, what to look out for, what they love about living there and even what they don't like about the area
-Two additional full-length interviews with Americans who have visited Quepos/Manuel Antonio in which they discuss what they wish they knew before going, what surprised them the most about the area, what they found to be most different/similar about the Costa Rican culture in comparision to that of their own, and--of course--what they loved and hated, and why.
-A map of the town of Quepos indicating key destinations
-A list of important contact information, such as that of the embassy, police station and doctors
This information is available at the cost of $14.95, and includes unlimited email access with the author in the event that you have any questions left unanswered. If you aren't completely satisfied, I guarantee to issue a full refund.
Feel free to read an excerpt of the eBook by clicking here, or check out the Table of Contents by clicking here. In the meantime, best wishes for safe and happy travels!
Pura Vida!
Ashley Ambirge, Author
This page was last updated: April 19, 2009
ME: Sir, hello, I was just on the bus and I think I may have left my wallet on it. *Clear look of panic* Is there any way you can let me back on to check?!
EVIL BUS DRIVER: Can't you see that I'm busy?
ME: Oh, I'm so sorry to bother you. I'm just so worried. My wallet contains my money, driver's license and credit cards and I'm really hoping that it's on that bus.
EVIL BUS DRIVER: Sorry. This is my lunch break. You'll just have to wait until the next run.
And that was how I was welcomed into the country.
Fortunately, as time passed I became more accustomed to cockroaches making an occasional appearance (a show-stopper every time), and even grew fond of the sneaky geckos that nonchalantly decorated my bedroom ceiling at their leisure. I was attending Academia de Español D’Amore, a Spanish Immersion school in Manuel Antonio, every day for four hours each afternoon
People here don’t live to work; they work to live. Ticos don’t stress over selecting the “right” career; they are simply content to have a job. It has been my observation that what someone does for a living does not translate to his/her sense of self-worth, but rather is just one small aspect of that person’s life. Instead, people are judged by their character, moral integrity and how “pura vida” they are. How refreshing. Families are top priority, and there is this general sense of community and collaboration among all.
Then again, I’ve never had much luck with the local drivers. Another time, I got in a cab in Manuel Antonio heading back to Quepos after a night of dancing. After about, oh, 30 seconds down the road, I see the driver pull a bottle of liquor from under the seat, take a swig, and pass it to his friend in the front seat, who I had originally assumed was just another passenger. I’m now in a taxi, flying down Manuel Antonio hill—which, if you’ve ever been there, know that it is the curviest road in the whole area—with a drunk taxi driver. Awesome.
