ian@newhem.com
Submitted: September 14, 2012
Stayed: August 2012
I stayed at this bungalow for two weeks in August 2012, and I absolutely loved it. It was clean and well-looked after, with a beautiful garden and the smell of guava. There's private beach access. Very nice to wake up each morning listening to the surf. I felt safe, because there are gates on either end of the property. A local agent, Gregory, was just around the corner if I had any questions, and he was very accommodating when I had a little problem. I had a car, but the property was certainly close enough to town to walk, which I did, many times, on the beach. I was a little anxious about swimming all alone (the rip-currents are no joke) so I walked about ten minutes down the beach to a public swimming area where I felt much more comfortable. I ate at a different restaurant every night, and all my meals were good. I used the kitchen for breakfast and lunch every day, and the grocery store nearby for all my provisions. I especially liked the shower at the bungalow--very cool, surrounded by river rocks. Loved the laid-back vibe of Cocles, and all the friendly people. Met a bunch of folks on various adventures (I'd highly recommend the canopy zip-lining tour, the sea- and river-kayaking, and the "day" trip (a VERY long day) to Bocas Tel Toro, Panama. You can arrange these at any number of tour companies, including one a three minute walk away. It took me a day to get used the banana spiders outside (they're very intimidating to look at, but perfectly harmless). There were howler monkeys in the trees: awesome. Sloths galore. LOTS of geckos, several of which sneaked into the bungalow, but no harm there. There's a mosquito net that goes around the bed. I used it, but I did not encounter any mosquitoes in CR. In my opinion, the rate (I was there off-season) was very reasonable, and it allowed me to do some touring around, and to rent a car. The drive from San Jose was fine, once I got out of the city. In a few days, I was zipping around like I'd been driving there all my life. Having said that, the beach road that goes from the bungalow to the town, was often filled with walkers, bikers, dogs, etc., so you must be careful. Town was good, with a good mix of people, though on weekends, it tended toward the "party" vibe, whereas I was going to escape some of that. There were enough quiet places to avoid that atmosphere. All in all, I was very pleased with the experience, and would highly recommend it.
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Adventure Seekers,
Girls Getaway,
Tourists without a Car,
Sightseeing,
Romantic Getaway
Owner's Response: We are glad that Ian enjoyed our beautiful beach house. The nature that surrounds our house is one of our favourite things about the property. It is like being in a wildlife documentary! We're also glad that Ian was sensible about the places that he chose to swim. We do advise all clients to be careful close to the mouth of rivers and to know their limits when swimming anywhere along the Caribbean coast. The ocean is wild and beautiful and there are many safe places to swim along the stretch of beach directly in front of the house.
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