This new and improved version of myself fresh from three days in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica comes equipped with more advice (warranted or otherwise) than Drs. Phil and Oz combined. Let me preface this entry by saying when I signed up for this "adventure week" to kick off my time volunteering, I had no idea what to expect. As mentioned in a previous blog, the woman sent to pick me up from the airport handed me a folder with the information about my host family and upcoming tourism week upon my arrival at 10pm- prior to that moment, I knew nothing.
The itinerary for this week leaves as much to the imagination as an abstract modern art painting. The first item on the list, Manuel Antonio Beach Adventure, simply stated a hotel room was reserved for me for two nights and I needed to be ready to go at 7:10 am. Nothing more. Hardly anything was written, it turns out, as hardly anything was planned. Thankfully, one other girl from my volunteer program signed up for the adventure week otherwise I would have just spent three days on a touristy beach surrounded by creepy surfers alone.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the past three days was that no meals were included. This leads two young ladies in their twenties to get creative, venturing to world's end to find cheap eats. Here comes my first piece of advice for anyone heading to Manuel Antonio: a list of where and where not to eat.
Restaurante Hotel Manuel Antonio:
As an addition to our hotel, we naturally tried this establishment first. I ordered the asparagus soup which did nothing for me but bring on an onslaught of symptoms associated with my lactose intolerance. My friend ordered a sandwich and got her money's worth. After this mediocre experience, we decided it would be an okay stop for breakfast the next morning and ordered the eggs and tomatoes, a typical breakfast here. WARNING! Do not order this unless you want to feel like you were just conned out of 5$ for a portion the size of your fist that resembles something that had already been eaten. After that experience, I'm not sure what drove us back there for lunch, but some mysterious restaurant gods brought us back there and I ordered the ensalada verde or green saad which, thankfully, included a hearty portion of greens and avocado. We also both ordered a smoothie of blended fresh fruit and ice. To sum up, if you hit up this restaurant, only do so for lunch or dinner and skip breakfast there unless you like to waste money.
Restaurante Nuevo Amanecer:
The fact that this centrally-located establishment does not serve alcohol likely contributes to its lower lunch and dinner prices. However, if you don't mind not getting tipsy with your meal, it is not a bad spot. Being so close to the ocean, I thought it would be a slap in the face to Costa Rica if I didn't order fish at least once, so I ordered pescado a la plancha (grilled fish) with veggies and rice, though other side options included fries and salad. I received a decent portion for the equivalent of $8. My dining companions complained about the waiter but I would have been rude to them too- they continuously complained that he didn't speak English and they ordered the cheeseburger. Come on. Another perk to eating there was their free Internet.
Italia & Co.:
Don't miss this place. The waitress treated us with exceptional kindness while serving us generous portions at dinner. It's not only a great choice for lunch and dinner; sweet tooth cravings are easily cured by their selection of fresh gelato and sorbets. Never have my taste buds felt so spoiled by a tasty treat and my digestive system breathed such a huge sigh of relief that it didn't have to deal with an onslaught of lactose. Their fresh fruit sorbets lack an overwhelming amount of sugar, making them the perfect amount of sweetness and truly to die for. Well maybe not, dying for sorbet seems a bit on the extreme side. We returned for dinner upon spotting their reasonable prices for salad offerings and ordered the salad with corn, mushrooms, carrots, peppers and tomatoes. Only minutes later she brought us a bread basket accompanied by oil and vinegar as well as a huge bowl of salad, which we assumed was a combination of both of our salads. As we went to pay for both, however, she apologized profusely saying she thought we wanted to split it and only brought us one. This was welcome information as it was a truly filling portion for two people.
Backpacker's Paradise Costa Linda:
Tucked away inconspicuously off the main route, this is the only restaurant offering mind-blowing prices for breakfast. Mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, insert shock-depicting adjective here. Literally, never go anywhere else for breakfast. Their other prices are just so-so, but for only 4$ they serve bottomless coffee and tea, a pancake, fresh banana, pineapple and watermelon, beans and rice, bread and eggs. We got the eggs minus everything else and paid more the morning before.
Other information to know about Manuel Antonio:
1) They are closed on MONDAYS! Don't try to go on a Monday or you will be sorely disappointed.
2) When walking through the national park, walk slowly and look up at the trees. That is where the sloths, monkeys, etc. are hiding.
3) Bring your swimsuit into the park- there are beaches that you can easily walk to.
4) Prepare for rain! It is very likely you may not get a good beach day.
The itinerary for this week leaves as much to the imagination as an abstract modern art painting. The first item on the list, Manuel Antonio Beach Adventure, simply stated a hotel room was reserved for me for two nights and I needed to be ready to go at 7:10 am. Nothing more. Hardly anything was written, it turns out, as hardly anything was planned. Thankfully, one other girl from my volunteer program signed up for the adventure week otherwise I would have just spent three days on a touristy beach surrounded by creepy surfers alone.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the past three days was that no meals were included. This leads two young ladies in their twenties to get creative, venturing to world's end to find cheap eats. Here comes my first piece of advice for anyone heading to Manuel Antonio: a list of where and where not to eat.
Restaurante Hotel Manuel Antonio:
As an addition to our hotel, we naturally tried this establishment first. I ordered the asparagus soup which did nothing for me but bring on an onslaught of symptoms associated with my lactose intolerance. My friend ordered a sandwich and got her money's worth. After this mediocre experience, we decided it would be an okay stop for breakfast the next morning and ordered the eggs and tomatoes, a typical breakfast here. WARNING! Do not order this unless you want to feel like you were just conned out of 5$ for a portion the size of your fist that resembles something that had already been eaten. After that experience, I'm not sure what drove us back there for lunch, but some mysterious restaurant gods brought us back there and I ordered the ensalada verde or green saad which, thankfully, included a hearty portion of greens and avocado. We also both ordered a smoothie of blended fresh fruit and ice. To sum up, if you hit up this restaurant, only do so for lunch or dinner and skip breakfast there unless you like to waste money.
Restaurante Nuevo Amanecer:
The fact that this centrally-located establishment does not serve alcohol likely contributes to its lower lunch and dinner prices. However, if you don't mind not getting tipsy with your meal, it is not a bad spot. Being so close to the ocean, I thought it would be a slap in the face to Costa Rica if I didn't order fish at least once, so I ordered pescado a la plancha (grilled fish) with veggies and rice, though other side options included fries and salad. I received a decent portion for the equivalent of $8. My dining companions complained about the waiter but I would have been rude to them too- they continuously complained that he didn't speak English and they ordered the cheeseburger. Come on. Another perk to eating there was their free Internet.
Italia & Co.:
Don't miss this place. The waitress treated us with exceptional kindness while serving us generous portions at dinner. It's not only a great choice for lunch and dinner; sweet tooth cravings are easily cured by their selection of fresh gelato and sorbets. Never have my taste buds felt so spoiled by a tasty treat and my digestive system breathed such a huge sigh of relief that it didn't have to deal with an onslaught of lactose. Their fresh fruit sorbets lack an overwhelming amount of sugar, making them the perfect amount of sweetness and truly to die for. Well maybe not, dying for sorbet seems a bit on the extreme side. We returned for dinner upon spotting their reasonable prices for salad offerings and ordered the salad with corn, mushrooms, carrots, peppers and tomatoes. Only minutes later she brought us a bread basket accompanied by oil and vinegar as well as a huge bowl of salad, which we assumed was a combination of both of our salads. As we went to pay for both, however, she apologized profusely saying she thought we wanted to split it and only brought us one. This was welcome information as it was a truly filling portion for two people.
Backpacker's Paradise Costa Linda:
Tucked away inconspicuously off the main route, this is the only restaurant offering mind-blowing prices for breakfast. Mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, insert shock-depicting adjective here. Literally, never go anywhere else for breakfast. Their other prices are just so-so, but for only 4$ they serve bottomless coffee and tea, a pancake, fresh banana, pineapple and watermelon, beans and rice, bread and eggs. We got the eggs minus everything else and paid more the morning before.
Other information to know about Manuel Antonio:
1) They are closed on MONDAYS! Don't try to go on a Monday or you will be sorely disappointed.
2) When walking through the national park, walk slowly and look up at the trees. That is where the sloths, monkeys, etc. are hiding.
3) Bring your swimsuit into the park- there are beaches that you can easily walk to.
4) Prepare for rain! It is very likely you may not get a good beach day.
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