Keep in mind we haven't been there since years, so things may have changed:
SANTA ELENA
Keep an eye on the weather, just one hour before St. Elena the wind picked up to 40 knots. It seems to be a local conditions. The anchorage itself is nice and calm. Although the wind tends to howl around the hill. We got wind gusts up to 40 mph. One puff from the right, then one from the left. It blew the whole entire stay. It’s a great place to do some hiking and on the West beach you’ll find some nautilus shells. There should be a waterfall in this area, about a two hour hike. In that pool you’ll find crawfish! We didn’t find out until after we left.
When leaving here, hug the coast. We were ¼ mile off shore and had 30 knots from behind us and 6 food following choppy seas. As we turned the first corner it got much better. Around the corner to the Murcielagos, watch the waves, then tack, then you head into it. We had 35 knots blowing against us, the water was calm, except for some wind spray.
If the papagallos don’t blow, this supposed to be one of the best snorkeling spots. We didn’t stop, the anchorage looked to uncomfortable, we headed on to Potrero Grande. Remember, stay close to shore, our buddy boats didn’t do that again and they got their butts kicked.
The closer you get to Potrero Grande the less the wind will blow. The anchorage was calm. We anchored were Charlie’s Charts recommended. We were there for only 20 minutes, we couldn’t stand it. We got such a bad backwash from the beach it was very uncomfortable. The other side of the bay is a famous surf spot, anchoring off there you’ll get the spray of the waves. We anchored in the middle of the bay in 25 feet of water and had a very pleasant and comfy spot.
Not many boats anchor here. It’s really very nice. We enjoyed it. You can see the monkeys from the boat. The snorkeling is good and there is a fun dingy trip into the mangroves. Across the other side you can follow the path and do some great hiking.
Now this is a safe place to leave your boat unattended for a few days, while renting a car and touring
Shopping: can be done in
A lot of thefts are reported here, don’t leave your boat unattended at night. Port Captain doesn’t like women to check in.
Several cruisers leave their boats here in the Flamingo Marina. It’s a pretty place, but we heard you have to keep an eye on your stuff. We bypassed it, although we drove here by car.
Very nice anchorage and good snorkeling. Charlie’s Charts says best shelling beach. I found one shell and a coin.
We bypassed this anchorage, in Summer time this place is open to the weather.
open to summer weather. There is a reef on either side and caution should be used by entering.
Also wide open to the summer weather.
Same here, very pretty but can be rough.
Beautiful and calm place. Anchor to the left of the village. Take the bus into Montezuma and hike to the waterfall on the south side of town. Cute little town. There is a walkway around the point in Ballena as well, depending as how far you like to hike, you can reach some water falls there too.
Honey, the wife of Heart Inverters, flies fresh organic produce in every Friday/Saturday. Ask for Eden, her daughter, lives right next to pier, she’ll have the stuff there. Honey also bakes bread.
There is a very good restaurant, next to the Yacht Club, he’ll let you use his phone line as well for email.
Further over by the Tambor beach, is a wonderful Swiss Restaurant, a bit expensive, but a wonderful treat.
Montezuma and the village just before it, has several stores and great Bakery and Butcher.
Swiss Restaurant: Perla Tambor, Doris and Louis PH: 683 0152
ISLA CEDROS
Muddy bottom, have a brush and bucket ready to clean of f chain and anchor. Very quiet and pretty anchorage. Kids in canoe came out and offered us a bucket of Mangoes.
ISLA MUERTOS
Another great anchorage, but be aware, guys living on island have a giant scope and will watch you on the boat.
PLAYA NARANJO
Agatha Wilhelm e-mail: wilhow@racsa.co.ct
Great anchorage, and great hotel.
There is an anchorage in the river, but it is said, that it isn’t very save in
Great shopping, local market and grocery stores. There is a wonderful Chinese Restaurant in town.
PUNTA LEONA
Great place, belongs to a hotel. Free jungle and bird watching tours. Can use pools, great food and awesome bar!
Put a stern hook out, at high tide it can be rolly, we had it nice and calm.
if you anchor close and behind the brake water, you will not get any swells. It was nice and calm for us. Geisha was about 100 feet next to us and did get quite a bit of swell.
Small convenience stores, offer quite a bit and there a veggie truck brings in very nice produce.
QUEPOS
Rolly, rolly Quepos! We got stuck here for 12 days, do to engine
problem. The port captain here is very, very nice and helpful. Town’s great for shopping, but do to tourism very expensive.
MANUEL ANTONIO
Beautiful place, although we didn't anchor in here, we were too much in a hurry to get out of Quepos, we did visit the park via Quepos. Beautiful anchorage, may be a bit rolly. Great park.
For the boats leaving before us, this was the first green place they found. They left in November and traveled during dry season, so this was their favorite place for them. To us all the places were very nice and lush. This one was too rough for us. Since we were stuck in rolly Quepos, we were looking forward getting here, but then had the night from hell. Uncomfortable wind chop was blowing right into anchorage and we abandoned it at
PUERTO JIMENEZ
Nice anchorage, although it's a bit tuff to find the perfect spot, as it goes from very shallow, straight to very deep, so when you see 20 feet, drop the anchor immediately, because just split seconds later it's 40 feet deep already.
We did a great tour through the national park here. when in town, look around, you'll see red macaws in all the trees.
Shopping is pretty good here, there are several stores. We did a great jungle tour here. Keep an eye out for scarlet macaws, who live wild in the village trees.
GOLFITO
We didn't go into Golfito, do to very high thievery. It is rather hot there with no breeze.