Conscious Living without breaking the piggy bank
Tayrona National park is the second-largest park in Colombia after Chiribiquete with an area of 150 sq. km. It’s located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea in the North of Colombia. A BRIEF INTRODUCTION Tayrona Park in Colombia was nationalized in the 1960s to protect its fauna and flora along with preserving a certain …
Travel to the Canadian Rockies and expect to be blown away by their natural beauty.
Ever since we moved to Canada back in 2009, it had always been on my to-do list to travel to the Canadian Rockies. Somehow, I had never made my way there until now.
It’s funny how while I was flipping through my Lonely Planet from back then, that I had already highlighted all the points of interests.
If you are a budget traveler, this might not be the right destination for you. Even though there are ways to save money, the Canadian Rockies remain an expensive destination to travel to.
That being said, this is an absolutely wonderful place to discover with and without kids. The best part is that you can even travel to the Canadian Rockies with your dog!
The Canadian Rockies is comprised of two major National Parks: Banff and Jasper. These are the ones we will focus on.
The Canadian Rockies are located in the Western part of Canada.
The closest airport to Banff, a popular destination in the Canadian Rockies is located in Calgary.
Despite the airfare being cheaper than traveling from Montreal to Vancouver, it’s still a good chunk of money. For the same price, I could pretty much travel to Europe!
However, I did find a ‘decent’ price ($500) through Skyscanner, only 3 months before our trip! OMG.
If you’ve read some of my other articles, you’ll know that I usually plan things way in advance. Three months is like last minute to me.
You might think that I’m a little cray-cray but in all honesty, if you plan to travel to the Canadian Rockies in July or August, you’ll have to plan ahead.
The Summer months is peak season in the Canadian Rockies and prices double or even triple during that time. The reason is because that’s when the region is basically snow-free and all the trails are supposed to be open.
Another way of getting to the Canadian Rockies from Montreal is by train (ViaRail). You’ll have to take another train or bus from Calgary to Banff or rent a car.
I believe it is a 3-day journey from Montreal with not the most scenic view.
Are you nuts? The drive from Montreal to Calgary is 37 hours! Euh…NO thank you!
Since we only had 8 days to spend in the Canadian Rockies, this was absolutely not an option. People do do it though.
They buy a crappy car, drive it across the country and dump it somewhere in Vancouver and then fly back to Montreal.
Had we had a good month of traveling and exploring to do, I probably would have considered that option (not the car dumping part). That way, we would have brought our newfie Nouki along with us!
There is the option of flying into Vancouver, exploring the area and then taking the train from there to Banff and then Calgary.
You can have a halt in Banff, explore the area, and then fly out from Calgary to Montreal. A much nicer train ride from what I’ve heard.
From what I’ve read, you cannot rent a car in Vancouver and drop it off in Calgary as they are in two different provinces.
The easiest way to get around the Canadian Rockies is by car. That way, you don’t have to rely on a shuttle or bus schedules and can travel at your own pace.
Not having your own vehicle does limit you to what you can see. You won’t be able to explore off the beaten paths places without a car.
Car rental is at least double what you might normally pay outside the peak period. It’s cheaper to get your car in Calgary then at Calgary airport.
However, we got it at the airport because our outbound flight was really late. We didn’t want to have to grab a cab late at night nor waste time etc…
Calgary is not the safest town and it doesn’t score points on the beauty aspect either.
Since we were traveling with Blondie Bear, the airport pick up and drop off was the best option for us. It cost us around $520 for an 8-day rental (small car) with Hertz.
Finally, picking up your car at the airport is super easy. We landed early in the morning around 9:30 and were already in our car by 10:30, which actually ended up being a pickup truck. That was a first for everyone. It was fun, but it totally exploded our gas budget.
Big Boss had never driven one so it took a while to get adjusted to the driving. We should have said no to it because the cost of filling it up was outrageous but at least we had better views in it than in a car.
Another rental option is, of course, an RV.
For a small one for a week, it costs around $1,500 before taxes and you can only do pick up on Mondays and drop off on Sundays or something like that. However, this could be a fun option.
It didn’t work with our travel dates so that’s why I didn’t look further into it. Throughout our exploring, we saw a lot of these badass campervans on the road. I don’t know the cost but here is their link.
In your expenses, if you opt for the car rental, make sure to budget a good chunk for gas. You’ll be doing a lot of driving and contrary to popular belief gas isn’t necessarily less expensive in Alberta.
If you can, gas up outside the national parks. You can save some money that way.
You need a Park Pass to visit. Order it online a good 2 weeks before leaving if you can to make sure you get it on time. Otherwise, you can buy it at the gate but it will make you lose a bit of time.
If you are going to be going to National parks for a good 4-6 days, it’s better to get the annual pass. You can save money that way.
They have family passes as well which are a good bargain.
The annual cost is $136.40 for a family or group of up to 7 people in a vehicle. If you have to lodge outside the parks you’ll be able to go in and out as much as you want.
All the National Parks in the Canadian Rockies have great brochures with maps and distances etc.
I recommend getting or printing one before your arrival. There isn’t much cell phone reception between Lake Louise and Jasper. Therefore, they are great to have just in case. Also, you can always burn it at your campsite later on if you have one, pay it forward, or recycle it.
You’ll be doing a lot of walking in the Canadian Rockies surrounded by nature.
During the summer, the higher up you’ll go the colder it might get. However, you’re not going to Antartica either. A long-sleeved T-shirt, 2-in-1 pants that also make shorts, a fleece, a rain jacket, hiking socks should do the trick. It is better to dress in several layers so that you can take them off than to dress too warmly and suffocate.
Here are some useful items that you should consider packing, either for your own comfort or that are eco-friendly.
As I said, you’ll be walking and hiking a lot. Wear very comfortable and durable shoes. We got our hiking shoes at MEC.
Whether you are swimming or camping, you’ll need a towel. Bring a travel towel as it’s more compact and doesn’t take much space in your luggage. Also, they dry super fast.
A bathing suit will come in handy if you decide to take a dip in one of the many rivers or lakes. Also, you can enjoy yourself in hot springs in either Banff or Jasper.
If you’re like myself, you tend to take loads of pictures with your phone. You’ll need a portale charger to be able to carry on until you get back to your lodging at the end of the day.
Since we were planning on doing some camping, we did bring some of our camping cooking gear. They are compact and don’t take too much space in the luggage. We got ours from MEC (again).
They can be used for different purposes. You can store your travel documents, cables and yes food in them. This is perfect when you go hiking and don’t want to leave waste behind. Store your sandwich or dry food inside them.
You can’t hike with a stroller. You’ll need a baby carrier in order to explore more remote places.
Keep the bugs away with a scarf that does just that.
Summer months means hello mosquitoes and other insects. Don’t forget your bug spray that you can buy once there and some after bite. I read that lavender oil helps ease the pain of the bites.
To keep the bears away, use a whistle. This is not necessary, if you make enough noise, the bears will stay clear of you. This is the only time when you can encourage your kids to be loud.
Lodging in the National Parks of Banff and Jasper is super expensive. The closer you get to booking your lodging for a stay during the peak months, the pricier it gets.
Lodging price doubles or triples during the summer months because that’s when the parks are the most accessible. Some trails have snow until June and start having snow again in September.
However, you might be able to find lodging that fall within your budget if you book in advance or before peak season starts or after it ends. If you absolutely want to stay inside the parks it’s never too early to book, even if you don’t have your plane ticket! A rental or hotel room for 2 adults and 1 child is anywhere between 250-400$ a night and a dorm in a hostel in the low 100s. Yikes! Just so you know, Airbnb is as expensive as a hotel room.
There are a few hostels that you can find within the parks that are worth checking out. Even if you are traveling with kids, it’s possible to stay in hostels with them. We did so when we traveled to Peru and my brother did that with his wife and 3 children when they traveled around the world for 14 months.
Hostels are always a great option when you are traveling on a budget and often offer either private rooms or dorm rooms of 4. At least, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
At the time of our planning, this was not an option for us. We didn’t want to have to bring our camping gear on the plane and have to pay for extra luggage.
You can camp in the parks but most of the campgrounds are on a first come first serve basis. This means that you can’t book them ahead of time. However, I later read that there are plenty of them to go around for everybody. So not finding a spot shouldn’t be an issue. One night of camping costs less than 30$.
There are some camp grounds where you can book beforehand but they sell out quick. Again, plan in advance.
If I had had more time to plan, maybe I would have looked more into this option. Did you know that you can rent camping gear? Who knew?
I found the company Rent-a-Tent based in Calgary and Vancouver. There is a supplement if you pick up and drop off the gear at a different location. Other than that, they offer a complete camping package, minus the sleeping bag which you can bring with you on the plane.
Finally, another way in saving money is to sleep outside the national parks which we did. It did mean more time in the car and gas, but we stayed in some beautiful locations. We don’t feel like we missed out on anything. Since we are early risers anyways, we were always ahead of the game on the sites, except Moraine Lake. Somehow, that lake just eluded us for a while.
We ended up sleeping in Teepees, 1 hr outside the Banff and Jasper National Parks. They came with mattresses and you could rent sleeping gear. We had brought Blondie Bear’s sleeping bag so as to not have to pay extra for him.
We had slept in a teepee before when we traveled to Gaspésie. If you’ve never slept in one, you should try it. Kids love it!
As we only had 8 days out West, we did try to make the most of it. Even though we saw a lot, I’m ready to head back out there and see more. Below are ideas of what you can visit and the number of days you should consider spending in that area. Technically, we only spent 6 days in the Canadian Rockies as the 2 other days were spent in the Calgary area. However, we did see all the places listed below.
What’s great about Banff is the traffic. You’ll feel right at home if you live in the city.
In all fairness, we didn’t spend much time in Banff as we only stopped there for a meal and to visit the very first canadian national park. Otherwise, we were busy exploring everything around the city. It’s a good place to use as a base camp if you only have a few days.
Also, there are plenty of boutiques and fancy restaurants there that you won’t find anywhere else around.
You can learn more about Banff and things to do there right HERE.
Canmore is the last town before you access Banff National Park. It has really expended in the last few years as the lodging there is much cheaper than within Banff. Also, it’s about 30 minutes away from Banff.
Don’t forget to get your gas there before entering the park.
About half hour away from Canmore is the Kananaski area. It’s actually where we slept in a teepee. It’s quiet, you can go horse back riding and spot some grizzlis!!
If you want to find out more about our stay there, you can read it HERE.
We found the town of Jasper to be a lot quieter and less touristy than Banff. It was nice to walk around the town and it felt more authentic. There are some beautiful sites to visit around the town. I wouldn’t be able to choose between Banff and Jasper, but everyone tends to go to Banff and skip Jasper.
Jasper is located at the end of the Icefield’s Parkway and is about a 4-5 hour drive with stops from Banff or 288km.
Read about our trip and what to see HERE.
Visiting glaciers in the middle of Summer in Canada, yes it’s possible. The first time I had seen a glacier was during our trip to Iceland. I was happily surprised and impressed to see more during this trip. We didn’t go and walk on it as it required booking ahead. Also, we didn’t have enough time nor the budget for it.
Along the Icefields Parkway, you’ll come across more lakes and waterfalls. It’s a must-see when you travel to the Canadian Rockies.
The Yoho National Park is located in British Colombia, only 20 minutes away from Lake Louise. It’s often overlooked which is great if you don’t want to be bothered by busloads of tourists. The Emerald Lake and the Sunwapta Falls are worth a look, right HERE.
So now that you have gotten a taste of what it takes to travel to the Canadian Rockies, where will you go?
What started out as a simple getaway to Iceland during the Winter holidays ended up being a full on travel experience. My husband and I traveled there to ring in the New Year of 2018 and to meet up with my family from France.
Spending New Year’s Eve in a foreign country is something that I’ve been doing for the last 8 years. It’s usually the time of year that I don’t have my kids which makes it easier for me to travel. Don’t worry, I do bring them along once in a while (Fès, Paris, Peru). Also, work usually gives us extra days off which allows me to travel longer without busting my vacation bank.
Spending New Year’s Eve in Iceland was by far one of my wildest experiences.
I researched and read about Iceland for weeks and the more I did, the more I wanted to explore this incredible country. Had I known it would be so, I would have done things a little differently in terms of organisation from the beginning. However, it wouldn’t have worked out since we were meeting up with my family.
So, here is my first tip. After booking your flight to Iceland, do your research and plan your itinerary. Then, book your lodging and/or tours accordingly.
The only sure way to travel to Iceland is by air. You can use companies such as Icelandic Air or Wow Air. Both offer planned layover stops in Iceland on your way to and from North America and Europe. How awesome is that?
If you have the time, you should consider doing a layover in Iceland for a night or two on your way to or back from your holiday. The land of fire and ice is definitely worth a stop.
The downside of traveling during the holidays is that it’s more expensive and not always easy to find inexpensive airfare.
However, WOW Air is a low-cost company. The basic fair does seem cheap ($500 CAD), but you’ll have to pay extra for just about everything else.
You need to check a bag? Pay up. It’s hard to not check a bag when you travel to Iceland during Winter, but Big Boss and I managed to just check in one bag. If you get cold on the airplane or are thirsty it will cost you a few bucks. So, don’t forget an extra sweater and to refill your water bottle before boarding the plane.
Need more travel planning tips? We’ve got just the guide for you right HERE.
We left Montreal on a chilly day, arriving in Reykjavik on the last day of 2017 at 5am with a good 18 degree difference but still in the minuses.
We had to endure a woman singing Rudolph the red nose reindeer for 20 minutes while waiting to pass airport security and another one reciting her life story on the plane. She just wouldn’t shut up and was very condescending. Apparently, she was a retired divorce attorney, born in Denmark, raised on the anglophone side of Montreal hence ‘English is for smart’ people comment. I really wanted to get violent with her as her talking woke me up and I could have used the sleep. Namaste, namaste, namaste. More often than not, I seem to always end up with an airport or airplane story when I travel and Iceland was no exception.
So what is there to do at 5am in Reykjavik? I tell you all about the places where you can eat and activities you can do at the wee hour of the morning in Reykjavik before you are allowed to check into your lodging, right HERE.
If you are staying a few days in Iceland, you should consider renting a car, especially if you aren’t traveling solo. It will be more cost effective that way than going on organized tours.
We found a great deal through Guide to Iceland. The company offers great service and also a lot of tours. We booked our ice caving tour on the South Coast through them.
However, renting a car during winter in Iceland is more expensive than in summer. Furthermore, driving can become tricky when you end up stuck in the middle of a blizzard. That’s why it’s best to check on the road conditions with THIS WEBSITE, to make sure it’s safe to hit the road.
Just know that the car rental company might freeze a large deposit on your credit card. Therefore, if you don’t have a huge limit on it, you might want to bring a second credit card just in case.
Most people you’ll encounter in Iceland are foreigners and will speak English. The only time I heard ‘Icelandic’ was at a gas station. I felt completely dumb when the guy spoke to me and I didn’t understand. We had already been in Iceland for a few days and wrongly assumed that everyone spoke English.
We didn’t withdraw any money while we were in Iceland because we paid by credit card the whole time or my mom who was traveling with us, paid by cash.
Iceland is VERY EXPENSIVE. Food and lodging will explode your budget.
There are ways to save some money in Iceland, but it will still be expensive. However, all the natural points of interests are FREE to access and so is parking (in most cases).
If you want to visit museums, pools, ride the bus or take a ferry to a neighbouring island of Reykjavik, consider buying the CITY CARD which will allow you to save money that way. Also, with the city card, you can get a discount on drinks in certain bars or on food in certain restaurants.
Having been forewarned about Icelandic high prices wether be for food or alcohol, we stopped by the duty free liquor store at the airport on our way out. This store and others are always open. You pass by them on your way out so its a good way to check out prices and compare them with city prices. In the pictures below are the description of the amount of alcohol you can buy in the duty free store per person and it is a lot less expensive to do so this way.
Also, if you do enjoy a drink or two, go to the bars at happy hour as they serve up special deals. It’s a good way to save money.
I don’t have to tell you that eating out is always more expensive than eating in. If you don’t want to live off lamb soup (least expensive option) during your entire stay in Iceland, you might want to consider going grocery shopping.
You don’t tip in Iceland!
The Bonus grocery store is the least expensive one to shop at and can be found in Reykjavik and its surrounding area. You can’t miss it as its logo is a huge pink pig with a bright yellow background.
Staying in a hostel, private rooms do exist, an airbnb or renting out an apartment might be a more budget friendlier option.
We stayed in a hostel at Hlemmur Square which is now closed due to Covid-19. It was a dorm room of 12 people and we did not like it. The hostel was great and the beds super comfortable. We just didn’t like sharing the dorm with 10 other people and being in the dark all the time as someone was always sleeping.
Luckily when my mom, brother and nephew met up with us in Reykjavik, they had rented an apartment. We decided to crash with them and slept on the sofa.
One thing that you will have to factor in while you travel through Iceland during winter is the daylight. While we were there, there wasn’t much of it. The sun would start rising around 9:45 am and go back to sleep by 5pm. That is not a whole lot of daylight to play with.
However, you can still see plenty of gorgeous sites in one week in Iceland.
Some activities that you can do in wintertime that you can’t do during the summer is Ice caving and spotting the northern lights. The frozen waterfalls, glacier lagoons, windy black sand beaches, hot springs in the mountain all make up for an exciting trip.
If you have the budget and the use for it back home, get yourself a Lopapeysa.
I wanted to go to the flea market Kolaportid to see if I could find one but luckily I had checked ahead and found out they were closed on New Year’s Eve. They are only open on Saturdays and Sundays.
So I went to the next best thing, the Hand Knitting Association located on the main street that leads from the big church in Reykjavik. The service at the store was very good and I was able to find one that fits just right. If you purchased Reykjavik City Card, you’ll get 10% off your handknitted sweater.
Prices can vary a lot from store to store and being machine made versus hand made makes a big difference in price. Sometimes it’s even machine made outside Iceland! The type of yarn and pattern can also affect the price. So do your research before splurging on one of them sweaters.
Also, I heard you can also find some at the Red Cross unworn or outside the city up north directly from the factory (I don’t recall the name, unfortunately).
At first, they can be very itchy so wear clothing underneath that covers the whole sweater area to avoid contact with your skin. Also, they lose a lot of hair at the beginning.
If you do happen to find curly hair in your soup, it’s most likely from your sweater and not from somebody’s body part.
Now, if you are into fashion and enjoy the outdoors, you might want to check out 66 North. It’s an Icelandic brand and we bought hats there for my boys back home.
Winter in Iceland, is just like back home when you go up to the mountains to ski.
You’ll need winter hiking boots, a winter coat, snow pants, hats, gloves, sweater. Whatever you usually wear when you go skiing. Try to wear layers of clothing as the weather in Iceland is ever-changing, even in wintertime.
It might sound silly, but if you know anything about Iceland, you’ll know about their hot springs. Don’t forget to pack a bathing suit, a travel towel, and possibly some flip flops. Flip flops will come in handy when you are walking around outside in the cold.
Because of the lack of daylight, a lamp torch will come in handy.
Also, a portable phone charger and pocket warmer will prevent you from missing out on capturing shots of the serene landscape because your phone caught a cold and died.
When you travel to Iceland during Wintertime for a week, we were there the first week of January, there isn’t a whole lot that you can do. This is partly due to the fact that some of the roads are closed due to heavy snow and difficult driving conditions.
It’s usually not possible to drive the ring road loop entirely during winter. However, if you do want to try it, keep in mind that the loop is 1400km, and due to the scarcity of daylight and the ever-changing weather conditions, driving might be slow and difficult.
You’ll need to build flexibility into your plans to allow for changes due to weather.
Once you’ve walked around Reykjavik, enjoyed their street art, and the major sites such as the Harpa, the statue of the Sun Voyager, the Hallgrímskirkja church, the parliament building, you might be ready to venture out of the city.
Of course you can travel with kids to Iceland. It’s safe, clean and friendly. They have all the commodities that you have back home.
You can even go into hot springs with them, so you won’t have to pass up that opportunity. However, it isn’t recommended for kids under the age of 2 to go into them.
We really enjoyed our time in Iceland, especially on New Year’s Eve. If you have kids, they will forever remember that night, at least, just as much as you.
Travel to Iceland during the winter holidays and discover on your own what Icelandic culture is all about.
Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica is an ideal place to travel to with kids, especially if you are flying solo. It will be and adventure for sure but one that will leave lasting impressions on your kids.
Costa Rica is a very safe country to travel to as a family and you shouldn’t worry if you are going there alone with no partner in tow.
During our trip, people were a little surprise to see a woman traveling alone with two kids, but everyone was very nice to us and I felt safe. At the time of this adventure, my boys were 12 and 4.
Costa Rica is a beautiful country with diverse wildlife, rainforest and white sandy beaches. There is certainly something to do for everybody. However, when you have kids that have a good age gap and you are the only adult, it can be challenging.
I settled for one week in Manuel Antonio. Here are some tips to make your solo mom travel experience the most memorable and affordable one possible.
We flew from Montreal to San José, Costa Rica with a layover in Miami in the Spring (end of April). The cost of the plane ticket was $780 per person. It was the least expensive flight we could find with only one layover. Direct flights to Costa Rica still don’t seem to exist from Montreal or if they do, you need to be really flexible with your dates.
Here is a map I found from Costa Rica Guide that you may find useful.
Tip: If you are traveling alone with kids for just one week, pay the extra money so as to only have one layover or a direct flight. The less time you spend getting there and coming back, the easier it will be for you.
Although it’s safe to drive as a foreigner in Costa Rica, I didn’t have the guts to rent a car nor the money as a matter of fact. The Costa Rican roads can be a little bumpy. There was no way in hell I would have been able to change a flat tire if that had happened. Since my kids and I were only staying in Manuel Antonio, there wasn’t much point in renting a car either.
Although it’s feasible and less expensive to just hop on a 3 hour bus ride from San José Airport, it’s not necessarily the safest option, especially if you are travelling alone with kids. Petty theft is not uncommon at the bus terminal and you have to keep an eye on your bags at all times.
We opted for our hotel’s shuttle. A driver picked us up at the airport and drove us straight to our hotel in Manuel Antonio. The cost was $180 USD. We stopped along the way to look at crocodiles in the river or at toucans in the trees on our way back. Private shuttles do exist and cost around $55 USD per person.
Unless you are at the beach, the area of Manuel Antonio is not flat. In fact, it’s all hills. Luckily my kids were of walking age so that’s what we did.
However, taxis are plentiful and a public bus is available at a really low price (around $1 USD) which takes you into town or to the Manuel Antonio National Park.
If you book a tour with a company, they will pick you up at your hotel or close by.
Since we were only there for 6 nights, we only stayed in one place in Manuel Antonio with a fabulous view over the Pacific Ocean.
I rented a small studio (efficiency) at the Costa Verde with two double beds, a kitchenette and a beautiful balcony with a panoramic ocean view. The balcony was the ideal place to have our morning breakfast. The interior was made of exotic wood, it was perfect.
The complex has apartments scattered throughout the tropical forest. There is also a small pool and paths to go on walks. The most surprising thing to see though is an airplane in a tree where you can actually sleep if you feel like it; that was not in my budget. Oddly enough, I discovered this place in one of kid’s magazines.
Cost for 6 nights (taxes included): $716.42 USD
The area around Manuel Antonio is very touristic. Even if we didn’t see many people as we never went down to the city nor was it a busy period, the prices were still high.
Food prices in restaurants can be a little higher than in other parts of the country because the majority of the tourists come from the States. So who says gringos says $$$. The prices are like in the States (too high) and you have to leave a tip. Now I know what you are thinking, ah the French…so cheap!
In any case, know that it’s not necessarily how it works in the rest of the country. We spent our last night in San Jose (the capital) and had dinner in a local restaurant. The menu was in Spanish and we were the only foreigners. Since I didn’t know if I was supposed to tip, I asked our waitress. She made it clear that it wasn’t the custom.
A short mile from our hotel there was a small supermarket which was convenient enough to shop at for breakfast and simple meals to prepare in our studio. Bring a reusable grocery bag.
We ate dinner at the restaurant twice. It was a bit pricy but the food was good.
What makes this place unique and fun to bring kids to is the old cargo plane that has been converted into a pub and restaurant.
Otherwise, if eating in a more local restaurant and for a more affordable option, pick the Casado. It’s a meal with a set price which includes a choice of meat or chicken, salad, rice and beans. It’s usually tasty, filling and inexpensive. If you have brought a reusable pouch, you could put your leftovers inside for another meal inside your studio.
One needs to know that the coast isn’t flat in that area. The area of Manuel Antonio has a tropical coastline. In other words, the forest stops at the ocean. The roads are swirly, don’t have sidewalks and it extremely hilly.
Even if you are travelling when it’s warm, bring a rain jacket. Rain can come and go in the blink of an eye. It’s hot and humid.
When traveling with kids of different ages, it can be a little difficult keeping up with their routines, especially if some of them still take naps.
When they are young, try to do half day tours instead of full day. That way, you can maintain somewhat of a routine. But it will also depend on what kind of tour you are doing. If it’s a boat tour, for instance, it’s probably possible for your child to take a nap on it.
Always ask if food will be provided during the tour but just in case, bring snacks and water.
One must have a great sense of orientation especially on foot in Manuel Antonio which I thought was my case; boy was I wrong. We got lost our first day coming back from the beach. We thought that the access to the beach on our way there was far and that we had possibly passed it. It was only supposed to take us 10 minutes but it was much longer than that.
On the way back from the beach, we walked it until the end. A kind man gave us directions on how to get back to the road. They seemed odd to me as I thought for sure that the road was close by. I wasn’t grasping the whole idea of left and right turns and the directions were in Spanish. Nonetheless we followed what he said.
We started going up a steep dirt road the three of us. There weren’t any cars and a few scattered closed up villas. One was playing Bob Marley, but it really wasn’t the time nor the place to unwind. We felt like cast aways!
Suddenly, in an upcoming endless turn we heard some strange and very LOUD sounds coming from the trees and down below. We had no clue what they were: a dog, a donkey, a lion….I admit we were a little frightened. To make matters worse, at that very moment, it started raining and it was starting to get dark even though it was just past 5pm.
As we approached the turn and the trees we saw hundreds of Howler Monkeys. I swear they were giving us the evil eye. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take pictures nor did I think that would have been a good idea. They were quite impressive specimens. So we picked up the pace and moved on forward.
At last we found a paved road, and my awesome sense of orientation finally kicked in. We saw other types of monkeys during that walk but I wouldn’t be able to give you their names. We saw small redheads walking on telephone lines which we thought were very cute. That was just our first day!
Of course you could just spend your days by the pool or at the beach. However, the best beaches are within Manuel Antonio National Park. If anything, you’ll need to go at least there.
Since I can’t just do nothing because I get bored, we did a couple excursions. Many excursions will cost less for kids or even be free pending their age. They don’t necessarily come cheap but you don’t have to do all of them either.
The boat tour was alright. We always enjoy going on a boat ride and it was great to be able to see the luscious coastline from the ocean. However, the snorkeling part was really disappointing as we didn’t see many fishes. Nonetheless, it was the first time my 4 year old went snorkelling. He hadn’t done much swimming at that age yet. So that was an exciting experience.
A boat ride is an adventure in itself.
Good food and drinks were included in the price. Even though it was a half day tour, I managed to get sunburnt and looked like a red lobster the rest of the week.
This National Park is full of beautiful beaches which makes them hard to resist, even with a sunburnt. It’s one of the smallest in Costa Rica and protects the rainforest, beach and mangrove habitats.
We walked all the way to the park from our hotel and got there around 8h30 a.m. The park opens at 7 a.m and is closed on Tuesdays. On our way there we found an awesome guide called FERNANDO.
We had him all to ourselves and it was fantastic. I paid roughly around $80 USD for the three of us. We had three hours of undivided guided attention. The price included the entrance fee to the park. We stayed an extra two hours afterward to hang out on the beach. Then actual cost to the park is $18 USD per person, 12 years old and up.
Our guide showed us so many things. If we hadn’t had him, we would have missed out on the fauna and flora. The kids we really pleased and learned a lot.
Fernando also showed us in the two different types of sloths that exist: two toed and three toed.
It’s a wonderful place to observe wildlife and unwind on the beach. There are no restaurants on site. The trails are well maintained and are easily accessible.
Since it’s hot and humid, try to bring something to create a canopy with at the beach like a large towel. There isn’t much shade so make sure to bring a hat for your kids and plenty of water.
A canopy tour will give you a bird’s-eye view of the tropical forest. Hanging bridges are a more suitable option when travelling with young kids. If your kids are of age, you could go for the zip lining option.
Our private tour with Fernando (again) took us inside the primary forest where we walked on suspended bridges, and took some dips in waterfalls (very refreshing). We didn’t have a time limit and weren’t rushed either, which was great. There was barely anybody there at the time of our visit which made our visit a lot more appreciative.
Sturdy shoes and a rain jacket (just in case) will be practical. The path can get slippery if it has just rained or around waterfalls. Bring your travel towel, bathing suit, water bottle and maybe some easy snacks. A stroller will be useless, bring a baby carrier instead.
There aren’t enough words to describe how amazing it was to be surrounded by such lush untouched colours.
Learn about this hidden gem HERE. The cost is about $23 USD per person for a self-guided tour. A delicious lunch can be provided on site which we recommend.
On our last day in Costa Rica, we went horseback riding in the morning before heading back to San José. We booked the tour through Fernando but he was not part of the tour. It was fantastic because we had a guide all to ourselves.
We took a three-hour horse ride through the rainforest, crossed a stream and took a short hike (on foot) to a hidden waterfall. The horses looked in good shape and seemed to be well taken care of.
It was such a great way to spend our last day in Manuel Antonio before heading home. A little snack was also provided.
Practical information: Before heading out for our excursion, we dropped off our bags at our hotel’s reception. Once we got back, our shuttle to San José was waiting for us.
Even though we only caught a glimpse of what Costa Rica has to offer, we hope to go back there some day. It was such an adventure! I can honestly say that my kids adored their time in Manuel Antonio so much that they want to go back. I told them to hold their horses because there are other countries to visit!
Hopefully next time, two weeks will give us enough time to explore the volcano, other beaches and forests. Costa Rica is a great country to travel to with kids.
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