Preview of Worldtraveller9's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/worldtraveller9/4/1258069853/tpod.html This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Entry from: Sámara, Costa Rica Entry Title: "Surfing in Samara" Entry: "To get to Samara we had 2 connections, although the total travel time was only 2 hours. These flights were with Nature Air, an excellent regional airline that is advertised as being the first "carbon neutral" airline in the world. We flew into Punta Islita and then I had planned on taking a taxi to Samara. I had assumed that the airport would have at least one taxi when we landed but this couldn't have been further from the truth. The "airport" was nothing more than a hut with a few swinging chairs. The plane dropped us off and there was just a lone attendant there who did not speak a word of English. I tried to communicate that we needed a taxi to Samara but after some frustration I just called the hotel on my cell phone and asked them to send a taxi. I am not sure what we would have done if I did not have any cell reception. When you draw a direct line on a map Samara is only about 15-20 km away from Punta Islita. However, the taxi took an hour to pick us up since the roads are not a direct line and most are in terrible condition. Finally the taxi picked us up and after another hour we arrived at our hotel. That night we ate at the hotel and passed out after a long day of traveling. We had tried to walk to the beach but it was near impossible since it was already dark and there are nearly no streetlights. The dirt road to the beach is flanked on either side by cow pastures and open fields. The next day we walked into town and down to the beach. This area in Costa Rica is famous for its surfing conditions and there are numerous places offering lessons. I decided to go for one since I had never tried it before. The instructor was very good and I had a private lesson for about an hour. I was able to stand up numerous times but the waves were not very big at all. It was very tiring but also very fun. It is a very triumphant moment when you stand up for the first time. After this Michelle rented a boogie board and we played on the waves for a few hours. Since our hotel was a 20 minute walk from town we decided to rent a scooter. It was great fun to ride and anytime I went too fast Michelle would let me know by digging her nails into my ribs. This was certainly the best way to get around since it is quick and we could park it most anywhere. Samara itself has just one main road with a few shops, some restaurants, 1 ATM and police station. It is a tiny town but has lots of character from the surf crowd and the local Costa Ricans. The next day we went to the beach again and I tried some more surfing since the school said I could use their boards free for a week after taking a lesson. I was on my own this time and still had some success but had more difficulty picking the good waves without the instructor. In the afternoon we had reserved a sea kayak trip to the small island of off Playa Samara. Michelle and I were in a 2-person kayak and our guide was in his own. The trip to the island was not more than half an hour since we started further down the beach on the closer end. After arriving we walked around the island for a while and then tried some snorkeling. The visibilty was very poor and we only saw 1 fish the whole time. After 20 minutes we decided it was a futile effort. On the island's beach there were thousands of hermit crabs, so many that at times it seemed like the whole beach was moving. On the way back we took the long way which was probably about an hour of strenuous paddling. When we got to shore a strong wave tipped us over right when we were about to get out. On our second to last day we went to an animal sanctuary that is about 20 minutes by scooter from Samara. They rehabilitate animals that were kept as pets or hurt in the wild. They release them into the wild when they are healthy enough. Some of the highlights were a 6 foot crocodile, a peccary, an ant-eater, a kinkajou, and 2 cats that are called a jaguarundi and a margay. Michelle also held a baby boa constrictor. There were also a lot of house cats that would wander around the property interacting with ..." Read and see more at: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/worldtraveller9/4/1258069853/tpod.html Photos from this trip: 1. "Nature Air Plane" 2. "River into Gulf of Nicoya" 3. "Punta Islita "Airport"" 4. "Michelle with Kayak" 5. "Island Beach" 6. "Guide with Kayaks" 7. "Beach Dogs" 8. "Carillo Beach" 9. "Margay" 10. "Peccary" 11. "Kinkajou" 12. "Ant Eater" 13. "Toucan" 14. "Crocodile" See this TripWow and more at http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-00d8-7d92-b88f?ytv4=1

• published: 01 Mar 2011
• views: 396