Roger and Lynn from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada     August 18, 2010

I would like to say that my wife and I stayed at Pachamama for over two weeks in February-March 2009 and it was a wonderful experience. We spent a few days in the house and the rest of our time in the bungalow with kitchen. Bill and Cathy were very helpful with everything. Every time we decided to stay in for a meal the food was prepared by Bill, well presented and excellent. Even thought there was no AC (and we were aware of that prior to booking) the ceiling fan was doing its work. There was always plenty of hot water. There was plenty to see and do on the Caribbean coast. If you are expecting an all inclusive vacation, of course you will be disappointed. It is not meant to be that way and you have to realize that you must be somewhat of a nature lover to appreciate all this fabulous place has to offer. The beaches are just gorgeous and you can visit everything or almost everything by riding a bicycle. Are we planning to go back? Absolutely!
Roger & Lynn
Canada

TC from Colorado     May 12, 2010

GREAT....What more can I say about the place. This was my 4th stay at pachamama so you know that I just love the place.. Bill can help you with anything and everything..They have kayaks,boogie boards,snorkels,bikes... His cooking is the best and you can even get ice cream for desert.. The view is unbelievable. Its quite and secluded and very cozy. I highly recommend pachamama, It is the only place I will stay. Thanks once again for a great place to relax and enjoy the view.... TC..

A & A from Toronto, Canada     April 21, 2010

This review has been long overdue and I'm hoping Bill & Cathy can forgive us. We were at Pachamama in Feb 2009. The weather was up and down and it rained more than expected, taking away opportunities for snorkeling and scuba diving. We cut our vacation short by a day so we could get back to San Jose and dry out a bit. That being said, it was one of the best vacations I had.

Pachamama is simple accommodations but really has everything you need. Its quiet and remote while still having the amenities. There are restaurants within walking distance and lots of things to do such as: sloth sanctuary, iguana rescue, Cahuita, Manzanillo, ziplining, etc. The houses are beautiful and pretty private from each other. Wildlife is right there overhead, so if you want to sit on the balcony, you can spend the day just watching.

Bill and Cathy make the place stand out from anywhere else. They are friendly and accommodating. They are amazing cooks and really put their hearts into making your vacation. They provide a wealth of information about the surrounding area and will assist guests with making arrangements. It was a great vacation, I just wish the weather had of been more cooperative.

Keith & Megan from Baltimore, MD     April 13, 2010

My wife and I stayed at Pachamama for 7 out of the 9 nights of our honeymoon during June 2009. I would highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to simply get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Everything was within a bike ride away. We woke up every morning to the sound of howler monkeys and a great breakfast made by Bill. Bill and Kathy are excellent and will help with anything you need.....Can't wait to get back someday!

Mark and Lyra from Columbus, OH, USA     March 25, 2010

We stayed in the house January, 2010 for 2 weeks and had an amazing time. Bill and Cathy are really cool people and fantastic hosts who made us feel like we were at home, but without all of the hassle of our normal life! Recommendations on where to eat, help booking reservations for whatever we wanted to do, bikes to ride, kayaks to play with, you name it. They even collaborated with me on a birthday surprise for Lyra which she absolutely loved. The food is also great and surprisingle affordable, plus the service to your cabin can't be beat. The area was a really laid back and there was a lot to see and do as long as you don't mind a little walk or bike ride. If you're hoping for a wild scene, then you probably want to stay in Puerto Viejo so you can party, party, party. For us, the closeness of nature and the lack of big crowds was the real draw - that and having a few drinks. Thanks for a great adventure Bill & Cathy. We hope to see you again.

Amanda and Amy from Burlington VT     March 20, 2010

Stayed at Pachamama in March 2009, was AMAZED! Bill and Cathy are amazing, the houses/bungalows are amazing and the beaches are to die for. If you are expecting a big party, and lots of wild activity you are not going to find it here (unless the wild activity you are looking for is WILD LIFE!!)
We are going back April 2010, and couldnt be happier!
Bill is a great cook! Breakfast is AMAZING!!
Suggestions for future visitors: Get up early and enjoy EVERY MINUTE! Take the interbus from San Jose (picks up and drops off exactly where you need it to!)
VERY highly recommend this to everyone!

Rob & Jeaninne from Winter Park, CO USA     November 30, 2009

We stayed @ Pachamama for two weeks in late Oct.-early Nov.Very, very cool.The house was nicer than the photos showed it. What a pleasant surprise!One note.If you are used to a Marriot with A/C and a pool Don't come.If you are adventurous and want to see things that you've only seen in National Geographic, then get your butt down here. It takes a while to get here from
San Jose, so I would reccomend a night there to rest up for the 5 hour drive.We chose a shuttle van (Interbus) and that is the way to go. They picked us up right @ our hotel, on time, which was a suprise for Central America. Beautiful drive.When we arrived Bill was waiting there to greet us,(as were a bunch of monkeys).Got the tour and was blown away.We rented the house,(also reccomended). There are several other structures on their property but you really can't see them through the dense jungle.There is a river 60 feet from the porch, but you can't see that either.Did I say dense jungle? Bill hooked us up with bikes to use. A must. They maked getting around a breeze. Riding on that road is an adventure in and of itself.There are severel markets closeby.A couple of minute walk away are the beaches.No amount of words can describe them.Unbelieveable!I have been to many beaches around the world.These are the best! The snorkeling is fabulous. If you like crowds,too bad. There are none.I had been expecting rain everyday.I think it rained 4 times.But when it does holy moly! It's no big deal though as it is warm. I also expected lots of bugs. They were'nt bad at all. But do bring your bug juice(100%Deet)and plenty of it.There ARE lot's of no-see-ums.They aren't anoying as you can't-see-um.But they do bite.Go kayaking on the lazy river both upstream and down the the sea.While were in the ocean we could see the bottom 30+ down.Awesome!Bill&Cathy are great!They will wait on you hand and foot or will leave you totaly alone.Heck, Bill will cook your meals if you want.And he delivers!We cooked all of our meals in the fully equipped kitchen.There was no CD player in the house,so Bill stole his daughters for us to use.You really don't need one for if you wan't to listen to something the jungle does not dissapoint.It is alive!It was fun to try to figure out what was making what sounds.If you are looking for something totally unique,try PACHAMAMA!You will not be dissapointed.

Leeh & Ron from Rochester, NY     November 29, 2009

We stayed for the month of October 2009. This was our second trip to Punta Uva and first time at Pachamama. It is a true jungle experience - the foliage, the critters and even snakes (don't worry Bill is Bungalow Bill on taking care of things and if he doesn't Alberto will!) Bill and Cathy are fabulous hosts and dedicated to assisting you in any way they can. Also, the meals Bill prepares are great and Cathy also gets her additions in there as well - they have the best food on a regular basis. We stayed at the Casita and the house - both are good, but if you want a bit more room go for the house. The bikes came in very handy for getting around (much quicker than driving as the road is pretty bad), the beach just a short walk or ride down the road. The weather great and company as well.

Thanks Bill and Cathy - see you next time

So if you want a real "jungle" experience stay here.

Jose & Janine from Orange County, California     September 22, 2009

Punta Uva is the BEST beach on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, with clear blue warm water, lined with coconut palms on the golden sand. One side of the point has gentle waves great for swimming and boogie boarding & on the other side of the point has a coral reef that comes all the way up to the shore perfect for snorkeling.

Pachamama makes a great home in the Rain Forest and just a short walk to the gorgeous Punta Uva Beach. There is so much wildlife to view from the hammock at the cabin. We saw wild Toucans, Howler Monkeys, Whiteface Monkeys, Sloth, Tree Frogs, many tropical birds, and hummingbird drinking from the flowers outside our cabin. When our family used the furnished kayaks to go up the river that runs along the side of Pachamama’s property we saw the timid Spider Monkeys and a Jesus-Christ Lizard ran across the water in front of us. A great thing about the Caribbean Coast is it mostly rains at night, so you can enjoy a beautiful sunny day at the beach and fall asleep to the gentle sound of rain at night.

The cabins at Pachamama have everything you need for a home-away-from-home, full kitchen with stove, full-size refrigerator and all the pans & utensils needed to cook dinners for my family each night. The spacious grounds allow for privacy so you cannot see or hear the neighbors from your patio. Bill & Cathy are the perfect hosts, they love where they live and give you all the information you need to enjoy at your own pace. I highly recommend the custom made breakfasts served right to your cabin, also the fresh Sea-Bass dinner was EXCELLENT.

Punta Uva is easy to reach on the Bus from San Jose and the bus stop right at the front gate of Pachamama. No need for a rental car with the bus going north to Puerto Viejo and south to Manzanillo for just a dollar.

Pachamama is in the middle of the Rain Forest so remember to bring 100% DEET Bug Spray and 50 SPF Sunscreen while you are enjoying the outdoors.

TC from Greeley Co.     August 29, 2009

WOW Again!!! I just got back from my 2nd stay in paradise. Bill & Cathy could not have been any kinder. Waking in the morning to the sounds of howler monkeys and birds singing was great. They came Bills coffee and breakfast. The banana pancakes were my favorite.

Then it was time to go fishing with Raffiel witch was great. He is very nice and knows all the good spots. Even went diving for lobsters that Bill cooked up that night witch was Great... Took the kayak down the river and out into the ocean to do some fishing and sightseeing along the coast. Back at the casita just relaxing saw white face monkeys,toucans,and too many humming birds to count.

All the people I met were very friendly and I always felt safe. My week stay went by way too fast and sadly it was time to go home.

But I am glad to say that I will be going back in late October for another 2 week stay. So many things to do I dont think you could get them all done unless you move there.

Thank you Bill & Cathy for your warm hospitality and making me fell like I was at home.

TC from Colorado

Anne & BT from Athens, AL     August 04, 2009

My husband, BT, and I stayed at Pachamama for a week in November 2008; for us, it was truly a magical paradise. From the beginning of my trip planning, some of the excellent resources on the Pachamama web site helped so much to answer questions and give me a start on planning our travel to Punta Uva. Bill was very helpful in answering any other questions we had on trip planning via email, so planning our trip couldn't have been easier – with Bill’s help, it was more like planning a trip to visit friends than planning a first visit to another country.

Bill and Cathy are excellent at what they do, and it shows in Pachamama. They are extremely accommodating and great at taking care of their guests -- I got the feeling they will help you out as much as you need, but also leave you alone as much as you desire. The Pachamama property is stunningly beautiful – a very natural place with awesome native vegetation and Rio Ernesto bordering one side. You are surrounded by nature, in a tropical rainforest no less! The property is not large, yet with the vegetation and placement of the house and bungalows, each accommodation has enough privacy that you feel you have your own private place in the jungle. Bill and Cathy are close by and available to help with activities planning, arrangements for excellent meals served right to your terrace, and to answer questions on wildlife and vegetation and maybe even point out some wildlife you wouldn’t have seen without their help.

We stayed in the one bedroom house, and absolutely loved it. It was fully equipped with refrigerator and stove so we could keep fresh fruit for breakfast, cheese and snacks for lunch, and cold beer for refreshment and relaxing. The house was well furnished for kicking back and relaxing. The futon and glider chair were awesome places to sit and read and look out the window at hummingbirds feeding at the beautiful tropical flowers. The bed was very comfortable and we loved waking up to the sounds of howler monkeys every morning – how cool is that!!! My favorite place at the house was the terrace with the hammock – what an awesome place to relax and enjoy the view with a nice cold Imperial!

There is so much to do close by to Pachamama. It’s a short walk to the awesomely beautiful, uncrowded beach at Punta Uva. We loved swimming and relaxing at the beach. BT is not generally a fan of sitting on the beach as he gets too hot, but at Punta Uva beach there are many areas where the trees are so close to the water you can sit on the beach in cool shade right by the water – it was wonderful (not to mention stunningly beautiful!). On the side of the beach where Arrecife is located, we enjoyed snorkeling right off the beach. When you get hungry or thirsty at Punta Uva beach, you can walk right up to the open air restaurant and bar at Arrecife Lodge or the bar and outdoor tables at Punta Uva Lounge for good food and cold drinks. (ceviche and cold Imperial – awesome!!!!)

We very much enjoyed kayaking on the Rio Ernesto which borders the Pachamama property. We kayaked up the river to where it is a shallow, cool creek, and all the way down to the beach. All along the way, the vegetation and animals were awesome – what a special, beautiful place!
One day we biked to Manzanillo and went hiking in the jungle past Manzanillo and visited the beautiful, secluded beaches in the reserve. We saw leafcutter ants, different kinds of lizards, and some of the most beautiful plants and scenery I’d ever seen in my life. The coral and rock formations on the beach, the vegetation, the sea with all its moods and colors, the spray as big waves hit the rocks – it was absolutely breathtaking!

One rainy/overcast day, we took a long walk on the beach starting from Punta Uva beach heading towards Playa Cocles. Some areas of the beach were all sandy, some had cool rocks and coral with neat little creatures hanging out around them, some areas had lots of pretty shells, and there were many places where you could have a beach cove all to yourself if you wanted. Very special.

One day we booked to tag along on a dive trip from the Punta Uva Dive Center to Punta Mona. We don’t scuba dive, but we went with them to go snorkeling. Rafael, the boat captain, surprised us with an _awesome_ guided snorkel between the island at Punta Mona and the shore. We saw sea urchins, starfish, brain coral, a nurse shark, and a small octopus – it was fantastic! The folks who went scuba diving saw BIG lobsters and sea turtles. When we got back to the Punta Uva Dive Center at the end of the trip, Rafael pointed out two different types of sloth in trees at the beach. Rafael mentioned he also does guided tours in the refuge, and mentioned night tours can be pretty cool. He was a GREAT snorkel trip guide – we highly recommend Punta Uva Dive Center and Rafael for a guide!

Pachamama is in the perfect place to enjoy it all. You are _in_ beautiful rainforest right next to a river (that you can kayak on!), the beach is a short, pleasant walk away, there is a Pulperia (small store w/ food and drink) on the way to the beach, and our favorite place to get food and groceries, the Duende Gourmet, was a very short bike ride away. There are many great places to eat nearby - Selvin’s and Arrecife , Punta Uva Lounge by the Dive Center (for lunch, I think they close in the early evening) are very close by, and we’d recommend getting some meals from Bill and Cathy at Pachamama – their meals delivered to your terrace are awesome!!! As a side note – I’ve seen some folks post on the Puerto Viejo forum on tripadvisor.com that it’s too far to walk from Punta Uva (where Pachamama is located) to Puerto Viejo or Manzanillo. I guess it depends on how “up” for walking you are, but both are definitely do-able! One night BT and I planned to go into Puerto Viejo for a dinner out, but stopped for a beer along the way, and ended up watching the bus we had meant to catch into town go by while we were having the beer. So, we walked all the way to Puerto Viejo from Pachamama in flip-flops. It really wasn’t bad at all, but if I had planned on it, I’d have worn better shoes for the walk than flip-flops. :) (We ate at Chili Rojo in Puerto Viejo that night – we _highly_recommend it!) Due to a bike chain break one evening, we also walked half the way to Maxi’s in Manzanillo, and all the way back to Pachamama from Maxi’s (pushing bikes). That wasn’t a bad walk, either, and the walk back was made especially pleasant by a big, beautiful moon.

We took the whitewater rafting trip on the Pacuare River for our transportation back to San Jose at the end of our stay at Pachamama. The river tour company arranges to pick you up right at Pachamama’s gate, take you to their base for breakfast, take care of your luggage while you’re on the river trip, take you on an _AWESOME_ first class whitewater rafting trip in a stunningly beautiful river gorge, then let you shower and provide transportation to San Jose. We highly recommend the river trip for transportation to / from Punta Uva – our next trip, we want to do the raft trip for both getting to / departing Pachamama – it is that cool!!! (and you can book the river rafting trip right from Pachamama’s web site).

Well, I’ve gone on way too long with this, but for real, our trip to the Punta Uva area in Costa Rica, in large part because of our accommodations at Pachamama, was the best vacation I’ve ever had in my life. Punta Uva and the area around it is such a wonderful place, with beautiful scenery, flora, and fauna, awesome cool people, and a way cool, laid-back vibe. It was a once in a lifetime trip, but we really hope to repeat it a few more times in our lifetimes. :) I started crying after we boarded our plane to leave Costa Rica. It was just so wonderful, so magical – it was very emotional for it to come to an end. There just aren’t enough cool things I can say about it, so I’ll shush now. :)

Jessica Maldonado from Jacksonville, Fl, USA     July 28, 2009

We booked the house at Pachamama for a little over a week. There was no hot water or AC in the house therefore it was uncomfortably hot inside and unbearably cold in the shower. The home was pretty but not anything spectacular. I can’t imagine anyone staying in it with more than two people; it was very small. We spent the first day going to the beach and to the town around the area. We felt we really saw all there was to see there in that day. Day one we were ready to leave. We told Bill and Cathy we wished to leave and we had to pay them half of the total price for the reservation. So we paid for a little over half of a week even though we were only there one day. It was a shame to loose all that money for that place but we were glad to loose it in order to be able to see the rest of Costa. We were glad to have seen the Caribbean coast, the food there was the best in all of Costa. We left and went to all the major highlighted cities. Pachamama was very unimpressive in comparison. It would have been such a shame to have missed out on seeing all the other places in Costa. If I'd known there was no AC or hot water before we got there we would have not chosen this place. It's much too overpriced for not having those amenities which we got everywhere else we stayed for the same price and less.

Bill & Cathy from Owners, Pachamama     July 29, 2009

Ok this is not a review...Just a comment..It wouldn't be fair to anyone if we did not allow the negative reviews to get posted to our website as well, but we did feel the need to comment on Jessica's recent entry. We were surprised to see this review show up the end of July 2009 when the visit was in August 2008. However, we do everything we can to help people enjoy their stay here and remember this one well and are glad the rest of the trip went well. We'd just like to assure people that although we do not have air conditioning, we do have ceiling fans over the beds that work very well and in the living areas of our places as well. We do have hot water and if someone has a problem with the hot water and lets us know about it there would not be a second ocurrence. I would also assure people that there is much more to see and do in this area that could be experienced in one day or even a week, but we do not discount people's feelings or desires for their vacations as we remember how it used to be when we would take one ;0)

When people reserve one of our units for a period of time, it is set aside for them and we turn away everyone else who wanted it for those dates so we follow our cancellation and checkin payment policies and actually gave a break in this instance and only charged 1/2, or the deposit, as if it were a no show. The same would not have been the case at the majority of hotels as we all rely on reservations to make the most of our properties. We have not raised our rates since 2006 in order to keep a stay at Pachamama affordable and because of this we survive on very small margin so every reservation is important to us, financially and personally..

So Pachamama surely is not for everyone, but we often hear that our website is an accurate depiction of what people find here and most people do enjoy their stay here and we enjoy having them as guests. We of course invite any and all questions about travel, the area, our place etc and appreciate feedback so we're thankful that people post comments and invite them all.

Bill and Cathy
Owners, Pachamama

Keith & Sarah from Edinburgh, Scotland     May 12, 2009

What a place!!! Great set up Bill & Cathy! Sadly we have returned home to not so sunny Scotland after the most amazing Costa Rican adventure, worlds appart.
An absolutely magical week @ Pachamama, Bill, appreciate all the help & advice, a truly memorable stay, loved the bungalow, loved the garden/rain forest, blown away by the wildlife, had many a visitor....Wish I was back in the hammock!!!
All the very best, hope to return in the future, Keith & Sarah

TC & Sandy from Greeley, Co.     February 28, 2009

WOW!!! This place was Awsome! Bill and Cathy were the best hosts you could ask for. Ask for just about anything and Bill could make it happen. The morning breakfast & coffee were great. We saw monkeys,sloths,tocans and many other critters just sitting on the porch. The place was quiet and peacefull. There are many good places to eat just a short walk away, but Bill's dinners were better,cheaper and always delivered with a smile.Best vacation ever.This place was so good making plans to stay there again in October.

Catherine and Ethel from Northampton, MA USA     January 18, 2009

Pachamama was our first and only destination on the Caribbean...in high season around the hoidays. We were greeted by our gracious host, Bill and a group of white faced monkeys (apparently a rare sighting this time of year!). Definitely take advantage of the food at Pachamama...served right to your bungalow; very inexpensive and much tastier than the meals we had at the area restaurants. We really appreciated having the bikes and kayaks...the beach is so beautiful; lying under the palms when the sun gets a little too hot. The bungalow was a great respite from the beach...really in the jungle (it poured rain most nights). Very rustic, yet you have everything you need. No reason to go to Puerto Viego...grocery, cafe's, beach all a walk or bike ride away. Bill was so accommodating. A very safe haven in a beautiful setting.

TommyZ2020 from California     September 07, 2008

Thanks for the memories, you guys are AWESOME! Keep up the Great Work! TommyZ2020

Florine from New York, USA     July 03, 2008

Don't buy the hype..Costa Rica is great in June! It's hot and humid, but there are less tourists during this time.

Billy & Cathy at Pachamama were very nice and accommodating. The B&B is very close to the beach (Punta Uva) and it's quiet. Punta Uva beach is the BEST beach in the area and if you are a beach lover, I would suggest that you stay in Punta Uva.

The only negative is that there were not a lot of cafes to choose from in the area ( you gotta go to Puerto Viejo). Mate Latte is probably the best place to catch breakfast/lunch and the staff is very nice there (Thanks Heather for the good conversation). I didn't try Jungle Love cafe... but all the locals said it was good.

Overall my stay was very positive and I enjoyed myself as a solo traveler. I felt safe and relaxed during the entire time.

JUDY from MESA, AZ     June 09, 2008

THANK YOU, CATHY AND BILL, FOR THE MOST WONDERFUL VACATION I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. PACHAMAMA ACCOMMODATIONS WERE JUST WHAT I WAS EXPECTING; RUSTIC AND RELAXING. SITTING OUT ON THE DECK AMONGST THE WILD LIFE AND RAIN FOREST WAS LIKE NO OTHER. WE LOVED OUR DAILY WALKS BUT IT SURE WASN'T NECESSARY TO SEE ALL THE WILDLIFE WE WERE HOPING TO SEE. THE MONKEYS, TOUCANS, BUTTERFLIES, AND BIRDS WERE PREVALENT RIGHT OFF OUR PORCH. ALSO, SHOULD YOU JUST MENTION A POSSIBLE NEED IN CONVERSATION, CATHY AND BILL MADE IT HAPPEN WITHIN MINUTES. EVEN RECEIVED THE FIRST OFFICIAL FACIAL AND REFLEXOLOGY TREATMENT FROM CATHY WHILE SITTING IN THE PEACEFUL AND TRANQUIL SURROUNDINGS. THE DAILY BREAKFAST PROVIDED HAS MADE ME HIT THE GROCERY IMMEDIATELY UPON RETURNING HOME IN HOPES OF RELIVING THE EXPERIENCE EVERY MORNING!! :) A RETURN VISIT WILL BE IN MY FUTURE. CATHY AND BILL, YOU ARE THE BEST!

John & Kate from Denver, CO, USA     June 02, 2008

Rare is the vacation spot so great that a revisit gets planned immediately upon returning home. Such is the allure of Punta Uva, the finest beach we've ever set eyes on, and home of Pachamama.

It seems that every travel book uses the same gorgeous photo of Punta Uva Beach, so we were curious as to where exactly it was and how far we would have to travel to get there. Let's just say it takes longer to grab one of the free bikes Pachamama offers than it is to walk across the street. It is THE place to stay for those who rue the "travel" to the beach.

Pachamama's appeal is difficult to nail down to a single aspect, but Bill's breakfast is missed even more than the gorgeous sunsets. In addition to the quality restaurants a short walk from home, Bill & Cathy's dinners are better than all of them. It was fun checking out the local fare, but the real flare is on site. To completely blow us away, they helped us celebrate (completely to our surprise) with the finest pineapple upside-down cake I've ever tasted courtesy of, (get this...) their 10 and 13 year-old son and daughter. Seriously, the Ritz should do so well.

Accomodations were divine. Beds, pillows and sheets straight out of the good ol' US of A and decks on each and every property right in the middle of the jungle. Thank God there was no cable television!!!! The only interruptions are the howler monkeys and the fresh fruit truck (my heaven's.... the fruit).

Location, location, location. Paramount to real estate, it is what works for staying at Pachamama. We did not want to travel the entire country on hot buses staying in different places every night, but did want to see the many sights (and sounds) of Costa Rica. For our one week stay we surfed (well, tried) at Playa Cocles, snorkeled the coral inlets and visited the rain forest in Manzanillo, went caving on the back side of Punta Uva's point, and kayaked up the river to see the monkeys -- all within 3 miles of Pachamama!! There is no gear to rent as it is all on site, free of charge (that's masks & snorkels, bicycles, kayaks, etc).

Thankfully the medical supply cabinet @ Bill & Cathy's is not third world (they had all the supplies necessary for minor surgery to remove our coral reef splinters acquired in Manzanillo).

In closing I wish to address our friends here at home who, being the worldly travelers that they are, informed us that we were going to Costa Rica, "For the rainy season." Yes, it rained. Beautiful, beautiful rain. It smelled as good as it tasted, and was even better to sleep to. We were only awarded between 7 and 12 hours of absolutely gorgeous sun EVERY day during this "rainy season", causing me to wonder when, then, is prime time? I imagine as soon as you arrive, whatever time of year that happens to be.

P.S. As cool as the rafting and canopy zip-line tours are (also easy day trips from Pachamama) visitors would be remiss to skip the Sunset Cafe @ Punta Uva Beach -- a two-minute walk from Pachamama -- home of the greatest cocktails we've ever had. Twenty minutes may seem a long wait for a daiquiri, but just trust us on this one.