Market outside of Dominical
My sister and her friend Will had been in Costa Rica for a week before I arrived. They met me at the airport with a rental car and started driving to Dominical, with a brief stop for lunch in Jaco. By the time we got to Dominical it was dark...oh and the road we took was pretty dodgy in the dark. There were small wooden bridges you had to cross and they were hard to see! We drove down the main street in Dominical (which isn't much) and could not find any place to stay until we ended up down by the beach at the Dominical Backpackers. (See review - it wasn't pleasant!) The hostel was very dingy and dirty and I did not want to spend any more time than I had to there!
First things first, the next day we checked into a new, nicer hotel. Then we rented surf boards and attempted to go out on the water.
Playa Dominicalito
The current was so strong though, and there was only this one area you could swim/surf so by the time you go to one side, suddenly you were at the other! I think I got one wave and it pretty much sucked so we called it a day. That night we went to some club with these Austrian guys we met that day. Our friend Will had to leave the next morning so he went home early. I think we were the last people to leave the bar at probably 4am and then went back to the hotel to swim in the pool at sunrise. Needless to say, no one was sober! Meanwhile, poor Will wakes up at 6am to drive back to San Jose and finds that my sister and I aren't in the room. He had to go so he didn't miss his flight so he just assumed we were ok and left the hotel room key in a plant out front.
Sunset at Dominicalito
Well, when my sister and I went back to the hotel room we realized we were locked out, having no idea there is a key right below us in the plant. We took enough panes out of the window to squeeze my sister through and she unlocked it. Just then, I noticed the key. So we both passed out in our hotel room and awoke to maids outside of the room wondering what happened to the window. We woke up slightly after check-out time and just dropped the key at the front desk, not saying a word.
We then started walking in sweltering heat with no idea where we were heading. After just a few minutes we flagged down a taxi and ended up in Uvita. We stayed at the Tucan Hotel for a night and just chilled. Nothing too eventuful except that I almost stepped on a HUGE snake!
Next day...figure out how to get to Pavones!
Dingy, Dirty, Dark = Dominical Backpackers
I am not usually one to be concerned about where I sleep at night but this place surprisingly bothered me. I found it to be quite a slum and even $10 per night made me wish I had spent $50 for something nicer. The rooms felt dirty and had pillow cases on the pillows that looked like they had never been washed. I think I wrapped myself in clothes so as not to touch the mattress for fear whatever might be lurking in there. There was no lock to the dorm room which seemed a bit awkward and then the only lock was to the main part of the building which had literally, the most massive room key I have ever seen in my life. It kind of cramped up your style if you were to go out, if you know what I mean! (see photo below for ridiculously large key ring). The bathrooms were dingy and there were spiders but it worked so I guess that's all that matters.
Ok, I made it sound really bad... If you don't mind a little dirt or not having your belongings in a secure place, then you won't mind the Dominical Backpackers. and you cannot really complain about $10 per night and the awesome beachfront location.
Looking in the guidebook for a n
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Are you kidding me? Biggest room
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