Our Most Recent Verified Tachiz Travel Reviews By Our Actual Travelers
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I. Muir, UK
Review from: 06/11/2017
*****THE BEST
Anyone heading for Costa Rica will probably visit their own and well trusted travel agent. That we did 9 months before our proposed travel in February ’17 and in trying to sort out the myriad of excursion and hotels on offer always came up with the same answer, “we will come back to you” which was short hand for “we will talk to our agent in Costa Rica”. I suggest you go one better and deal direct with Tachiz Travel in San Jose. This was a faultless organisation that goes the extra mile in every detail to make sure your holiday is better than might be expected. Good English spoken, excellent e mail planning, drivers who were always on time irrespective of how far they had come to collect you, and lastly your money is safe, in our case we used their Pay Pall link to pay for the holiday. What was even more surprising was meeting a couple out there who had been directed to Tachiz Travel by their English travel agent, and too were delighted with the service they got.
Many thanks to Alex and Francisco Herrera. This is a small, friendly and dedicated team who we give a 5 star rating to..
Regards Ian & Fiona
– I. Muir, UK
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K. Ohlrich, USA
Review from: 06/07/2017
Alex and Francisco did an awesome job of helping us select the locations as well as the daily excursions for our trip to Costa Rica. The accommodations were outstanding and all of the tours where the best that we have experienced. Everything from the initial planning through personally meeting us at the airport as well as the coordination of the transportation was fantastic. At anytime if we had a questions they immediately addressed and handling everything flawlessly.
The Cala Luna resort was a beautiful and wonderful property excellent location to end on, but the Zip lining in the cloud forest as well as the white water rafting was the best excursions.
– K. Ohlrich, USA
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G. Crudgington, USA
Review from: 06/04/2017
What a wonderful way to see Costa Rica, I am so glad that we chose Tachiz Travel, everything was planned out for us, there was no guess work and the guides were friendly, PUCTUAL and knowledgeable.
All the tours we took were very good, each one exceeded my already high expectations.
Beautiful and attentive hotels, white water rafting, canopy tour and zip line. Costa Rica is a truly amazing country.
– G. Crudgington, USA
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M. Golan, USA
Review from: 05/23/2017
We were very impressed by the quality of our trip in Costa Rica organized by Tachiz Travel. While planning for the trip, Tachiz Travel offered us many and interesting options for activities to do.
“…We learned a lot about Costa Rica and their unique fruits. We also had a lot of fun on the Canopy Tour Zip Line adventure through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Also, staying at the Tabacon Resort & Hot Springs near the Arenal Volcano was a real treat. We enjoyed the food and drinks of Costa Rica….just about everything was wonderful!”
– M. Golan, USA
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L.Volmer, USA
Review from: 05/12/2017
Tachiz Travel provided outstanding service for our Costa Rica trip. By simply giving our vacation preferences and travel dates, they came up with a complete itinerary. They know where to go and how long to ideally spend in each place. All guess work was removed. All ground transport was provided and was reliable and on time. Whenever we arrived somewhere, there was a representative to pick us up. Alex was our driver for two 3-hour land excursions and he could not have been more pleasant. He constantly gave us information about what we were seeing and greatly enhanced our travels. They will suggest tours and book them for you as well. The tours were terrific and we were most impressed by the night forest tours in Monteverde. There were never any issues with tours, transportation, or hotels. This was truly worry-free travel. One subcontracted tour was running late due to other tourists and Tachiz Travel called me to let me know. Tachiz Travel truly provided 5-star service. We will use them again on our next trip to Costa Rica.
– L. Volmer, USA
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B. Hamilton, USA
Review from: 04/17/2017
Tachiz travel made our vacation to Costa Rica so wonderful and relaxing. If I could give them more than 5 stars, I would. I know other families who have gone to Costa Rica and not loved it as much as us because they did not have Tachiz to rely on. We stayed at 2 of the best hotels, had wonderful excursions with guides who knew so much about the country and its natural beauties and animals.
– B. Hamilton, USA
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B. Hassel, USA
Review from: 04/10/2017
My sister and I just returned from a most fabulous trip to Costa Rica. This was in part due to the perfect trip planning provided by Alex and Francisco of Tachiz Travel. From my first inquiry via their website, until our final farewell in Costa Rica, they could not have provided any better service.
The personal attention paid to us!! I can’t even really decide which part of the country or which excursion was most enjoyable! It was ALL perfect!! If forced to choose, I guess the whitewater rafting experience we had would be most memorable.
– B. Hassel, USA
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C. Titmuss, UK
Review from: 04/07/2017
From the moment we contacted Alex & Fransisco at Tachiz Travel we felt as if they were going that extra mile to give us a holiday that we really wanted. Initially we were tempted to go to one of the big tour companies offering holidays to Costa Rica.
We are so glad we chose Tachiz Travel for that personal touch.
The travel arrangements from the airport, where we were met by Alex & our driver,(having had several delays) through to our various destinations was first class with private mini bus transfers.
The chosen Hotels were excellent, most rooms having 2 extra large beds.
Our first destination, Sarapiqui, was brilliant, it had a real jungle feel. Waking up the first morning after arriving in the dark was a revelation. Our rooms over looked a lovely lake where there was what seemed to be, a Roosting Tree with a vast selection of wildlife making amazing sounds.
The zip wire experience was truly exhilarating & the jungle walk surrounding the hotel was amazing.
Next we were off to Tortuguero, our favourite place, only accessible by boat. We saw our first sloth there plus many other things such as exotic plants, trees, birds & wildlife. The enormous iguanas strolling around the pool were incredible. The hotel Tortuga lodge was the best of the holiday.
We then travelled to Arenal, volcano country, passing through phenomenal scenery.
The small town of Fortuna was great for food and the hotel had the most amazing hot springs to swim in, it was really very hot water just like a bath!!
The cloud forest in Monteverdi was wet and cloudy, as the name suggests & also extremely windy. The sky walks were brilliant & the zip wire here was very challenging. We were way above the forest canopy amongst the voluptuous greenery, birds and wildlife.
The coffee, sugar & chocolate adventure and the night walk were fascinating seeing many nocturnal creatures.
Then to the Pacific coast for our chill out time. The weather there was hot and sunny. The Manuel Antonio National Park was incredible and we saw no end of wildlife & the beaches at the end of the park are absolutely beautiful.
We stayed in a lovely hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean where we cruised on a catamaran whilst following Dolphins.
This was the perfect place to end our holiday which we will never forget.
The Costa Rican people were lovely, so friendly & welcoming and everyone seemed so proud of their spotlessly clean country & how it has become the most bio diverse nation on the planet, which was a real eye opener.
The whole experience was brilliant. The guides were fantastic on all the tours we did, they were very knowledgeable & it never ceased to amaze us how they spotted the wildlife that we had trouble seeing even when they told us where to look.
Thank you so much Alex & Francisco for organising a great trip.
We would certainly recommend you, in fact we already have!!
– C. Titmuss, UK
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R. Kanterman, USA
Review from: 03/28/2017
Tachiz Travel has a wealth of contact and resources to make the travel experience run very smoothly. Their employed drivers/guides are very engaging and kind. The activity vendors that they choose to use are also uniformly excellent. The resorts they chose for us were lovely and high end. Once I landed at the airport, where we were welcomed like family, I knew that everything would be perfect.
– R. Kanterman, USA
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J. Stoehr, USA
Review from: 03/28/2017
Dear Francisco,
Thanks for checking in with us- We made it home safely!
We would like to thank you so much- we had the time of our lives!!! Every activity was fantastic, all transfers amazingly timed and we enjoyed every single bit of our trip. You created an amazing trip for us and we would recommend each stop to all our friends, so we are happy to provide you with an excellent review and hope that many more people will book the travel with your agency exploring costa rica!
We cant wait to come back and will always remember the amazing time we had in your country!
Pura vida,
– J. Stoehr, USA
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J. Almario, USA
Review from: 03/14/2017
We could not be any happier with our experience. From the very first email and phone conversations we found the process of planning and paying for our trip simple, transparent, and fun. We were given many options for excursions and activities, tailored to our style of vacationing. All lodging and ground transportation were clean and comfortable. Having the local tour agency available 24/7 gave us great peace of mind, and let us really enjoy all the time we spent in Costa Rica.
– J. Almario, USA
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J. Shimmin, USA
Review from: 03/13/2017
Hello Alex, Francisco and team
We wanted to tell you how happy we were with our holiday to Costa Rica. We had a wonderful time and cannot thank you enough. The itinerary was well thought out and although there was a considerable amount of travel this did not detract from the holiday. The holiday was extremely well organised and we did not have any problems with pickups or connections. Each destination offered us a different aspect of Costa Rica and we were delighted with the people and friendliness we met everywhere. The standard of accommodation was good and we have no complaints whatsoever.
We will certainly recommend Tachiz Travel to any of our family or friends who are interested in travelling to Costa Rica. We also wish you continuing success with your business.
With best wishes
J. and S. Shimmin
– J. Shimmin, USA
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M. Lee, USA
Review from: 03/05/2017
Tachiz Travel did a great job responding to the interests we expressed and crafting an itinerary that got us where we wanted to go in the time that we had. They were available by phone and email, created our trip on short notice, and were very professional and reliable in all facets of the trip planning and execution. I would highly recommend them.
– M. Lee, USA
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J. Wang, USA
Review from: 02/22/2017
Tachiz Travel Costa Rica did a wonderful job planning our honeymoon. They took the time to plan a perfect trip for us, and made sure that we had options and input. They also greeted us at the airport, made sure that any questions that we had were answered, and sent us on our way with one of their trusted drivers. We had a couple issues on our trip (minor illness) so we asked to switch a two of our tours. They helped us do so very quickly. It gave us peace of mind to know that if we had any problems we could contact them. I would highly recommend Tachiz Travel!
– J. Wang, USA
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W. King, UK
Review from: 02/19/2017
Dear Alex Andres and Francisco
We just returned from our 9 day holiday to your lovely country, and I write to thank you all for a magnificently arranged package. Everything was exactly as you described in your itinerary and all the guides and drivers were friendly, very well informed, enthusiastic , welcoming and considerate , with our safety and comfort the top priority. The hotels, food and accommodation – just marvellous. The people of Costa Rica which we met were charming and we felt very much at home the whole time we were there. Anything I can do to help recommend your company – just ask ! Thank you all for the wonderful arrangements. All four of us love Costa Rica and it’s people and wildlife. God bless you all.
W. King.
– W. King, UK
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J. Smith, USA
Review from: 02/14/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
We had an amazing time in Costa Rica thanks to Tachiz Travel Agency! My wife and I got in contact with Tachiz a month before our vacation and they quickly put together a package for our trip. They were very flexible and gave us a lot of choices on excursions, travel methods and location. All the trips were planned by them and shuttles were scheduled. When we weren’t sure about where to stay they recommend the best hotels in the area and they were as great as they said they would be. All we had to do was meet in the lobby of our hotels and everything else was taken care of! We were worried about finding a reputable and reliable agency and Tachiz met our standards. The owner even met us at the airport to pick us up with our driver and gave a gift. Would HIGHLY recommend using Tachiz for a GREAT and affordable vacation packed with adventure and beautiful hotels. Cannot say enough good things about them.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
Our excursions were great and not having to worry about transportation or what we were doing once we got there was so nice.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
If we took the trip again we would try to fit in even more excursions, although we got plenty of exercise with the ones we booked.
– J. Smith, USA
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T. Cleary, USA
Review from: 02/06/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica. We gave Tachiz Travel a price, then Alex and Francisco arranged a wonderful itinerary that took us to three very different parts of the country. We started in the Arenal volcano area, enjoying the views of the volcano and the hot springs. We then went to the cloud forest area and took guided tours with a biologist that explained the local flora and fauna. Lastly we went to the warm coast and saw macaws, monkeys, sloths, and much more wildlife. We said we wanted a mix of activity and relaxation, and Tachiz organized a wide range of activities, including whitewater rafting, zip lining, canyoneering, kayaking, snorkeling, and hikes, but spreading the activities over our stay so we still had plenty of time to relax.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
The guides on our hikes and excursions were excellent. All very knowledgable and pointed out wildlife (wow the wildlife!) we would never have seen on our own. They all are so proud of their country and wanted us to enjoy everything Costa Rica has to offer. We felt that we learned a great deal about the nature and culture of Costa Rica. Also, the views and sunsets were incredible.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
While in the Arenal area we did an organic farm tour/dinner the first day and whitewater rafting/lunch the second day. As it turns out, the lunch was at the same family farm as we had dinner the night before. The meals were very good, but we would have preferred to eat someplace different so as to experience the area as much as possible. During the mountain biking trip we experienced amazing views of the volcano. Unfortunately the road was extremely rocky and a bit difficult to travel on. We would have preferred a dirt road or trail.
– T. Cleary, USA
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D. Field, UK
Review from: 01/31/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
From their first response to our enquiry, we had confidence that Tachiz had understood what we were looking for, from our trip to Costa Rica. They worked with us to fine-tune our itinerary and hotel choices, and made valuable suggestions when we were unsure of the best options. They responded promptly to all of our emails and phone calls before we left England, and were equally available throughout our time on Costa Rica. When they say that they are contactable 24/7, they really mean it.
On arrival in Costa Rica, we were met by Alex (co-owner) and his wife as well as our driver – this was a truly personal touch and showed their commitment to looking after us. They kept in contact throughout our trip – for example, speaking to us during internal transfers between the different places we visited. We felt confident that Tachiz would be there to solve any problems that may arise, and as with any extended trip, we did have a couple of problems. When we both picked up local virus, Tachiz arranged for the hotel to take us to a local clinic for treatment.
They offered an outstanding service when we missed an internal flight, due to heavy traffic, by arranging a private charter flight to ensure that we could reach our next destination. We were extremely happy with the standard of all of the vehicles and drivers that Tachiz used and felt completely safe on the roads. We enjoyed all of our destinations and the accommodation was excellent (with only one exception: our cloud forest lodge in the Bajos del Toro area which was very cold at night, as there was no heating. It really needed some).
In summary, Tachiz are the best agent that we have ever used and we have no reservation in recommending them most highly.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
The best place we stayed was Casa Corcovado in the Osa Peninsula. The most amazing location, great food and wonderful wildlife. Tapirs and coaties were visitors to the hotel grounds, along with a wide variety of birds, including scarlet macaws. We also enjoyed snorkelling and kayaking there. Arrival is by boat only and that was a great experience in itself. We saw a huge crocodile in the surf, which gave us a bit of a frisson too!
The hummingbirds at our lodge in Bajos del Toro were wonderful and we saw at least 11 varieties. Being woken by the howler monkeys at several locations, (even though it was early) was also very special. The hanging bridges trip in the Arenal area also introduced us to some amazing species, including a Fer de Lance snake; the most dangerous in Central America. The toucans were great and we saw many of them. We did a ‘frog’ night walk and were lucky to see nine different varieties, including the red-eyed tree frog and a blue jeans frog. Relaxing for a final few days near Uvita, was a great end to the holiday. We spend a couple of days lazing on the beach in the little surfer town of Dominical, which was great.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
First of all we would definitely spend more time on the Osa Peninsula; the Casa Corcovado Lodge was fantastic and 3 days is just not long enough (5 days min). Unless it was the turtle season, we probably wouldn’t go to Tortuguero, as we felt there was not a lot to see and all tours are very busy. We prefer private or small tour groups. Unfortunately, we were also unlucky with the weather there, as the first few days of our trip co-incided with a fierce cold front with its lashing rain and high winds..We might instead choose to visit the Guanacaste region or the south Caribbean coast instead. However, you can only do so much in 19 days.
Finally, we would carefully choose our accommodation in the cloud forest making sure that it had heating. In spite of its great location and lovely staff our stay in Bosque de Paz lodge in Bajos del Toro will always be associated with very cold and damp evenings and nights – great shame.
– D. Field, UK
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M. Sangani, USA
Review from: 01/29/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
We had a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Costa Rica thanks to the world class excellent customer service of Tachiz Travel. Both Alex and Francisco were amazing hosts in their country. Their love for all things Costa Rican is apparent in all they do. From welcoming our family at the airport to the fruit and wine/apple cider baskets awaiting us in the hotels, we felt more than welcome everywhere we went in Arenal and Manuel San Antonio. The local guides that Tachiz Travel organized to take us around were extremely knowledgeable and kind. My husband and I have two daughters (ages 12 and 14) and Tachiz travel ensured that parts of our trip were tailored to their interests as well. For example, we were able to visit two animal refuge/rehabilitation centers and learned all about how caring Costa Ricans are for their neighbors in nature. We took a night hike arranged by Tachiz and were treated to a home cooked meal at a wonderful family’s home who are part of the sustainable tourism landscape. All in all, this trip was truly a trip of a lifetime – we highly recommend Tachiz Travel!
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
The warmth of every single person we encountered on the trip – the drivers, hotel staff, nature tour operators, and of course everyone we met at Tachiz Travel. The care that Costa Ricans take of their animals and natural surroundings are unparalleled to other countries we have visited. Both Proyecto Asis and Kids Save the Rainforest are examples of excellent animal rehabilitation centers. We enjoyed visiting these centers as well as the kayaking, trip on hanging bridges, and the night hike.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
We would have taken another pair of waterproof shoes and stayed longer.
– M. Sangani, USA
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J. Goddard, USA
Review from: 01/29/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
The service from Tachiz travel was excellent. We spoke with them directly to set up the trip and they made every effort to meet our requests. They know Costa Rica and how to get things accomplished quickly.
The owners of the company Francisco and Alex were at the airport to greet us. We we driven safely and sanely to our destinations. If you change your mind or have a question they respond immediately and work with you so you are never left with a doubt.
The local trips that that planned for us were with knowledgeable and helpful guides who again were timely and extended themselves to make us comfortable.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
Birdwatching in Saraquipi at le Selva and Timirbini Biological Reserve, visiting Arenal Volcano on a perfectly clear day, night tour with a typical CR dinner to end the evening. An a pure indulgence at a hot springs with a massage. Enjoying the beautiful countryside, jungle, beaches and not have to worry about reservations or transportation. CR is oriented to tourism and the Tachiz have direct knowledge on how to get things done properly. We found all of our hosts accommodating and gracious. The Costa Ricans were wonderful and we hope we left a good impression as well.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
Perhaps spend a bit more time… we were there 8 nights.
(Will submit photos separately on my iPhone)
– J. Goddard, USA
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R. Workman, USA
Review from: 01/28/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
We made inquiry about Costa Rica from Zicasso with the intent of arranging a trip of about eleven days. Tachiz Travel called us at our home the very next day with offers to help plan just the type of trip that would be most enjoyable for us. I was amazed at how quickly they responded. Throughout the planning process, they frequently contacted us with suggestions and information by telephone and via Email. We felt we were in daily contact with them. They were always courteous, never pushy and had wonderful suggestions that excited us. We decided what we would budget for the travel and they planned around our budget. They were exact and did not try to push us for more than we wanted to spend.
Tachiz Travel Costa Rica was among the best travel agencies we have ever used. We were met at the airport by Alex Herrera and his wife and our entire itinerary was arranged. Every venue was better than expected. Alex and Francisco anticipated our every need. We had several different guides along the way and every one of them was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. We felt that we were the focus of their entire day. We had several different drivers over the eleven days we spent in Costa Rica. We left our hotel to meet them and always the drivers were there early waiting for us. We began to be ready earlier ourselves so we would not keep them waiting.
We learned that Tachiz Travel had quietly followed up on every excursion we made to be sure all our needs were taken care of.
We would always use Tachiz Travel in the future for Costa Rica travel and we give our highest recommendation to them to all who may be interested in visiting that wonderful country.
Ross and Kaye Workman
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
It is hard to say what was the most enjoyable part of the trip. All of it was fantastic! Perhaps the happiest surprise was the quality of the accommodations. Our last several days were at the Arenal Del Mar Hotel in Manuel Antonio Park area. The hotel was simply amazing in every respect. The quality of accommodation was first class and the location made the property on which the hotel was situated become both an amazing combination of rain forest animals and birds and spectacular beach.
It was also memorable that Tachiz arranged for us to meet and interact with local people in the “cloud” country. We loved it.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
Stay longer!
– R. Workman, USA
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A. Miller, USA
Review from: 01/27/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
Alex and Francisco, the owners of Tachiz Travel put together an amazing trip to Costa Rica for us! I have been in the travel and hotel industry for over 20 years and have always planned, booked and managed our trips on my own. This year I just didn’t have time to put everything together so I handed off control (not easy for me) to Tachiz and it was an excellent decision! I did some basic research on what to see and do in Costa Rica. I then asked Tachiz to put together an itinerary with 3-4 days in the Arenal area, 2 days in the Monteverde Cloud Forest and 4-5 days at the beach in Tamarindo. Tachiz put together a beautiful itinerary with choices of activities each day, all transportation and 3-4 star accommodations in one complete package. They were wonderful to work with and quick to respond with information as I added requests to our trip. I received several personal phone calls when working through the details and they were very professional in their follow up to the proposal they sent to me without being aggressive in the sales process. Once in Costa Rica they were available by phone 24-hours a day and we received a call through our driver on the way back to the airport to thank us for allowing them to provide this fantastic insight into their incredibly warm and welcoming country. Alex and Francisco provided some of the best customer service I’ve ever received and I wish that they could plan all of my trips around the world! I highly recommend using Tachiz Travel for all travel to Costa Rica, you will love working with them. They are true ambassadors for Costa Rica, let them help you plan the trip of a lifetime!
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
We spent an afternoon in the Arenal area touring and volunteering at Proyecto Asis, a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. Carlos, our guide, was incredibly passionate about the work that they do to return 80% of the wildlife brought to them back to their natural homes around the country. He made us think about the international trade in wildlife in a way that we hadn’t before. After meeting many of the animals in their care we were able to prepare their dinner and feed them. I am officially in love with Spider Monkeys!
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
I would spend a bit less time at the beach and add 1-2 days learning more about this wonderful country. Perhaps a couple of days in San Jose or a visit to Manuel Antonio National Park.
– A. Miller, USA
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S. Cimino, USA
Review from: 01/24/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
Working primarily with Francisco Herrera, and occasionally, Alex Herrera, was easy and seamless. Francisco contacted me shortly after my inquiry with Zicasso about traveling to Costa Rica. I told Francisco that my husband and I were interested in visiting Costa Rica but we did not know anything abut the country. Francisco suggested an itinerary to start with and after several emails and phone conversations we tweaked it to be perfect for our needs. Francisco always responded to my questions and concerns immediately. He told me that he was available to us 24/7 and indeed he was. We stayed 12 nights and saw many highlights of Costa Rica from the Caribbean to the Pacific with knowledgeable and friendly drivers and guides everywhere. Every driver spoke English well, were on time, were proud of their country and enjoyed sharing information. The drivers made stops for picture taking and to see special sights along the route that were not on the itinerary. We loved that. We stayed in 5 lovely hotels. The evening we arrived Francisco met us at our hotel in San Jose to introduce himself and welcome us with a nice bottle of wine and delicious Costa Rican candies. Also, upon arrival our driver gave us a packet of vouchers for every activity as well as a printed detailed itinerary. Everything went like clockwork. Alex even called a couple of times to check on us to see how everything was going. Francisco and Alex were always attentive and caring and very very organized, which we greatly appreciated.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
The air conditioned Manatus Hotel was 5 stars. The 3 meals/day included meals were the best we had anywhere, even in the States. The staff was superb. The guide we had on the Tortuguero Canals, Luis, was the best–extremely knowledgeable and all around delightful. We saw more animals and birds on the Manatus property and on the canals than we saw anyplace else. One of our favorite activities was going to the Organic Farm at Arenal Vida Campesina. We had a private tour of the fruits and vegetables grown on the plantation. Our guide, Andres, was so knowledgeable and loved what he did. Grandchildren of the owners put on a dancing show in costumes which we enjoyed watching with another tour group that was there. We all participated in a fun game that is enjoyed at Costa Rica parties. We made tortillas from scratch and a delicious Costa Rican salad made with vegetables grown on the plantation.
We were served a fabulous Costa Rica dinner, dessert & coffee grown and roasted on the plantation. We thoroughly enjoyed this evening. Also, we enjoyed an “insiders tour” of the La Paz Waterfalls. It was fun to have Tucans sit on our arms and hummingbirds feed from feeders we held–their little feet resting on our fingers. I enjoyed the Bosque de Paz Rain/Cloud Forest Lodge but my husband did not because it was too cold for him. However, I felt very lucky to meet the founder of the orchid garden, Steven Kirby, and his wife, Lyle, who only visit once or twice a year. Also, their botanist, Noellia, who only comes 1 time a month. They took me on a private 2 hour tour of their beloved orchid garden giving me an appreciation of wild orchids. Noellia even took a very tiny orchid that looked like a spec and put it under a microscope to look at. It was breathtakingly beautiful. This was very special and just a lucky thing for us to meet these knowledgeable people. Also, the various hikes along rushing rivers were lovely. The sunset “sailing” and snorkeling in Manuel Antonio was a nice way to end our trip on the last night.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
We would not take the sky tram. The activity took a total of 3 hours from the time we were picked up and dropped off at our hotel. The sky tram was 8 minutes up and 8 minutes down. I made a mistake in requesting this activity.
– S. Cimino, USA
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S. Chang, USA
Review from: 1/13/2017
Your overall comments on the trip:
We selected Tachiz to plan our Costa Rica Trip because (1) there wasn’t much time left for us to plan our own trip (2) reviews for Tachiz were great. Alex and Francisco were very helpful in planning our trip. They provided several choices for our activities each day. After we made a decision, Tachiz then booked the activities for us in advance. We did the hanging bridge and rafting in Arenal, cloud forest guided tours and zip-line in Monteverde, rain forest guided tour and sunset sail in Manuel Antonio. Most of the activities were great except for the horseback riding to a waterfall on the way to Manuel Antonio. The terrain to the waterfall was rugged and required hiking in on a rocky stream bed. The time to spend at the fall was very short. We would have enjoyed the sunset sail if it had not been for the jelly fish infested ocean. Some of us got stung badly within a minute into the water. So that was a shame not being able to snorkel as we had hoped. The crew though tried to make it fun on the board for us by providing entertainment, and the sunset was really beautiful.
Tachiz also provided all the transfers. Most of their drivers/guides spoke very good English, and were able to give us introductions to the country and the areas. However the transfer between Monteverde and Manuel Antonio was way longer than expected. The one-lane roads in Costa Rica can be very troublesome. We left Monteverde at 9:00 AM (15-min delay due to traffic), and did not get to the hotel in Manuel Antonio until 5:30 PM. To make it to the horseback riding activity at 1:00 we had to give up our lunch time. So by the time we got to Hotel Parador all of us were starved and exhausted.
Tachiz also arranged hotels for us. We stayed at Manoa in Arenal, El Establo in Monteverde, and Parador in Manuel Antonio. All of the facilities were great, and the foods were excellent. There was only one problem. We arrived at Parador on Dec. 30th. The hotel had a mandatory New Year Eve dinner for their guests. To construct the stage for the party, they covered up the family pool. The construction started on 12/30 around 5:00 and continued into mid-night. Our room faced the family pool, so the loud banging construction noise simply made all of us unable to sleep. The New Year party was crazy and the deafening loud speakers made the whole complex no place to escape. So finally the party ended at around 2:00, then the take-down construction started. We finally got a peace of mind around 4:00 AM. I don’t know how much we paid extra for this New Year Party (the poster at the hotel shows $185/person), I wished that Tachiz could have warned us of this situation and be able to allow us different acomodation options.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
White-water rafting in Arenal was very fun. That was a class 2&3 rafting. Our guide from Wave Expedition was extremely experienced. He gave us detail instructions and rules on the bus so that we were able to follow his directions to get thru dozens of rapids. We saw bats, sloth and different birds on the slower part of the river. Our guide even let us swim/float after the hard part was over. Highly recommended.
The zip-lining in Monteverde was also impressive. Original Canopy Tour had the best operation. All of their guides were trained and skilled. In addition to zip-lines (one of them was 800 meters long), they also included swing, rappel and climbing thru a hollow tree. We were very lucky that it was a clear day when we did the zip lines, so the views of the mountains and to the Pacific was astonishing.
If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?
I would probably have my agent book the hotels and arrange transfers only. I would probably handle the activities myself. There are so many unknowns during the trip that might affect daily itinerary. Some of us got stomach flues and were not able to attend the activities. Since all the tours were paid in advance so no refunds were allowed. So if I were to do the trip again I would allow some flexibility. Also, I would avoid holiday traveling. Now that I know the road condition of Costa Rica, it’s best not to get into jams during peak time.
– S. Chang, USA
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S. Schapiro, USA
Review from: 01/09/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
Alex and Francisco were absolutely terrific. They listened to what we wanted and helped us plan the perfect trip. They responded to every email in a timely manner, were knowledgeable and professional. It was wonderful to meet Alex and his lovely wife at the airport. They greeted us with wine and snacks and checked on us throughout the trip. It was comforting to know they were a phone call or email away throughout our trip.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
We went to 4 very different areas in Costa Rica which really gave us a chance to see what the country was like. Lapa Rios in the Osa Peninsula was the most gorgeous, unique resort we’ve ever stayed. It was our first stop and absolutely fabulous. The hiking was terrific, resort was incredible with amazing service – I just can’t say enough about our stay. The Kioro in Arenal was also a fabulous resort with breathtaking gardens and amazing hot springs. My family just loved canyoning and instead of a massage at the hotel, I went ATVing. Alex and Francisco arranged perfectly designed days. When we traveled, they arranged a tour or activity after arriving at a new destination so we never felt like we were wasting the day. We made the most out of each day. Our flights, drivers, tours, and accommodations were just as described.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
We went to 4 areas in 9 nights. Alex warned us that it was a lot of traveling but we have a problem with wanting to see it all and we made this choice (knowing it could be too much). The only thing I would have done differently is skip Tortuguero. It is the most remote area in Costa Rica, very quiet and very rainy. My husband loved it and Alex did describe Tortuguero perfectly. I would have stayed another day in the Osa Peninsula and another day in Arenal.
– S. Schapiro, USA
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M. Friedman, USA
Review from: 01/05/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
From the first call to the last Tachiz Travel and the Herrera brothers were prompt, friendly and professional. The trip they put together for me and my family worked out perfect. The various drivers, tour guides and hotels were all on time, spoke English and went out of their way to be sure we had a great time. Taking the charter flight from the Arenal area to Tamarinado not only saved us a long road trip but also gave us a beautiful and exciting flight over the country. During our stay they checked in on us and made minor modifications to our trip when we requested. I got to enjoy my family and Costa Rica since all the rest of the details were handled by Tachiz Travel which made for a much more enjoyable trip.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
We enjoyed our whole trip and especially loved the river rafting, surfing in Tamarindo and the thermal hot springs. Also the guides and people we spent time with were great and the night frog walk and dinner at a local family’s house was also a highlight.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
Two more days would have been great at the beach and would also like to have visited the Caribbean side of country and gone to “dog island”.
– M. Friedman, USA
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F. Katz, USA
Review from: 01/04/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
Fantastic coordination of 8 days in 3 areas of Costa Rica.
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
Wildlife tours.
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
Nothing.
– F. Katz, USA
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R. Schatz, Mexico
Review from: 01/03/2017
Hola Alex!
De nuevo te agradezco todas sus atenciones.
Fue un viaje fantástico y nos llevamos un recuerdo increíble de Costa Rica.
Apenas llegando a Mexico y ya me escribió una amiga pidiéndome que la refiera contigo porque vieron nuestro viaje en fotos en facebook y se les antoja mucho ir en abril.
Te escribo aquí con copia a ella, Cori Halfon, para que se pongan en contacto entre ustedes.
Saludos!
– R. Schatz, USA
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T. Vaich, UK
Review from: 01/02/2017
Francisco & Alex,
Thanks for bring together a great vacation for our family.
The organization was impeccable and worked like a Swiss watch.
The hotels where good beside the hiccup of the Claro de Luna Hotel in Monteverde, that we have stayed for the 3 days in a small room behind the reception with no hot water. We appreciate and much enjoyed the dinner compensation.
We have really loved all the activities and left with good experience and memories for long time.
Kind Regards,
T & Family
UK
– T.Vaich, USA
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B. Banker, USA
Review from: 01/02/2017
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
Excellent, personable services. Everything went as planned- very good! So glad that I used them. I am a travel agent-but wanted to use local expertise with good value. It was right choice. Maybe would not have used Hotel Parador in Manuel Antonio- it was too American- something more local near the town so my boys could have enjoyed the local experience. The service at Parador was not that great!! ( it was not the agent’s fault)
Thanks,
Bela
What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
The walk in Arenal Volcano walk- the guide was excellent; Zip- lining, diving, surfing, canoeing, kayaking.. bosque de paz…
If you can take your trip again, what would you do differently?
Would not have stayed at Hotel Parador.. but otherwise it would be the same..
– B. Banker, USA