ZIP-LINE Tour:Jamaica or Costa Rica??

[where next?]

My family of four would like to do a zip-line/canopy tour on our upcoming Coral Princess cruise. We have stops in Ocho Rios and Limon, Costa Rica. Which site would be preferable?

 

One important plus to Ocho Rios is that there are no ladders involved in getting to the first platform. Does anyone know if this is the same for Limon, Costa Rica? (My husband is not good on ladders)

 

Another consideration (but not as impt as the ladders) is distance to the zip-line site.

 

Thank you for any help you can give me. (I'll post the same post on the Costa Rica board.)

 

Bobbie

[where next?]

Are there ladders at this site to start the zip lining? If so, how high?

[sophiecruiser]

I would love to hear specific information about zip-line.

 

Is there a web site where I can check out pictures?

 

Is there a maximum weight? One of my nephews traveling with us is 6ft.4in. 250 lbs - football player.

 

How about someone who is a 'young' 62 yrs old??

 

Thanks!

[Driftwoodgal]

I can only answer questions to our time in Puerto Limon Costa Rica. We booked a tour from Oscar Brown from posts that were read on the CC board. He a contact email address of cbrown@costarricense.cr The email system in Costa Rica can be iffy at times out of Puerto Limon. It is better in the larger towns... but you are trying to book locally. Our tour with Oscar was wonderful... so much so that we will be using him again in Jan 2006.

 

The zipline in Puerto Limon is very safe and you really don't have to climb up a ladder, rather you climb a flight of stairs that are pretty wide and then cross a suspension bridge to the first platform. I would not climb up a ladder as one would have to do to get to a roof, ( such as my house roof), I wouldn't have done the zipline in Puerto Limon if that was the case. I felt very safe at Almonds and Corals, and we will do it again.

 

Oscar Brown does give you an incredible tour with the zipline and the other stops that he throws in.....I can't wait until our tour

[sophiecruiser]

The review with pictures is wonderful - thank you! Now I can send this link to the rest of our group and see which brave souls will join me. This looks great!

 

I emailed Oscar and Charlie Soto 3 days ago to check availability. Charlie has emailed me back twice and I have not received any reply from Oscar. Looks like we'll be booking Charlie Soto for Feb 06.

 

Sophie

[cruiseescape]

As for where to do it...it would have to be Costa Rica they have been doing this way longer then Jamaica. I was to Guanacaste a couple of years ago and we did it then. I am terrified of heights and thought for sure I was going to die on this. But it was one of the most adventurous things I have done. They give you very specific instructions on how to go and how to stop. They also give you big heavy gloves to wear as to not hurt your hands. Whether you are 62 years young or a big guy who plays football you can all do this if I can. They do not have a weight restriction for this. I did 14 platforms (although not without a little panic attack along the way) but even after they gave us directions and told us what to do if you stopped too soon, which I did twice, I couldn't let go to turn around like they told me and they said (or yelled to me) not to worry they were coming to get me. That was kind of neat they are like monkeys with those wires they can hang upside down spin around they do all kinds of things we would never think to do. When they came out to get me they told me to just hang on to them and they took me the redst of the way to the next platform. They made it extremely easy for someone that was so afraid. It is definetly an adventure you will not soon forget!

 

I have to recommend this highly!!!! :)

Have fun...you only live once!!!!

[sophiecruiser]

I too am afraid of heights and thought this might be too much for me, but am planning to do it anyway!! Thank you for the reassuring words - like you said, you only live once!

[KaC-Cruiser]

Cruiseescape ... thanks for the info .... You give hope to us other chickens out here!!;) We're booked on Charlie Soto's tour in Nov, and I've been thinking about doing the zipline, but also am afraid of heights. I'm really hoping once I get there, I can give it a shot without freaking :eek: .... it just sounds like so much fun!

[immacruiser]

Cruiseescape...where did you do the zipline? Did you book with Charlie or Oscar?

I'm sort of lending toward the zipline at Almond and Coral. I hear that Charlie take you to La Brisas...anyone done it at La Brisas? How does it compare to Almond and Coral? Thanks you all for the response.

[cruiseescape]

Hi KaC-Cruiser it was so much fun! I never thought I would do anything like that.

 

Hi Immacruiser - I did it on a land trip to Guanacaste...so I was on the other side of Costa Rica but I have heard many good things about all the other places you have mentioned. I guess the main question to find out is how many platforms it is and try to decide from there. I don't know if I would have wanted to do any less than 14 they went so fast I felt like we had just started. I know a couple of places have less than 10 and that probably isn't enough. You would be wanting more. But like I said origianlly they are the experts with the zip lines I did alot of research before I went because the girl I was with was wanting to do this from the moment we decided to go.

 

Let me know how you all make out. :)

[sophiecruiser]

Charlie just sent this link to me.

Web page of zip line:

http://www.cliente.org/brisasdelajungla

 

I must say he is very prompt at returning emails and his communication with me has been excellent!

 

I don't want to take a 3 hour round trip bus ride to do the Almonds & Corals zip line. This one looks just fine - even though it's only 12 cables. We have a couple members of our group who are too chicken to do the zip line, so they will be able to do another activity at the same resort while the rest of group does the zip line. Plus, we'll have time to do the Tortuguera Canals in the same day.

 

I would love to hear from anyone who has done the zip line at la brisas.

 

Sophie

[Driftwoodgal]

Sophie,

 

We went to Almonds and Corals in 2004 and were a little worried about how far we were from the ship. You do spend a lot of time getting out there and back. We have booked with Oscar and will be going to Las Brisas and to the Canals in the same day.

 

When I talked to Oscar on the phone 011 506 350 6415 he was telling me about this new place, but I was unable to find it is a google search. Thanks for posting the link. Others want to see us zipline but don't want to do the actual zip. They can do the other things while we are doing our tour. Oscar did tell me that this place is as safe as Almonds and Corals. Gosh I can't wait to do this again, and I am scared of heights. Oscar also told me that he has a van that will hold up to 29 people. It will be nice to be able to travel all together.

[Blanco-Grande]

We did Limon Zipline with Charlie Soto, himself.march 2006 off Celebrity Century.the road to get up the mountain is narrow and the driver has to grind the gears..but its fun

they catch you at each platform...Charlie Soto is a good honest guy, and the bus was nice just about 20 people like a car rental bus, but better..he supplies beer and soda in a cooler..you have to buy your own lunch...the river cruise is a joke and a waste of time its a dirty intake canal ha ha

Charlie does watch over al his tours...use Mario in Panama..he was my personal driver, great guy....you pay at the end back at the ship dock

I never did Jamaica zip:D

[dkb363]

My son and I did the Jamaica zip line and loved it. Zipped over a long river, ended up at tops of trees, etc. Didn't have any trouble. That first leap gets your attention, but it gets easier after that.

Debi