Charlie Soto - Hanging Bridges/Puntarenas

[Travel To Be Free]

Has anyone used Charlie for the hanging bridges tour in Puntarenas, Costa Rica? It includes transportation, hanging bridges, entrance to Caldera Forest to see monkeys, Tarcoles Bridge to see alligators, lunch, Santa Lucia village for souviners -- it is a 7-hour tour. He also has a different one with just the hanging bridges -- which is the major thing we wanted to do; however, since there's not much difference in the price, I am interested in knowing if the other things are of any interest.

[southwardbound]

You might want to post this on the Costa Rica board instead of the Panama board. Good Luck:)

[AZaTaz]

Has anyone used Charlie for the hanging bridges tour in Puntarenas, Costa Rica? It includes transportation, hanging bridges, entrance to Caldera Forest to see monkeys, Tarcoles Bridge to see alligators, lunch, Santa Lucia village for souviners -- it is a 7-hour tour. He also has a different one with just the hanging bridges -- which is the major thing we wanted to do; however, since there's not much difference in the price, I am interested in knowing if the other things are of any interest.

 

We were just there and did that, 10/17/07, Island Princess. well sort of. Charlie was great but there were two ships in all at once, (He had 4 large tour vans going to different places) he was in the middle of moving and the day started-off a bit disorganized. He did on the side mention he was not please with how well it had gone, he was quite candid and we were ok with it….. S&$T happens. Would we give our money to Charlie again to see if we could get the grade up from an A to an A+, yes. He is so down to earth and friendly, makes you feel welcome, we were OK with that we did not get the very best he has to offer.

We did the zip line and some others in the van did the hanging bridges, we all agreed it was a blast. I would take the long tour and spend the day. (Just so you know, when you get to the zip line/hanging bridge you pay the fee and that is deducted from the fee you pay Charlie)

On last thing, UNLESS you pay the $$ and join the Cattle heard on a ship tour, you will need to do the walk down the peir (It is a long pier) to get to the gate to meet Charlie or get a Taxi etc. There are quite a few different tours hawking their services, it is a very busy place at the end of the pier.

PS if you do go with Charlie, and when he takes you to the store BUY THE COFFEE and a bunch of it... the vanilla as well. Both are great values and very very very good! We purchased 2 bags of coffee (250grmas, about a 2/3lb) and wish we had bought 20. Even if you do not drink coffee, gift them to people who do, the coffee is THAT good.

Just used the Vanilla, oh my…. Wonderful. We did under buy, just got two bags of coffee and two bottles of vanilla, total cost. $4 dollars US. Next time (and there WILL BE A NXT TIME, sooner then later… We are already looking at late 09 or early 2010…..we will buy as much of both as we can bring back.)

Want to know more.. check out the now slowly fading away roll call for Island Princess for the 10/09-10/24 Island Princess. The after trip short reviews are starting to get posted and there was much pre planning down by this group you may find helpful.

[AZaTaz]

You might want to post this on the Costa Rica board instead of the Panama board. Good Luck:)

 

Don't most cruises who stop in Panama (do the canal, partial or full) also stop in Costa Rica? Anyway, is this not the Costa Rica board?

 

Cruise Critic Message Boards > Ports of Call > Costa Rica

Charlie Soto - Hanging Bridges/Puntarenas

 

 

Anyway, we found the OP's post and gave our 2 cents.

[Travel To Be Free]

Thank you so much for posting a reply about Charlie!!! It has been very much appreciated. Yes, I do believe this is the Costa Rica board -- I thought for a minute that perhaps I was checking a different one.

 

Did you happen to do the wildlife portion (Caldera forest), stopping at the bridge to see alligators, lunch and the Ganado bridges? Was any of that interesting? What did you have for lunch?

[Travel To Be Free]

Oooppps -- not Ganado bridges -- the GANADO BEACH. I must have been typing too fast.

[elaineagogo]

We just got back from our trip to Panama Canal and took the trip with Charlie he is the nicest man and we did the bridges and all the other things I only comment is you must be in good shape to do the steps to the bridges it is hot and the steps can be slippery even though it is all down hill it is still hard we loved it and we got to see a lot of monkeys frogs and leafcarrying ants were amazing we had a great guide with us his name was Mario ask for him when Charlie take you to the Bridges. The shopping for the coffee and vanilla we also should have bought more and we had a great fish lunch all in all it was a good tour and again Charlie was very good.