"Puntarenas" Puntarenas by RoyPBower

Situated a short hour and one half from San Jose, Puntarenas is an active, bustling beach town. Most of the visitors are local which means better prices and a more authentic foreign experience.

The beach is paralleled by the Paseo de Los Turistas. Hotels and shops are on the land side, and smaller restaurants can be found abutting the sand on the oceqan side. A green park and a low stone wall border the paseo in front of the beach.

Some years ago the city had a bad rap because of cholera in the seafood, dengue fever, and nasty, dirty beaches. The town fathers got together and cleaned the place up and it's a healthy, attractive place to go again.

Frequent bus service from San Jose provides access via highway, and you can also take the Tico Tren, a weekend only passenger service which operates from San Jose's Pacific Train Station. www.americatravelcr.com

• Pros:Funky, foreign feel and great prices.
• Cons:Very hot in July and August.
• In a nutshell:Fun and colorful but NOT for the luxury lover.