My wife and I just got back from an eleven day trip to Costa Rica to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. I thought it was one of the best trips I have ever taken. We spent some time in Tortuguero National Park, followed by a few days in the Arenal Volcano area and the Cloud Forest area. We finished with a day on the Pacific coast, where we got to witness sea turtles nesting.
Having never been to Costa Rica before, we thought we’d contact someone who lived there to learn about the geography, get recommendations for what to see and how to make the most of our time there. We also wanted recommendations of where to stay and how to best get around from someone who was very familiar with the options.
We contacted a number of travel agents that we found through TripAdvisor. Tachiz Travel wrote right back with suggestions. We went back and forth several times to fine-tune the trip. It was clear from our interactions that Tachiz Travel is very receptive and welcoming, and wants their customers to have a great time in Costa Rica.
Throughout the process, Alexis of Tachiz Travel was extraordinarily patient, helpful, and responsive. The final itinerary was, from our point of view, perfect. Equally amazing to me was the price of the trip. We were in Costa Rica for eleven days, ten nights, and paid a bit more than $100 per person per day for a package that included 10 nights of lodging at good hotels (not luxurious but well above average), 10 hearty breakfasts, five other meals, some nine different activities, and transportation to and from each event as well as from each site to the next. It’s clear to us that we couldn’t have made these reservations (hotel, transportation, and activities) for less than what we paid Tachiz.
I know other posters have made the point that it’s easy to book on your own in Costa Rica, and I’m sure that’s true. In our case, I did not have the time (busy at my day job) to do the research, shop the alternatives, and book the trip. I was happy to leave it to an expert in-country, even if I had ended up paying a small premium. In this case, I doubt that I would have done any better on price – most likely I would have paid more - and I would have invested considerable time that I just didn’t have.
This is the first time I have used a travel agent for anything for years. My experience with US travel agents has been a string of disappointments. Calls go unreturned and documents go undelivered, all with an attitude that I am lucky to have any measure of their attention. Just the opposite was true of my experience with Tachiz. Every detail was taken care of; everything that we needed for a most enjoyable trip was anticipated. Alexis provided us with a welcome gift, and even called us a couple of times during the trip to ask how everything was going. On the way back to the airport at the end of the trip, we received a snack to tide us over until our flight departed.
If you are thinking of a trip to Costa Rica, I would highly recommend Tachiz Travel. Alexis was very knowledgeable about the accommodations he chose for us. His in-depth knowledge of the country helped us to see the best of his country, allowing us to enjoy a huge variety of both scenery and activities. Virtually everyone we encountered on this trip – hotel staff, guides, drivers, food service staff – seemed intent on providing us with a warm welcome and friendly service. It’s rare to receive service that is absolutely flawless, but that is exactly what we received from Alexis and Tachiz Travel. email address: alexis@tachiztravel.com
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