Puntarenas Vs. Heredia

Hello,

My Fiancee and I are planning to study abroad this fall semester in Costa Rica. We can go to either Puntarenas or Heredia. Just wondering if you have any thoughts on which would be best. I know a little Spanish, I'm planning on studying Spanish while I'm there. My Fiancee is from Mexico and speaks fluently.
Which one is safer as far as crime? We are two female travelers both very tiny people! lol. We both love the beach which is why were leaning toward Puntarenas, but I've heard its a little sketchy there. We also love hiking. Which location would be best for trips to attractions like Volcanoes, waterfalls, ect. that we can go to over the weekend. In addition since we are together we will be staying together, I have been told it is harder to get a host family for two people so were are leaning toward renting an apartment while there. Good or Bad Idea? Should we try for a host family first? Lastly, I'm interested in the climate of both places for Jan-May.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks! Reply to this

In response to: Msg #139630 We are going through USAC because our classes transfer directly back to UNLV. Volunteer work would be great to get into! I was told that there is a marine wildlife conservation that I can volunteer at in Puntarenas. Do you know anything else about that? In addition, my Fiancee is a psychology major who loves to work with children. Are there any volunteer opportunities that you know of that can place her in helping out the local children. Maybe learning English or something?

Thank you so much for your reply! =) Reply to this

I spent 2 weeks in Heredia doing a language course. It is a cute city and has a university vibe, so I would go for that rather than Puntarenas. Puntarenas itself has a handy location but didn't strike me as a great place to spend a longer amount of time (which is why I only passed through on my way to the beaches, as the previous poster mentioned!).

Heredia is next to San Jose (which I also avoided) but as the capital obviously has connections to all over the country. You could use it as a hub to visit other sights on the weekend or for a few days at a time. Not far to go to e.g. manuel Antonio, or Poas or something.

I did some volunteer work near to Montezuma in a tiny village called Las Delicias, teaching English to primary school kids. (I covered this in my blog, 2005, or send a message if you want to know more!) Reply to this

What did you decide?
I hope you will blog about your experiences. Reply to this