Honkytonk Homeslice Tropical Hoedown Puerto Viejo de Limon, Costa Rica May 9, 10, & 11, 2007

Honkytonk Homeslice
Tropical Hoedown
Puerto Viejo de Limon, Costa Rica
May 9, 10, & 11, 2007

General Information for the Event

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Flying to Costa Rica Stay in San Jose? Travel Options: SJ - PV Music Venue Special Group Tour?

WELCOME -- and A BIG SHIT HOWDY!

I can't tell you how excited I am that this event is coming to Puerto Viejo de Limon, our funky little town on the Caribbean Sea. This area has a rich musical tradition, but the idea of "my music" and my kind of music fans coming here has put a perma-grin on my face and filled me with glorious anticipation. This coming event dredges up very fond memories of when SCI played near Quepos/Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. I'm tellin' ya, that place will never be the same! Our cleaning lady cried when we said our goodbyes . . . or maybe that was me. So, yes, some of my favorite musicians in the world are coming to town, and it looks like you are, too! Wooooo Hoooo!

I'm happy not just because of the music, but because that this event affords me the opportunity to show you what I love so much about here and to help with a perfect vacation. That's what I do, and I do it because it fills me up when I see the smile on your face. We have put together a number of tours at special rates just for you.

You should be stoked, too. As you will discover, Costa Rica and Puerto Viejo in particular is a wonderful, unique corner of the world. And, maybe I'm biased, but I can't think of a better spot for an event like this. So congratulations on your choice to be a part of it all. Welcome to my world, and thanks for coming!

I'm Headin' for the Hoedown

Introduction

Below is a bunch of information that you should know before making your air, hotel and tour reservations. If you've already booked your flights, no problem; it will all work out, but you should still take a look. It should answer most of your questions.

We have Hoedown Tours, plus hotels in Puerto Viejo and San Jose, all with discounted prices. Go to Honkytonk Homeslice Website for hotel information links, then come back here for your discounts.

The site is undergoing a lot of changes, so when back, make sure to hit the refresh button up top.

But before you read all this, let me give you my best piece of advice. Buy yourself a Costa Rica guide book and start reading it like it's your new favorite novel. This will this get you excited for your trip and give you a better idea of what to expect and what you want. Lonely Planet is the most popular guide to CR and pretty comprehensive. I should NOT recommend it, though, because it is the guide that has NOT yet mentioned Aventuras Bravas. But they will, especially after all of you write them and tell them how dope we are, right? Here's their link: Lonely Planet

If you feel I should add something more to this information, give me a shout at: Aventuras Bravas

When you're ready, please fill out our Tropical Hoedown Resevation Form and we will start the process of getting you all set up, as hassle free as possible.

Flying into Costa Rica

Most likely you will want to fly into Juan Santamaria International Airport near San Jose, also known as the San Jose International Airport (To make your flight search easier, the international code for this airport is "SJO".) This is the closest international airport to the event.

I just did a quick search on Orbitz.com today (February 16th) to get an example of flight cost. Departing San Francisco on May 3, returning May 17, flights started at $480 including tax. From Denver $534. That's not bad.

Even though the airport has "San Jose" in the name, it's really not in San Jose but in Alajuela, about 12 kilometers west-northwest of downtown San Jose, or about a 20 minute drive if there is no traffic. There are hotels near the airport, or you may want to head downtown where the action is. Downtown is also on the way to Puerto Viejo. You may need to stay in San Jose for a night on the way in or out of the country (I will explain why in a minute).

There is another international airport in Costa Rica, in Liberia, Guanacaste (LIR), near the Nicoya Peninsula, but it is much further away from Puerto Viejo, almost the opposite corner of the country. You should fly in or out of Liberia only if you want to visit that area of the country. If that is the case, you may want to fly into one airport and out of the other, although this may add cost to your trip.

Immigration and Customs

YOU MUST HAVE A PASSPORT TO ENTER COSTA RICA, and your passport must not expire for six months after your arrival. If you do not have a passport, or if your passport will expire before December 2007, go take care of that NOW! This process typically takes several weeks. And then do not forget to bring it when you head to the airport.

As soon as possible after your arrival, make a copy of the information page and the page with the new entry stamp. Keep your passport in a safe place at your hotel and carry the copy on your person. This is legal and safer.

Passing through immigration and customs in Costa Rica is usually a breeze. I find it usually goes even faster when you smile big and say, "Buenas dias (or buenas tardes or buenas noche)," and 'Como esta?" If they ask you how you are, just say, "Pura vida (Poora veeda)". Costa Ricans (aka Ticos) are a friendly sort and usually engage in formal greetings in all occasions including hand shakes (and air cheek kisses between friends of opposite sex, but not in business settings). Doing likewise may help grease the wheels. It is just not worth it to bring in anything illegal, so don't.

Why would I want to stay in San Jose?

Good question. San Jose is the capital of the country, an important hub of politics, commerce and culture, and 3/4 of the population live in this area. There's a couple good museums, interesting night life and cuisine to discover, theatre, casinos, etc.

But few people come to Costa Rica to see San Jose. We come here for the rich abundant life of the jungle, the beautiful beaches and warm water, the world class surf, the volcanoes, to see life and energy exploding around us, NOT to see a grubby-faced city going about its daily life. But as the hub of the country, it can be hard to avoid. The biggest reason people stay in San Jose is a logistical one. For most people San Jose is a layover till the next morning when they can move on to the next location or fly out.

If your flight arrives any later than mid-day, I suggest you plan to stay the night. All the public transportation from SJO to PV leaves relatively early in the day. The last public bus departs at 4:00pm, which you will likely miss if your flight lands at 2:00pm or later. Even if your flight arrives earlier, you may want a hotel bed more than another four to five hour drive to Puerto Viejo.

Having to stay a night in San Jose does offer an advantage. It gives you an opportunity to enjoy an adventure on the way to Puerto Viejo or the way back to San Jose. If you must spend the night in San Jose on arrival, then the next day you can go rafting or visit Tortuguero National Park on the way to Puerto Viejo. If you must stay in San Jose the night before your flight home, you can do a raft trip or visit Tortuguero on the way back to San Jose. Usually your travel day is pretty wasted. But this way, instead of wasting a day traveling, you can enjoy a day or two of adventure, possibly your best adventure in Costa Rica, and end up where you need to go. We have arranged discounts for event pass holders. Visit the Hoedown Tours page for more information about these trips and others. This brings us to transportation options.

Options for Transportation between Puerto Viejo and San Jose We can help arrange any of the options below, except the bus; you have to go to the station to buy a ticket for that. (Sorry.) Just mark your preferred options on the Hoedown Reservation Form. Our travel options are, more or less, in the order of best to worst (in our parochial opinion). As discussed above, the top 3 make the most sense in terms of best use of your time & maximum amount of fun. From there on, it's kind of least to most expensive.
1. Pacuare River	Our No. 1 recommendation of stuff to do in Costa Rica, a great ride on Class III & IV rapids.
2. Reventazon River	The Florida section of this river is a little shorter & tamer than the Pacuare, but the roller coaster-type waves provide a lot of fun.
3. Tortuguerro	A National Park & resort, nesting grounds of the giant leatherback turtle, canals with abundant wildlife.
4. Public Bus	A comfortable, handy & cheap way to get back and forth if you're pressed for time.
5. Semi-private Shuttle	A good way to go if you have the right sized group.
6. Taxi	More expensive, but flexible & no hassles
7. Flights	You can fly as far as Limon & then take a shuttle, but there are some caveats. Also, it's not much faster.
8. Rent a Car/SUV	Good if you love to drive, or want to do some independent touring. We reccommend POAS RENT A CAR, one of our sponsors.

Music Venue - Rocking J's

Rocking J's is about the coolest hostel-type place I've ever stayed. It's full of art, mostly created by past guests, but some by J himself. We're not talking high art here, but it is cool. The whole place is covered in ceramic mosaics. In fact I think Rocking J's, as a concept and as a whole, is a piece of creativity in itself. J's is on the beach about 300 meters past the Aventuras Bravas Office. The accommodations are basic basic: hammocks, tents and a few plain rooms. But everything you need - kind of a Club Med for backpackers.

The grassy central courtyard area will serve as our venue. In case of rain, there is shelter all around where you can still see the band and enjoy the music.

Yes, it may rain. This is the rain forest after all. It's one of the reasons this area is so beautiful and lush. So make the rain your friend. Strip down to your swim suit or whatever, and dance like a fool.
Check out 11 Things to do in the Rain.

Special Hoedown Group Tour -- Before? -- After? -- Both??

How about this? Are you are interested in a Hoedown group tour? I think it would be a lot of fun to travel together to other parts of Costa Rica! If interested, let us know when you fill out our Tropical Hoedown Reservation Form. We can do one before and/or after the big event. Let me know your druthers.

Puerto Viejo - What's Up With That? Everything you wanted to know: How to get around, What to do, Where to go, etc.

Useful links: Hotels Hoedown Tours Tropical Hoedown Reservation Form