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Costa Rica …. rainforest, beaches, great fishing, fantastic sightseeing, plenty for fishers, non-fishers and families to do – it really is the perfect combination destination to keep all members of a family happy.

Bordered by Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica is the most stable of the Central American countries and has avoided much of the unrest that is often associated with this part of the world. It was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army and Costa Rica’s black and brown vultures are commonly referred to as ‘the airforce’.

Temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the year which is fantastic for families having to work around school holidays. Generally the dry season (December to April) is considered the best time to go with little chance of rain in most regions. It is also at this time of year that spinner dolphins are at their most numerous and it is the best time to see the active volcanoes of Arenal or Poas without cloud cover.

The wet season May to November is also a good time to travel as temperatures remain warm. It rains in brief heavy showers (getting heavier in November) and then clears up. June to August is the best time for surfing and rafting and to see sea turtles with young hatchlings appearing during that period.

Fishing in Costa Rica is year round – the time of year really dictating where you should be based. As the billfish migrate north from Golfito, marlin and sailfish are generally centered around Quepos and Manuel Antonio from December to March and further north along the Guanacaste coast (Flamingo Bay) the rest of the year.

Flight schedules play an important part in any fly fishing holiday itinerary and often dictate where best to spend time both on arrival and prior to departure. I spent the night in a small, friendly hotel in central San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, but there are larger, more easily accessible hotels nearer the airport for those who really do just need a bed for the night. Leaving San Jose I headed to Fortuna by road climbing up into the hills through forest, coffee plantations and acres and acres of strawberries – it’s a green, peaceful and unpopulated journey. My ultimate destination was the active volcano at Arenal. I was gifted with clear skies – the perfect cone was clearly visible for the duration of my stay at Arenal Kioro Lodge. There is plenty to do whilst based here, from visiting the large iguanas to walking through the lava field that resulted from the 1960s explosion. The hotel’s spa is excellent if you don’t fancy a canopy walk through the cloud forest, and the hot springs in Fortuna itself are definitely worth a visit.

The fishermen reading this will be twitching by now; two or three days into a trip and not a rod in sight. Fear not – a short light aircraft flight south west, from one little airstrip to another, and you are in Quepos. Impressively built up, on what feels like the north face of the Eiger, Quepos has hotels and lodges aplenty to suit everyone. From the clean boutique lines of the Gaia Hotel with its unbelievably impressive spa to the romantic and quixotic La Mariposa; or from the aptly chilled out Hotel California to the honeymooners splendour of La Mansion, there is plenty to chose from. For the non-fisher on a fly fishing holiday, again there is ample to keep you busy, or not as required. The beach at Manuel Antonio is busy but rather fun and the abundant tropical-forest on Manuel Antonio National Park is home to white-faced, howler and squirrel monkeys, poison dart frogs, sloths, toucanets, hawks, parrots, owls and eagles and many more. Activities in and around Quepos are numerous and cater for all ages and amounts of adrenalin required.

Quepos dock is in the process of being replaced but hopefully this will take a while and the existing jetty will continue to see boats come and go for a while longer. Offshore fishing is what Quepos is all about with its runs of sailfish, marlin and dorado. Boats leave the dock early, returning late afternoon. A full day out on 35ft Bertram saw plenty of action and my first sailfish – a decent 100lb which had grown enormously in size by the time I made it back to my room and a telephone.

Travelling south, to Puerto Jimenez in search of more fishing, involved yet another wonderful flight in another brightly painted small plane. The approach into Puerto Jimenez could leave you thinking you are going to land on the palm trees rather than amongst them. Puerto Jimenez has a fantastic choice of places to stay. Crocodile Bay is a great base for fishers and non-fishers alike with a huge array of activities in addition to the fishing. I decided to spend my fishing morning inshore rather than offshore and had a fantastic time with my first ever rooster fish (two of 20 lbs in the end) and a huge number of jack crevelle. We went further out to try for some snapper but they weren’t going to play so we headed home – me clutching my ‘proof’ for the office, the crew happy and not a banana (to jinx the fishing) in sight.

This is a beautiful part of Costa Rica and if you have time, staying at one of the eco lodges like Lapa Rios is definitely worthwhile as you will leave with an amazing insight into just how special this area is.

In short Costa Rica has it all for fly fishing holidays; great offshore and inshore fishing, an even climate, superb lodges and hotels to suit all tastes and budgets and plenty to do. Pack a book if you want to but you’re not likely to need it.

Getting to Costa Rica is relatively straightforward via Miami or Dallas and most flight schedules mean that you will need to spend one night in San Jose on the way in but not on the way out. Travelling around Costa Rica is mainly in light aircraft and activities are many and varied. Whether you want to fish, relax by a pool, be spoilt in a spa or try your hand at rafting, diving, horse riding, ziplining or walking through the rainforest canopy there is plenty here for everyone.

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