TV,
Press & Guest Testimonials
Crocodile
Bay Resort has been named Sporting Classics’
Fishing Lodge of the Year (2008) as part of their
ninth annual Awards of Excellence.
With a 5,000-square-foot luxury spa, a private fleet of inshore
and offshore fishing boats, 800-foot pier and top-notch accommodations,
it’s easy to see why Crocodile Bay Resort is the recipient
of this year’s fishing lodge award. MORE>>
David
Benditto: Field & Stream
"Talented
captains with dependable boats; an untapped sail fishery;
scads of roosterfish with an inborn hostility to live bait
and popping plugs. READ
THE FULL REVIEW
Babe
Winkelman: Good Fishing
“This
is much more than arguably the world’s best saltwater
fishing. I’d recommend Crocodile Bay Resort to anyone
purely on the merits of their exotic tropical setting, scenic
beaches, and eco adventures”.
Robert
Montgomery: ESPN/BASS Magazine
“Crocodile
Bay Resort is my favorite place for fishing, enjoying nature,
and just plain relaxing in Costa Rica. Accommodations, meals,
and service are first class, and the setting is a tropical
paradise. I can’t wait to go back again.
Steve
Pennaz: North American Fisherman
“We
raised dozens of sailfish a day, tangled with roosterfish
to 50 pounds and enjoyed the best in accommodations, scenery,
and service. My recommendation? Fish Crocodile Bay Resort!”
”Flip
Pallot: Walker’s Cay Chronicles
“Crocodile
Bay Resort is without question, one of my favorite fishing
locations on the planet! Unsurpassed fishing combined with
eco-activities for non-fisher folk, make Crocodile Bay Resort
the perfect destination. I’m packed and ready to leave
in the morning!”
Rusty
Chinnis, Outdoor-Travel Productions, Inc.
"I
wanted to write you and let you know how impressed I was with
your operation at Crocodile Bay. As a traveling Outdoor Writer
I have visited many Resorts in South and Central America. Few
measure up to the standards you have set in Costa Rica. The
rooms, service, grounds and most importantly the fishing are
all first class. I landed my first, second and third sailfish
on the fly my first day out, what an experience! I would gladly
recommend Crocodile Bay to the most discriminating angler."
Bob
Newman: Bob Newman's Outdoor Zone
I
don’t return to many Resorts because I have to visit
so many in my line of work. Crocodile Bay Resort is one of
the handful I do return to. If you are planning a fishing
trip for saltwater species, you must put Crocodile Bay Resort
among the top five Resorts in the Northern Hemisphere.
Mark
Sosin: Saltwater Journal
“Crocodile
Bay boasts exciting fishing for billfish, roosterfish, and
dozens of other species along with spectacular eco-tours and
premier accommodations in one of Costa Rica’s prettiest
locations. You can’t ask for more. The comfortable accommodations
of Crocodile Bay overlook some of Costa Rica’s best
fishing opportunities for countless species that include roosterfish,
sailfish, and cubera snapper. Add exciting eco-tours and you
have the perfect spot for outdoor adventure at its best!”
Home
to several ESPN Tournaments including the celebrity Sport
Fishing classic featuring Robert Duvall
"I
have traveled the world for the past 20 years as the wife
of a Major League Baseball player. During that time I have
visited spas throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.
I have found the Spa at Crocodile Bay Resort to be right up
there with the best."
Debbie Boggs, Wife of Wade Boggs,
Major League Baseball Hall of Famer
Chosen as a " Top 10 Winter Escape" destination
by Healing, Lifestyles & Spa Magazine!
Trapper
Rudd of Cutthroat Anglers had this to say:
"Todd,
Jeff,
Thanks a ton for the opportunity to come down. My family and
I were blown away by the hospitality!! The entire staff was
so polite and wonderful. My wife and children want to move
there. The crew of Edgar, William and Francisco were the best
"Big Game" crew I have ever fished with. Without
their expertise in "teasing" and boat handling,
this Blue Marlin could not have been landed on a fly rod.
Edgar estimates the Marlin to weigh around 150 to 175. It
was by far the strongest fish I have ever battled on a fly.
Even big Tarpon cannot match the muscle-power of this magnificent
blue water creature. I believe it took between 30 to 40 minutes
to land it. Of course, it was released."
Trapper
Rudd
Owner & Guide
Cutthroat Anglers
Silverthorne, Colorado
www.fishcolorado.com
From
Travel Anglers:
My
adventure at Crocodile Bay Resort, Costa Rica was an exceptional
one. I added three new species to my “catch em all list,”
rooster fish, cubrea snapper, and yellow fin tuna. I also
caught several types of jacks, mackerel, grouper and red snapper,
which obviously means I did nothing but inshore fish. There
was so much action inshore that I didn’t want to take
a gamble going offshore. Another couple at the resort did
go offshore fishing and out-fished me. I know they out fished
me because the resort posts the day’s catches in the
bar. They caught two marlin, one sailfish, an 8 ft hammerhead
and a couple of mahi. As you read other articles that I’ve
written, you will see that I always recommend bringing your
own equipment. I recommend bringing your own equipment, even
to a four star fishing resort (not just because I sell G Loomis
Escape travel rods). On this trip for example, as we are pulling
out from the dock on the first day, I spot some bait busting
out of the water 50 yards from shore. As I turned to the captain,
he dismissively yells “bonita.” I turned to the
mate and shrugged, as if I don’t mind. He saw that I
brought some light tackle and yells for the captain to head
towards the busting bait. As we head that way, the mate looks
through the box of Yo-Zuri lures I brought (which I hope to
be selling soon) and he picks out a crystal minnow and ties
it on. Within 15 minutes we had two dozen bonita, ranging
three to five pounds, which for me, is just as much fun as
reeling in a 30 lb. rooster. Also, if you bring your own gear
you can fish off of the 700’ pier & dock, catching
a variety of species such as snook, rooster fish, grouper,
snapper, jacks, etc. Crocodile Bay Resort is in a perfect
location for both offshore and inshore fishing with short
boat rides to each.
Not
only is Crocodile Bay a four star fishing resort, they also
offer a pool and hot tub with swim up bar, 26 eco tours and
a 5000 square foot spa, which is a must after fishing all
day. I would have to say the most valuable asset the resort
has to offer would be its fishing director Todd Staley,
which quite possibly could be the world’s most knowledgeable
saltwater angler. Todd meets with you in the morning and again
in the evening to answer any questions and to make sure you’re
catching fish. All in all, this is a resort for all ages looking
for adventure and luxury in the same package.
Craig Bailey,
Travel Anglers
Dear
Crocodile Bay Resort,
I just wanted to let you know that Crocodile
Bay was very highly rated by DCX folks. We had a small group
of 10 there and they said they would have rather come to the
Osa Peninsula and Crocodile Bay for their entire stay in Costa
Rica. These folks were Ultimate Car Dealers that got to go
on this Ultimate Extension. They were at the Four Seasons
in Guanacaste first. We also had some of them wanting to come
down again on their own.
I think
the reasons were that they had much more a feel of what Costa
Rica is famous for in this location; tropical rain forests,
abundance of wild life and great fishing. They all liked the
intimate lodge feel as well.
Although
Crocodile Bay was not used to incentive groups, they were
extremely flexible and the management staff on site went above
and beyond to accommodate all requests the pax had. Art Lamstein
from the California office was great to work with.
Cynthia
Ahlberg,
Meetings and Event Planner,
Carlson Marketing
Our
guests love it and come back for more!
April 2009
Dave,
THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!
We had an absolutely spectacular time at Crocodile
Bay – unbelievable! Costa Rica is breathtakingly beautiful
and everything about our trip was absolutely first rate. The
CB staff couldn’t have been nicer if they’d tried
– Olimpia, Flory, Maria, Jenny, Marcus, Erik, Dennis,
Alberto and the rest of the crew were amazing. They truly
embraced us as if we were family and made every part of our
trip spectacular.
We zip-lined through the rain forest, fished
for two days – the first day, Todd, Abby and Alex all
caught sailfish! The next day it was my turn…wouldn’t
you know it…the fish weren’t biting! Regardless,
it was a wonderful day on the boat – Geovanni and Mauricio
were fabulous – they tried hard to get us fish! We saw
a whale and hundreds of dolphins…and more. One morning
we went snorkeling with Dennis and Mauricio – very fun!
The spa was exceptional – I’ve been to many spas
from Vegas and Chicago to LA and NYC – they’ve
got nothing on CB’s spa. The team there was top-shelf.
The resort is wonderful – we loved the
pool and the grounds. We saw scarlet macaws, toucans, monkeys,
crocodiles and more…without ever leaving the resort!
I can’t thank you enough – this
was the absolute trip of a lifetime. Our kids both said that
they’d be back (Alex – age 18 – is already
planning his honeymoon there – and he doesn’t
have a girlfriend!!).
The flight in was amazing – so beautiful.
The country is lush; the people friendly, gracious and genuine;
the food was delicious and the resort was spectacular. Our
accommodations were fabulous! Thank you!!
The staff made a special Easter bunny cake
for Todd’s birthday and set the table with party hats
and balloons. They turned out the lights, lit the candles
and had the whole resort (25 people or so) sing Happy Birthday
to Todd. It was certainly a birthday to remember! Flory, Maria
and Olimpia are a hoot! They are certainly keepers!
I can’t say enough…
I’m about 450 emails behind (in my inbox),
so have to run. I’ll be in touch again, shortly!!!
Thank you for helping our family to build
such special and amazing memories.
Nancy
September
3, 2008
Dear
Crocodile Bay Resort,
Now that we are back from Costa Rica, I just wanted to send
a quick note to let you know what an absolutely incredible
time we had.
All our expectations were more than exceeded!! My wife, who
was aprehensive regarding the whole trip, is now discussing
making this an annual event and is contacting friends to join
the fun.
While I know I am missing some by name the entire staff was
fantastic! Todd, Ricardo, German and Melvin made the fishing
a great experience! Alberto, Dennis, Karla, and Julio made
the Eco experience wonderful! Jenny, Jacqulin and Floibeth
made the food and drink wonderful! and Adopho and Markus made
the transfers, even through Golfito, painless!!
Again, thanks to the entire Crocodile Bay family in making
our week and experience we will never forget!
If you need to, feel free to use me as a reference.
Thanks again,
Jeff and Kadi Jensen
Feb,
2008
Crocodile
Bay,
Ang
and I had a wonderful time at Crocodile Bay. The resort was
all that one could hope for and more. I have fished
in Alaska, Canada, Florida just to name a few and I can honestly
say that I have never been at a fishing resort that was run
as well as Crocodile Bay. The minute we cleared immigrations
we were taken care of. We never had to worry about what we
were supposed to do or when we were supposed to do it. The
tours were fun and educational. The resort workers were very
friendly and helpful. The boats were very clean and the captains
and mates did everything in their power to try and help us
catch fish. The fish didn't
always cooperate but that is why they call it fishing and
not just catching. I stepped off a boat after fishing all
day and told Todd I wish I could find something to complain
about but I jsut couldn't come up with anything. We caught
sails, dorado, and rooster fish for the first time in our
lives and loved every minute of it. I probably won't make
it back in 2008 but I am almost positive you will see us again
in early 2009. We went to Jamaica in Dec., Costa Rica in Jan.
and just got back from the Dominican Republic. The best trip
of them all was the trip to Croodile Bay.
Sincerely,
Dick Palmer
Tuesday,
April 17, 2007
First, let me say what a great time we had! Everything was
first rate. We were very impressed with Crocodile Bay and
especially with the knowledge of all of our guides. As someone
who travels a lot within the U.S., I can tell you that I have
never stayed in any U.S. hotel or resort that had the attention
to detail that Crocodile Bay's house-keeping staff had. And
the cooks, wait staff, bartenders and front office personnel
were outstanding as well.
Thanks again for your help. Your responsiveness
to our initial inquiries gave us the confidence to give Crocodile
Bay a try (we were looking at another CR vacation outfit but
too little too late on the info). And you continued to provide
excellent customer service even after our contract was set.
All in all, we rate this a 5 star vacation!!
Kenley Hetzel
Consumer Solutions Manager
Masterfoods USA
Highlands Ranch, CO
February
17, 2007
OLA!!
We are home from Costa Rica & what a wonderful trip -
we
hope we'll be returning next year (after all, I never made
it out to the chocolate plantation!).
Took Eco-tours into rain forest ; had 'hands on'
experiences at the exotic animal rehab refuge (they recondition,
care for and/or release birds & "exotic" animals
confiscated from smuggling trades & mistreating owners);
took a private tour of Botanical Gardens on the Osa Peninsula
- at first glance our host seemed a reminder of our Earthchild
days of the 60's & 70's, but he was an absolute whiz (and
an inspiration considering the fete he accomplished in building
a respected, dream inducing botanical site). He lives his
passion and holds serious knowledge of botany & gardening.
His compound & gardens look like something out of a movie
set. The only way in & out is by small boat, so no roads
(presume everything there was solar) so his work is a true
challenge since you can't just hop in the car & run to
the store for potting soil, seeds or fertilizer).
- Our lodging was on the 2nd (top) floor - roomy bath &
main room, replete with much needed A/C . A large deck
looked right out into almond & Ylang-Ylang trees (which
held
huge scarlet macaws, toucans & other exotics @ eye level
for our enjoyment while sitting in oversized wood & leather
rocking chairs during cocktails or morning coffee).
- Crocodile Bay's 1 yr old spa is in a low sprawling
building right on the compound. Faint scents of clean
exotic herbs & flowers wafted through its rooms &
I could've
sworn I was in a posh Palm Springs Resort inside. The decor
is high end tasteful with a hint of tropics. They had a
complete menu of treatments, massages, etc...but Mark only
opted for an upper body massage & I fell asleep during
a facial - I am such a hick!.
- Cuisine @ Crocodile Bay resort's worthy of the very
best U.S. restaurants - local & Cuban specialties, beautiful
fruits & salads...3 squares a day if you wanted it (drink
&
food was all part of package)... we just had trouble
deciding what to select for dinner each night. We can
always get steak, prime rib & rack of lamb @ home, so
usually it was one of 4 or 5 fresh (off the daily charter
boats) fish...grilled - Ahi/Tuna, Wahoo/Ono, Snapper,
Corvina/Sea Bass, Marlin, Dorado/Mahi-Mahi, Seviche (mixed
fresh seafoods "cooked" in lime & spices), or
perhaps
grilled prawns or seafood bisque?...all prepared in a large
spotless kitchen by trained chefs in their immaculate white
uniforms & tall chef's hats. If you even hesitated at
a
dish, they would immediately appear to explain (in very good
English) its ingredients, preparation... or even ask you if
you wished something else (the only time we hesitated was
merely to decide how to try EVERYthing - the buffet setup
for breakfast & dinner allows a wide range - from a healthy
weight conscious approach to sheer indulgent gluttony!
- Other lodge services were 5 star too - friendly &
attentive without being pretentious. Seems that even if you
"thought" you wanted something, it instantly appeared.
The
lodge is US owned but staffed mostly with locals or Ticos
(native Costa Ricans) from other areas, with a few
Internationalities thrown in. English is easily understood
by all staff we encountered. Service is friendly &
efficient...in other words if I swam up to the pool bar &
took a seat, the bartender was already muddling the mint
leaves for my refreshing (and authentic) Cuban Mojito (or
if
it was Mark, they had blackberries in the blender ready to
make him a Blackberry Colada)....and speaking of the
beautiful pool with a rock waterfall (hot tub was at the top
of the "volcano" of course!), we should mention
the 1st day
there no one was in the pool when we heard a splish-splash
& saw a 2' long "Jesus Christ Lizard" (Basilisk)
running on
his back legs full speed across the surface of the deep end!
Apparently named because they "walk on water" this
guy
appeared more than once around the pool, but didn't pose any
threat to anyone - he merely showed up for a daily ration
of pineapple rind from anyone who might supply it...like having
the Nature/Discovery channel without even touching a TV dial.
- Charter fishing is with the lodge's own service - the
best of fishing gear (according to both Audie & "Marco")
-
all boats were nearly brand new Boston Whalers with
professional Capt & mate (who thankfully spoke
English)....and yes, Mark's catches included Sailfish,
Dorado, Snapper, Grouper, Triggerfish (a shaker), Big Eye
Tuna, Bonita, and a huge Moray Eel (also a shaker, only the
mate cut the line far away from its needle-like fangs). All
but the snapper were released (and that grilled snapper WAS
delicious @ dinnertime!). In our ventures across the Golfo
Dulce (Sweet Gulf) we also saw lots of reef fish, "regular"
dolphins (could almost touch them from the boat), spinner
dolphins, marlin, various types of sea turtles & manta
rays jumping...there's probably more I just can't remember
right now.
I visited a few local artisans, although there's very
little to the old gold mining town of Puerto Jimenez. Town
itself consists of a few dirt roads & makes a lot of places
in Mexico look posh. Only the small airstrip is "paved"
(and even that is chip seal...and located right along the
wall of the local cemetery). As soon as each NatureAir
plane lands - there are several in & out daily, the airstrip
is filled with kids on bikes & dogs....so much for TSA
standards! We both love the views & experience of small
plane flight, but be prepared to bump a little in & out
of
San Jose while climbing over the mountains - and likewise
be
prepared to enjoy the sights of the coastline as you
approach the gulf to land - from the plane we could even see
dolphins chasing after the boats!
I often walked out of the 45 acre compound, through the
gate (with a golf umbrella borrowed from the lodge for
shade) & took a dirt road to an ocean beach about 3+ miles
away - Playa Preciosa ..isolated with a few rustic thatched
cabanas (for some reason I was hearing old Jimmy Buffet
tunes in my head!)...pure & beautiful with just a couple
of
well-hidden "resorts" (which we'd call "bed
& breakfasts for
the naturalist soul"). I usually saw 2 or 3 kinds of
monkeys (including howlers), lots of exotic birds, herds of
odd Brahma cattle (thankfully fenced - some had huge horns!)
and many many butterflies (even several of the famed big,
Blue Morphos). I was joined in my travels by 2 local dogs
- one hound & the other a Samoyed mix - I called them
Thelma & Louise. They'd run a little ahead & dutifully
look back over their shoulders to make sure I was following
(HOT & HUMID even @ 8AM - walks there are not for wussies!).
Occasionally the dogs would disappear & I'd find them
sitting in & drinking from deep pools in the creeks we
crossed. Once we got to Playa Preciosa towards the far end
of the beach they were in & out of the ocean & up
under the Cabanas before I could even get my feet wet!
Our journey both coming & going included 1 night in Costa
Rica's capital, San Jose...it's almost as high as the
Klamath Falls basin & surrounded by lush green mountain
ranges...a LOVELY climate there - mid to high 70s with
slight breeze & humidity is less than Portland even though
it's very tropical. On the way home, our driver, Carlos,
apologized that he couldn't actually check us into the Hotel
Cariari Melia; but he could only drop us off with our bags
to the bellhops in front "due to security"...seems
they were
having a summit of all the Presidents of Central American
countries there that day ! We were not inconvenienced at
all (told Carlos that had it been the US, we wouldn't have
even be allowed to stay @ same hotel!) - but it WAS
interesting to see how they do security & secret service
down there...and we never did catch a glance of Mr. Ortega!
Kay
Doolittle
Wednesday
Jan 24, 2007
I would like to thank you for
a wonderful time spent last week at your resort. All of the
staff was excellent. I was with the Ferguson group Lee Kline.
The trip was definitely a trip of a life time. Thanks to all
and I would like for Todd to see this and to let him know
that German and Erick were and probably are the best crew
he has. In talking with the 12 men that were there with us
German and Erick definitely did the best job and I am coming
back every year just to be on their boat. Their hospitality
and ability to land a sail fish on a boat with a broken rod
was just incredible. Wonderful job. Please let them know how
much they were appreciated.
Thanks again.
Randy
L. Laguna, Vice President
Merit Sprinkler Company, Inc.
Thursday,
September 14, 2006
Dear
Rick and Dave,
We are back from our trip to Crocodile Bay Resort and wanted
to tell you both that we had an absolutely incredible visit!
From the minute we were met in San Jose the CBR staff did
everything possible to see that our every wish was granted.
The resort was fabulous...the perfect blend of Costa Rica
"elegant rustic" and lavish ambience. The beer was
always ice cold, the drinks perfectly mixed, and the food
delicious! We won't even try to describe the decadence of
the desserts or the spa!
As for the fishing...CBR's reason for being...it was awesome.
We arrived at the resort about 9:30 a.m. Met with a luscious
fruit smoothie (rum optional), check-in went without a hitch
and by 10:15 we were on a boat with our very accomplished
and accommodating captain, Leandro, for some inshore Rooster
fishing. Catch (and release) for the day? Seven very respectable
Roosters and three needle fish. Imagine Carol's delight when
Capt. Leandro pronounced her Rooster the day's big win at
an estimated weight of 45-50 lbs.! (See attached photo.) I
had a couple of impressive contenders, but clearly she was
the big winner on Day 1.
Day 2 found us heading off shore. Although
I missed a strike by a majestic Marlin, a 60-70 lb. tuna was
a great "consolation" prize. (See attached photo.)
Capt. Melvin and our mate Marisco saw to it that we had a
great day on the water and that we didn't come home empty
handed. That night we enjoyed our catch courtesy of the wizardry
of CBR's very accomplished chef.
Day 3, and our final day of fishing, found
us off shore again with Capt. Melvin. This time, though the
billfish remained elusive, our catch included more tuna and
several beautiful and feisty Dorado, providing more fodder
for the larder as fresh-caught Mahi. (See yet more attached
photos.)
All in all it was a fabulous trip on and off the water. We're
already planning a return trip and are telling all our friends
about the special allure of Crocodile Bay Resort.
Warm regards and our thanks to both of you,
Capt. Bob and Carol Owens
I
just wanted to touch base with you after our trip to Crocodile
Bay, Costa Rica. As always your planning and itinerary were
perfect just like my previous visits to Costa Rica. Everyone
at Crocodile Bay did all they could and more to make sure
that my wife and two daughters had the trip of a lifetime!
We went fishing, snorkeling, and explored the rain forest
during our stay. My wife and daughters even got a couple of
the girls that worked at the Resort to take them shopping one
afternoon in the village and then came back to enjoy the new
spa! We only wish we could have stayed a lifetime!
It
was a great spring break vacation and I would recommend it
to any of your clients that would like to take their families
to Costa Rica to experience an area of the country where development
has not spoiled the pristine beauty of country.
Regards,
Charlie Payne
"We recently had the great fortune to go to your resort
in Costa Rica. I am writing to let you know that our experience,
from start to finish was FANTASTIC!!!" >>MORE
“The
luck continues for me here. Perhaps my best day fishing anywhere
in the world- and i have fished hawaii venezuela, ghana africa
and ascension island. For today the costa rican slam- 20 lb.
Dorado, 150# yellowfin tuna, 100 lb. Sailfish, 225 lb. Blue
marlin, and the crème de la crème, a 450 lb.
Blue marlin.
Andy
Fanter
Valley Center, KS
“the
most complete fishing and touring service anywhere! That includes
all of the smiling, friendly, captains, touring and Resort
staff.
The
boats are well maintained and clean. Food and beverage rate
at least a 10.
Charles
Arndt,
Fin & Feather Safarie
“wait ‘til our friends see the pictures and hear
the stories. We will have to make plans to return with many
ohters.
Great fishing, service & accommodations
Bruce
& Sharon Sauger
"Crocodile
Bay Resort is one of the most unique fishing and eco-tour destinations
I've ever visited. First class service, first class fishing
& first class flora & fauna right outside the Resort's
well-appointed rooms. Crocodile Bay Resort has it all, including
my five star rating, which few Resorts have ever earned. I'm
already planning my trip in 2002!"
"
At 63 I had never been sailfishing before and the people at
Crocodile Bay Resort gave me everything I needed to make a
dream come true. A great staff that make you feel right at
home- one of the family. The food, rooms, boats, and gear
are all top notch. The walk and ride on our escorted trip
into the rain forest was a great way to see what's inside
that wall of green thats all around you. The air is so clean
you can see forever. Oh! and now I can say I've caught a Sailfish,
Roosterfish, Dorado, Jack Corvell and many more! Thank You!"
––
Don Baker
Newark CA
To:
Crocodile Bay Resort Owner and Staff — April 16, 2003
I am writing to say we had a great time for our first of what
will many future trips to Costa Rica via Crocidle!!
Your Resort facilities were very inviting the carved hard woods
and doors used really set off the ambience of the rooms and
Resort. All your office staff, especially Elizabeth and Eric
made for a personable experience. I can't say enough about
your staff. They were always attentive making every effort
to see that my wife and I were having a great time.
Your Chef Maurice has an outstanding personality and his cuisine
was always exceptional and beautifully presented. My wife
really enjoyed the fresh flowers on her plate and at the table
everyday.
Your use of native flower and the Chanel #5 fragrant trees
interspersed in the landscape around the Resort was spectacular
and truly added a finale touch to the tropical paradise setting
of your Resort. The young lady tending the poolside bar presented
her tropical drinks artistically and was very talented with
her palm leaf weaving of grasshoppers etc..
Your boats, captains, and deck hands always seemed to be working
to see that we had a great time and that our tackle was set
up properly so as not to have any line, hook, or knot failure.
We raised and released many sails on fly and 15# test light
tackle. I even landed a 120 + lb. sailfish, tail hooked on
light tackle in in what turned out to be over one hour fight.
Todd your boat coordinator checked in with us everyday to
tend to our request for the up coming fishing day, he was
very helpful and attentive.
My wife enjoyed her rainforest, and beach horse riding tour.
She found Johnny very knowledge about the flora and fauna
of the local rainforest and mangrove species as well as the
many medicinal benefits of the forest plants. She commented
that they saw more animals birds and flowers in your tours
then we saw in the gondola rainforest canopy tour we took
near San Jose.
We had the good fortune of touring Costa Rica from Puerto
Jimenez in the south to Flamingo Beach resort in the north,
and to the east to the Atlantic rain forest. We found Crocodile
Bay and the Martino to be most to our liking and we will be
back next year and every year we are able.
While staying in San Jose we stayed at the Hotel Spa Resort
Martino for three nights I can't say enough about this incredibly
beautiful and exceptionally well done hotel and staff. While
staying we toured to the volcano Poas and the Lapaz Butterfly
& Waterfall Gardens (C.R. Tel 506-394-3349 www.waterfallgardens.com.)
for reservations. This Tour takes from 9 AM until about 4
PM. Also one should tour the Zoo across the street from the
Martino to view plants, tropical birds and animals. This Zoo
can be seen in about two to three hours. Tickets for the Zoo
are $4.00 US when bought at the hotel desk.
Again thank you! And big thank you to Xenia Mena of Costa
Rica Travel Web.!
Peter & Patsy Margiotta
Elizabeth: I want to personally thank you and the entire CBL
staff for the wonderful display of hospitality shown both
me personally and our Hunter Banks group during our stay last
week. The dedication displayed and willingness of the CBL
to accommodate is perhaps unparalleled in this day and age
of travel.
I look forward with anticipation to my next trip. Regards,
Edwin
M. Waleryszak
"How
to say THANK YOU!!!?
For
..... sails on a fly ..... Macaws mating in tree tops .....
Holler monkeys awakening you from a dream ..... roosters in
the surf sparing with diving frigate birds over boiling bait
..... three fingered sloths ..... butterflies galore .....
broaching whales ..... parrots squawking a wakeup call .....
toucans heading west in the sunset ..... and an orchid paradise.
Your
staff is outstanding, demonstrating a rarely seen enthusiasm
toward their guests enjoyment, ensuring an adventure of a
lifetime both in angling and experiencing the habitat of Costa
Rica. Jeanette and I have never enjoyed a vacation more! Your
staff and Resort provided us with material for a lifetime of
dreams. Crocodile Bay Resort is a proud achievement of your
vision and hard work. Again, thank you!!"
Ted
& Jeanette Olson
http://www.caranx.net/index.htm
Press
Orvis Travel - Field Reports
Costa Rica's Crocodile Bay Resort
Mike Quartararo
The
flight to Puerto Jiminez, Costa Rica, the location of Crocodile
Bay, goes from San Jose over the Talamanca mountains, across
a landscape where coffee plants stripe the countryside towards
the Pacific wild coast. The verdant scenery is intriguing,
but your attention quickly turns to the expanse of the Pacific
and dreams of a great fishery.
Crocodile
Bay Resort is less than a mile from the airstrip that serves
the Osa Penninsula and we quickly arrived to find a cold drink
waiting and the guides standing by in the boats. My friend
Carrie and I headed straight for the dock.
By
11:30 a.m., I was hooked up with a 120 lb. Pacific sailfish.
The impact of the take and acrobatics of that first hooked
sailfish are unforgettable. Later we landed dorado and yellowfin
tuna on conventional gear, and that night enjoyed the distinct
pleasure of having the yellowfin served as sashimi and ceviche.
Day
two offshore we immediately hit a school of dorado at the
mouth of the Gulfo Dulce and Carrie was catching them as fast
as she could get a line into the water. I grabbed my 10 wt
Trident TL rigged with sinking 10 wt Wonderline and cast a
blue and white deceiver behind the stern into the mass of
turquoise torpedos. After two strips I was into a fish and
the action continued as I played and landed dorado in the
5-15 lb. range. Later, as I cast to what seemed to be a bigger
dorado, I hooked the best fish of the trip on a fly. It jumped
and tail walked for a full 45 minutes, but finally, due to
the exceptional drag system on my Vortex reel, I landed a
40 lb. bull dorado.
The
inshore fishing in the Gilfo Dulce is extremely rich and,
since it's a large, remote body of water, we fished for two
days without seeing another boat. Schools of 30 dolphins cruised
by, acres of baitfish were chased by bonito and we spotted
a 100 lb plus sailfish inshore. We also encountered roosterfish,
a brute of a fighter who makes spirited jumps, and one memorable
day had great fun catching five fish in the 30-45 lb range
and one 55 lb. fish on the fly. To make things even more interesting,
there was great inshore fishing for snook, snapper and Pacific
jack, and more.
The
rich wildlife and rainforest equaled the fishing. This remote
corner of Costa Rica has been called the "most ecologically
intense place on Earth" and the "richest forest
on Central America." Crocodile Bay is not far from Corcovado
National Park, a true wilderness where jaguar tracks can be
seen on the beach and flocks of macaws are among the 400 species
of birds. It's one of the most interesting places in Central
America to trek in the rainforest or kayak along the mangrove
estuaries where crocodiles, monkeys and sea turtles are common
sights. Carrie and I went out with Tom Hutton, a local guide,
and spotted toucans, scarlet macaws, trogons and a host of
colorful tropical birds. Anyone with an interest in nature
has to take some of these tours in addition to fishing.
Crocodile
Bay Resort is less than a year old and is beautiful. The rooms
are spacious and air conditioned. The pool and jacuzzi fit
right into the landscape. The meals were excellent, featuring
local cuisine. The staff, including the fishing crews were
attentive and fun. It's definitely Orvis quality and I highly
recommend it. I'd go back in a flash.
http://www.orvis.com
More 2006 Testimonials From Our Guest-Book at Crocodile
Bay Resort!
Jan
14/06
To the entire staff at Crocodile Bay-Thank you for making
this week so special for my dad and me. We caught a lot of
fish, saw amazing wildlife, met terrific people and had a
wonderful time! We’ll see you soon!
Elizabeth Neuhoff, Chicago & Bob Russell
Missouri
Jan
15/06
Once again a great time! Fishing, eco-touring, swimming, the
staff are exceptional and the food was high quality!! Thanks
for the memories.
Frank and Cindy Todisco
Feb
6/06
What a great four days-loads of sails and marlins too, absolutely
the most dedicated staff around. Will be making the trip twice
a year now.
Ed Fasthook from Bronx, NY
Feb
10/06
We had a great trip. First time ever bill fishing. Landed
a few nice ones and lost a few nice ones. I caught my first
rooster- fish about 50lbs. We enjoyed all the wonderful staff,
everyone from hotel, bar, restaurant, and more. This was our
first trip/visit to Crocodile Bay and we are planning on returning
in the near future. We hope to bring family/friends with us
so they can enjoy the best time ever, like ourselves. Thanks
to All of the Staff at Crocodile Bay for a wonderful time
ever!
Tim and Penny Mallory
Seattle, Washington
Feb 2006
Our third year here has been better than ever! Service by
all 150 staff is impeccable, making us feel right at home.
We have formed a wonderful kinship with all the smiling, always
helpful personnel, whom could not be more accommodating. Brian
was the ultimate chief eco- tour manager; his bright smile
made our days! Richard fished for sailfish five days off shore,
catching 44 sailfish and I caught 3 sailfish, my first! Now
I know what all the fuss is about, extremely exciting!!!
We
finally met the owner of this very fine establishment, a gentle
and warm- hearted man full of charisma and genuine caring
demeanor.
Judith
and Richard Schram
Feb 26/06
The warmth of the staff and expert instruction of guides (Alberto
especially) made the 7-day stay one we would recommend to
anyone. The special touches-flowers on our porch, the delicious
drinks and wide offering of dishes at all the meals, plus
the treasured beauty made this week colorful, fragrant, tasty,
hard to end! Thanks to all who gave us warm smiles and greetings
and good service. God Bless!
Paul and Carol Brouha
Feb
27/06
We thank you so much for giving us the ‘job’ of
relaxing! We found a perfect balance of exciting fishing and
spectacular eco-touring. Surfing! Monkeys and 50 new species
of birds in just one day. Danilo was a huge success for us,
as was Alberto. Carlos, the driver, was helpful and charming
as well. As for the house staff…thank you all-
Judy and Lee Rusconi, Eureka, Ga.
March
7/06
We came not knowing what to expect, hoped for a lot, and had
our hopes surpassed. The fishing was fun with an experienced
and friendly captain and 1st mate. Better still, they love
to fish too, so they worked hard to get us into those beautiful
sailfish!
Thanks Victor & Steven
March
7/06
We
surfed, mountain biked, horseback riding and snorkeled too.
All of the guides were knowledgeable and fun. Thanks Brian,
Danilo and Hilo ( if anyway gets a chance, ask for these guys!)
Kan & Nicole Mercer
P.S. Thanks to all for taking such great care of us (esp.
Todd!)
March 8/06
Our first, but not last, trip to Crocodile Bay. We were very
impressed, not only with the beautiful facility, the fantastic
food, the fishing and eco-tours, but the staff was absolutely
fantastic! John caught his first sailfish and I caught a Dorado…..-A
big one !
(To me, anyhow!) The zip-line was thrilling and interesting.
I’m sure the pictures won’t do this place justice,
but we intend to tell everyone we know! We will send them
pictures…..and they can’t stop us! Thanks for
a fabulous week!
John and Sharon Ludell
Concord, North Carolina, USA
March
9/06
What a wonderful time! Your staff really made our kids feel
at home. For a 10 and 7 year old, not knowing what they were
coming into, they were so sad to leave. We will be back and
hopefully some friends from Orange County California will
be with us. Thank you again for the great fishing, eco-tours
and experiences.
Scott, Laurie, Alyssa, and Brian McIvor
March
20/06
The best resort in all of Central America. The best staff
is your greatest asset. Wonderful attitudes. A credit to your
Country!
Ken Cashin
Tallahassee, Fl.
May 2/06
Had a fantastic vacation! The beauty of the country was only
exceeded by the hospitality of everyone on the staff. Great
Job! Will highly recommend your organization.
Walt and Susan Dill
June
23/06
Crocodile Bay is AWESOME! We had a great time fishing and
enjoying the other activities. All the people were so nice.
Thanks for an awesome vacation!
Love,
Paula and Scott Nice
Stephanie, Greg and Scott Wieland
June 29/06
Great time, first roosterfish and my wife and son got their
sailfish. Fabulous! We´ll be back!!! Love you Ticos!!
Chris, Shannon, Trevor & Zach Johnson
San Diego, CA.
Did I forget to mention the FOOD!? Excellent!!
If you are interested in record setting Costa Rican sport
fishing contact us directly: Office (800) 733-1115 •
Fax: (415) 209-6177 •
Email: info@crocodilebay.com
