Baja windsurfing vacation with non windsurfing wife

[victor]

if you're considering barbados why not go to maui? shorter, direct flights. better wind and equipment. plenty of accommodation and dining choices to fit anyone's tastes. and you'll still be citizens.

in baja los barriles is probably preferable for the reasons mentioned in other posts. it's much more of an established pueblo than la ventana and almost everything is within walking distance.

[peter19u]

You are probably right. We both really enjoy Maui. I just wanted to try somewhere else. I'll probably go to Maui with the wife and plan a guys trip to Los B.

[rigitrite]

I went to La Ventana with my non-windsurfing wife, and we had a great time. Things to do (for cheap in LV):
1. Take spanish lessons!
2. Yoga classes
3. go SUP in the morning before the wind cranks up
4. running! lots and lots of running trails
5. mtn. biking
6. snorkeling
7. lying on the beach and reading a book

[plattik]

Los Barriles, Vela, is great place to start with non-Windsurfers, for all the above mentioned reasons. I can add the following attractions:
- Hike to the waterfall at Sierra La Laguna.
- My favourite: grab a bike and some snorkel gear and ride up to Punta Pescadero for some great snorkeling on the small reef at the point. Fantastic: same fish as in Cabo Pulmo, beautiful secluded beach... Love it. Go early when the water is calm.
Paul

[plattik]

Oh yeah, how could I forget?! Martin, bartender at Playa Del Sol, makes an Awesome Margarita...

[windsrf]

Yes, he does indeed! Leo is also very good. Their Baja Margarita, including the secret ingredient Damiana, is always a special part of our trip.

[EricRodriguezUS]

I spent 3 days booked a windsurf vacation a great lot. Enjoy to the nice sea instructors and small groups (max. 3 / instructors) was before the first waves of the sense of achievement since..

[bamer]

Costa Rica. Arenal's windy season is in winter. There is plenty of epic mountain biking. For your spouse the options are almost endless from spas and amazing restaurants to hikes, canoeing, waterfalls, hanging bridges, and zip lines. She can go on coffee and chocolate tours at the plantations or donate some time to an animal sanctuary where she can hang out with monkeys, parrots, and other animals.

If you surf, the drive to the Pacific Coast is about 2.5 hours from Lake Arenal and you can stay a few nights for a change of pace.

If you like dogs, there is Territorio de Zaguates, which is dog refuge with almost 1,000 dogs on the way from San Jose to Arenal.

Climate is really nice in the rain forest, in December is generally only rains for 10-30 minutes a day, which is more refreshing than anything. There are monkeys and sloths all over the country.

The only logistical issue is the sailing spot on Lake Arenal is a bit more than an hour from La Fortuna where most the restaurants, spas, and activities I mentioned originate from. You could split the difference for your accommodations and get two cars for the few days leave your spouse without a car and make the drive yourself. If you stay in La Fortuna you don't need a car to do all the activities, there are a lot of tour companies and taxis. The competition is such that prices are reasonable.

Driving in Costa Rica is super easy. The roads and general infrastructure are awesome.

[leslieblaney]

I've been going to Lake Arenal in Costa Rica almost every year since 1993. It is a fabulous place. I'm a sailor and I've observed countless couples which included a non-sailor and mostly they're unsuccessful. Unsuccessful meaning they won't go back as a couple. The windsurfing beach is not fun for a non-sailor because it's windy as hell and it rains a lot. And it's full of people talking non stop about - Windsurfing! Yes there are loads of fun things to do in CR, but almost all of them require a drive of an hour or more. Even the most adventurous spouse won't think that's much fun all alone. The most successful couples plan windsurfing days and excursion days. Or sailing in the morning and excursion in the afternoon. You can't be checking the wind or remarking about the wind while you are on an excursion! Sometimes the excursion days are the very windy days. Bamer I'm not sure where you rented your car but our 4wheel drive was $1000/wk.

[bamer]

Leslie,

Great veteran information. I completely agree that using the windsurfing area for lodging or an operations base is a complete non-starter for the reasons you stated. I mentioned staying in La Fortuna or somewhere in between.

I appreciate your experience, but I would still say Costa Rica for SOME couples. It really depends on 1. what is your idea of a windsurfing vacation, 2. who the individuals are in the couple and their objectives 3. the type of relationship they have in terms of equity.

For some a 'shared' windsurfing vacation means one person focusing on getting as much TOW as possible. For me, that would end in divorce, so if I can sail about 2/5ths of the time I have reached my objective and can still have a perfect vacation. I also love windsurfing, but sailing more than four days in a row starts to get boring. Other activities are an enhancement, not a distraction.

If the desires of the non windsurfing spouse are simply to go to a warm place and sit by a pool, then Arenal is a poor choice because of the extra logistics and cost. But if the spouse is even moderately adventurous and independent, Costa Rica could be awesome. I can easily come up with 4-5 days worth of activities that a spouse could do alone. Activities that are unique and would form the basis of a very memorable vacation.

That is not counting the numerous activities that could be done as a couple in addition to a day of sailing or in lieu of a day of sailing.

I would happily sacrifice 10 hours total of driving to get 5 days of windsurfing and give my spouse a vacation that is 90% of ideal. With the 10% deduction only coming from the split time.

To me the other options seem less ideal: Go to Maui for the Nth time? Take a vacation that appeals 100% to one person and 20% to the other? Take a vacation alone at a later date to get windsurfing in?

Some people go to Arenal only to windsurf. But most of the visitors don't even have windsports on their radar. I have never heard of anyone who isn't part of a windsports couple take a vacation in Los Barilles or La Ventana. The number of options presented here for a non windsurfer on Baja pale in comparison to what Costa Rica has to offer.

To be clear, I'm not down on Mexico, just think Costa Rica is better for some couples because it is both a destination and a windsurfing destination. At the very least, do it once.

On the cars, we drove with a small 2WD SUV from San Jose to La Fortuna, La Fortuna to Salinas Bay (by Nicaragua border) all the way down the Nicoya Peninsula to Montezuma and then back up and over to San Jose. Lots of stops and lots of exploring. We did rent a 4WD for a day to go into the park area south of the Palo Verde National Park (which was amazing). The 4WD was nice for the park, but not needed anywhere else. We paid about $350 total for the 2WD for 11 days and $60 for 4WD for the day in December of 2015 .

Economy 4WDs can be had for about $200 a week including taxes and the required Costa Rica insurance. Basic 2WD compact cars, which are fine for a single person running around, can be rented for as little as $16 a day including the insurance ($6 dollars per day before insurance!!).

Screen shots below of a 7.5 day rental option in December for economy 4WD and ~7 days for a compact. Prices include tax but not the required insurance which is $10-$15 a day on these types of cars. IMO, for two people on small roads, the economy SUV or 4WD generally has more 'utility' than a larger one.