Costa Rica and Panama...

[james.uk]

I'm off in a few days for August. Never been to either place before.... Anyone had any good NC's I should look out for?
I'm bound to bring a couple of boxes of local stuff back!

[butternutsquashpie]

Panama is unknown to me but:
Every single Costa Rican cigar I've had has been excellent. This includes those fake cuban cigars from solo that are made with Costa Rican leaf.
Many of them are small-time brands that are essentially peso cigars in the region. But Costa Rica is a country that lives up to its name (Rich Coast) in that it is very industrialised for a Central American country. I'd love to join you, James.

I'd also love to give you a marca to look out for but alas I can't. All those local cigars have either been unbanded or had weird bands that turns up nothing on Google.

Now the actual question: Are you stopping by Canada on your way back to the UK?

[jerryr]

I've been to both, all be it several years ago, Costa Rica was amazing, although it rained a lot, but I did find some nice unbranded local sticks. If you're in Panama city I'm sure You'll find something worth while, but we weren't there long enough for me to look around .

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[PeeJay]

Just remember to freeze any cigars you buy there and bring back.

[james.uk]

Hehe will do!

[PeeJay]

Hehe will do!

if they're for local consumption they may not have been treated and be carrying unwelcome hitchhikers

[james.uk]

So today I went to the 'Havana humidor room' In San Jose. Interesting place as it shares it's entrance ( heavy duty steel bars and two security gates complete with a 'leave your guns here' sign) with a 24 hour hotel- I'm guessing a knocking shop . Rick the owner was great and we had a good chat. I bought 10 cigars, hand made in CR but with Nicaraguan tobacco as Rick said pure CR cigars were fairly bad. ( or he didn't have any ).
Once back in the UK and I've frozen them I'll report back about what they are like . All in all a fun experience though. ( no I didn't venture upstairs )

[Simon Bolivar]

Hope you get lucky & all 10 are fine smokes.

[Wigan]

Would you mind sharing some of your holiday snaps? What's the place like in general? Would you recommend?

[james.uk]

I'll put some up when I'm back. Wonderful place.. But not for BOTL.

[butternutsquashpie]

I'll put some up when I'm back. Wonderful place.. But not for BOTL.

glad you had some fun, though! did you try those local Costa Rican cigars?

[james.uk]

No really. They looked terrible
San Jose


Middle of nowhere...canoe access only.


Relaxing...


Caribbean Coast.


Sloth sanctuary!


Quick jaunt down to Panama City.
Bridge of the Americas... ( no smoking on the balcony!)


Canal ( have to really..)


Poas volcano...

I have hundreds more but you get the idea.
Most places are No smoking sadly... The American idea that if you are ' on the property' it's illegal to smoke so hotel balconies, patios etc are outta bounds... I was surprised as I thought it would be more relaxed.
Much easier in Spain!

[Wigan]

Looks fantastic but the no smoking means no going

[james.uk]

I managed a few Cigars but only by sitting outside my hotel in San Jose and sometimes having one where I'd been told I shouldn't.

[pootana]

I would like to go to the sloth sanctuary

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