Cabinas Corner: where the tale all began with Felix Menocal
Felix Menocal is a guide in Costa Rica you will want to avoid. The Lonely Planet guide suggests staying at the hostel in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica called Cabinas the Corner as it is a great way to meet up with fellow travelers seeking entry and information about Corcovado National Park. A minute after walking in and getting my room key a young traveler asked me if I was hiking into Corcovado. The guide does not lie.
Dave, coincidentally also a travel blogger at When the Pavement Ends, told me you had to get a reservation a day in advance, and the office was already closed. This meant a layover day in Puerto Jimenez, which I was not too fond of. The hostel concierge suggested going with a guide. She reasoned that a guide could bypass the red tape and get me the next day. This sounded very appealing. The concierge said it did not hurt to talk to one. I agreed and in minutes Felix Menocal from Osa Travel Services arrived at the hostel.
Felix said he could push through the paperwork as soon as the office opened at 8am. Felix also suggested flying into the park for $50.00 if I wanted to go in the next day as the bus leaves before the office opened.
Felix agreed to be my guide for three days for $150.00. He said he usually charges $80.00 to $120.00 per day, but he would do this since it was the down season at the park. I was excited.
The next day Felix arrived at 7:30am and told me he had done the reservation work, but just needed it to be verified when the park opened. He then said he would not guide me into the park as $50.00 a day was not worth it. I was disappointed, but I still wanted to go. Since Felix seemed like such a capable guide I decided it would be great to have him around, so I asked if he would come for $150.00 for two days. He agreed and we headed into the park.
Arrival into the park
The flight into the park was absolutely spectacular. Immediately, once we got into the park we headed into the jungle from the Sirena ranger station. We saw such an amazing array of wildlife and Felix was incredible. He could hear the animals and he would track their sound and then point them out to me. I am pretty skilled myself at spotting birds and animals, but I was not in his league and would have passed up a lot of sightings.
Squirrel monkey – One of the amazing animal sightings Felix showed me
That’s very bad news Ted.
I think that this guy needs to be named and shamed. He has had it too good for too long. This is going to continue to happen whilst he thinks that he can get away with it.
I would complain to Osa Travels and if they do not act then send this to the Costa Rican Tourism Board. They would not want this to get about.
Don’t these guides need a licence to do their work?
Hi Ted,
I did not realise that Osa Travels was owned by Felix – that’s even worse!
His behaviour, unprofessionalism and disgregard for clients is abysmal.
People/businesses affiliated with/living off the tourist industry, ought to be regulated by the tourism bureau to avoid giving a destination a bad name and protect the interests of the service user. Any one can claim to be a guide it seems on the basis that they know certain nature trails and can name various species, but they also need to know how to ‘accommodate’ and ‘host’ their clients. Not rip them off. But this is common-place world round.
I am glad that this incident might kick off a backlash even to the detriment of Felix’s business and family because you were literally abandoned in an inhospitable (unless you are Bear Gryls et al) environment by someone who did not do what they were hired to do.
I hope that word about Osa Travels spreads to other blogs and mainstream travel sites.
I like Costa Rica very much and it does not deserve this!
On a more happy note…regarding tarantulas… when next in the Monte Verde region pop in to the ‘Mundo De Los Insectos’ at Santa Elena to handle them! Also a very good reptile house nearby where you can handle young pythons and meet your deadliest foe…no, not Felix!…the bushmaster snake. Wish I could send pics but not sure how.
Happy trippin,
Mark
If you do go to Monteverde, I suggest you find the guy we hooked up with to guide us around the area: http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2011/07/25/monteverde-costa-rica-travel-guide/
It truly is incredible how much a guide can make or break a trip, which is part of the reason we loved Monteverde but would pass on La Fortuna next time.
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This is a great post and you did the right thing especially pointing out Felix’s adept guide qualities and bad business practices fairly. You should also follow through with a post to Angie’s List. While unfortunate we travelers very well know that some times a good guide is hard to find. Well done Ted and great pictures too.
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Great pics, Ted, but sorry to hear about the frustrations. I’d also post a review on TripAdvisor. I find that site super helpful when I’m making travel plans. When there are so many things to see and so many competent, nice guides out there willing to take good care of travelers, it would be a shame for anyone else to have the same experience you did. Especially, like you said, since not everyone distinguishes between an individual and an entire country when they have a bad experience.
Great park but what a disappointing and frustrating experience. In situations like this, there seems there is nothing you can do but complain and share your story with others. The only way you can really hurt him is by hurting his business. However, since he pretty much has a good part of his business as a guide and people are directed to use the hostel, hard to get around it. Maybe the best thing to share is to make reservations in advance and get a pre-arranged guide so people don’t have to be in the situation you were.
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You see Ted; you obviously did the right thing here according to your feedback so far. Out of tragedy comes triumph for future travelers to Corcovado and Felix will have no choice but to hone his business practices. Well played my friend.
Robb714 recently posted..Endurance of the Human Spirit
Good stuff Ted, sad to read this event, but hey, you’re writing not just to inspire travel but to warn against pitfalls! So naming and shaming on the net will let bad guides know that they will be outed!
Spreading this far and wide will help ensure other bad guides know they need to perform to the agreement.
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Thanks for sharing. You haven’t dampened any traveler’s spirit with this post. Actually, you can get ripped off anywhere – a jungle in Costa Rica is no exception. You’ve done good by naming this guy.
Felix has an attitude problem. Any skill or knowledge he has can be learned, but his personality is already cast in stone (as evidenced by the pattern of ripping people off, not just you). Travelers to Costa Rica should be warned.
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Ted, I’m really glad you posted this. These kinds of events should not be swept under the rug. A horrible guide who scams, cheats and deceives his clients ought be publicly called out by name. It’s too bad you had to experience something like this but events like these do happen routinely while travelling.
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It’s very unfortunate that this happened to you. These people should be named so that the public will be warned.
Micamyx|Senyorita recently posted..What I Did in SOCCSKSARGEN: The S3X Tour Tres Quickie Preview
thanks for sharing your story… i hope this post finds its way to future travellers to corcovado…
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How annoying that the hostel still recommends this guide (apparently because of nepotism)even though he has a long history of ripping off his clients. Glad you posted this– hopefully it will keep other travelers from booking him.
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A thoughtful post Ted. I don’t think there is anything wrong with warning others about a bad guide, or whatever. I think a review such as yours can go along way to either helping Felix become a reputable guide, or getting him out of the business. If he can’t provide a quality service, then he shouldn’t be a guide.
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Thanks for posting this, Ted. It’s important to get the word out. People spend a lot of time and money on vacations, and they don’t deserve to have them ruined by guys like this. You did the right thing.
JoAnna recently posted..What to Pack for a Hiking Trip in Costa Rica
Hi Ted,
As you know, your post helped me avoid a disaster with my Corcovado plans. I would never support someone like this in any way.
The Surcotours I found was amazing in every way- intelligent, honest, caring.
Tell them Usha send you. Three guides with a great Reservations lady- out of PJ.
These guys deserve to earn what they charge- and plus more. I had no problem tipping such capable guide as Roger. Nito and Jeisson are the other two.
I met them all, so you are in great hands with any of them.
happy trekking.
Pura Vida
usha
Hola!
Mi nombre es Berta Sorio, la Dueña de Cabinas the Corner, y pienso que sus comentarios nos estan perjudicando la reputaciòn de las cabinas, quiero agregar que Felix Menocal no trabaja con las Cabinas, y tampoco es de la familia, espero que entienda mi situaciòn, y elimine sus comentarios sobre las Cabinas the Corner.
Gracias.
I was told by a reliable source that Felix’s step mom works at Cabinas. This same person recommended Felix who agreed to $150.00 for three days then $150.00 for two days and then took off after one day with my $150.00.
The lady at Cabinas Corner called Felix and on her recommendation I chose him. Afterward, I found out about his bad reputation in town from multiple sources. Cabinas Corner shares the blame. Sorry, comments stay.
From now on suggest honest guides to your guests and maybe they will write positive posts about you to offset this negative one.
Great post, Ted! I agree that you wrote about your experience very fairly, listing the good and bad objectively. It is a service to other travelers to caution them about unscrupulous guides or other services that they may seek to enhance their travel experience. Kudoes to you for doing just that!
Hola nuevamente,
Ted, te queremos dar una disculpa,
pero Doña Berta no es la madre de Felix, y ella solo quizo recomendar a ese guia turistico, pero ella jamàs penzo que el iva a ser asì! ella lo hizo por ayudar, pero ella se siente muy avergonzada por lo sucedido, y si vamos a tomar sus sugerencias.
gracias!
I took the sentence out talking about relationship although it really does not matter. After Felix left, everyone I talked to in Sirena and in town did not have great things to say about my guide.
I find it hard to believe that people who work at Cabinas Corner did not know about this since it is such a small town.
Felix Menocal is known as a thief, drunk, and violent
person.
There are enough good guides in Jimenez to go around.
Avoid him like the plague.
Thanks for your input David. Felix has wanted to pay me back in return for taking down this post, but for reasons you allude to I have refused. If you have any good guides you could recommend please leave them in another comment.
Thank you for posting! I’d posted a review of Felix Menocal of Osa Travel on Trip Advisor that he disputed (with terrible customer service) as defamation of character, and they actually pulled, but only listed true facts – he was drunk most of the time we were with him and we also did not receive much of what we were promised. He also led us on the walk out at 4:30 am; not explaining to us that that was leaving late so we were wading waist deep through surf with logs in it around rocky headlands. I am a professional guide in the western US and he took took risks that made us as clients uncomfortable . . . not to mention poor ethics for feeding wildlife and accepting our wishes that he also not do so.
Just an addition – DO NOT confuse this Felix Menocal of Osa Travel with another Felix (unknown last name but runs the Las Cotinga’s Lodge in Bahia Drake). We used each on either end of our tour to Corcovado, and Las Continga’s Felix is an AWESOME guide – patient, kind, very knowledgable, safe, friendly, and great customer service. PLEASE DO use Las Continga’s and that Felix if you have a chance – one of the best in all my years of travel!
Thank you for your comments Skot. Sadly, I am not surprised others have had similar issues with him. I already know this post has swayed others from contracting him as a guide, so I feel I have done some good here. Thank you also for recommending worthwhile guides. I might have to check this “other Felix” out next time.
The moral of this story, as it lives on on the web is: don’t mess with travel bloggers (or anyone else) as the Internet has a long memory and can make or break your business.
Thanks for sharing mate. I just met Felix and got a bad vibe from our first chat, you jist confirmed everything and saved me a lot of money so thanks a lot for the post!
I am glad my unpleasant experience saved you a similar unfortunate time. I hope you had a great time in Corcovado and in Costa Rica.
Please do not confuse my company osatravelcostarica with the company
Osatravel.
My name is Roger Blakemore I am the owner of osatravelcostarica.com
I am not a guide but use the very best ones in Jimenez and have a good
Reputation for service and honesty.
The comments posted were about Felix Menocal who runs a different company called osatravel.
There is no connection, just back luck on my part we have similar names.
I am very sorry if this post has had negative effects on your business. I talked to another guide after what happened to me, and he said when something like this happens all the guides suffer because visitors think the whole country is crooked. People like Felix need to know that they represent not only themselves, but their peers, and their country.
Corrected email address