Costa Rica Places of Interest

It is hard to decide where to start their vacation for the first time visitors and even for those that frequently come and visit this Central American country. If your entry airport is San Jose which is the most commonly used then you could do one of the following combinations for a one week visit.

Suggestions for visitors to Costa Rica:

It is recommended to stay at least two nights in San Jose to discover the city and understand a little of the culture of the Costa Ricans. From San Jose you may take several very interesting tours to different National Parks and attractions that are close to its neighboring cities.

From San Jose Most people head to Arenal Volcano area for another couple of nights.  Arenal is a natural paradise were you may do multiple hikes, canopy tours, horseback riding tours, rafting, AtV tours or simply relax at the hot springs of the volcano and enjoy the view.  After Arenal you must decide if you would like to head to the Central Pacific of Costa Rica or to the Northern Pacific coast. This last section of the trip is the beach days. If you prefer to stay closer to San Jose it is much better to go to the Central Pacific Coast. Guanacaste is much drier but also home of some of the most beautiful beaches and beach resorts in the country.

We highly recommend spending the last night on a city close to the airport to guarantee you will not have any problem with your return flight back home or to your next destination.

Other places of interest to visit in Costa Rica are:

The Caribbean Coast with beautiful beaches and colorful towns is worth visiting.  Some of the most visited attractions in Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast are Tortuguero, Barra de el Colorado, Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and Punta Uva.

In the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the most crowded beach city is Jaco and the most visited National Park is Manuel Antonio which is a small but unforgettable National Park to discover.
Costa Rica has more than 25 % of its territory of protected areas and National Parks. Most of them with unique characteristics worth visiting.

The northern Pacific and the whole province of Guanacaste is where the Costa Rican cowboys may be seen and also land of some of the best beach resorts in the country.

The Southern Pacific is the less visited area of Costa Rica but is one with the most diversity of nature but less accessible to most tourists.

If you would like to get personalized advice or see some already made vacation packages please don’t hesitate to contact us 1-877-281-8515 or call us from Costa Rica 506-2257-41-71.
For already made vacation packages to Costa Rica.

http://www.costaricaguides.com/costa_rica_multiday_tours_.html

Interesting Places in Arenal

The Arenal Lake | La Fortuna Waterfall | The Arenal Hanging Bridges
La Casona Rio Fortuna| The Venado Caves

The Arenal Lake

The Arenal Lake was in the beginning a small lagoon but in 1973 the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity built a dam in the eastern part of the valley. Within three years this became the biggest lake in Costa Rica with a surface of 88 square kilometers. In the southwest end of the lake there are wind turbines that supply water to Guanacaste and hydroelectricity to the Arenal region.

The lake is popular among sport fishers that can expect to catch rainbow bass or any other of the ten species of fish that now inhabit the lake.

La Fortuna Waterfall

The most popular excursion in the area, after Arenal Volcano and Arenal Lake, is the waterfall of La Fortuna. The waterfall is reached by a 5,5 kilometer gravel road leading from the town. If you walk, it will take about an hour. The road goes through the idyllic agricultural countryside of the region. You can also visit the waterfall by horse or by car. From the observation point you will have a good view of the 40-meter long and narrow waterfall. The bird watching is also very good from this point. There is a steep trail leading to the base of the falls where you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the natural pool.

The Arenal Hanging Bridges

Walking on the Arenal Hanging Bridges is a great opportunity to come closer to the nature and to get another perspective of the beautiful region of Arenal. There are eight fixed bridges at a length between 8 and 22 meters and six hanging bridges that vary between 48 and 98 meters. From there you will have a great view of both the Arenal Volcano and the lake. Within this 250-hectare property you will also find 3,1 kilometers of easy accessible trails that will take you through an exuberant primary rain forest.

Guided tours are organized. You can choose between natural history walk, early morning tour, which is of special interest for birdwatchers, or a night walk that will immerse you to the fascinating night world of interactive and diverse biology of a tropical rain forest.

There is also a restaurant and souvenir shop.

Open every day from 7 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

La Casona Rio Fortuna

La Casona Rio Fortuna is an almost 100-year old, two storied wooden country estate which is an unique historic landmark in the Arenal area. It is located only 15 minutes from La Fortuna on the way to El Tanque. The estate is surrounded by lush green farmland and offers a splendid view of the Arenal Volcano and Cerro Chato.

The main goal of Casona Rio Fortuna is to preserve local customs and traditions and to encourage a sustainable development of the rural surroundings. Here you can take part in activities such as horseback riding, trips in oxcarts, cooking classes etc.

The Venado Caves

The Venado Caves are found in the village with the same name, about an hour by car from La Fortuna in the north of the Arenal Volcano.

Water penetrating limestone rocks formed the caves many million years ago. The flow of water created cracks where sediment and other material were washed through. The openings grew bigger and finally they were transformed into a network of tunnels. Nowadays the caves consist of limestone rocks, stalactites, stalagmites and corals and has a total length of approximately 2,5 kilometer with 10 large quarters.

Four different species of bats and various types of spiders, adjusted to the total darkness, inhabit the caves.