Flying into Liberia hotel & Itinerary help
Jun 23rd, 2006, 10:27 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flying into Liberia hotel & Itinerary help
Hello we are planning a 7 night trip to CR in September and would love any kind of feedback that we can get
We don't want to spend our whole trip driving and come back exhausted so we're going to only hit a few places:
We're flying into Liberia because I really have no interest in dealing with San Jose, I get too overwhelmed in big cities!
Here's what we are thinking so far:
Arrive Liberia (at 1 PM)
Arenal 2 nights (3-4 hr drive?)
la Fortuna 2 nights (1 hr drive?)
somewhere in the guancaste for 3 nights
I'm kind of wanting to check out Peace Lodge but I'm not so sure if it's worth the extra drive, how far is Peace Lodge from Arenal?
from searching the boards it appears that Tabacon is the best hotel, but the website doesnt' look so great. Are there any other suggestions?
Where to stay in La Fortuna?
What is the best spot in the Guancauste area.
---We are both 30 and active and what we are most interested in is seeing the Monkeys, the volcano, doing a canaopy zip tour thing, and just seeing the wildlife.
Thanks so much!!!
We don't want to spend our whole trip driving and come back exhausted so we're going to only hit a few places:
We're flying into Liberia because I really have no interest in dealing with San Jose, I get too overwhelmed in big cities!
Here's what we are thinking so far:
Arrive Liberia (at 1 PM)
Arenal 2 nights (3-4 hr drive?)
la Fortuna 2 nights (1 hr drive?)
somewhere in the guancaste for 3 nights
I'm kind of wanting to check out Peace Lodge but I'm not so sure if it's worth the extra drive, how far is Peace Lodge from Arenal?
from searching the boards it appears that Tabacon is the best hotel, but the website doesnt' look so great. Are there any other suggestions?
Where to stay in La Fortuna?
What is the best spot in the Guancauste area.
---We are both 30 and active and what we are most interested in is seeing the Monkeys, the volcano, doing a canaopy zip tour thing, and just seeing the wildlife.
Thanks so much!!!
Jun 24th, 2006, 10:50 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,441
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Arenal and La Fortuna are pretty much the same place. Arenal is the volcano that is by La Fortuna. Most of us just refer to it as Arenal. No need for two different places. You might even want to think about 1 less night there and one more night elsewhere. See the following map. It will give you a better idea of what is where.
http://www.arenal.net/arenal-costa-rica-map.htm
Getting out of the Liberia airport is pretty quick. You should try to be on the road no later than 2pm. It is really really dark at about 6pm and you should be at your destination by then. That is cutting it kind of tight. The road is really rough in spots so driving at night is not recommended at all. Driving around La Fortuna/Arenal itself is pretty easy once you are there - it is just getting there that can be difficult. There is pretty much just one main road between everything.
For the short duration of your trip, I would skip Peace lodge at this time.
There are three options for seeing the hot springs in the Arenal area....Tabacon of course, Baldi, Eco Termales. You need reservations for ET.
All are in fairly close proximity of each other and on that main road.
I like the Arenal Paraiso hotel. It is between La Fortuna and Tabacon. There is a great restaurant right next door called El Novillo. The hotel itself has a volcano heated pool with a swim up bar. A zip line, spa, and hiking trails.
For your beach time, I would look into Playa Hermosa. It is easy to get to the airport on departure day and has some great beaches. For a day of adventure you could head over to one of the hotels around Rincon de la Vieja volcano. They have day passes with lots of neat things to enjoy.
http://www.arenal.net/arenal-costa-rica-map.htm
Getting out of the Liberia airport is pretty quick. You should try to be on the road no later than 2pm. It is really really dark at about 6pm and you should be at your destination by then. That is cutting it kind of tight. The road is really rough in spots so driving at night is not recommended at all. Driving around La Fortuna/Arenal itself is pretty easy once you are there - it is just getting there that can be difficult. There is pretty much just one main road between everything.
For the short duration of your trip, I would skip Peace lodge at this time.
There are three options for seeing the hot springs in the Arenal area....Tabacon of course, Baldi, Eco Termales. You need reservations for ET.
All are in fairly close proximity of each other and on that main road.
I like the Arenal Paraiso hotel. It is between La Fortuna and Tabacon. There is a great restaurant right next door called El Novillo. The hotel itself has a volcano heated pool with a swim up bar. A zip line, spa, and hiking trails.
For your beach time, I would look into Playa Hermosa. It is easy to get to the airport on departure day and has some great beaches. For a day of adventure you could head over to one of the hotels around Rincon de la Vieja volcano. They have day passes with lots of neat things to enjoy.
Jun 24th, 2006, 11:12 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh wow thanks so much! I've been getting really overwhelmed and confused about where to go and what to see. The Arenal Paraiso hotel sounds perfect as do the other recommendations.
Is it scary and confussing to drive around there, is it easy to get lost?
thanks again!
Is it scary and confussing to drive around there, is it easy to get lost?
thanks again!
Jun 25th, 2006, 07:05 AM
#5
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Hoddys2, We just returned from our trip see recent 1st part of trip report.
We flew into Liberia about the same time as you and made it to La Carolina about 1 1/2 hrs from airport, it was a true highlight experience for us a full immersion into Tico culture and magnificent location, very remote with a great but rigourous hike to Rio Celeste (breathtaking) We did 3 nights in La Fortuna which for us was the right ammount of time - after a trip to Nicoysa Penninsula (which would not fit in your time frame) we ended our trip (report to follow) at Posada El Encuentio www.posadaencu.com There are new owners who have yet to update website, but they are special, Luis and Sharon provide a comfortable space with a very good breakfast, much hospitality and provide a delicious dinner by reservation. The service is great and the view from their pool deck is of the Rincon Volcano to the north and a valley filled with parakeets and other birds stretching out as far as the eye can see. The pool is small, but clean, there is not much to do in the immediate area, but you are about 20 minutes down the bumpy road from Gauchepalin and 45 minutes from both Buena Vista Lodge and Borenquin Lodge. The water slide and horseback riding into the mud baths is tremendous at Buena Vista and the canopy tour zip line better at Bourenquin.
Either La Carolina or Posada Encuentro are convenient to the areas you are considering.
We flew into Liberia about the same time as you and made it to La Carolina about 1 1/2 hrs from airport, it was a true highlight experience for us a full immersion into Tico culture and magnificent location, very remote with a great but rigourous hike to Rio Celeste (breathtaking) We did 3 nights in La Fortuna which for us was the right ammount of time - after a trip to Nicoysa Penninsula (which would not fit in your time frame) we ended our trip (report to follow) at Posada El Encuentio www.posadaencu.com There are new owners who have yet to update website, but they are special, Luis and Sharon provide a comfortable space with a very good breakfast, much hospitality and provide a delicious dinner by reservation. The service is great and the view from their pool deck is of the Rincon Volcano to the north and a valley filled with parakeets and other birds stretching out as far as the eye can see. The pool is small, but clean, there is not much to do in the immediate area, but you are about 20 minutes down the bumpy road from Gauchepalin and 45 minutes from both Buena Vista Lodge and Borenquin Lodge. The water slide and horseback riding into the mud baths is tremendous at Buena Vista and the canopy tour zip line better at Bourenquin.
Either La Carolina or Posada Encuentro are convenient to the areas you are considering.
Jun 25th, 2006, 12:01 PM
#6
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One other thing, the roads around Arenal are fine, it's between locations that you bump into bumpy roads, you must just go with the flow with the roads. We had little trouble finding our way as far as getting lost, there aren't that many roads and turns, so the only issue is finding the right road.
If you make it to the Buena Vista Lodge, either to stay or just tour, the mud baths with natural pools of varying temperatures is a real find. It's fairly deep in the forest and is accessable either by horseback or a cart pulled by a tractor. The horses seem well cared for and were spunky, it was fun and relaxing.
If you make it to the Buena Vista Lodge, either to stay or just tour, the mud baths with natural pools of varying temperatures is a real find. It's fairly deep in the forest and is accessable either by horseback or a cart pulled by a tractor. The horses seem well cared for and were spunky, it was fun and relaxing.
