25 Best Sights in Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands, Costa Rica

It's a shame that Caño Negro doesn't grab the same amount of attention in wildlife-viewing circles as other destinations in Costa Rica. Due to the recent saturation of visitors at Tortuguero National Park to the east, however, Caño Negro is starting to gain recognition among bird-watchers and nature lovers for its isolation, diversity, and abundant wildlife. As a feeding ground for both resident and migratory birds, the refuge is home to more than 350 bird species, 310 plants, and at least 160 species of mammals. The reserve is a splendid place to watch waterfowl and resident exotic animals, including cougars, jaguars, and several species of monkeys. It's also one of the best places to see a basilisk, more commonly known as the “Jesus Christ Lizard" because of its ability to run on water. Comprising the vast wetland sanctuary is a web of channels and lagoons ideal for exploring by boat, and even more so by canoe to reach remote lowlands, swamps, and seasonal floodplains. If you're not staying at one of the two lodges up here, the refuge is easily visited as a day trip from La Fortuna. Note that most Arenal-area tour operators do not actually enter the refuge (to avoid paying the $5 per person entrance fee). Tour companies often claim that the areas surrounding the park are equally spectacular, but this is not the case. Although you're likely to see wildlife on the outskirts of the refuge, you won't see a fraction of what you encounter inside the park, which lacks the parade of tour boats disturbing the habitat. For the best tour of the refuge, book through resident guide Jimmy Gutierrez at Natural Lodge Caño Negro. There are no public facilities in the park, which consists mostly of wetlands fed by the Frio River and best explored only by boat. Bring a camera, binoculars, and plenty of bug spray.

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Two-hour tours departing at 10 am and 3 pm guide you from the bean to the cup at this coffee plantation and old-fashioned trapiche (sugarcane mill) where you can sample liquor, java, and other locally made products. The hands-on tour includes a ride on an oxcart and some sweet treats made from homegrown coffee beans, sugarcane, and cacao.

A strenuous walk down 500 steps (allow 25 to 40 minutes) is worth the effort to swim in the pool under the waterfall. Wear sturdy shoes or water sandals with traction, and bring snacks and water. You can get to the trailhead from La Fortuna by walking, by horseback, or by taking a taxi (approximately $10). Arranging a tour with an agency in La Fortuna is the easiest option. There are restrooms, free parking, a restaurant, and gift shop.

One of Costa Rica's best-kept reserves has 13 km (8 miles) of well-marked trails, lush vegetation, and a cool, damp climate. The collision of moist winds with the Continental Divide here creates a constant mist whose particles provide nutrients for plants growing at the upper layers of the forest. Giant trees are enshrouded in a cascade of orchids, bromeliads, mosses, and ferns, and in those patches where sunlight penetrates, brilliantly colored flowers flourish. The sheer size of everything, especially the leaves of the trees, is striking. No less astounding is the variety: more than 3,000 plant species, 500 species of birds, 500 types of butterflies, and 130 different mammals have so far been cataloged at Monteverde. A damp and exotic mixture of shades, smells, and sounds, the cloud forest is also famous for its population of resplendent quetzals, which can be spotted feeding on the aguacatillo (similar to avocado) trees; best viewing times are early mornings from January until September, and especially during the mating season of April and May. Other forest-dwelling inhabitants include hummingbirds and multicolor frogs.

For those who don't have a lucky eye, a short-stay aquarium is in the field station; captive amphibians stay here just a week before being released back into the wild. Although the reserve limits visitors to 250 people at a time, Monteverde is one of the country's most popular destinations. We do hear complaints (and agree with them) that the reserve gets too crowded with visitors at times. Early visitors have the best chance at spotting wildlife in the protected reserve.

Allow a generous slice of time for leisurely hiking to see the forest's flora and fauna; longer hikes are made possible by some strategically placed overnight refuges along the way. At the gift shop you can buy self-guide pamphlets and books; a map is provided when you pay the entrance fee. You can navigate the reserve on your own, but the 2½-hour guided Natural History Walk (7:30 am, 11:30 am, and 1:30 pm) is invaluable for getting the most out of your visit. You may also take advantage of two-hour guided night tours starting each evening at 5:45 (reservations required). The reserve provides transport from area hotels for an extra $5. Guided walking bird-watching tours up to the reserve leave from the park entrance daily at 6 am for groups of four to six people. Advance reservations are required.

If you'd like to stay in the reserve itself, you'll find six rooms of lodging at the site's La Casona. Rates of $90 per person include three meals and entrance to all park trails.

If your time in Monteverde is limited, consider spending it at Selvatura, a kind of nature-themed adventure park—complete with a canopy tour and hanging bridges—just outside the Santa Elena Reserve. A 100-bird hummingbird garden, an enclosed 20-species mariposario (butterfly garden), a sloth sanctuary, a herpetario (frog and reptile house), and insect exhibition sit near the visitor center. The only zipline tour built entirely inside the Monteverde Cloud Forest has 12 lines and 18 platforms, with an optional Tarzan swing at the end to round out the excursion. The Tree Top Walkway takes you to heights ranging from 36 feet up to 180 feet on a 3-km (2-mile) walk. These are some of the longest and strongest bridges in the country and run through the same canopy terrain as the zipline tour, which sometimes makes for a not-so-quiet walk.

You can choose from numerous mix-and-match packages, depending on which activities interest you, or take it all in, with lunch included, for $169. Most visitors get by for much less, given that one day isn't enough for all there is to do here.

Better known for its aquamarine river and waterfall than its namesake volcano, this park is one of the lesser known but most stunning parks in Costa Rica. The hike is not terribly arduous, but there are a lot of steps. The first part of the hike, about 1½ km (1 mile), features a trail with well-maintained steps down to a breathtaking waterfall. At this point, you may choose to head back up the same way you came, especially if you have young children or have reached your limit. More adventurous hikers can go back up the steps and continue to a lookout point, the Laguna Azul (Blue Lagoon), and bubbling hot springs. The trail has some hanging bridges, and at the end, you can see the two rivers converging, as if by magic, creating an azure color. Head back the same way you came; the round-trip is 6 km (3½ miles). Plan for around four hours of hiking. Swimming is prohibited inside the national park, but there are public entrances outside the park. One is about 1 km (½ mile) past the entrance near the bridge, or you can pay $4 for access at Cabinas Piuri. Make sure you arrive before 2 pm, when the park stops allowing visitors. The trail can get very muddy, so don't go in flip-flops. If you don't have hiking shoes, there are rubber boots to rent ($5) at the park entrance. Remember that national parks in Costa Rica no longer allow single-use plastic, and they check bags, so bring along your reusable water bottle, bug spray, and your credit card; they don't accept cash.

Although the volcano is in a resting phase, you might see an occasional plume of smoke. It is still worth visiting the network of three easy trails leading to old lava flows, secondary rain forest, and a lookout point. (You are still limited in how close you can get, since no one can predict when Arenal will roar to life again.) The park is home to more than 200 species of birds, as well as monkeys, sloths, coatis, deer, and anteaters. A top trail within the park is Heliconias (0.61 km [0.38 mile]), which has a lookout point and connects to Las Coladas Trail (2 km [1 mile]). You'll see hardened lava streams from 1992 and a 200-year-old ceiba tree on El Ceibo loop (2.3 km [1.43 miles]) toward the edge of the park. Los Miradores Trail (1.29 km [0.8 mile]) takes you on a paved trail to Lake Arenal. Old lava flows are also visible on the popular Los Tucanes Trail that begins near the Arenal Observatory Lodge. Guides are available for hire at the neighboring tour office, Arenal 1968. Bring plenty of water, but remember that single-use plastics are prohibited in all of Costa Rica's national parks (a reusable water bottle will make a nice souvenir).

Outside the national park is the noteworthy Cerro Chatto, an inactive volcano which you can hike from a trailhead near La Fortuna Waterfall at the Green Lagoon Lodge.  Expect to pay an entrance fee of up to $10. The challenging, steep, and often muddy Cerro Chatto Trail is for experienced hikers in good physical condition. It takes about three to four hours to reach the stunning, emerald green crater lake. 

Thirty species of butterflies flit about in four enclosed botanical gardens, and you'll learn about a variety of other insects and arachnids. Morning visits are best, since the butterflies are most active early in the day. Your entrance ticket includes an hour-long guided tour under tin roofs, meaning you won't get wet on rainy days. Be sure to visit the nonprofit gift shop benefiting the local community.

Bite your tongue before requesting Costa Rica's ubiquitous Café Britt up here. Export-quality Café Monteverde is the local, sustainably grown product, and the tour lets you see the process up close from start to finish from the area's Turín plantation, 3 km (2 miles) north of Santa Elena, where the plants are grown in the shade; transported to the beneficio, the processing mill where the beans are washed and dried; and finally to the roaster. Reservations are required, and pickup from area hotels is available. They also operate the Monteverde Coffee Center (coffee shop) in town next to CASEM and the Café Monteverde in Santa Elena.

The 54,000-acre rain forest dwarfs the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves. It began life as a school project in Sweden among children interested in saving a piece of the rain forest, and blossomed into a fund-raising effort among students from 44 countries. The reserve's Bajo del Tigre trail makes for a gentle self-guided 3½-km (2-mile) hike through secondary forest. Along the trail are 27 stations at which to stop and learn about the reserve, many with lessons geared toward kids. A separate guided twilight walk with a knowledgable guide ($25) begins at 5:30 pm and lasts two hours, affording the chance to see the nocturnal side of the cloud forest; reservations are required. Much of the rest of the reserve is not open to the public, but the Monteverde Conservation League offers stays at San Gerardo and Poco Sol, two remote field stations within the forest. The $79 packages include dormitory accommodation and meals.

The town's squat, pale, concrete church, unremarkable on its own, just might win Costa Rica's most-photographed-house-of-worship award. The view of the church from across the central park, with the volcano in the background, makes a great photo of the sacred and the menacing.

Small groups are the hallmark of these tours that last about two hours and let you see the coffee process from start to finish at the plantation of Don Juan Cruz, one of the original settlers in the area. You can also learn about chocolate and sugarcane. Transportation can be arranged from all Monteverde-area lodgings. To get a taste without the tour, you can visit their café and gift store next to the post office in Santa Elena.

Open hours at these family-owned hot springs are divided into two intervals per day (9 to 4 and 5 to 10), with only 80 guests permitted entry per segment. This means the six pools and restaurant never get too crowded. Temperatures range from 37° to 41°C (98.6° to 105.8°F), and there is one chilly waterfall to cool you off. Admission includes towel and locker. This is a great alternative to the overcrowded Baldi Hot Springs across the road or the mammoth Tabacón Hot Springs.

A small ecotourism project outside town exhibits 60 species of medicinal plants, abundant animal life—including sloths and caimans—and butterfly and orchid gardens. This is a great place to see Costa Rica's famed red poison dart frogs up close. You can also learn about the indigenous Maleku culture and see their art displayed. Seven guided tours are offered daily from 8 am to 3:30 pm. A two-hour guided evening tour begins at 5:45 and should be reserved in advance. The center can arrange your transportation, too.

If you or your kids love creepy, crawly, slithery things, head here. Operated by Sky Adventures, this herpetarium holds more than 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, such as native frogs, toads, turtles, lizards, and snakes in terrariums. Some of the more impressive species are the colorful poison arrow frog, the Jesus Christ lizard, snapping turtles, tarantulas, and the red-eyed tree frog. Animals are most active around 6 pm. Admission includes guided tours in English or Spanish.

Costa Rica's largest inland body of water, shimmering Lake Arenal, all 85 square km (33 square miles) of it, lies between rolling green hills and a picture-perfect volcano. Many visitors are surprised to learn it's a man-made lake, created in 1973 when a giant dam was built to provide hydroelectric power for the country. A natural depression was flooded, and a lake was born. Depending on the season, the depth varies between 100 and 200 feet, with rainbow bass and machaca fish lurking below the surface. When water levels drop, you can see ruins of a cemetery and church jutting from the lake. The almost constant winds from the Caribbean make this area a windsurfing and kiteboarding mecca. Outfitters in La Fortuna, Nuevo Arenal, and Tilarán run fishing, windsurfing, and kiteboarding trips on the lake. Desafío, an operator based in La Fortuna and Monteverde, has a half-day horseback trip between the two towns, with great views of the lake. For the best lake views, reserve a hotel in Nuevo Arenal.

A series of trails and bridges form a loop through the primary rain forest of a 250-acre private reserve, providing great bird-watching and volcano viewing. Sixteen fixed and hanging bridges allow you to see the forest at different levels. There are self-guided tours, but if you want to spot animals in addition to the breathtaking views, we recommend a guide. Trails are open rain or shine, and there are things to do in both types of weather, including horseback-riding tours that start at 9 am and 1 pm. Shuttle service from La Fortuna and area lodgings can be arranged.

This family-run, 52-acre wildlife refuge is laced with four trails and houses birds, sloths, agoutis, and coatimundis. They focus on small group tours, including a coffee tour, cooking classes, and day hikes, where you'll come upon two waterfalls and a coffee plantation. If you can't make it all the way up to the Monteverde Reserve for the day hike, there's a two-hour guided twilight walk that begins each evening at 5:30 and 7:30. Reservations are required.

More than 460 species of orchids, one of which is the world's smallest, are on display. The workers' passion for orchids is contagious and you might find yourself inspired to create a garden of your own. Admission includes a 30-minute tour.

Several conservation areas near Monteverde are attractive day-trip destinations, especially when the Monteverde Reserve is too busy. The 765-acre Santa Elena Reserve just west of Monteverde is a project of the Santa Elena high school, and has a series of trails of varying length and difficulty that can be walked alone or with a guide on tours that depart daily at 7:30, 9:15, and 11:30 am, and 1 pm. The 1½-km (1-mile) Youth Challenge trail takes about 45 minutes to negotiate and includes an observation platform with views that extend as far as the Arenal Volcano—that is, if the clouds clear. If you're feeling hardy, try the 5-km (3-mile) Caño Negro trail. There's a shuttle service to the reserve with fixed departures and returns; reservations are required, and the cost is $3 each way.

Butterflies, frogs, and snakes have their own Monteverde-area exhibits, and bats get equal time with guided tours that provide insight into the life of one of the planet's most misunderstood mammals. If you've had an aversion to bats in the past, be prepared to start loving them. Admission includes a 45-minute guided tour through a small exhibit and glass enclosure housing nearly 100 live bats. You can watch them fly, eat, and even give birth. Reservations are recommended.

Grab a robe and settle into the jungle Jacuzzi while spa valets serve you healthy smoothies. Treatments like the volcanic mud wrap and the couples’ two-hour massage in private jungle bungalows utilize locally made products and end with champagne and fresh fruit. For a full day of pampering, request the spa package, which includes access to the thermal baths, lunch or dinner, and spa services.

In 1945 a farmer in the mountain hamlet of Venado fell into a hole, and thus discovered Cavernas de Venado, subterranean limestone chambers extending about 2½ km (1½ miles). If you're not claustrophobic, willing to get wet, and don't mind bats or spiders (think carefully) this could be the ticket for you. Rubber boots, flashlights, and helmets are provided. Bring insect repellent and knee pads but leave your phone at the hotel---it will get wet. If you want to capture the adventure, consider hiring their on-site photographer to follow you through the 10 caves. Lunch is an option here; it must be reserved in advance. Most La Fortuna–based tour companies run trips to Venado Caves for about $90 or you can book directly with the caves for $28.

On the road from Monteverde, just south of Tilarán, this private farm boasts five cascading waterfalls and swimming holes. The largest plunges 1 meter (3.28 feet) into a freshwater pool. Note that it's not great for anyone with mobility issues or for children. The site also offers hiking trails, a dairy farm, several caves, changing facilities, and a restaurant serving Costa Rican fare. Horseback riding is also available.