Hi all, let me start by thanking you for all your wonderful comments. Has anyone stayed at Leaves and Lizards in the La Fortuna/Arenal area - actually located in Monterrey/Santa Domingo? Their site says they're a $25 cab ride from La Fortuna, is this accurate? How about the drive times to area attractions (Volcano, Eco Termales, La Fortuna waterfall)? Oh! So excited, our friends want to maybe go white water rafting, too! Any safety concerns we should have? How about tour operators you'd recommend?
Thanks for the (more) help!

We just did a trip with Rios Tropicales on the Sarapiqui and really loved it. Our guides were really fun but also very safety conscious. Halfway through the trip, we pulled over on a sand bar, and they set up this great little display of tropical fruit for us to enjoy. They had a guy taking pictures the entire trip and offered the cd for sale at the end. Also all had a nice lunch together. They have showers and changing rooms at the lunch spot, so it's a good idea to bring a towel and dry change of clothes. We got flipped out of the boat a couple of times, but the guide has us back in in seconds. I would definitely do it again. The best part was doing the "washing machine" - each side of the raft paddles a different direction, and you spin as you go down the river. I think you'd enjoy it.

A $25 cab ride is really going to start to add up. Have you thought about Silencio del Campo? I have heard good things about Leaves and Lizards but have never stayed there.

Arenal/La Fortuna is a great area. You'll have fun.

www.riostropicales.com

Haven't stayed at Leaves and Lizards, but indeed that taxi fare will add up...Silencio del Campo is a wonderful choice with on-site hot springs. The individual cabinas there are great and it's owned by a local family. In addition to the rafting volcanogirl mentioned there's a class 3-4 trip on the Pacuare that's wonderful and you can actually incorporate that into a rafting/x-fer between San Jose and Arenal.

That's a good idea too, hip - can you remind me which company does the transfer?

vgirl -- Exploradores Outdoors...although I think Rios Tropicales is adding that option as well.

Muchas gracias, amiga. The Pacuare is still on our must do list.

Con mucho gusto. ;-)