nyccr

I am planning a trip to Costa Rica with my boyfriend in the middle of August. We will be in CR for about 7 days. I have been told Arenal/Monteverde area is beautiful- a must see. But, recently I have heard that August might not be the best time to visit that part of CR because it there can be a lot of rain. Any suggestions?

We are planning on going to the Caribbean Coast- Puerto Viejo for about 4 days. Now I am thinking we should head straight to the Coast and forget about the 2 day detour in the Arenal area. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
nyccr

qwovadis

www.weather2travel.com CR Climate guide August

hard to escape the rain in rainy season...

bump Dec-Mar for better weather but

mornings are mostly pretty good...

usually rent a car www.wild-rider.com www.servicecarrental.com

go where the rain is not...

www.arenal.net for me is nice rain or shine you can do

the hot springs at www.tabacon.com have adventures with

www.desafiocostarica.com

www.tamarindo.com www.hotelcapitansuizo.com for me

usually best if not too rainy more rustic Carib side

www.lacostadepapito.com www.pachamamacaribe.com

2 of my favs over there...have fun,

hsmithcr

If you can't stand any rain at all, skip Arenal and Monteverde. Typically, it will rain in the afternoon but sometimes at other times also. It will probably be cool and wet in Monteverde.

volcanogirl

We really love the Arenal area. I would probably still do it; it has a lot to offer, but you will most likely have rain. I'd give Monteverde a pass with such a short trip. It was pretty cold and rainy when we were there. You might consider going to Tortuguero instead; it's good for about two nights, and it will be turtle nesting season. We got to see the turtles lay their eggs, and it's really amazing.

nyccr

Thanks for the replies qwovadis, hsmithcr, & vocanogirl! I really value advice from those who have done it before For you guys, or anyone else, in Arenal, are the hot springs really crowded and intense or is it a nice, relaxed, low-key experience. I know this may seem like a strange question (hot springs = relaxed), but from my online research and from reading about people's experiences, I always seem to hear the word "crowded" attached to their description. I'm not really into that kind of experience, so again, I'd love feedback!

Thanks!
I am so excited to experience CR for the first time!

volcanogirl

Tabacon is very popular and beautiful; it was crowded when we were there. We've also been to Eco Termales, and if you want uncrowded, that would be my choice. They limit entry to 100 people. We had a really good chicken dinner there, served in a pretty setting. I think you'd like it. It's locally owned, smaller than Tabacon, but charming.

cmerrell

Eco Termales seems to consistently get good reviews, and as VG says won't get overcrowded due to the admission limits. I've only been to Tabacon, but would like to try ET if I can make it back to Arenal at some point. Although I will say that I <i>did</i> enjoy Tabacon quite a bit when I went. It is very beautiful and opulent, complete with a full-fledged waterfall of hot spring water! It is something to see, although maybe not as low-key as what you're looking for...

VG won't steer you wrong with her recommendations. Arenal is one of her favorite locations in CR, and she's been there multiple times.

nyccr

Thanks for your thoughts cmerrell, vg & everyone else! I think I'm going to try out Eco Thermales

colibri

We loved Eco-T, had a wonderful evening there and you might also think about staying at Arenal Paraiso. They have numerous thermal pools on their property, some very small for 2-4 people, others a bit larger.