Here’s what I’m planning for dec.15-23 trip

what do you think and some recommendations on where to stay (mid to low-range)

Saturday: Arrive around 9:30 p.m. at airport; will try to find room in Alajuela; get rental car sunday a.m.

I want go to Poas, Arenal/Fortuna, Cano Negro, Monteverde/Santa Elena.
was planning on going to poas on sunday and then heading to fortuna. now i'm thinking that's too much to do in one day. wont get car until late a.m.and want to be at poas early and it will be dark by the time i get to fortuna. should i go ahead and drive to fortuna and go to poas at end of trip?

fyi: eeer is short for Mountaineer as in West Virginia. have lived in S.Florida for 18 years.

thanks

I do think that going to Poas and then to Arenal might be rushed and leave you driving in the dark. You have plenty of time to save Poas for the end, or spend the 1st night near Poas and head up to Arenal the next day. If you're going to Poas, splurge for the entrance fee to the waterfall gardens where you can hike to the waterfalls and enjoy several close up attractions like an aviary, largest butterfly observatory in the world, serpentarium, ranarium, spectacular hummingbird garden and more. A great hotel for your budget 5 min from SJO is Hotel Villa Bonita. About $45/night for a single including tax/breakfast. For mid to low in Arenal many recommend San Bosco in town (no pool) or La Pradera closer to the volcano. We stayed a Campo del Silencio, a really wonderful place with beautiful grounds, ran by a wonderful tico family, cost a little more than the former two, but worth it. Recommend ziplines through Mundo Aventuras, Cano Negro tour with the same company (river trip along the Nicaraguan border, lots of wildlife sightings) and Eco-Thermales hot springs. If you stay at Campo del Silencio, they have free hot springs 1 mile walking.

December does get busy, so think about getting your hotels reserved quickly.

thanks, hvc

if you were going to do one hanging bridge-type tour would it be in arenal or santa elena/MV?

are two night hikes (arenal and santa elena/MV) too much?

eeer, I agree with hvc on Hotel Villa Bonita recommendation. If you'll e-mail Humberto (owner), he'll get your rental car arranged for you through Tricolor (one of the best, my opinion, AND we've never found a company to beat their prices). He can also help you with reservations should you ask him too. Pretty sure he'd be glad to. Knows Arenal area and Monteverde well. Sometimes leads tour groups throughout Costa Rica. Great guy and a very good friend of ours. He might even be able to get you some discounted prices--wouldn't hurt to ask.

I'm guessing Tricolor might even deliver to the hotel that next morning if you make that request.

www.hotelvillabonita.com

Humberto Brenes: [email protected]

Think about Poas Volcano Lodge for your next night. You could get your car, do the Doka Coffee Estate tour (very interesting, especially during picking time in December) and La Paz Waterfall Garden that afternoon. Next a.m., make an 8:00 visit to Poas, take your time, enjoy the area. Then check out and head for Arenal. You could be at Arenal by 2:00 or 3:00 in the p.m., time to settle in and hopefully enjoy one of the hot springs and see some lava flow!

3 nights Arenal, 3 nights Monteverde
last night back at Hotel Villa Bonita

8 nights right?

Have a great time! You'll love Cano Negro tour--it is just one of the best things to do while at Arenal--a true "don't miss"!

The smaller hotels in the Poas area do look interesting. But you have an ambitious itinerary for eight nights.

Figure that you want to spend a minimum of three nights in Arenal. Thats if you spend a day doing Cano Negro and another checking out the waterfall and soaking in one of the hot springs.

You also want a minimum of three nights in the Monteverde area. I think the bridges at Selvatura here are the longest, and offers the best nature. You can combine this with a zip line tour at the same site.

You must spend the first night in Alajuela. If you do the rest as above, you have spent seven or your eight nights. What time does your flight depart for the States? Figure that most airlines want you there three hours in advance. So you may have to spend the night in Alajuela as well.

I am guessing your best bet would be to spend the first night in Alajuela, and rise early to go to Poas. Then head to Arenal in the early afternoon. You should easily be there before dark.

If you cut Arenal by one night, you could do Cano Negro on the day between. Then spend your evenings at the hot springs. This would free up an extra night for the Poas area.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can offer more advice.

Warm Regards,
Pat Hewitt
(Travel professional)

I can't comment on the hanging bridge choices, but Monteverde is a very unique place (from researching I know this, I haven't been yet) so you're on the right track with trying to find out what is unique to each area and making informed decisions. Both Shillmac and Pat have excellent advice on itinerary and accomodations (I misread your original post thinking you were arriving a.m., not p.m.). Does your flight leave late enough to spend your last night near Poas? We actually didn't make the hanging bridges because there is a lot to do there and we had to save some things for next trip. So next spring we'll do the hanging bridges and Venado Caves in addition to some other thngs.

Thanks, Pat. I did miscount. eeer, are you sure you can't stay another day?!

everyone:

thanks for your tips. suggestions.

shillmac, maybe i could call in sick. hope bosses aren't reading.

i would love to get a shot of lava at night (who wouldnt), obviously if sky is clear. would i be able to get a taxi from fortuna to wherever to see lava late at night? or shuld i try to stay at AOL?
thanks

You can get a taxi, pretty sure.

That sick leave day is going to appear a bit suspect. . . .believe me, I've thought about it many times!

Call in sick on the last day of your vacation. Lot's of people come down with something while travelling.

Actually, I did that one time and couldn't convince my boss that jetlag was the same as not feeling well. I knew there was a reason I quit that job!

Happy Birthday, hvc? Or am I confused? Hope it was a great one!

Thank you Shillmac -- I'm confused too, so don't worry! I think we're 2 days apart...I'm the 16th, vgirl must be the 18th, you must be the 14th? Sigh...I know it's on a thread somewhere...anyway, I did wish you a happy birthday somewhere...so I hope you celebrated life is some sort of special way! I had a great time with some friends staying out way too late. I'm getting to old for closing down the place!

Okay, yes, I was thinking you were in the middle, on the 18th. I'm the 20th. Well heck, we should have gotten together somewhere for a celebration. I think vg celebrated in Boston without us!

happy birthday past, present & future for every day for every year....I'm trying to be inclusive in light of my spotty memory

Salut!

Hey, birthday girls - Shillmac and hip! Yep, I'm the 18th - Just back from Boston. I wished you both a happy birthday on other posts, but in case you did not see, Happy Birthdays!!!