Day 1: Dec 14 : Orquideas Inn, ok for a cheap overnight. Lovely property, we had a room in building up on the hill. Go for a room at the hotel, overlooking the pool perhaps. But whatever the case, they're all lovely. A charming little overnighter place. So glad we didn't opt for driving further... Good food, great breakfast, nice place

Day 2: Poas, La Paz, and on to Lost Iguana at Arenal. Full day driving and touring. ALL very worth it, very beautiful. All stops take longer than recommended. La Paz I would choose to stay first night and spend following morning hiking and walking the property... BEAUTIFUL!

Day 2 Evening: Dinner at Lost Iguana. Loved Loved Loved this hotel. Primo choice in my mind over Tabacon or others. Very jungly... Food was ok, views were divine, loved watching the volcano from bed, from porch, from jacuzi, from table, etc. Volcano kept us up all night long....

Day 3: Morning 3 hour hike of Hanging Bridges, loved it!

Afternoon, Pure Trek Canyoning. I recommend this, but it is not for the faint hearted.... That first waterfall is a doozy! Do take your own water disposable camera. Their pics for $30 are ok, but really...do your own also!

Day 4: Morning hike on Lost Iguana property trails.... totally alone, solitary, quiet, lovely.

Afternoon: Arenal Paraiso Zip Line $45
LOVED IT!!!! Don't miss this. Recommended by locals as best zip line. Totally fun for even the faint hearts like me. "go upside down" when given the chance!

Also: This looks like a totally cool "hotel" --- great views, grounds, etc. .... much less jungley than Lost Iguana, but it does have some hot pools.......

Day 5: Drive to Manuel Antonio.
This is a long arse drive. But more on that in my next post. Ya'll are all wondering why we didn't do the Cano Negro Tour while in Arenal? See my next post....

It's so much fun to read these reports--living vicariously for now from the rest of you lucky travelers! So glad you enjoyed Arenal and the stops along the way. Welcome home! Hopefully you're hanging on to a little Pura Vida still!

The hard part of writing a report is that so much happens in so little time. Life is very very big and large and full when just even waking up in Costa Rica. CR is one of my most favorite countries ever to visit. And I only skimmed the surface!

If I could offer any advice to anyone it would be just to STOP when you are there. And BE THERE. After 4 or 5 days, DAYS stop and then something else happens. I can not wait to go back.

Ah yes, Pura Vida!

To make your trip report easy to follow, consider posting further parts as replies to this post.

JK, I'm awaiting with baited breath as to why you did not take the Cano Negro Tour...we are staying at the Lost Iquana for 2 nights in March and based on all the raves here, am planning on the tour for my one full day there, so you've peaked my curiousity as to why you did not take this tour....

Owlwoman....
No Cano Negro this trip was just a "last minute" choice.

Since we were not going to Monteverde I opted for the waterfall rapelling, zip line, and the hanging bridges. all good choices to fill but not overfill 2 full days. We never got close to the volcano, but the views and SOUNDS of it were very fulfilling! And even when it was "enshrouded" it was beautiful!

I would have liked a third day and would definitely go to Cano Negro, because we really didn't see that much wild life in the Arenal area, and from the sounds of it, Cano Negro will fullfill that promise. So, that's on my list for my next visit to CR, because I will definitely go back to Arenal area. Also on my list, the hot springs, probably eco thermales or tabacon...

I look forward to hearing about your trip to Cano Negro. I find the "posts" here very reliable, but we are all very different people. Some people will pack a whole lot into a day, others like me will move a bit more slowly. I'm a young fart (45ish), I like adventure but I also like to savor the surrounding environment a bit.

Hope you enjoy Arenal as much as we did!

Hello Jed, here's part 2 of trip report.

The drive to MA. Very pretty indeed with views of plantations and exquisite mountain and valley vistas (this would be the "quick" route on www.arenal.net). At San Ramon, and major highway, things got slow, congested and a bit "dirtier" as we approached the coast. Yes, we stopped and looked at the HUGE crocs sunning below the Tarcoles bridge.

Driving thru Quepos then on up the hill and into MA area defies description. I did not realize how "small" the road would be and how dense it would be, with one hotel or restaurant after another. But the lush vegetation is a good shield. Villas Nicolas was EASY to spot, and I absolutely loved this property, and our room . (I can't remember what Type it was..., but it had a full kitchen, living area, great bedroom, bath, and fabulous porch with ocean, island and jungle view. Great pool, and so convenient to everything, easy parking, easy drive and parking to the beach and national park. No grounds to "hike around" but excellent little villa type hotel. Si Como No is next door, nice, but I was not disappointed at all to be where we were. We had three lovely, relaxing, glorious days in MA. Did a raft trip, went to the park, did not get a private guide, but saw everything everybody else did (sloths, etc...) cause it is hard to not see what a guide is pointing out to their "private" group! Spent hours on the beach drinking umbrella drinks, and playing in the surf. Never once worried that someone would "steal" our stuff when we went in for a swim, but kept our eyes open nonetheless.

Ate great meals at El Avion, Sunspot, etc....and ate in Quepos a couple of times as well (luigi's...yummy, and some other highly recommended place...)

I was sorry to leave MA, but happy to arrive at Vista Del Valle for our last night. GREAT PLACE, wonderful people, wonderful pool, very convenient and easy to the airport the next day. I recommend Mona Lisa or El Nido "rooms" -- Beautiful property.

Ok, that's it for now. I want to say more, just ask questions. Remember all, we had our own car, no kids, and we're 45-50ish....

I look forward to going back to Costa Rica...

jkheigle. . did you look at Ilan Ilan while at Vista del Valle? We LOVED it! The others you mentioned looked nice as well, but I didn't look inside. . .I agree it is a beautiful place!

Hi Shillmac,
we stayed in Ilan Ilan... and were very very happy there. I just thought Mona Lisa looked better, and I liked the porch on El Nido. The jungle ravine next to us was all torn up, so the "jungle view" from our porch was not as "pretty" so to speak. But, I hate to say any thing negative about this hotel at all. I think it is absolutely wonderful. I loved walking the paths, loved the little bridges over to Ilani Ilani. I loved the "new" restaurant and the views. Lots of birds, so green and so lush! and Joanna and all the staff are just absolutely Top Knotch!!! They've got some bungalow/condos going up towards one end of the property. Very pretty, tho a bit close to one another in my opinion. Nonetheless, I was tempted.... I HIGHLY recommend this hotel for a couple or more nights. Very reasonable rates, and the food again was great!

Yeah, we looked at those bungalows---pricey, huh?!

Johanna had a piece of property (small lot) for sale that we almost bought on the spot we liked it so well there. I just think the area is very nice and extremely convenient with its proximity to the airport and entire central valley.

Why was the ravine torn up? Construction?

I'd love to see the new restaurant--maybe this summer. How was the space near the old restaurant/pool area utilized? She mentioned something about putting in a juice bar next to the pool, which I thought was an interesting idea.

Did you take the ladder down to the falls?

shillmac-I can look at those areas for you when we are there in two weeks. Anything else you want to know about whil I'm checking?

Hi DOCROX--did you get reservations at VdV?

Yes, you can check on one thing for me. Ask Johanna at VdV is she's come down on the price any! LOL

Just kidding. . ..

Guess not, anything in particular. . just don't forget to feed my CR addiction with a full blown report when you return! Buen viaje!