Reservations- Necessary?
 

Still working on my trip for April... We'll be in Costa Rica right during April vacation (5 of us) and Holy Week. We'll be in Tortuguero, Arenal and Monteverde. Should I make reservations for tours (zip-line, hot springs, night walk, etc.) before we go or is it going to be ok making them once there? I like to leave room for spontaneity and for (gulp) bad weather, but would hate to miss out on some great experiences too. What would you recommend?

We usually just book everything when we get there. Eco Termales does sell out, so if you're interested in going there, I might book that ahead. They limit entry to 100 people.

Going during Holy week means you really should get reservations for your 'must-do' activities. Very, very busy time of year.

We were in Monteverde and Arenal New Year's week -- a busy time for sure. We had no advance reservations for activities (ziplining, night walk, hanging bridges) there or for kayaking and other activities in Manuel Antonio, another very busy place. Still we were able to do everything we wanted to, making arrangements the day before or even the same day, in the morning, for an afternoon or evening activity. This allowed us to adjust to the weather. It worked well. Didn't go to the hot springs, but I would follow vg's advice there.

I agree with RAC. Holy week is the most busy time of year. Far more so than even New Years, so if there is a 'must' on you list, I would make advance reservations.