Alright, back to my trusty sources of all things CR! I'm up late now trying to nail down reservations. Like I said before, I've read quite a bit already. Seem to be having a hard time with where to stay in Arenal.

Looked at Lost Iguana ... seemed good, although I was surprised to see how cheesy the rooms were decorated. Anyways, that one may be a possibility.

Checked out Springs Resort and Spa ... expensive! probably not going to do that, but maybe I could swing it if convinced its all that.

Looked at AOL ... OK prices, but I saw mixed reviews about it on the boards. Seemed like the tourist trap from the way people talked.

Checked out El Silencio del Campo ... that seems to have a certain charm to it, but is it located way out? We're going to have a car so I guess that doesn't matter. The little "village" concept is kind of cool. How are the volcano views from there?

My ideal place would be somewhere we we could sit in a jacuzzi on our deck/balcony and watch lava at night.

Suggestions? Thanks, as always.

I think I'd actually go for Lapa now that I've seen the deck of the Congo! But, Mariposa does have that great tub (I probably wouldn't use it much as I prefer the outdoor shower, but you might) and BDC has been working on lighting and pathways which had made walking to the cabinas in pitch dark a bit easier. Also, keep in mind there's a Pacuare rafting/transfer from San Jose to Arenal if that interests you.

Mariposa is referred to as the "honeymoon" cabin because it has the tub and a little more privacy since it's on the end. If either of those is important to you, I'd go with that one. We used the tub in Tucan, and it was awesome; sitting outdoors in a tub in the jungle is pretty cool! If you want the view, go for Lapa. There's a rock formation that Congo and Lapa look out on that's pretty neat.

In Arenal, if you want to watch lava, the Lost Iguana and AOL are your two best choices. We stay at the Lost Iguana and love it. Our room had a jacuzzi tub on the balcony, two great rocking chairs, and a wonderful view of the volcano.

wicked - maybe Arenal Nayara? Newer hotel, looks very nice & gets good reviews. Then again Silencio too.

The only ones (as of right now) you can see the glow & hot rocks are from AOL or Lost Iguana, but most all of them you can see the full volcano from (when it's not covered in clouds, which would affect it from anywhere).

Other hotels, such as the new Springs Resort and also Kioro sure do look nice but I think are way-overpriced imho.

wicked - For me, the appeal of AOL besides being on the side of the lava flow is that it is remote. I didn't want to stay somewhere close to the highway and where I could see other hotels. The grounds are very nice, and there are walking trails all over the property. The view is wonderful. But Lost Iguana is probably also fairly remote, and more upscale.

Yep, Lost Iguana is on the edge of town - a big property with lots of hiking trails and pretty landscaping. We like being outside town too.

Arenal Lodge is also an option for lava viewing. It's just past the turn off for Lost Iguana. We enjoyed our stay there a couple of years ago. Nice grounds and great view of the volcano (when it's not covered in clouds). It would probably be more on-par with AOL; not as upscale as Lost Iguana. They have a jacuzzi on the grounds that overlooks the volcano, but the rooms don't have their own jacuzzis...

AOL is absolutely NOT a tourist trap, and has great rooms for viewing. Nice grounds to hike, waterfalls, right there by the entrance to the national park, and close also to SkyTrek. It is a bit of a drive into town (car necessary), but we loved it there. It would be an excellent choice.

Also want to mention, the appeal of Iguana Lodge in Puerto Jimenez is that it puts you right on the beach (especially those club rooms)--a beautiful long mostly deserted beach.

Of course BdC gives you several nice beaches to hike to, and that's wonderful, but if you are like us, a beach location means you walk out of your room and your on the beach! Also, IL has 3 resident dogs, the sweetest things, who will accompany you on some of your walks. And you can walk forever. I really love that. It was perfect for us. Internet access as well. .

I'm chiming in here, we stayed in Mariposa, it's right next to Congo and not much more of a walk, like 2 minutes. There's a concrete slab/patio that overlooks the water and I thought the views were great. Loved having no neighbors and the outdoor shower was great.

At the Iguana Lodge in PJ, we stayed in a cabina, if you splurge for one, ask for one upstairs (we were downstairs, didn't know at the time). The food was great here too! Also, try to stay on a Friday night, it's salsa night, all the locals come and it's quite lively. Keep in mind, it's a $10 cab each way, so if you go for dinner, that'll be extra.

We've stayed at the Lost Iguana in Arenal twice, great property and you cannot beat the views.

All the advice you've gotten so far is great! Have a great trip.

Not only are Friday salsa night, but also pasta night--it tends to be very good! Great rowdy time!

Got everything booked and ready to roll! Man, can't believe it's only 12 weeks away!

One of the things I realized recently reading some of the boards is that my wife and I do not have any knowledge of the animals/wildlife in CR. People mention all these things they see and I have to keep looking it up in Wikipedia.

But I found a solution: http://www.longitudebooks.com/

I was able to order these plastic, foldable guides that show different mammals, birds, monkeys, etc. and give a little info. They also had a few other resources guides that I picked up. All of it cheap ... like, $6 bucks a piece.

Thought others might be interested. Just type "costa rica" into the website's search.

Hey, thanks for that link wickedslick. I've been searching for those kinds of light, small fieldguides. Though I vowed not to start planning my NEXT trip so soon, I'm very seriously looking into taking the plunge and going for a three-night hike inside Corcovado -- camping and bunk beds and all. It's looking promising. I need to do it before I get too old and/or physically unable to!

We bought those cards for our trip, and then forgot to bring them - argh! We loved seeing the coatis for the first time, but there's no thrill like your first monkey. :)

I have a few of those guides as well. Really nice to have.

For anyone who's heading to Bosque del Cabo ... this video gets you sooooo excited!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijr63IVRVAM

I have to stop watching it and get back to work. :)

For those iPhone fiends out there, you have to get the ZoozBeat application. A music maker in your Palm, and they just came out with a Latin version. http://www.zoozbeat.com

In honor of our upcoming trip, I created this lil' loop. I call it, "Pura Vida." Hear the MP3 here:

http://www.myzoozbeat.com/songsessions/808

Countin' down the days until the 'pure life.' :)

Wickedslick,

We got back on Sunday and had an amazing time in 3 locations (besides entry and exit from SJ). We planned well and pulled it off. From a getting around perspective, my recommendation is to get hooked up with Explorados Outdoors for the Rio Pacuare - they'll pick you up from your hotel in SJ (for example) and drop you off at your next location (eg., La Fortuna). This will save you time and money.

We took interbus from Monteverde to MA and flew NatureAir from MA back to SJ.

BTW Interbus dropped their fares significantly while we were there - to late for us but might not be for you.

Also, don't forget the Canyoneering in La Fortuna (Lost Canyon Adventures - Desfio) was a highlight. There is also some great horseback riding but you'll need to selective about the outfitter.

Also, best way (IMHO) to get from La Fortuna to MOnteverde is the boat, horseback, van option.

In short, if you are an active traveler with adventure rather than relaxation on your mind, you can have it all if you plan well.

FIVE DAYS -- THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Got a few questions for all those Bosque folks out there:

1. Does Bosque provide beach towels? What about other hotels in CR? Iguana Lodge?

2. What do people at Bosque do about drinks at your cabina? Buy a cheap cooler, get some ice and load it with Imperials? Is it recommended to stop on the way to Bosque and get this stuff? Please advise on a VERY important item :)

3. How much generally is it for a massage at Bosque? What about other services like the guided hikes, etc?

Still trying to convince my wife we'll only need a small suitcase each ... Tough debate over the dinner table :)

Pura Vida,

-B-