Sites between Arenal and Tamarindo
 

We fly into Liberia Airport and will spend the first 3 nights at Arenal and last 4 nights in Tamarindo (so we will be closer to the airport for the trip home). I've gotten different quoted driving times from Arenal to Tamarindo-- some say 3 hours, some say 5 hours. Are there any particular sites we should see on that route? Is there anyway without exhausting everyone that we could spend 2 nights at Arenal, 1 night at Monteverde and then go to Tamarindo?

i think that's stretching it for a 7 day holiday.
skip monteverde, it'll take u half a day to get there even from Arenal and driving out of Monteverde is a nightmare, the roads are amongst the worst in CR.
i suggest u visit Cano Negro on a day trip from La Fortuna, it's a lake/river boat ride with loads of wildlife viewing opps,
i think 4 nights in tamarindo is too much- do 3 max- then for the last night stay in playa hermosa- 35 mins drive to liberia in'tl airport and a nice clean safe swimming beach, stay at El Velero on the beach.
visit rincon de la veija as a day trip from there if u want, or lie on the beach drinking beer, i like both:)

http://costa-rica.typepad.com/la_for...ome/index.html

http://costa-rica.typepad.com/la_for...ome/index.html

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/playa_...ome/index.html


p.s: if you're driving u could visit bagaces waterfall, about 1 hours drive from playa hermosa- and <b>FREE&lt;B/&gt;


http://costa.rica.typepad.com/photos...aterfalls.html


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You should probably plan on 3.5 hours or so Liberia to Arenal. It could be a little less or a little more, but I think 5 is too long of an estimate.

2 locations is best, as Guanacaste has said. Good idea spending the last night near the airport. Check out the road through the country connecting Playa Potrero to Playa Hermosa. It's called the Congo Trail. We enjoyed that drive and found it to be better than the highway as far as condition. We had to cross a very shallow little river, but it wasn't a big deal. You could leave Tam fairly early in the day, check out the beaches on the way to Hermosa--Conchal, Brasilito (where you access Conchal), Playa Flamingo, Playa Penca, Playa Potrero, (very nice little bakery/restaurant here, called El Castillo, I think), then on to Playa Hermosa. It would make for an interesting bit of beaches/countryside!