We will be staying in Playa Hermosa at the Premier Fiesta Resort December 8th-17th. We are very active and would love to do a zipline, whitewater rafting, hike to some waterfalls, hot springs, cave exploring.... just looking for any advise on who to use or who NOT to use and what is possible from our location.
Thanks!

I did a lot of hiking when I stayed at Playa Hermosa. I recommend the following 3 places:
1) Santa Rosa Park
2) Palo Verde Tour
3) Hike up Tenorio Volcano

For sure try to manage a daytrip into the Rincon de la Vieja area for horseback, hiking, ziplines, waterslide down the mountain, mud baths, etc. We used Swiss Travel and were pleased with the quality of the tours--that was several years ago.

Also, for horseback and viewing wildlife, you might enjoy a tour to Los Inocentes, further north. Again, we took this trip through Swiss Travel.

Not sure what companies are working with Fiesta Premier, but I expect ST is still one of the tour providers for this area.

Also, check on the waterfalls (many of the locals will know about them--most tourists don't) near Liberia. I think the closest town is Bagaces, perhaps. They have been mentioned on this board, but I can't remember the name of the falls. Not far from Fiesta Premier, though.

You're not really going to be in an area for white water, but you can have a nice relaxing river float/wildlife viewing time with the Palo Verde tour.

Good luck and have a great time!

pkgray

First I am going to be a wise guy and say that you will be staying on Panama Beach and not Hermosa.

This will help you to orientate yourself when you are looking at the map of the Papagayo Coast.

Fiesta Premier is situated in an Alcove.

First let me say , that this is a lovely place.

When you are registering at the front desk..ask for cabins # 100 or 102 or 104 or 106.
Thsese are closest to the pool area and activities without putting up with any noise. !

In some cases the higher up you are the better the view BUT not always, also you will have to wait for little shuttle carts to come to get you or to take you back to your cabin...if the walk is too steep.

Next when you are standing on the beacj facing the water....that resort right across the water is the Allegro Papagayo.....okay now walk to your RIGHT..... about a block until you reach the lava rocks...no stop and look over your LEFT shoulder...

see that resort across the water and at the tip of the penninsula...well that is the Four Seasons.

Now keep walking another block..yes ,walk over the lava rocks until you reach a nice clearing on your RIGHT hand side....now turn into the bush...there are lots of Howler Monkeys here.... you will hear then hooting before you see them... keep looking way up, I spotted 12 in one tree.

Okay back to the original starting point.!

You are facing the water ,standing on the beach in front of the Fiesta....now walk to your LEFT... soon you are at some Lava rockson this left hand side....keep going...walk over the rocks until you reach the point...about half a block... now you see this:
1. The Allegro Papagayo straing across the water.... move your eyes to the LEFT....that is the Four Seasons...now scan your eyes further LEFT.....now you see this other resort ,which is across the water from the Four Season..... well

this is the newly renovated Grand Papagayo..

Believe me this will all make sense to you when you are standing there looking and wondering what those building are.

There is a person who does smallgroup tours from the area of the Fiesta Premier.

It is Vargas Tours and Ricardo Vargas lives near Coco Beach which is only 20 minutes away from your resort.

I agree with shillmac that the Rincon de la Vieja would be a good tour for you to take with Vargas Tours.
Here you will do.
1.Horseback ride.

2.Canopy Tour .. about 11-12 zip lines.
3.Mud bath and Hot Pools.
( Don't lock your camera away in your locker ..you will want a picture of yourself covered in hot mud !!!)
4.A hike over several suspension bridges to the Beuna Vista Waterfall.

5. A must do Waterslide..this is really a super thrill ride.
6.Late afternoon dinner at the Beuna Vista Lodge.

Vargas has a newe Tour entitled:

Miravalles Waterfall and Hot Springs and Canopy Tour....it is deeper into the Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

Also you should do the Palo Verde Tour..this is worth the price just to have the wihtefaced monkeys climb onto your boat,as you feed them pieces of bananas.!!

But you know what !!!

You are there during the Turtle Egg Laying Season at Playa Grande.... I would highly recommend this tour... I did a report on it last December.

There is also the allday tour to Nicaragua ,but I have to tell you that you are coming at a bad time for this trip
.....because so many Nicaraguans work in Costa Rica and they will be going home for Christmas... at the border the line up could take hours and hours....sorry about that !!
But this was a great tour.

The Bagaces Waterfall that shillmac mentions is easy to get to but you have to have a vehicle.
If you want I can tell you how to get there.

If you want Ricard's e-mail and website..let me know ..write to me at [email protected] and I can give you a lot of information without boring other readers.

And finally let me say "Hi shillmac" and "Hi Isabelle"

Percy

A negative side of staying in Hermosa is that there is a lot of contruction. The big advantage though is that it is close to the town of Coco which has restaurants, markets, banks etc/

I strongly suggest visits to Santa Rosa Park and Volcan Tenorio.

Enjoy your trip.

About rafting - there is the Corobici River near by. It was actually more of a float with a few ripples over and around rocks. But still very enjoyable. The guide worked hard and pointed out lots of wildlife and explained so much about the area and the vegetation.

We did not do an organized trip, we simply got in our Jeep and followed the map south on Hwy 1. Once we crossed the Corobici there was a restaurant and rafting operation just to the left, south of the bridge. If you go to the waterfall that has been suggested, you are very near this river.

It is true however, that if you are staying here for your entire stay, much of the activities that you are requesting will have to be fairly long day trips. You might consider renting a vehicle and getting out on your own for a few days, possibly overnighting somewhere else for a couple of nights. We stayed in this area several years back, the hotel was able to arrange for a reasonably priced vehicle for a few days. We very much enjoyed having the freedom of the vehicle, to go and explore. We even drove up to Monteverde (not originally planned but spur of the moment, we called around for a room and took off). We also enjoyed driving into Coco for shopping, a few meals, and to just sit at the local spots for a cold Imperial. We are not resort people and got bored sitting at one place, so the vehicle was perfect for us.

Vargas Tours & Papagayo Tours. Just a quick post to inform everyone that Ricardo and Michael have formally merged the two companies to form - Vargas-Papagayo Tours. Although we have worked together for the last six years the merger will simplify operations
Major expansions are planned but still maintaining the small personalized tours formats.

papagayo

Nice to hear that you two have merged.

Maybe I will get a chance to see you in 2006.

Percy

Hi Percy, hope all is well up your way! Miss Isabelle has been a little under the weather for a couple of days--better now. Too much Cool Whip!

Papagayo, your merger sounds like a real winner--I'm sure you guys will stay busy for years to come. Everyone will win on that deal. Good luck to you!