rsnyder

Will be in Costa Rica for 2 weeks in a few days. Will be at Arenal Ob Lodge for 3 nites. Really enjoy wildlife and of course habitat thereof. Do not have own transportation. Any suggestions of sites and activities we should consider will be greatly appreciated. No interest in rafting/ziplinning. Thanks

volcanogirl

AOL is a great place to stay for spotting wildlife. They have a free guided hike every morning. I'd recommend doing it the first morning you're there if you can. You'll see a lot of animals right on property. Be sure to check out the observation deck by the bird feeder; we saw toucans, aracaris, and lots of coatis right there and lots of monkeys while we were hiking their trails. Other good tours for seeing wildlife are the Cano Negro tour - a covered boat ride where you'll see monkeys, caimans, and water birds, and the Penas Blancas river float. You'll see more at Cano Negro, but Penas Blancas is closer. There's nice hiking at the Hanging Bridges; if you hire a guide, you may spot some wildlife there. The waterfall hike is gorgeous. You can swim in the little river there if you'd like to. We also like the Proyecto Asis animal rescue center; we were able to get very close to the wildlife and even help feed monkeys and the sloth. AOL has a shuttle that you can take into town for a small fee - I think six bucks or so. If Rio Celeste interests you, you can go with Desafio; they'll pick you up and drop you back off - it's about two hours away. They're a great company for any tours that interest you; Sunset Tours is also good. Where else are you going during your two weeks? Sounds like a great trip.

volcanogirl

The natural hot springs are really nice too - great for relaxing in the evening - Tabacon if you like fancy or Eco Termales if you like simpler and charming.

Pat_Hewitt

I did a walk through inspection of the Paradise Hot Springs a few months ago. Nice small springs on the main road. Modern style pools, with a "river" connecting them.

I like the other two mentioned as well. Eco-Thermales has a more rustic setting in the woods, and are made of a local flagstone that the locals call "laja".

Tabacon is quite nice. It is the oldest and most expensive springs in the area. But again, it is extremely nice.

My favorite upscale springs is The Springs Resort and Spa. This is owned by the same family that owns La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Very nice combination of modern pools, and (man-made) rustic waterfall and pools. First rate service from a friendly staff. They offer some day packages that include onsite tours.

Not a big fan of Baldi. All the tour buses go there, and it can get crowded and have a Spring Break vibe.

All of these resorts hit you pretty hard for food and drink. So expect "resort pricing". Though Eco Thermales seems to be a little better in this regard.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I can offer any further advice.

Warm Regards,

Pat Hewitt
Travel Professional

rsnyder

Thanks all. Looking into the Cano Negro cruise.

volcanogirl

r, if you like wildlife, that's an excellent tour. I'd recommend going with Desafio. We've done it a few times and have seen some neat things, even an albino howler monkey. Being in a motorized boat allows you to get very close to some of the wildlife.

mlgb

AOL also has horseback riding.

I had fun at Baldi. As I understand, it's a place that locals go to, also. There were discount tickets available all over town, such as at the kiosks near the falls.

rsnyder

Thanks all. Besides nite in San Jose before/after we have 2 nts in Tortuguerno area, 3 nites at Bosque De Paz lodge, 3 nites at Arenal Obs Lodge and 3 nites at Hotel Punta Leona. Have several river cruises lined up. Leaving in a week! Probably will add the Cano Negro cruise.

volcanogirl

That sounds like a great trip. Hope you get some nice wildlife sightings.

I think a lot of the locals also go to the freebie hot springs called "Tabaconcito."