Hey, gang! I was curious what everyone's favorite tour/activity you did in Arenal was? Okay, you can't pick Cano Negro or Eco Termales! We're looking for some new ideas and would love your input.

Eco-Termales is my first choice, so relaxing after ziplining on super fast lines in the rain. Cano Negro would come in second with all the wildlife sightings.

We never saw any red lava or rocks, Arenal was pretty socked in for some of our trip, so Eco-T. rules!

colibri, you're cheating! You can't pick those two - lol.

Well, I'm sure not picking my zipline experience as #1 - no way, been there, done that and never again!!!

Oops, guess I didn't read your whole post so I guess I have to go with Hanging Bridges because I won't ever say the zipline was my favorite!!

(But you KNOW what my two favorites are anyhow...)

I loved those things, and I haven't done a lot of adrenaline activities, but I really did enjoy the cultural tour with Desafio.

www.ruralcostarica.com

www.desafiocostarica.com

Rio Celteste hike is totally awesome...

Staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, hiking the grounds, and seeing the amazing amount of wildlife there while watching the volcano spew lava rocks and hearing the rumble like thunder.

Honestly, I don't know if I could recommend Arenal to everyone if they couldn't stay at the AOL, it was that great.

Second place would probably be the Arenal Hanging Bridges, but be sure to go before the tour buses arrive.

That's a hard question! I like the atmosphere in Arenal so much. I loved horseback riding through the jungle there - even though it was raining. The second time we went was with our kids and for the most part, the entire time we were there it was raining. But to see the area through their eyes was amazing! We had some breaks in the rain and we zip lined and that was a blast. I really enjoyed the Hanging Bridges and would absolutely go with a guide. However, that was on our first trip to Costa Rica and one of our first exposures to the rainforest - so now having been there again, it may not have the same allure. But the guide gave us so much of an education about the area and the ecosystem. It was great. We liked Tabacon - as far as the hot springs at night. When we went it wasn't crowded at all and it was beautiful. I would love to go to the Venando Caves - we met a family who had been there and raved about it, but we weren't able to fit that in last trip.

I like having our own car and just driving around the lake, stopping at the little shops - the German Bakery in Nuevo Arenal etc... for me, that's part of what I like about that whole area.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your adventures on this trip!

I have to disagree with you RAC. Although I understand AOL is perfect for the lava view and trails, there are many great choices for places to stay in Arenal. Also, the area is wonderful and offers a lot of things to see and do and those are reasons to visit on their own merit, IMO.

You're probably right, hip. Lots of great places. I guess my take has always been that if you're going there to see the volcano, you might as well get the best view possible. That, and the fact that the wildlife at the AOL is so plentiful and habituated to people that it rivals La Selva--I haven't heard of any other place where ocelots and jaguarundi wander within 30 feet of a lodge.

Something I didn't realize: On a perfectly clear day, you can see the volcano from Ciudad Quesada.

I understand how you feel RAC. I have a few places that I'm quite attached too as well. ;-)

I did the Rio Celeste hike back in January, and absolutely loved it. It was beautiful and different from all the other activities I'd previously done in Arenal (zip line, hot springs, etc). It's a full day - we got picked up around 7 am and didn't get back until about 4:30, but the day went by quickly.

Rafting, hands down. http://www.poweredbytofu.com/2009/02...and-canyoning/

I looked at the Rio Celeste hike, and it said you had to be an "expert" fitness level. That scared me a little. It does look really beautiful though. We ride our bikes and do the treadmill, but we are by no means experts. What's so hard about this hike?

I would love horseback riding, but my husband is allergic to horses darn it.

Rafting really intrigues me; mr. volcano has done it and loved it. And I always love cultural tours.

Don't forget the La Fortuna waterfall, VG. We didn't have time to visit the falls last time we were there, but I think I'd try to fit it in next time. I've also heard that the Venado Caves Shell mentions are really cool. That would be something different to experience in the area.

Hi, c - we've never made it to the waterfall either. It looks beautiful.

The La Fortuna waterfall is really cool. It's a very powerful fall, but there were some brave souls who jumped into the chilly water for a dip (my husband did, i didn't).

We really enjoyed our stay at AOL also. Sitting on our porch and gazing at the volcano, during the day and at night, was definitely our highlight! I recommend having a glass of wine while you watch for the falling red rocks

We stay at the Lost Iguana, and it has great volcano views too. On our first trip, we got to watch the lava every night of our trip, and it was amazing. I hope we get good viewing weather this trip!

Regarding Rio Celeste, I was scared about the "expert" fitness level description too, since I consider myself reasonably fit, but I am far from being in marathon shape. (To give you an idea of where I'm coming from - I either jog or do aerobics for about 30 minutes a day four times a week). We went into the Desafio office and talked to them to get more info, and they said it was not that difficult so we decided to give it a try. Parts of the hike are steep and muddy, and I could definitely feel my thighs burning a little but it was a good burn, not an "I feel like I'm going to die" burn. The trail goes from uphill to flat to downhill, and back again, so there are chances for rest and easy walking, and chances for intensity. Plus you get to sit in the natural hot springs for a few minutes, which is nice. Hope that helps!

Thanks, chica, yes that does help a lot; thanks for the description!

I asked Sunset Tours about transporting us to and from the waterfall, and they wanted over $100! I'm thinking we'll just go via taxi like you guys suggested.