Tinaindenver

I am working on a one week trip for March and having trouble with the logistics. We will probably fly into Liberia and then want to go to Arenal for a few days and end up at a resort in Guanacaste. Is the driving from Liberia to Arenal difficult ( dirt road?). What about from Arenal to the Pacific Coast? We also want to go to Monteverde for the day from one of those two areas. I think it is possible with a private tour.

The other alternative would be to fly to San Juan, go to Arenal and then Manuel Antonio. It looks like more miles, but maybe easier driving. Also, is it possible to see Monteverde as a day trip from Arenal?

Any help would be appreciated

Tinaindenver

I meant San Jose, not San Juan. The connections from Denver to San Jose are pretty bad and more $$ than Liberia.

volcanogirl

I wouldn't recommend doing Monteverde as a day trip. It's a long bumpy road to get there. I'd stay at least two nights if you plan to go to Monteverde to make it worth the trip. We always fly in and out of San Jose because it's cheaper for us and more convenient for the areas we go to. It's pretty easy to go between the Arenal area and Manuel Antonio, probably about five hours or a little less and the roads are in good shape. MA is lush and green with nice beaches and lots of easy access to wildlife. We like Tulemar Bungalows there. If you want to go between the Arenal area and Monteverde, Desafio has a Jeep Boat Jeep trip that's pretty cheap if you don't want to do the drive.

Tinaindenver

Thanks. We have decided to fly into San Jose and drive to Arenal and Manuel Antonio instead of Guanacaste. I am looking at Tulemar , Gaia and La Mariposa. Do you think Tulemar is best?

Thanks

volcanogirl

Tulemar has their own beach which is really nice, free kayak and boogie board use, tons of wildlife on property - we saw lots of monkeys, sloths, and an acaracri, and they have a free shuttle that runs around the grounds. It's easy walking distance to several good restaurants. They have a wide variety of accommodations. I think it's nicer than La Mariposa. Gaia always gets good reviews too, but we haven't stayed there. Tulemar is really popular; we got the recommendation on this board. They have a wide variety of accommodations. We really liked having a kitchen so we could refrigerate leftovers, keep breakfast stuff on hand, and keep drinks cold. I'd recommend getting a balcony; we loved sitting outside and enjoying the view and the monkey antics. We've stayed in Arenal several times and have liked the Lost Iguana, Nayara, and The Springs Resort and Spa (stayed on a Groupon deal there).