Volcano Lodge In Arenal there are a variety of thermal spa hotels to stay at. We absolutely LOVED the Volcano Lodge. It was much cheaper than the popular Tabacon, but we wouldn’t have liked the tourists on their day trips in the thermal spas anyways. They have a great common area with a bar, pool table, and lounging area. They had a great restaurant, good pools, and helpful staff. There was an included breakfast that consisted of a huge buffet with traditional Costa Rican items, American items, and even an omelette bar. Our Thermal Superior Room runs around $200 - $300 a night.
Rooms at Volcano Lodge We stayed in a Thermal Superior Room with three beds rather than a table/seating area. We LOVED the really special towel animals made for us daily. They came with fresh flowers and showed up on a different bed each time. The walk-in shower was also amazing. Great water pressure and temperature that lasted for each of us. We each commented on how much we loved it, especially after a long day on our tour! There’s lots of room for drying swimsuits, hair items, etc. A treat!
Private Thermal Spas When booking your room, I suggest booking a thermal room in which you get your very own thermal spa. If you’re looking to save money, you can use the common area spas but it was really nice to be steps away from our own retreat. We stayed up talking late into the night and enjoying some true relief after days of hiking in the mountains.
Dining at Volcano Lodge We came upon Volcano Lodge and Arenal in the dark. We were unfamiliar with the area so we ended up dining at the outdoor hotel restaurant. We were STARVED, having not eaten at all that day (common practice during the trip). As we were traversing the dirt roads from Monteverde we were naming all of our favorite foods. So when we got to their restaurant we were pleasantly surprised to find everything we could want! My favorite were the chicken nachos. They were so tasty, I ended up eating them almost every day we stayed at the hotel. I love the floral touch, too. The breakfast buffet (included) was additionally tasty. They had an omelette bar and every other breakfast item you could ask for. Their bar is great, too, and the service was top notch. Definitely recommend when staying here! Get excited.
Volcano Lodge Animal Friends The wildlife in Costa Rica is amazing. That didn’t stop at the Volcano Lodge, either. One more, while going to breakfast, we came across this awesome lizard. Look how bright he is! Thankful for my friend Brandi who spotted him. I was headed right towards him and wasn’t looking down. I also found this dark grasshopper who seemed to be very friendly. But my favorite of all was watching the butterflies while in our private thermal spa. The Volcano Lodge has these beautiful red plants separating the rooms and the butterflies love to drink from the flowers.
Jacamar Naturalist Tours Jacamar is a great tour company that lets you pick and choose which activities to join for the day. We did Mistico Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and a great private luncheon. While the rest of the group went on for a volcano hike, we were dropped off at the hotel for a nap and dip in the thermal spa! Great guides!
Mistico Hanging Bridges I give Mistico for having the BEST photo opp.s for tourists. While you can book directly with the park, we took our tour with the Jacamar guide. It was a totally different experience from Monteverde so don’t think one hanging bridge place is like another. It was a bit of a drive from the thermal spa hotels to the park, so make sure you factor that into your costs and arrangements. It was slick and elevated a bit so I’d make sure you have proper shoes and clothing in layers. Sunscreen was also needed, even though you can see there were plenty of clouds. Water is essential too! There’s lots of wildlife to see, so definitely make sure you have a guide to help.
The Trails at Mistico Before going to Mistico, I did a bit of homework and learned to be cautious around their wooden railing system. It’s all natural, which means the insects and ants love them too! This was the only hike where we had rails to hold onto if needed because of slick grounds and steep inclines. Do be careful of the ants, especially on the ground! Wear closed shoes. Some of the people in our group got bit quite badly on their feet. I frequently looked down to make sure I wasn’t in a bad spot.
The trails here were really beautiful compared to Monteverde. The broccoli trees were so majestic and the many small waterfalls were so peaceful.
Our guide and his special scope helped us see some amazing wildlife at Mistico. I loved the poison frog and tiny viper! The bats were pretty cool too. The red-breasted bird was right at the entrance to start our journey, was incredible.
● They move, so be ● Have your camera(s) prepared! It’s not ready (around your neck, tremendous but that first etc). You don’t want to be one is a doozy. digging in your backpack for your GoPro while ● Only so many people can everyone is moving be on at one time, so the around on the bridge. guides will make sure it’s not too crowded. ● Secure your sunglasses & hat so they don’t fall away ● There ends up being a when you look down. rhythm of the people towards the front of the ● Make sure to take a pause path, so keeping on that and enjoy your pace helps. surroundings. You don’t have to look DOWN, look ● Hold the railings for OUT and capture the balance! beauty around you. ● Pack hand sanitizer for ● It’ll be over in just a after the bridges. couple of minutes, and you’ll be looking for the next one!
La Fortuna Waterfall Not every travel story is a win, unfortunately. We were on a day tour with a lot of physically fit people and not a lot of time to swim in the waterfall. Plus, there were a TON of other people. La Fortuna is 500 steps down and 500 steps up. I had such a crazy time at Xandari’s waterfall that my leg muscles were being super sketchy. I was afraid of not being able to get down the steps and back up in time. It reminded me of the time I was standing at the Roman Colosseum when the tour guide said we didn’t have time to go inside. So, I’ll be back to La Fortuna and will take those 500 steps on my own time. The souvenir shop, bar, and ice cream parlor were fun to wait at, though. Best Costa Rican doritos ever!
Dining at Jacamar Tours Lodge The owners of Jacamar Naturalist Tours have a private Never turn outdoor dining area with a fabulous 3-4 course meal down locally prepared for the ½ day and day tours. We were pretty hungry after hiking Mistico and hanging out at La grown Fortuna. It really stood out as a very inclusive, friendly, Costa Rican and accommodating tour company. It was a great way to get to connect with our travelers, too. coffee!!
Exploring the City of La Fortuna Traveling with others can be really helpful when in a new place. Though I probably wouldn’t have done this on my own, my friend wanted to explore the cute city of La Fortuna that we saw while stopping at the physical Jacamar Tours office. It ended up being a great day of souvenir shopping, henna, pizza, and talking to some locals in Spanish. La Fortuna is definitely walkable and has lots to offer so I’d put a few hours aside to explore if you’re staying in the area.
La Fortuna Fun Finds Loved their iglesia/church with There are a lot of touristy bars in La Fortuna with fun drink names that connect to the active volcano that lies just no doors! What a miles/kilometers away. We ended up at the Pizza Ranch beautiful metaphor. and it was amazing. Their pizzas are cooked in a hot oven right behind the register, restrooms available, along with sodas and beer. A great lunch spot!
Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort Sunset and Snorkel Catamaran Tour
Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort We ended our adventure in Costa Rica with 3 nights at Diria with a beach-facing room and gigantic balcony. What a TREAT! This hotel had amazing service, a great breakfast, many restaurants, and truly anything you could ask for. It’s right on the main road with super easy access and parking. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Most inside rooms are about $200 a night and it’s about $275 for the ocean view rooms.
Diria Pre-Columbian Decor Diria, as most Costa Rican hotels, is all outdoors - from reception to the breakfast area. There is lots of space to wander around. I really liked the special touches as tributes to the pre-columbian era people who were the inspiration of the name.
Room with a View - Diria Be careful when booking as Diria has two separate buildings for rooms - one facing the beach and one back across the street where the adults-only pool is housed. The extended balcony rooms are truly amazing and worth the money! Waking up to this view each morning was so fun, as well as watching the iguanas on the roof!
Fun Times at Diria Diria has a pool right at their entrance which is open for everyone, and across the street, an Adults Only pool. We had no problem with the main pool. It wasn’t too busy and you could hear the waves. They also had the BEST pina coladas! The bar is right next door, too, so very convenient. Across the street from the beach access is a small casino. It was a bit shady and I didn’t recognize any of the slots. You do need Costa Rican money but there’s an ATM if needed. I did get a dance party, though, but lost all! LOL
The sunsets on the beach while staying at Diria should NOT Sunsets at Diria be missed! These have to be some of the best the world has to offer. It does get a bit busy where the lounge chairs are so PLAN ACCORDINGLY!
Diria Beachside Massages I had my FIRST ever massage at the Diria beachside massage huts. It was a religious experience, what was I thinking waiting so long? The women were really lovely (though I don’t have anything to compare it to) and I wish I had booked a second!
Snorkel and Sunset Catamaran Tour While in Costa Rica it is a MUST to go snorkeling. So when we found a tour that combined all-you-can-drink and a sunset boat ride, we were sold. We were picked up (late) at our hotel and drove about 30-40 minutes North. We really enjoyed the ride out to the snorkel spot in a fun environment. The music was blasting and all the guys on the boat made sure we had full cups or beers. The sunset, well, I’ll let it speak for itself in the next pages. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
The boat ride to the snorkel spot was BEAUTIFUL! It was so nice just laying out on the boat, listening to music, drinking, chatting with the besties, and making new friends. The snorkeling was nice as I tried out my GoPro for the first time underwater. I loved seeing the yellow-striped fish so close. More experienced snorkelers and videographers found much more exciting marine life. We had some great food afterwards, then took a slow ride back while enjoying the sunset. One of my favorite sunsets EVER in my whole life!
Pikatas Not gonna lie, we went to Pikatas because of the 2 for 1 drinks sign LOL The drinks were tasty and strong. The bartenders were super friendly and generous with the liquor, even letting us order more drinks 3 minutes before the 2:1 ended in the evening. The food was REALLY good, definitely recommend the pikata (pictured below). The best was really the fun atmosphere. The band was good & the servers, owner, and locals just make you feel like you’re home hanging out. Go at night!
Surf Shack Burgers After combing TripAdvisor for a meal one night, we decided it was time for a good cheeseburger. What a TREAT we found in Surf Shack! It’s full of local surfers after the sun goes down. It has a few televisions like a sports bar and more signs and surfboards on the walls then you have time to read. The burgers are cooking in the kitchen connected to the outdoor restaurant, really fresh. They were REALLY GOOD! The cokes come in glass bottles and are kept in a regular gas station fridge (no ice) but they were REALLY cold (so thankful). Overall a great place to get a burger in Tamarindo!
About the Author Brandy Alexander is an educator in the Houston area. Her passions include reading, training teachers across the country, going to dog parks with her rescue pup Ellie, and exploring this beautiful world. Where is Brandy began as a blog in 2009 when Brandy traveled across the country to New England, from Texas, on her own adventure. Her posts were merely to prove to her family that she was still alive. Now, she loves chronicling her journeys to help others maximize their own experiences when traveling, regardless of their circumstances!
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