COSTA RICA

Exploring Monteverde:

Monteverde is a quaint little town nestled in the heart of the Cloud Forests about 2.5 hours outside of San Jose (We were able to get an Uber from San Jose to Monteverde for about $100, but it is almost impossible to get one leaving Monteverde, so arrange transportation through your hotel, such as a shuttle, to where you want to go next). Not only is it a beautiful place to see, but it is the perfect landing spot for many different day trip excursions. 

The town itself is very small and can easily be explored in a short period of time, but there are plenty of great restaurants to enjoy after your daily adventures. Be sure to check out Restaurante Morpho for great views, Taco Taco for their Happy Hour, Bar Amigos for casual and cheap local eats (try the chifrijo), and Boca2 Cafe for coffee, just to name a few. 

The real reason to visit this part of Costa Rica though, is for the adventures nearby. Talk to your hotel staff to help make reservations for any tours you wish to do because this way they can help you plan your days based on availability and they can arrange transfer at the same time. 

Hanging Bridges:

The Hanging Bridges were well worth the visit. It was such a cool experience walking on these large bridges that stretched across canyons with rivers below and meandering through the trees. They are very sturdy but some do get pretty far off the ground so keep that in mind if you are afraid of heights. The trail is just shy of 2 miles, but flat, and there are a total of 8 bridges to cross. Don't forget to stop by the humming bird cafe to see all the humming birds flying around. 

Rain Forest Day/Night Tours: 

There are multiple tours offered by different companies in the area, so select a tour based on the time of day and what you wish to do/see on the tour, but your two main options will be a night tour or day tour. Honestly, you could get by with just doing one, as much of the information is the same, and we would recommend the night tour because most of the animals in the region are nocturnal so you have a better chance of seeing more at that time.

The night tour we took had multiple groups going at the same time so if one group came across something cool, the guide would radio the other groups so they could enjoy it too. On the day tour it was a set path you walked along and you saw what you saw. Despite the light rain during the night, we very much enjoyed trekking through the forest with flashlights and saw a sloth, tarantula, viper snake, frogs, and some sort of a small wild cat.

No matter what tours you choose to go on, your visit to Monteverde is sure to be full of adventures and memories!

Fortuna is a small town inland, near the Arenal Volcano. Here you will find hot springs heated by the nearby volcano and it was the perfect way to relax at the end of our trip. (We arranged a shuttle from Tamarindo to Fortuna.  The trip was full of winding roads so keep that in mind if you struggle with car sickness.) 

Hot Springs: 

Most of the hot springs in this area are part of hotels and therefore available to guests, however, some of them offer day passes. The Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Resort is a great option for a day pass experience, where they have multiple different pools and tubs, all varying temperatures, nestled amongst local plants to provide a private oasis. There is also a swim up bar where you can enjoy drinks and food. If you do end up staying at this hotel, then you will also have access the pools at night after all the tourists have gone. While a bit more on the expensive side for the area at over $250 per night, the nighttime pool access is worth it.  

Exploring Fortuna: 

There is a cute little square with a few restaurants and shops surrounding it in downtown Fortuna. Don't forget to stop in at Chocolate Fusion to try a variety of local chocolate creations!  The best part about the town though, lies about 1 mile south of the town down Calle 472 which turns into Carretera Dr. Juan Guillermo Ortiz Guier, here you will find El Salto Rope Swing and swimming hole. We heard about this from one of the local tour guide booths and we instantly set off on foot to find it. The walk is relatively easy and when you come to the bridge that it is under, you can see plenty of cars parked along the road and a few street vendors with snacks and drinks so it is pretty easy to find. Bring bathing suits and towels to enjoy an afternoon in the river and watch the locals and daring tourists swing off the rope swing and into the pool below. *Caution: There are rocks at the bottom of the pool so don't attempt the swing without scoping out a safe landing spot first, and if you can, ask a local to show you where to jump.   

Coffee Tour:

Of course you must take a coffee tour while in Costa Rica, because how can you visit a country responsible for some of the world's best coffee without seeing how it is made! North Fields Cafe coffee and chocolate tour is a wonderful option. The tour is about a 1.5 hours long with  transportation included to and from your hotel and on the tour you are able to walk through the plantation, see each stage of the coffee growing/harvesting process, and then head back to the building to see how they roasted it and of course try many different types of coffee and chocolate along the way. You will leave with both a caffeine and sugar high!