Costa Rica is extremely biodiverse, with lush jungles, arid beaches, mountains, volcanoes, and cloud forests. Each environment contains an abundance of different plant and animal life. The areas around Arenal and Monteverde are some of the best places to interact with the amazing wildlife Costa Rica has to offer.
Arenal:
Arenal was the first stop on my trip to Costa Rica. When I read about the iconic cone shaped Arenal volcano and the surrounding hot springs and jungle, I knew it was a place I’d love to visit, and it didn’t disappoint!
There are several small towns in the Arenal region that provide access to the volcano. The majority of tourists stay in La Fortuna, which has abundant accommodation options and restaurants. Though the town can feel overly touristy, it’s still a nice place to base yourself for exploring the area.
There are plenty of activities in the area – hiking, hot springs, ziplining, canopy tours, adventure sports… the list goes on. I was most interested in visiting the Arenal National Park. It covers the area surrounding the base of the Arenal volcano and contains a few different hiking trail options. I took the trail that lead to the viewpoint of the old lava flows on the sides of the volcano, looping back past the impossibly giant towering ceiba tree. The trail led through the jungle, where I saw tons of wildlife – coati, monkeys, bright lizards, tropical birds, and even a snake (luckily it was sleeping – still not sure if it was poisonous!)
After a day of hiking in the national park, it was perfect to unwind at the hot springs. There are plenty of hot springs to choose from in Arenal (including the free ones in the Tabacon river just below the Tabacon resort!). If you’re looking to visit one of the resorts, most of them sell day passes to soak in the springs. These can get very pricey (Tabacon, the most famous, charges $94 per day!) but luckily there are options at nearly every price point. I chose Los Lagos Resort, which turned out to be a wonderful place to soak in the spring water. They have several small pools of varying heats to choose from, a couple of larger pools with waterfalls, and a swim-up bar. At $17 for a day pass, I felt it was a good value.
Arenal is one of the most talked about destinations in Costa Rica, but with good reason – it really is a beautiful place to visit.
Monteverde:
From Arenal, I headed next to Monteverde. The road getting to Monteverde is quite rough, but so worth the bumpy drive. At 4,600 feet elevation, the biodiversity in the Monteverde region is completely different than most other areas in Costa Rica. Cloud forests reign here – a unique natural environment in which towering trees and lush undergrowth dominate the landscape. Cool mists filter in and out of the trees, making you feel as though you’re walking through a cloud. The wildlife here is different as well. Many species of birds only live in the cloud forests, such as the resplendent quetzal.
There are several options for visiting the cloud forest reserves around Monteverde. I visited Selvatura reserve on my first day there. It is known for the amazing hanging bridges and its zipline canopy tour. I chose the hanging bridges loop, which leads up a trail through a series of eight bridges. Each of the bridges is at a different level of the canopy, letting you experience the majesty of the cloud forest from different perspectives. The highest bridge was almost at the top of the towering canopy. It was magical walking through the mists like one of the creatures that hops from tree to tree through the heights of the canopy. I visited late in the afternoon, after 3 pm, which was wonderful because I had the park almost entirely to myself, but the wildlife wasn’t as active at this time. I was lucky to spot a three wattled bellbird (one of the famous residents of the cloud forest), but did not manage to see a resplendent quetzal.
The next day I attempted to go to the Monteverde Reserve, but unfortunately they had already reached their quota limit for the day when I arrived (an hour after opening). If you do go to this reserve, make sure to be there when it opens! I went to the Curi-Cancha reserve instead, which also has a variety of hiking trails through the cloud forest. It was a beautiful reserve with abundant wildlife – monkeys, birds of every sort, butterflies, even a hummingbird garden. I enjoyed it very much and the lack of crowds there made the experience more special.
The town of Santa Elena (where most of the hotels and restaurants are) is small but sufficient. It is certainly a town built on tourism, but the natural beauty of the surrounding area makes it pleasant to visit nonetheless.
I enjoyed both Arenal and Monteverde immensely. They are worth including on any Costa Rica itinerary!
Arenal:
If you’re renting a car, Arenal is a fairly straightforward drive from San Jose. It takes about three hours. The roads are all paved on this route and there are plenty of services (restaurants, gas station, etc.) if you need them.
There are also buses leaving several times throughout the day from San Jose to La Fortuna. Another option is to arrange a shuttle, but these are far more expensive than the public bus.
Monteverde:
Getting to Monteverde from Arenal by car is a bit bumpy but nowhere near as bad as I’d anticipated. The road is paved for the first part of the journey, but then turns to gravel for the last hour. It took a little over three hours to drive this route.
There are daily public buses from San Jose to Monteverde. From Arenal, the only option is a shuttle service or a jeep-boat-jeep service which can be arranged in the town.
- In Arenal, it pays to shop around at the different hot spring resorts to find one that fits your budget and the atmosphere you’re looking for – there are plenty of options!
- If you’re visiting the Monteverde Reserve, be sure to arrive early! They limit visitors to around 1,600 at a time and it fills up quickly.
- If you’re not an early-bird, consider visiting the reserves later in the afternoon. You’ll be almost guaranteed to miss the crowds and have the magical trails to yourself.
- Monteverde is much cooler than most other areas in Costa Rica – make sure to pack some long pants and a sweater for the chilly evenings there.
