Rachel, March 2016

Alajuela and San Jose

We were very happy with Hotel Aeropeuerto. The girls especially liked all the gardens and spent a lot of time hanging out by the pool and walking the grounds. The room was clean and just what we needed. We thought the restaurant was a little over-priced for what they offered and the typical menu was not as good as we ate elsewhere in Costa Rica, but it was convenient and the staff was very friendly. We spent a day there regrouping from our travels and took a taxi cab into central San Jose where we shopped at some of the vendor booths set up in one of the squares, walked through the park, and popped inside the Teatro Nationale.

Monteverde

I think Monteverde was our favorite–both in terms of what we saw, what we did, and where we stayed. We loved Arco Iris Lodge and Santa Elena. Our first afternoon, we went on a walk at Curi Cancha with our guide and saw a keel-billed toucan, agouti, coati, and many hummingbirds. That night we went on a night walk and saw a two-toed sloth, kinkajou, a palm pit viper, glow-in-the dark scorpions, and tarantulas.

The next day we went zip lining at Selvatura and and then on the hanging bridges walk with Dauren where we saw the elusive quetzal. We ended at the Hummingbird Gallery.

Our third day we went for a long hike at the Monteverde reserve where we saw howler monkeys and two more quetzals. We became convinced that Dauren is a superhero. It was a thrilling experience. We also saw a hummingbird nest and the triple wattled bell bird. Later in the afternoon we went on the tour at El Trapiche and were blown away by how much we enjoyed it.

Arenal

We took the boat ride to Arenal and after a stop at a local soda that Dauren recommended, We went to the falls at La Fortuna and relaxed and explored the grounds at Arenal Oasis. We went on the night walk there and saw many frogs, spiders, and snakes. The girls enjoyed going to Pops in Fortuna for ice cream.

The next day we hiked with Dauren in the morning at el Silencio and saw all manner of birds that Fiona added to her bird journal as well as spider monkeys. We spent the afternoon at Los Laureles and grabbed dinner at a soda in town. Los Laureles was a huge hit with us. We had the whole place practically to ourselves.

Sarapiqui

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Chilmate Eco-lodge. They were so friendly and welcoming. We loved the sound of the howler monkeys at night and hanging out in the hammocks. The girls also liked the foosball table. The first afternoon our girls braved their fears and we went rafting with Pozo Azul and later raved about it. We couldn’t believe how many birds we saw from the water. The guides were great.

The next day we hiked at Tarambina with Dauren and saw the Rufous Mot Mot, a pair of chesnut mandible toucans with their nest, and two orange-chinned parakeets. That afternoon we went horseback riding with Pozo Azul.

Fiona was disappointed to hear that the Teira Hermosa rehab place is no longer in business. But that was the only sad moment in Sarapiqui.

Cahuita

We were extremely happy with our accommodations at El Encanto and the girls loved the pool. We walked to Tree of Life the next morning and got a lot out of our tour. We also saw a rainbow eucalyptus tree and a sloth on our walk there. The next day we hiked out to Punta Cahuita and saw many sloths and howler monkeys along the way. We took a water taxi back. That afternoon 3 out of 4 of us made the mistake of drinking contaminated ice in batidos at Cafe Cahuita and spent that night and the next day out of commission. But it was our only rainy day and we didn’t have anything planned that day, so it was a good day to have a sick day if we had to have one. We liked Cahuita Pizza here for a change of pace from rice and beans.

Last Day in Alajuela

We spent the morning before we flew back at Zoo Ave. and were very impressed with the place. It was the perfect way to end a perfectly fabulous vacation.