We arrived at “Juan Santamaria” International Airport close to San José City.  If you are planning to visit the provinces of Guanacaste or North Alajuela, the best option is Liberia International Airport. As a general rule the air fares to this location are higher.

The following sections will make reference to the green marks (A, B, C, etc.) in the map for your benefit.

We arrived at “Juan Santamaria” International Airport close to San José City.  If you are planning to visit the provinces of Guanacaste or North Alajuela, the best option is Liberia International Airport. As a general rule the air fares to this location are higher.

We left the airport towards National Route N1. This road, with dense traffic and populated by heavy trucks of all kinds, finds its way between the mountains as it gets deeper in the Costa Rican geography. Our first destination was Montezuma, located in the Nicoya Peninsula, which with its bohemian character makes it a great destination for surf lovers.

Our first stop was (Map1)Puntarenas, a small but yet important city with large numbers of travelers congregated by different ferry lines. Our connection was Paquera, a small town on the Nicoyan Peninsula. We had to wait almost three hours for the departure of the "big ferry", which opened the opportunity to enjoy lunch before continuing our journey.

The boarding process of the ferry was done in a very organized way. Only the driver is allowed to board the ship in the car, while the other passengers have to walk aboard.  The crossing is very comfortable and gives the opportunity to enjoy the natural landscape during the hour that takes to get to the opposite shore. Also disembarking the ferry in (Map2)Paquera was very organized. The exit road merges with the only route in the area that runs across the town with the same name.

From there it is a direct road that passes by luxurious spas and high scale vacation centers. What captured our attention was the number of lots on sale by very well known US real estate broker companies. The driving to our destination was uneventful and relaxing, directly to the town of (Map2)Cobano, where we deviated to the road to (Map2)Montezuma.

Note: The N1 two-way route is one of the main accesses to and from the capital. This mountain route can trap you in an endless wait if there is a traffic accident ahead. Locals had told us that this route could be totally blocked if there was an accident. For that reason we recommend to spend the night before your return flight in a hotel nearby the airport.

The access to Montezuma from Cobano town is 4½ miles dirt road that ends in a very steep slope to the town. Montezuma is a particular and picturesque place, with affluence of people from many places and bohemians that are passing by to sell their craftwork to the other tourists. This is how they earn a few dollars to continue their journey to the rest of the region.

Here, people of different nationalities blend with locals, tourist and passer-by artisans mingle together to make every day a different experience.

Nearby beaches are certainly wild and natural with incomparable beauty. In the street that takes you out of town southbound, there is an access to an amazing trail in the wild that leads to the Montezuma Cascades. The trail is somewhat risky if you do not take precautions such as water resistant trekking shoes (no flip-flops!) and we recommend absolutely NOT going with kids.

You will find lodging of all kinds and budget. Agrotravels picked cabins located ¾ miles from Montezuma on the road to Cobano.  The place is called “Casacolores” and their hosts Catrine and Ruben are a nice couple who made an excellent job to welcome their guests and make their stay a great experience, or as locals say "Pura Vida".

Lodging goes for 1 nad 2 bedroom houses, with al the ammenities that you will need to enjoy your stay. With a common swimming pool in the premises, an evening bar and cabins apart from each other this place offers enough privacy in the simple but yet comfortable house that has one bedroom, a kitchen and porch to have breakfast and relax in a hammock. 

If you are in the mood for making new friends and have a nice chat with the hosts, do not miss going in the afternoon to the pool area. Where most guests gather and share their experiences of the day. Highly recommended

The weather is always mild and the difference between summer and winter is the absence of rain in the latter.
Our original intention was to continue going north in the peninsula, but we did not know that during the rainy season parts of the roads are flooded blocking the pass of vehicles. Alternate routes are extremely long to go around the affected areas.   For such reason, during the rainy season, it is recommended to take the national roads and then take the roads that lead to either coast.  Agrotravels decided not to take this option in this trip, but we opted to see the El Arenal Volcano and National Park instead.

“Sodas” are one of the most convenient features in Costa Rican roads. They are the modern version of those old posts, where you can take a break off the road and enjoy a good a great homemade style lunch.  Normally the owners of the house have a space dedicated to receive and take care of their customers.  They cook the specials of the day, with small variations and your meal is prepared as you order it.
This is an excellent opportunity to connect and talk to locals, ask for directions, suggestions and other points of interest in the area not mentioned in the tourism guides; and all this at a very affordable price for all budgets.  For us, these “sodas” are part of the essence and the charm of traveling in Costa Rica.

 

As you get closer to “El Arenal” National Park (which gives its name to the volcano) it is an spectacle by itself. You can appreciate the tall volcanic shape of the mountain, with the top covered by a mix of clouds and volcanic smoke.  In a clear night it is possible to see the lava pouring from its crater. There are trails that will take you closer to the eruption zone.

In 1968, when the last large volcanic explosion occurred, the old town of “El Tabacón” was destroyed.  Today all the volcanoes are being permanently monitored with the latest technology, allowing scientists to predict any kind of risk that could threat visitors and locals.

El Tabacón hot spring spa center is a paradise that you cannot leave without visiting if you are in the area.  The temperature of the different hot spring pools are warmed up naturally by the volcanic activity.  It goes from natural pools of volcanic rock, waterfalls that serve as a natural hydro massages for your back, to a natural sauna between rocks, enclosed by a hot waterfall from rock above.  These thermal baths are perfectly set up between tropical exuberant gardens with exotic plants of all kinds.

The springs are part of a 750 acres luxury complex, but they are open to the general public. You can purchase a daily pass that goes from $70 to $95 (2010) for adults and includes lunch, dinner or both depending on the package selected.  Also you can pay a pass only to the hot springs, offering a reduced fare after 6pm. The  springs are open daily until 11 pm.

To those interested in more affordable lodging, you will find lots of hostels provided with volcano view rooms for a very convenient price ($50) located in the nearby roads to the National Park.

Fifty one miles from El Arenal (over two hours driving) we visited another interesting destination, the Poas Volcano, located in the National Park of the same name. It has a view that no other volcano in the area will offer: you can look the volcano from above at the edge of the crater.

The landscape seen from the observation deck is unique; a large valley populated by sulfuric fumes and crystal deep green lakes with a PH=1 PURE ACID!  It resembles an imaginary far away planet seen in science fiction movies.

It is common to find the national park covered in clouds at the level of the observation deck. In our case we had to wait two hours to get a window of clear skies that lasted only 20 minutes.  Our suggestion is that you arm yourself with patience and wait to see if it clears out. It is worth waiting to experience the view of the volcanic landscape

Agrotravles has visited a very small part of all the available destinations that this beautiful country offers and as such, we have the strong intention to go back.

Costa Rica will also offer high end scale resorts and accomodations for those interesting in pumping up the experience with comfort and

One more thing, if you want to get away from your Balckberry/iPhone etc, this is the perfect place to be because reception is poor in most of the remote places.