Adventurous Trip in Costa Rica: Pura Vida!

Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity.

Some Facts of Costa Rica

~ Costa Rica is one of the best places to travel for adventure
~ Instead of hola (hello), Costa Ricans say “Pura vida” (pure life).
~ You will find 5 active volcanoes
~ Costa Rica has some of the best beaches in the world.
~ it is known as one of the happiest countries in the world.

GETTING AROUND

The best way for visitors to get around in Costa Rica is with a rental car. Bring a valid driver’s license from your home country to operate a vehicle.
The bus is the cheapest way and public transportation is actually very reliable if you’re going to popular tourist spots.

CURRENCY

The national currency is known as the colón (plural:colones), but dollars are widely accepted in the tourists areas.
Also some places will accept credit cards, but once you go out into the countryside, it is better to take some colones.

TOUR

A couple of friends and I went with Ecoterra Costa Rica Tour. The package includes hotel stay, transportation, and several activities and meals. All of the transportation was reliable, pick-ups were all on time. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable.

One on the first day we arrived to Costa Rica’s Northern Region: La Fortuna. The driver picked us up at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in the morning. Then we were off to to the Arenal Volcano National Park Region where our hotel is located. The transportation to Arenal took about 3 hours on winding roads. It made me car sick and luckily the passenger on the front seat offered to switch place with me and that helped.

Three hours later we checked in to our lodging which was at Casa Luna Hotel.
A beautiful resort, so green, tranquil and a place to relax with several pools. The views from the verandas were spectacular. They have an attached restaurant and the breakfast and happy hour were amazing as well.

ACTIVITIES

Walk the Arenal Hanging Bridges –

Walking a series of suspended bridges that link the treetops for a panoramic view of acres of reserve. The guide helped us spot lush vegetation and a variety of animals and birds. Traversing over 1.5 miles across 15 suspension bridges, and reaching heights of over 200 ft. This is a great place to visit and to learn more about the rainforest.

Zip Lining over the Rain forest & Arenal Volcano –

I love ziplining! the first ride was over the canyons, through lush forests, above Pino Blanco waterfall ( around 160 feets) & La Fortuna waterfall ( around 200 feets). The experience, the adrenaline rush were amazing. I believe there were seven cables.

Arenal Volcano Hike –

Arenal Volcano is one of the most spectacular sights to see in Costa Rica. This volcano has been one of Costa Rica’s most active volcanoes in the past half century. While it is prohibited to climb up Arenal Volcano, you get to walk along a trail of volcanic rock, to reach the observation point, which is the closest to the base of the volcano we can legally get.  At the observation point, our guide provided some interesting information regarding the formation of the Arenal Volcano.

La Fortuna Waterfall Hike –

We descended the trail to the beautiful La Fortuna Waterfall. If you love waterfalls this is a must see! you can swim in it and its crystal clear. Along the trail, observe the trees, plants, and animals, which inhabit the area or simply relax and take in the beauty.

Whitewater Rafting Class II & III – The Balsa River sits at the base of Arenal Volcano and the Balsa River rafting tour has Class 2 and 3 rapids and is only 30 minutes from La Fortuna. It makes it a fun and easy day trip.
The professional guides went over safety rules and provided instruction on how to use the rafting equipment. Once everyone felt comfortable and are ready, we were off to an exciting 2 hours of white water action.We maneuvered through turns and around boulders.

It was such a fun mix of exciting white water rapids and floats as you enjoy the Costa Rican wildlife and forests.

If it’s an adventure you’re looking for, this is the place! however, it’s also great for a relaxing vacation at the many pristine beaches, eat delicious food and chocolate, enjoy their spas and hotsprings, see some sloths and many more! Have you been there? Did you like it? Please comment below.