Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

We used Kimkim to plan our family trip to Costa Rica, and overall we had a wonderful experience. They handled everything—from transportation and hotels to activities—and it made traveling as a family very smooth and stress-free.
The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, and the coordination on the ground worked well. Our local contact, Graciela, was especially helpful and responsive when we needed to adjust pickup times throughout the trip.
Of course, we traveled during the rainy season, which is outside of Kimkim’s control, and it did impact a couple of activities. For example, during the Arenal Volcano hike we couldn’t see much due to fog, and at Río Celeste the river didn’t have its famous blue color because of the heavy rain. At Tenorio National Park, we felt the guide was trying to shorten the hike due to the conditions, but we asked to complete the full route since it was part of what we had booked.
There were also a few minor inconsistencies worth noting. Some activity descriptions (Río Celeste and Manuel Antonio National Park guided hike) mentioned that snacks would be included, but they were not provided. In hindsight, we understand that food isn’t allowed in Manuel Antonio Park, so this may have been an error in the description. Additionally, after the Manuel Antonio tour, our guide left once we decided to stay at the beach, and we arranged our own transportation back to the hotel.
My husband did not join us at all for the canyoning and rafting, which it was the right call for him (he would have not been able to do those activities), and on hindsight, we should have said that from the beginning, so we didn't pay for him. It would have been helpful to adjust the booking accordingly, especially since lunch was included in those activities.
That said, the guides overall were professional and knowledgeable—we just wish we remembered all their names to give them proper credit.
The hotels were very well chosen:

Sibu Hotel in Monteverde was outstanding—truly boutique with incredible attention to detail and deserving of more than a 3-star rating. Their lobby is an art exhibit.
Casa Luna in La Fortuna was also a great stay, great breakfast, very nice grounds and pools. Great service.
La Mariposa in Manuel Antonio had amazing views and beautiful pools, but the rooms felt a bit basic compared to the other properties, and we wouldn’t consider it a true 4-star experience. Being off-season meant limited breakfast options and slower service, though Gregory was excellent and very accommodating.

We did notice that the Manuel Antonio area is quite expensive (similar to U.S. pricing), but the beaches are beautiful and the national park is absolutely a must-see.
Some highlights of the trip included the Ecotermales hot springs, ziplining in Monteverde, and seeing wildlife in Manuel Antonio. One additional must-do that we arranged ourselves was La Fortuna Waterfall—a lot of steps, but definitely worth it for the swim at the bottom.
Finally, in San José:

Hotel Presidente is centrally located, but that comes with heavy traffic (we had to be dropped off at the corner). The room we were assigned was also quite small despite traveling as three people.
Parque del Lago, where we stayed first night in Costa Rica, was more convenient location-wise.

Overall, despite a few minor issues and weather-related challenges, we had a fantastic vacation. Kimkim made planning easy and allowed us to fully enjoy Costa Rica. We would absolutely consider using them again for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Presidente

San José

Hotel Presidente is centrally located, but that comes with heavy traffic—we had to be dropped off at the corner because the street was temporarily closed. The room we were assigned was also quite small, especially considering we were traveling as three people. Once we opened our suitcases, there was barely enough space to move around. The next day, I noticed that some of the rooms around us were much larger, so I’m not sure why we were given such a small room and bathroom. That said, the breakfast was very good, and the hotel itself has a unique charm in its design. We especially loved the rooftop patio and the abundance of plants and flowers throughout the property, which added a really nice touch. Staff very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just because of the small room. Room was very clean, no problem.

Sibū Boutique Hotel

Puntarenas

Sibu Hotel was hands down the best hotel we stayed at during this entire trip—truly boutique, with incredible attention to detail, and absolutely deserving of more than a 3-star rating. The lobby alone feels like an art exhibit. The rooms are exceptionally well equipped, including a fully stocked minibar with drinks and snacks (complimentary on the first day), which was a really nice touch. We really appreciated the room for 3 having a third proper bed. They even had an ice machine—the only place we saw this—while at other hotels we had to request ice and water from the restaurant or bar. (Tap water is safe to drink everywhere, but it was a bit inconvenient filling a thermos from small sinks.) The room amenities were outstanding: custom toiletries, a travel toothbrush, sewing kit, shoe towel, and even a cosmetic mirror—everything thoughtfully provided. The hotel grounds are small but beautifully designed, with every corner carefully landscaped. There are cozy sitting areas throughout and even a fire pit outside—it’s just a beautiful, welcoming space. I would easily rate this hotel as a 4-star property. They also have sister hotels in the area, and I’d expect those to be just as impressive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

La Mariposa in Manuel Antonio has absolutely stunning views and beautiful pools, but the rooms felt somewhat basic compared to the other properties we stayed at, and we wouldn’t consider it a true 4-star experience. We had three people in the room, and the third bed was a small, squeaky bed with an uncomfortable mattress. In comparison, at Sibu Hotel—where we also had three in a room—the third bed was a full, proper bed, which made a big difference. The room itself was quite minimalistic, with basic wall-mounted dispensers for shampoo and conditioner (not even marked which one is which). That said, the view from the balcony was incredible, overlooking Espadilla Sur Beach and Manuel Antonio National Park. The wildlife on the property was also a highlight—we saw plenty of capuchin and spider monkeys, especially active in the mornings, eating mangoes from the nearby trees. There were often mangoes scattered right outside our door. Manuel Antonio is truly full of wildlife—you don’t even have to go far to see it. At one point, we were walking back from dinner and spotted a sloth in a tree just a few feet away. We were especially excited about this hotel since we had planned two days to relax by the pool and beach, and based on the photos and 4-star rating, we came in with high expectations. It’s possible we didn’t get one of their better rooms—there are several floors of rooms in the main building, and those may offer a different experience. We did enjoy the pools—they are very nice—and the overall setting is beautiful. We didn’t dine at the restaurant as it seemed pricey, though we did try the bar; drinks were on the expensive side but very good. The entire area is built on a hill with narrow roads. While it’s technically walkable to nearby restaurants, there are stretches without sidewalks, so we ended up using Uber a few times, which was very reasonable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Luna Hotel & Spa

La Fortuna

This Hotel has very nice rooms, spacious and comfortable. Staff is very friendly and helpful. The hotel grounds overall are very beautiful (the flowers and landscape are amazingly beautiful). It has a short hike trail on the property. The breakfast was very good. If I would go to La Fortuna, I would definitely stay there again. Close to pretty much all attractions in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Great location being downtown San Jose but not in the middle of the city. Good breakfast, room clean and decent size. Great Soda place right next to it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Definitely a must-do. The guides communicate with each other and know exactly where to look for wildlife. They typically come equipped with professional tripods and binoculars and can even help take great photos using your phone. The park has strict rules about food and drinks, so even though the activity description mentioned a snack being provided, it’s unclear how that would be possible. Also, keep in mind that if you decide to stay in the park after the guided tour—either at Manuel Antonio Beach or Espadilla Sur (which are side by side and absolutely worth visiting for their beautiful sand and calm waters)—the guide will leave, and you’ll need to arrange your own transportation back to the hotel. The public bus runs every 20 minutes from the public Espadilla Beach (outside the park) for about $1 per ride, so getting back wasn’t too difficult.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

One of the highlights of our trip—a definite must-do. The canopy views were absolutely breathtaking. Some of the ziplining runs are quite long, so try to relax and enjoy the experience. Definitely go for the Tarzan Swing! The hanging bridges were also very nice. Just take your time and enjoy the walk—it’s about 3 km long, not 3 miles (we made the mistake of thinking it would be longer and ended up rushing to get back in time for the next bus).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was a great visit, and we learned a lot. Unfortunately, we happened to go on a day when it was raining heavily, with very little break between the tastings and walking to the next stations. The farm is clearly geared toward tourists and is more informational in nature, but they were transparent about the fact that coffee grown in that area isn’t considered the best due to the high amount of rainfall. Even so, we still gained a lot of insight into chocolate (cacao), coffee, and sugar cane production.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Rainforest Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Of course, we traveled during the rainy season, which is outside of Kimkim’s control, and it did impact a couple of activities. For example, at Río Celeste the river didn’t have its famous blue color because of the heavy rain. At Tenorio National Park, we felt the guide was trying to shorten the hike due to the rainy conditions, but we asked to complete the full route since it was part of what we had booked. The lunch was nice, but no fruit snack as listed in the activity description. No biggie. I did appreciate though the driver pulling over to show us through his binoculars a sloth up in a tree. He took pictures with our camera.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning & Balsa River Rafting Combo Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

These activities are definitely not for the faint of heart—especially the rappelling! We had a great time, and everything (organized by what seemed to be two different companies) was very well coordinated, including transportation. The lunch provided was very good, and we especially enjoyed the small cultural demonstration of sugar cane juice extraction. My husband opted out of canyoning and rafting, which ultimately turned out to be the right decision—he wouldn’t have been able to participate in these activities, and even tagging along with the driver wouldn’t have added much value. In hindsight, I wish we had clearly indicated from the start that only four of us would be participating, so we wouldn’t have paid for his activity and lunch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

We traveled during the rainy season, which is outside of Kimkim’s control, and it did impact a couple of activities. For example, during the Arenal Volcano hike we couldn’t see much due to the fog. That said, Franklin and his driver were excellent—friendly, professional, and very accommodating. We really enjoyed the insights Franklin shared about the local plants and vegetation throughout the hike. Even though the volcano was mostly covered in clouds, the viewpoint of Arenal was still beautiful in its own way. At the end of the hike, they provided fresh fruit, which we appreciated very much. We only wish we remembered all of their names so we could give them proper credit—they truly made the experience enjoyable despite the weather. The driver also took us to Ecotermales, which turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. The dinner there was fantastic, and everything was well coordinated—the driver returned later in the evening to pick us up and take us back to the hotel, making the entire experience seamless.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Costa Rica was wonderful. We visited a historic theater in San Jose. The next day we were off to Arenal. The hotel was nice and had a lovely pool. We hiked down and back up 500 stairs to enjoy an amazing waterfall. We had a coffee and chocolate tour that was interesting and delicious. Our tour guide David was awesome. We drove to Monteverde and had a night time wildlife tour. We saw a poisonous snake, frogs, tarantulas and a scorpion. We went to a sloth sanctuary during the day. Then we drove to the beach near Jaco. We didn’t like the hotel but the beach was beautiful.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Punta Leona

Tárcoles

We didn’t like it at all. We had an apartment upstairs with no elevator. The condition was bad. The shower faucet didn’t work. No breakfast included

Authenticity & Character

Location

The roads were awful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Luna Hotel & Spa

La Fortuna

We loved the room. There were so many birds in the beautiful gardens. The pool was lovely too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Auténtico Hotel

San José

The room, restaurant and pool were very nice. I enjoyed the open air lobby.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience - Self Drive

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide David was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable and entertaining. It was amazing to see the cocoa fruit and taste it. The different stages of the chocolate making process was interesting. The plain chocolate was bitter but the chocolate as you add milk and sugar was delicious. The coffee segment of the tour was just as enjoyable. Watching the lady roast the beans was intriguing. David ground the beans and brewed the coffee . It was very tasty. The farm had many different plants including pineapple. Also we saw a “blue jeans” frog on the property. Everything was fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great time in La Fortuna, Costa Rica!
Yuliana from KimKim planned out a great itinerary for us, it was our first time to Costa Rica and she made it very easy with hotels, transport and tours

Hotel Reviews

Buena Vista Chic Hotel

Alajuela

We were there for 1 night at the end of our trip to be closer to the airport. It is a very charming hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Lots of charm

Location

Close to San Jose airport

Staff

Everyone was very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were clean and pretty

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

This hotel had amazing hot spring pools, swim up bar. Everything was very tropical. Breakfast included every day was very good. Lots to do and see on the property - did horseback riding, a very nice spa. Room was spacious and cleaned every day.

Authenticity & Character

Tropical

Location

Close to town

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The whole property

Activity Reviews

Peñas Blancas River Floating Safari Adventure by Raft

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch at La Finquita restaurant

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The rainforest night walk was fun, saw lots of night critters. Dinner at the Mendez family home was welcoming and delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicious Costa Rica style meal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour guide very knowledgeable

Transport

Very timely and safe driving

We stayed our first four nights at the Springs Resort and Spa at Arenal. The accommodations were stellar. The hot springs were great and the food was delightful. We took several guided nature hikes. The hanging bridges and the volcano hike were the highlights. We saw monkeys every day we were in the rain forest/volcano area. The town of La Fortuna was a short uber trip away (uber was less expensive than having the hotel arrange for the ride). There we found a couple of great restaurants and plenty of shopping. The last 3 nights we stayed in the surfing town of Tamarindo at the Diria resort. Our room was small but it had a great view of the ocean. We took a catamaran cruise one night that was very nice. The last day before our departure we arranged for a fishing trip (we booked this outside of KimKim). We fished with Coyote Sportfishing and caught two great sailfish as well as some fish we kept and had Walter’s Restaurant cook up for us (ceviche and fish tacos). All of the transfers were on time with professional drivers. This vacation was a 10 out of 10. We saw all of the wildlife we could hope to see. It was an active vacation but relaxing too.

Hotel Reviews

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were a little small but the proximity to the beach made up for it.

The Springs Resort & Spa at Arenal

La Fortuna

Spectacular views and great accommodations. We saw monkeys in the trees from our deck.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Beach Day from Tamarindo

Tamarindo

Instead of doing this we went ahead and booked our own fishing trip through the hotel. I tried to book fishing with KimKim but they didn’t offer any fishing trips. This is the only disappointing part of dealing with KimKim. They should be able to set you up with a fishing trip too.

Quality of Experience

Kimkim should provide for guided fishing trips as well.

Catamaran Sailing Adventure with Barbecue

Costa Rica

Better than expected. It wasn’t obnoxious like other ‘booze cruise’ experienced I have had. Pretty views. Relaxing time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth & Bird Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

We saw many different animals. It felt a little contrived though as we were in a preserve that was between a couple of farm fields. The guide was great and we did see a sloth as well as an owl.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Beautiful hike with a very informative guide. We learned a lot about the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was in the heart of the rain forest….so it rained of course. We saw plenty of wildlife. The hanging bridges were slightly unnerving but the views were incredible. The lunch that was included was above expectations.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great experience with Olman. He provided prompt responses and good advice.

Activity Reviews

Nocturnal Rainforest Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

We saw a lot of frogs and butterfly’s. Joe shared his great pics with us on What’s App. He was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sweetest driver ever!

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Our guide was great. I wish I could remember his name! He made sure we saw all the good animals including two snakes and several sloths. He helped us get great pictures of them too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano National Park by Arenal Lake

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide Val was great! She was so knowledgeable! Sadly, we didn’t get to see much of the volcano because we got caught in a huge rain storm. But that’s life in Costa Rica!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Peñas Blancas River Floating Safari Adventure by Raft

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a great tour. We saw lots of animals and it was fun to be on the water. Our guide Lawrence, was great!

Quality of Experience

K

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim put a wonderful family trip together for us. Costa Rica was amazing and we enjoyed every place we visited, activities in the areas, and our resort stays. This is our second time using kimkim and we plan to use it in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Shana by the Beach Resort

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sibū Boutique Hotel

Puntarenas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Country Inn

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

lol

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crowne Plaza San Jose La Sabana by IHG

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the trip! The hotels were comfortable & well chosen for locations. Transports we're on time & professional - that was sooo nice to have. The tours were really great! Snorkeling was great & the guides really assisted my sister who needed extra care. Very impressed with care & knowledge. Merino in Da Dota was an exceptional birder. We enjoyed every place we went!

This was our first trip to Costa Rica and KimKim created an amazing package that gave us a true, great taste of the country. My family and I (group of 6) visited Arenal, Monteverde and Manual Antonio. Each of these places gave a unique vibe and we enjoyed all of them. We experienced the torrential rains in Monteverde, which gave us a true experience of life in the cloud forest. We even experienced a 4.8 magnitude earthquake in Manuel Antonio, which reminded us that Costa Rica is part of the ring of fire.

The food was great all and all! The excursions were memorable, in particular the zip line over the cloud forest. We ended up seeing about 20 sloths and the elusive Quetzal (a male and a female), all thanks to the trained eyes of our guides.

This is our second time engaging KimKim and we are truly satisfied with the package and services. Special acknowledgments and thanks to Kat, Kate and Adam. They made our first visit to Costa Rica a great experience. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Amazing views. Best pool. Great restaurant. La Mariposa is a great hotel to end our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

The location of the Cloud Forest Lodge atop the cloud forest is simply spectacular. The view is breathtaking and staff were extremely personable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Dennis, Jose, Fernando, and Benjamin were so personable and each made our stay very memorable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Lomas provided the closest to a tree bungalow feel. Location at the base of Arenal Volcano is excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Nocturnal Rainforest Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The nocturnal walk is a must to see some of the Costa Rica animals in their natural habitat. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and had a great eye in spotting the animals. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our focus was bird photography
I think that the itinerary that was designed with KimKim should have been better thought through and had the local expert weigh in before finalizing the itinerary. Once in the country, we realized we had an extra long drive day and route that brought us to a location with little bird photography to do. Plus we had a extra days in each location without activities planned.
it was our local guide Dan Ugaldi that saved the day. He would see that our destination had limited activity so he would figure out a place nearby or on the way, to go and an activity to do for the day, on the way to our next hotel. This added additional costs each day, but was totally worth it.

Hotel Reviews

Guayabo Lodge

Santa Cruz de Turrialba

hey sweet little Hotel on the volcanic hillside at 8000 feet. The rooms were nice and the staff was very good.. had dinner and breakfast here which was good

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selva Verde Lodge

Puerto Viejo

A comfortable place to stay with good food options on site. Near the river with a nice bridge that goes over the river to go up on. A nice little pool Birdfeeders with fruit to attract birds

Authenticity & Character

Love the floral bouquets in the reception hall Some of those should be put in the rooms or common areas

Location

if your goal is to go to the La Selva tropical studies Institute then this is a nice close location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maquenque Eco Lodge

Boca Tapada

very wild experience would not suggest for with children

Authenticity & Character

Love the design of this place

Location

in a emote NE corner of the country near the Nicaraguan border

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Think twice before you choose a treehouse you’re very much in the jungle and walking back back-and-forth at night can be dangerous with snakes

Trogon Lodge

San Gerardo de Dota

The food at this hotel in this isolated location could be better

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

things were pretty good here Dining took a long while, especially at breakfast where it should be quicker But they had order off the menu so that took longer

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bougainvillea San José

Heredia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Birdwatching Tour at Boca Tapada

Boca Tapada

This booked activity was an unnecessary expense. We had our own bird guide with us and he brought us around. So we never even went with the Hotel on their guided tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quetzal Safari Quest

San Gerardo de Dota

The description of this tour was to walk-through Land to find the Quetzal nest The Quetzal nest was right by the Road and we already had our own bird guide hired for the trip So paying for this additional activity seemed unnecessary. We could’ve easily gone with our own Guide and Car and been standing by the roadside

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

it was fine

Birdwatching Tour at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

we thought we would do most of our birding on the grounds, but the tour kept is mostly we near the entry and parking lot. would’ve preferred to go further in to the land. this place is best for true bird fanatics. No feeders to attract birds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our family had an awesome time in Costa Rica. The Kim Kim Team and Serendipity Team made this a trip that we will never forget. We are looking forward to doing this trip all over again next year

From the moment we were connected with Elena from Serendipity Adventures in Costa Rica to plan our family vacation we knew we were in great hands. Elena and the team helped build us an itinerary which included all the adventures our family had in mind for our trip. She helped choose the perfect accommodations in each location which exceeded our family’s expectations. When our trip started we were picked up by Mariano who was patient, kind and professional. He also gave us great tips for our tours we had booked the next day with him. All of the tours started on time and all the transportation was comfortable and the guides who led the tours were knowledgeable and professional. We had a great driver who took us to Monteverde (Alex). He was very friendly and funny. He was great at giving us a lot of history and information about CR. He made the 3 hour trek seem short! He also took us to the Airport for our last day and he was extremely conscious of the time and made sure we ran on time. He is just a joy to learn from. Our favorite part of the trip was our tour of the national park in Manuel Antonio. The guide who led the tour was amazing and he had quite the eye to capture all the animals we encountered. Everyone communicated where to go, how to get picked up. It made the whole trip worry free. I was also able to communicate with Serendipity on WhatsApp if needed. We also enjoyed the catamaran and snorkeling! The lunch was delicious. Costa Rica is a beautiful country and having experienced travel agents help you make the whole experience worry free. Thank you to Elena, Mariano, Alex, faro travel and everyone else who made sure our family had the best experience. We will be back!

Activity Reviews

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The 8-day bird watching in Paradise trip was the most disappointing trip in my life. Total ripoff…

Kimkim made a misleading promises with little or none expertise and knowledge about birdwatching experience. While booking the trip, they didn’t inform you about the impact of rain at all. With charging more than $500/day, they provided the birdwatching tour around parking lots/cafe/construction area, which were extremely ugly and poorly maintained. They provided the worst rooms in the 3-star hotels, which were noisy and equipped with bad views.

Hotel Reviews

Monteverde Country Lodge

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selva Verde Lodge

Puerto Viejo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Early Birdwatching Tour at Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Birdwatching at Arenal Mundo Aventura Natural Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

Night Walk at Tirimbina Rainforest Center

Sarapiquí

Birdwatching Tour at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

Excellent support from the guides : very professional, patient, we always felt safe, and we have learnt so much about swimming in water currents ! A specific mention of the effort made to deal with my specifict diet restrictions.
The combination of hiking, riding, rafting and kayaking is just one of a kind for this crossing of the country without any car transfer. Every day was amazing.

Our experience with KimKim and specifically the local specialist team, Serendipity Adventures, was great. Elena and the rest of the Serendipity Adventures team, Nancy, and Adrian, and others, helped plan, organize, and manage my trip. They also worked diligently during our trip to make sure everything ran smoothly for my family.

Based on my responses to the KimKim survey, Elena planned a great vacation including all the activities we wanted to see/do while in Costa Rica. What I really appreciated was that Elena used her expertise/experience to not let me plan too busy of a trip :) I wanted to go to 3 locations but Elena very nicely suggested that, based on the length of our trip, we only do 2 locations so that we were not rushed and could really experience each location more fully. That was the right call!

The hotels Elena/team picked were amazing. The guided tours they set up had the best guides! The guide we had for our private tour of Manuel Antonio National Park was AMAZING. 23 years of experience.

What I want to note is that I feel the true test of a team's customer service and support is when things don't go quite right. I am happy to say that the Serendipity Adventures local team was very available to help when there were occasional small problems or I had a question. An example was the pick up time for our tour of Manuel Antonio park changed from 7:10 am to 11am. However, the driver still arrived at 7am. So, I messaged Adrian via WhatsApp at 7:20 in the morning when I got the call from the front desk of the hotel letting me know the driver was there and Adrian immediately responded to my message and sorted it all.

My husband and I visited Costa Rica 14 years ago and loved it. I had told Elena that we wanted to show the beautifulness of Costa Rica to our almost 13 year old daughter. Elena understood and delivered a trip we will always remember. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Baldi Hot Springs Resort, Hotel & Spa

Fortuna

Such a cool hotel. Very neat to get to stay right there with the hot springs. Couple of notes: - There are 4 water slides - 2 of them are really pretty aggressive. - You are going to laugh but, bring ear plugs for sleeping! There was either frogs or crickets that cricked all night! I mean, so much fun but also pretty loud at night. ha ha.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

One of the servers we had in the main restaurant was just not very good with regard to customer service. Forgot to bring us things we ordered, didn't check in. That was a bit frustrating..but other than that, the staff was great and very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

In general, the hotel is beautiful and really showcased the beauty that is Costa Rica. One time when we were in the beautiful pool, a whole troop of Spider Monkeys moved through the trees right next to the pool! Probably 40 or so. We saw up close all the mommy's with their babies jumping from branch to branch! it was so cool. A few little things - one of the front desk team members really wasn't very friendly. I was surprised. And, the other thing that sticks out was on our last day, we had not checked out yet, a maintenance man just sorta came into our room - no knock or anything. It was really odd. But, other than that, really wonderful hotel with amazing views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Most of the staff were great. One of the front desk helpers was not very welcoming/engaging. Also, on our last day, a maintenance man just opened our door to our room before we had checked out. It was odd.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

We stayed here for 1 night at the beginning of the trip. It was a nice hotel. I will have to say though there was a bit of a problem the morning of our check out. Our driver asked the front desk if we had checked in the night before and was told we hadn't! So, that caused a bit of confusion...but it got sorted.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sky Tram, Sky Trek & Sky Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was all very nice. The zip line part was very legit. The tour was nice - the bridges were cool and our tour guide was very knowledgeable and nice. The guest area was nice also - you can get lunch and see the amazing view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Well, the weather did not cooperate for us on this. It was very cloud/overcast and VERY rainy. But, we made the best of it. It was a bit interesting, the tour guide picked us up in a van from our hotel. Turns out the battery on the van decided to stop working that morning and he didn't have time to fix it. So, the two times we had to start the van to go to the next stop, we had to push it so it rolled and then could jump it bc it was a manual. lol. So, that added some unexpected excitement to our day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

A lot of fun. We met/talked to a ton of the other guests which was a lot of fun. The dinner was soo good. Swimming was very nice and the sunset was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

So amazing! Our guide was fantastic. 23 years of experience. He saw SO many animals...and he knew how to use our iPhone cameras expertly so we got amazing pictures that he took with our phone :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing experience planning our Costa Rica trip with KimKim, and the trip itself was absolutely amazing! As far as planning, KimKim responded promptly to any questions and did an amazing job planning our destinations and trip activities based on what we were looking for. All transports to our hotels and planned activities went extremely smoothly, without any hiccups. We traveled to 3 different locations in Costa Rica: San Jose, La Fortuna, and Monteverde. Our favorite destination was La Fortuna. We spend the most time there (3 nights), and I'm so glad we did! The Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs resort was STUNNING and an amazing place to stay- I would definitely stay there again. We had a beautiful view of the Arenal volcano outside of our room, and the resort itself was beautiful- lots of amazing plants and wildlife. We sat outside very morning and enjoyed watching all the birds (the first morning a Toucan visited us!). A sloth also lived in a tree next door to our accommodation. The resort has two pools and several hot springs. It never felt crowded- it was very peaceful and relaxing when we had some down time. All of the activites we did on our trip were amazing. My personal favorite was the Coffee with a Sloth tour we did at the Toucan Rescue Center in San Jose. We had a private tour, got to meet 7 sloths, and we helped make their lunches and got to watch them eat! It was a once-in-a-lifetme, incredible experience we will never forget. Part of our travel from La Fortuna to Monteverde included a boat ride on the lake (I can't remember the name of the lake). This might have been my favorite part of the trip. The views were surreal- it was absolutely beautiful. Another memorable excursion was a hike to the La Fortuna Waterfall, where we hiked down to the waterful and swam at the fall. The hanging bridges tour in La Fortuna was also amazing- we spent a couple hours hiking through the lush rainforest and the guide was very knowledgeable and spotted some cool wildlife. We also did a river safari float near La Fortuna- we booked this one on our own sort of last-minute, but I highly recommend this experience. We saw a crocodile and a lot of howler monkeys. We had a short time in Monteverde, and this was the end of our trip so we were quite exhausted. We did a hike in the Santa Elena cloud forest, which was beautiful. The town of Santa Elana was very cute, with lots of shops and restaurants. The only thing I would have changed, is I honestly could have stayed in La Fortuna for the entire 2nd half of the trip- mainly because we loved the resort, and there are plenty of activities in that area. Overall, the trip was amazing, and we will defiitely be contacting KimKim for our next adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to all the shops and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Absolutely stunning hotel. The grounds are lush and beautiful- so many plants and wildlife in the resort. Stunning views of the Arenal volcano. It never felt crowded. The pools and hot springs were fantastic, and the wait staff extremely friendly. Was also very clean. Wished we could have stayed longer!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not close to downtown or any of the activities we did, but it was easy to get a taxi.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grano de Oro Hotel

San José

The hotel was very nice, quaint and small. They had really good food at their restaurant. Giving 4 stars only because we wished they had a pool. Overall great experience here. Great location- walking distance to downtown and close to many restaurants and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

The cloud forest was beautiful. We spent a lot of time waiting for Quetzal birds in a couple different spots, and when we were hiking, we moved a little fast. Would have liked to see a little more wildlife- our guide was very focused on finding the Quetzal birds. Still a beautiful hike with stunning scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Stunning scenery, saw and learned a lot about the wildlife. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

The waterfall was beautiful... just be prepared to walk up and down a LOT of stairs. Definitely worth it.

Quality of Experience

Coffee with a Sloth at Toucan Rescue Center

San José

We had a private tour, and we got to meet the 7 sloths that live at the sanctuary. We also got to help make them lunch and watched them all eat. It was an incredible experience I will never forget!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of the guides were knowledgeable and articulate about the wonderful biodiversity we were seeing. All of the transport drivers were punctual to the minute according to our itinerary. The entire trip went exactly as planned. Great work by the entire Serendipity/KimKim team.

Hotel Reviews

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Nice view from our room. Good food at the restaurant. The shuttle service to the rooms from the reception was dependable AND NECESSARY because of the steepness of the slope the hotel was built on.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Springs Resort

La Fortuna

The view of Arenal volcano from our room was like a picture on a postcard.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tortuga Lodge & Gardens

Tortuguero

We loved this hotel. Great staff, excellent food, knowledgeable friendly guides and excursions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private: Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Great personalized guide for just our private group. Forest Alive. Very informative and in depth walk through the cloud forest.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super knowledgeable guide.

Transport

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Selvatura was very well organized and well worth the day we spent there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Great tour. Very worthwhile with lots of details and hands on experiences throughout the tour. Fascinating to see the processes of coffee, sugar cane, and chocolate cultivation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Friendly knowledgeable guide who really took time to show us the plants and animals along the river.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Look

Transport

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

Great boat trip with lots of animal and plant sightings. Great guide — he really took time to point out details of the environment.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Incredible guides for all excursions. Everyone was so helpful and friendly

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

A bit disappointed in the room. No coffee maker, not always hot water. Ceiling fan very dusty. We didn’t spend much time in the room, so it was satisfactory.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

So pretty! It was advertised as a place to see the volcano, but sadly, rain and fog obscured it. The restaurant meals were good. Their breakfast was amazing. Not a negative thing to say about the Lodging.

Authenticity & Character

The surroundings, staff, cleanliness of facilities.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Costa Rica

It was so good. Beautiful sunset, plenty of time to jump in the water and enjoy the ocean great dinner and drinks.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ATV Adventure Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio

Because there was a miscommunication with the pick up time with the driver, we missed the tour. Requesting a refund. Except for this bump, everything was very smt

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Because of driver not on time, we were unable to do the adventure

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

A great guide! He loved what he does! Very informative tour. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Let us choose our time for pick up so we’re able to shop and eat in the area.

Private Sloth Observation Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Personal guide worked very hard to find the sloths and birds in area. Refreshing fruit during the tour. Take bug spray.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Sky Trek & Sky Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was so good! Equipment was top notch. Exciting. Even as an 80 year old, I was able to experience the thrill of it Staff so good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

L

Transport

Private Organic Cooking Class

Arenal/La Fortuna

I learned a lot about herbs and organic gardening. Guide was so knowledgeable and shared much information with us. We collected many of the items found on farm. They were added to a sugar cane drink. Dinner was good. We cut up the items for our meals. Made corn tortillas. Fun

Quality of Experience

K

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure (Class II-III)

Arenal/La Fortuna

It was fun. Water was low on the river, so maybe not as exciting as other times of the year. But still worth it. Fresh fruit served to us in the middle of float and a good meal after was included

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall we enjoyed the trip. It was a bit of good variety of terrain and activities. We kept asking for some more adventures but ended up just doing them on our own on arrival. I do think a little more thought could have been given to the order of things. Like we had two afternoon forest hikes for animals in the heat of the day. I just feel like anyone who’s been there knows that morning or night is better for these things. Overall we still saw plenty although some of it we did in our own in the end.

This trip was definitely an experience for sure... Sadly due to numerous factors, I cannot say that it was really the best experience or that it compared to my previous trips via KimKim. Yuliana was quick with getting our initial planning done but Im providing the lower rating I am this time for the reasons below.
As for Costa Rica itself, though still obviously quite a beautiful country, I think that it is pretty clear that large scale tourism is having some negative effects on things there somewhat. I was in Costa Rica for the first time in February 2025 for a shorter trip than this one that I also booked with KimKim and had such an incredible time then- my friend and I saw tons of animals and had a very nice balance of getting up early & going on hikes/etc. on some days as well as having some more chill days where we could get a little more sleep and relax. This year, despite being in the country for a longer time (almost twice as long) it was clearly much more expensive and crowded overall and we saw perhaps ~1/3 of the animals I did last year.
Additionally, the changes that took place regarding park entrances and needing to purchase tickets ahead of time was both something I was not aware of at all, nor told about by Yuliana, which in all honesty, was a pretty big goof/mistake for a company that I am literally paying to know such things and keep me informed of in my planning.
We started in the La Fortuna area and visited Baldi Hot Springs, Monte Verde Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna waterfall and El Silencio. I had mentioned that I went to the hot springs last year but our time there had been cut short due to the number of other passengers that needed picked up/dropped off and I made clear that this time I really wanted to spend more time there and hoped that would not happen again. I actually also added that we were wanting to get a massage at the spa potentially too but was told that we would need to book that ourselves and get our own transportation back to our hotel, which we wound up doing. Not a huge expense but, in our itinerary it stated that we had prepaid for entrance, dinner, a locker, and towels at Baldi. When we got there we had to pay for our locker and were told that this was incorrect so we essentially paid for transport we didn't use and paid twice for our locker.
We spent several days near Manuel Antonio park and were, quite sadly, unable to go into the park at all due to the entry changes since last year. Visiting the park was the entire reason for us being in that area. I had so hoped and wanted to bring my husband there, as it was my favorite park from my previous visit. This trip was to celebrate his 50th birthday and I wanted it to be special and knew he would love it (ironically we were in CR for my 43rd birthday and not on his, as we opted to travel before his birthday to avoid the rainy season). We would have much preferred skipping this area entirely had we known that we would not be able to enter the park, especially as our hotel was a 30 minute drive to the beach or any other activities in the area and we did not have our own vehicle so subsequently spent a ton of money on ubers/taxis while we were there too and all for a much more mediocre experience then last year or then we had hoped/anticipated. What's even sadder in my opinion, especially for native Costa Ricans, is that they must also purchase tickets ahead of time for park entry and, from what everyone there I spoke to was saying, it seems that the tour companies scoop up pretty much all of the tickets so that they can then books tours that cost 80-150 USD/person and prevent most people from being able to easily or successfully buy their own, much cheaper, self guided entrance tickets.
Being that we were feeling discouraged and wanted to make the best of it, we spent a while searching for and attempting to find other experiences in the area to do while there which, again, it was a holiday week and very busy so there weren't many options. If we had known ahead of time that our situation would be what it was, even if we could not have gotten in to Manuel Antonio, we could have planned much better and it would have been easier to secure tickets for something else. After many attempts, we finally did get tickets for a night jungle tour and that experience turned out to be a total nightmare (I have already addressed this with the involved companies and this was not something booked via kimkim but I am including for others to be aware of). The tour offered to pick people up at certain hotels only and ours was not one of them because we were pretty far from everything. Alternatively it said you could arrive at the meeting point for the tour if you had your own transportation. We paid for an uber to go to the meeting spot... A remote place at sunset... And NOBODY showed up. I attempted to call and then text the number on our tickets and, not until 15 minutes after me trying to reach someone, did we received a message that our tickets had been cancelled as the tour was full. At this point it was dark and we were unable to get any transportation back to our hotel. There were some sketchy dogs nearby that were clearly not happy with us being there as well as some locals that were clearly giggling at the stupid gringos being somewhere they don't belong. We proceeded to walk the 2.5 miles back to our hotel which included walking next to a highway with no sidewalk and needing to jump off the road when cars were coming. Thankfully we made it back OK but this situation could have been EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, especially if it were to happen to a young solo female traveler, older travelers, etc. We were refunded for the tour and our uber as well as offered a different tour for free by this company. I stressed how if they are unable to process online tickets correctly that they should not be selling them in the first place and pointed out the potential dangers and liability issues with this whole situation as being the most important take away as I don't want anyone getting hurt in the future... The company owner was very nice and was extremely sorry/horrifies that this had happened + vowed to no longer use the booking platform "Get Your Guide," as he stated that the tour had been full for weeks already prior to us buying our tickets and he had no clue why they allowed them to be purchased when we got them in the first place. All in all just another example of how over tourism moving too quickly can cause problems.
Moving on to our final location in our itinerary, the Oso peninsula. We knew we would be taking a boat to get there but did not realize that this would be a fairly small motor boat that we would be taking out in to an area with fairly big waves, nor did we realize that there would be no boat dock when we arrived. It was a full moon/king tide and the waves were large enough that the boat crew was quite clearly debating if passage would be safe enough or not, as they had to make several passes prior to making it over the wave breaks to get to the bay. When we were finally dropped off at pur destination I was horrified! The boat almost capsized repeatedly and at 1 point was ~80% on its nose. There were 2 people trying to stabilize the boat in the rear as the boat was backed up close to the beach and at one point a wave came and knocked one of them backwards in the water + I was truly afraid that the boat was going to crush him. Add on to all of this that I had unfortunately injured my back a month ago and was on the mend but the extreme jostling around so much in the boat resulted in my back issues flaring up again. The communication from the boat crew was very poor, basically no existent. Initially everyone thought they were getting off the boat at the same location, so all the bags were offloaded and all passengers started to get off to then have some people and their bags need to get back on the boat, the whole while with the waves making ot fairly treacherous. It was extremely chaotic and I was quite shocked to know that this is something that happens there regularly and that it had not inspired adding a dock yet
When we were greeted by the hotel staff they had 2 drinks waiting for us and proceeded to tell us that we needed to be awake and ready to go see the park/meet up the following morning (my birthday) at 540am... I was less than thrilled. We had been getting very little sleep the entire trip already and were exhausted. We got up, thinking that we were already in the park and would just be driving somewhere nearby, we found out that we had to get back on a boat again and deal with being jostled around... again (thankfully it was not quite as bad as the first trip but still was not the best way to wake up at all).
That night the hotel staff said that they had made me a birthday drink and gave me a mojito with dinner. When we checked out of the hotel the following day I was charged for 3 drinks despite me never actually ordering any of them and the staff just presenting us with them, which I thought seemed rather petty/distasteful. I will say that the hotel staff were all extremely friendly and kind and the hotel itself was at least beautiful.
We were brought to the small airport nearby that would be flying us back to San Jose when we left the hotel the following day and we were brought there 2 hours before our flight. The airport was empty/there was no security and clearly only very small planes use it, so we proceeded to just sit there wishing we could have spent a bit more time enjoying the beach before leaving instead, as arriving so early seemed very unnecessary.
As for the rest of the trip, in La Fortuna our guide for the waterfall and for the Monte Verde hanging bridges, Monica, was very personable, knowledgeable and pleasant. It was extremely busy at both locations though so we didn't see a ton of wildlife and it felt like people were being rushed through in repeat guided tour groups at the hanging bridges. It was beautiful and would have been nice to have more time to absorb it all.
In all honesty, after having a guided tour once at any of these places, it would really be better in my opinion, to just go through them on your own afterwards/for any subsequent visits. All of the parks are pretty easy to navigate and you can go at your own pace that way + avoid any large crowds/tour groups, therefore giving you a much better chance to see more things, as the animals clearly are less inclined to venture near a ton of people. That said, with the new rules on park entry Im not sure how easy this will be moving forward unfortunately.
We also went on a hike at El Silencio preserve, which I didn't realize until we got there was the same place/hike that I had already gone on last year. The tour guide (I unfortunately don't remember his name) was nice and also knowledgeable but, I probably would have skipped this and opted for a something different this trip having already done it once before, as it didn't add much more this time then it had during my initial experience.
Lastly was our hike in Corcovado, which is a very beautiful area that I wish we had spent more time in (and especially instead of being 30 minutes away from Manuel Antonio and the beach the days we were there). The guide was nice (I unfortunately don't remember his name either) and we had a good group of fellow travelers with us but my back was pretty sore from the boat ride, we were exhausted from lack of sleep and I was cranky having to meet so early in the morning, especially on my birthday, which all detracted from the experience. I don't feel personally that I gained a ton from the guided tour other than him pointing out puma tracks at one point that I probably would have overlooked. I think that this tour world have been every bit as good (better really) if it didn't require meeting at 540am and I don't see how having it so early was a benefit in any way at all.
If I ever return to Costa Rica again, which I can say is a very big if at this point, I would skip all guided tours and would probably stay only in the Corcovado area as it is the least developed and crowded and was also extremely beautiful. We didn't realize until after our guided tour that there was actually a park trail within walking distance of our hotel, which would have been nice to know. We briefly got to walk a short way on it before leaving but would have loved to spend more time exploring on our own if we had the opportunity.

Hotel Reviews

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Fairly standard hotel, clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Rancho Corcovado

Drake Bay, Puntarenas

Beautiful location and extremely friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

The staff makes this place top notch, they were lovely

Location

Gorgeous views of Drake Bay

Staff

Every person I interacted with was extremely kind and personable

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Foresta Nature Resort

Quepos

The hotel itself is nice enough but the best part of the place is the nature trails. It would be nice if there was some seating outside the rooms so you could sit outside at night. The drinks were kind of pricey and the food was mediocre.

Authenticity & Character

I like the nature trails

Location

Its a bit of a trek to most things in the area from this location - 30 mins to the beach or Manuel Antonio park

Staff

Not really the friendliest

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seating outside

Hotel Magic Mountain

Fortuna

Beautiful views, clean hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Self-Guided Visit to Manuel Antonio National Park

Costa Rica

Our plan to visit Manuel Antonio National Park didn't go as expected due to the rule changes since my last visit. I was disappointed to find out upon arrival that pre-booking tickets is now required, which wasn't communicated with me, leading us to miss out on visiting the park. Additionally, our hotel was far from amenities, causing us to spend a lot on taxis. This was quite frustrating and affected our plans significantly.

Yuliana was prompt & easy to work with. Her trip recommendations and guidance were a perfect fit for our family. We enjoyed every moment our trip!

Hotel Review

Hotel Arenal Montechiari

La Fortuna

Great spot for our group of 12. The pool was a hit.

Authenticity & Character

The tropical gardens & views of Arenal were beautiful.

Location

Easy to get to, within walking distance of town center

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Traditional Cooking Class - Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Traditional Cooking Class was my personal favorite activity of the trip. We had a private garden tour to taste various plants and learned about their uses. Cooking with my family was simple, stress-free, and so enjoyable. We even got to press sugar cane and try different things. This activity was perfect for our large group, and everyone loved working together in the kitchen!

Rainforest Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Rainforest Chocolate Tour was one of the highlights of our trip! The guide was hilarious, making the experience both fun and educational. Our group couldn't stop laughing throughout the tour. It was a unique experience where we learned a lot about the chocolate-making process while being entertained. Highly recommend it for all ages!