Another positive kimkim travel experience

Costa Rica | Jan 20 - Jan 30, 2026

Olman worked quickly following up on our initial inquiry to put ideas into a plan. The drivers we had were courteous and professional, getting us safely to and from destinations. Our initial drive from the airport to our lodging was a bit too long after a full day of travel and made more difficult by standstill traffic, dark and rain. In general, I was not prepared for some of the winding, bumpy roads and switchbacks and was grateful not to be trying to find our way driving a rental car. The lodging, restaurants and staff in Arenal all were excellent. The hike to the volcano was more challenging than the photos of the trail indicated but our guide was very patient and kind. All accommodations were very clean with attentive, polite staff. The river safari, coffee and chocolate plantation, organic farm and cooking class, swinging bridges and night hike were all great activities. If anyone could help us obtain the recipes from our cooking class, that would be much appreciated. Attempts to connect with them online have not been fruitful. Our guide at Manuel Antonio Park was very good but the park was very crowded and busy, taking away from the beauty somewhat. Some tourists in surrounding groups were excessively loud and as a result some of the wildlife were driven away by their noise unfortunately. It seemed to take awhile for groups to be connected with guides on the night walk, but once that happened we were pleased with the guide we had as well as the small group size. The beach in Guanacaste was beautiful and we enjoyed walking there. There were many roving "vendors" trying to sell their merchandise on the beach but we didn't encounter anyone being overly aggressive and most usually moved on quickly. Costa Rica is a beautiful country and the people we met were proud and happy to share the country with us. My hope is that development and commerce can be managed so the many beautiful spots we visited are preserved for the future.