Self guided week in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
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Jul 19 - Jul 26, 2026
Arenal was amazing. Hotel Lavas Tacotal was in a beautiful setting with all the tropical plants and flowers. We saw some interesting birds on our birding walk but were pretty far away so photography was not optimal. We enjoyed our walk in the hanging gardens. It was raining in an am and in the afternoon it looked to stop so ventured out to La Fortuna waterfall. We’ve seen lots of waterfalls so we were so surprised about the amount of water in this one. We were awestruck. Phenomenal and we got the senior price discount. The hot springs were OK. More developed than we thought. We have been in natural hotsprings and developed hotsprings in the western US so not unique. Dinner was mediocre.
Manuel Antonio. The views from our hotel balcony was a highlight. Great choice. Our guide, Jeremy, in Manuel Antonio NP was the best. Amazing eyesight. Spotted so many animals for us. Impeccable English and so kind. I don’t think we would have seen anything by ourselves. After seeing forecasts of rain and more rain, none of our activities were impacted by rain.
The car was great and driving not too bad. A self guided trip planned by Yuliana at KimKim was special.
Hotel Review
The view of the ocean from the balcony of our room was beautiful.and relaxing. The staff was helpful. The room was clean and spacious. We would stay there again.
Activity Reviews
Nomey was great. The birds just weren’t close for good photos. Had we known photos could be taken by our iPhones with the scope we would have lasting memories. She sent me a list of birds we saw that was appreciated.
Fabulous guide with Jeremy. Saw such a variety of wildlife spotted by him. Impeccable le English and kind. Made sure everyone had the opportunity to view the animal.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me! I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time in Arenal and Manuel Antonio. It is wonderful that Hotel Lavas Tacotal and the beautiful tropical surroundings made such a great impression, and that La Fortuna Waterfall exceeded your expectations. It really is an incredible sight, especially after the rain. I am also very happy to hear that Jeremy made your visit to Manuel Antonio National Park so memorable. I will be... Read more