My husband and I were staying at a resort in Papagayo. It is about 3 hours each way to Arenal but well worth it. We opted for the private tour, so it was just us, our guide Sandino, and our driver Jose. I would highly recommend a private tour as you can take your time and not be at anyone else’s beck-and-call.
We were picked up at the hotel promptly at 7am, with the promise of a full day ahead (plan for 12 hours). We got on the road and Sandino started talking about everything from animals we may see to history of the country, landscape, volcanoes...you name it, we touched on it.
About halfway through we stopped at a little cafe to stretch, use very clean bathrooms, and get some breakfast for the road. My husband opted for a breakfast sandwich that was big enough for two, and we shared an iced cappuccino that was pretty good.
Now, when I say rainforest, take that to heart. Bring ponchos and an umbrella if you have one, a water camera and change of shoes is also preferable.
We arrived in a downpour that continued for the first hour and a half we were there. While one store was out of ponchos, we grabbed the last two at the gift shop on site. And we were glad to have them.
We started our journey and didn’t know what to expect. While the hike is only about 2 miles, there was a lot of up and down. My husband has a bad leg and some of it was hard for him, but he made it. (My Fitbit pegged me at 125 floors on the hike alone, if that is any indication.) The hanging bridges are sprinkled throughout, 9 in all. And while a little intimidating at times, they were so cool!! They can hold 15 people at once, but usually the 3 of us (me, my husband, and our guide) were the only ones on, and it was great for taking pictures and video of the view.
Let’s talk insects and wildlife. Some of the things we were lucky enough to see: bats, butterflies, birds, praying mantis, spiders, monkeys. We looked for sloths, poison dart frogs, snakes. But keep in mind, it was pouring rain for quite some time, so we were happy to see what we did.
The waterfall. Breathtaking. My husband didn’t try to make it down, it was a steep walk. But it was beautiful. We spent about 5 minutes there, just taking in the rushing water, the splendor. If you are feeling up to it, worth the walk.
Give yourself about 2-3 hours to really enjoy the nature. The sounds of silence. Birds chirping. Water rushing. Being surrounded by beauty.
We then went to lunch after. We parted ways with our guide and enjoyed a nice buffet on our own. They had a decent selection: a chef grilling beef to order, soups, potatoes, pastas, salads, breads, desserts. Water, coffee and tea were included, soft drinks and alcohol were available but extra.
After a leisurely lunch we got to explore the hot springs. Incredible. There were easily a dozen different pools to take a plunge in, all different temperatures. The hottest was still below 100 Fahrenheit, all marked so you knew what you were getting into, literally. Some featured waterfalls, others still pools. But each was stunning in its own way. We spent a half hour just walking them taking pictures, trying to take them all in.
If you have water shoes, bring them along. Some of the pools were very rocky and almost painful to explore beyond the entrance.
With plenty of pools to explore, we never felt crowded or cramped. It was almost an unspoken rule that if someone else entered the pool you moved along (but not necessary).
There are shower facilities, lockers and towels available on site, all clean and nice. We used the spinner to dry our suits so we could put them in our beach bags and not have to use plastic (our guide seemed adamant on not using plastic, especially in the rainforest. Understandable after seeing the majesty around us).
We thought this was the end, but we were so glad to be wrong.
I wanted so badly to see a sloth. We searched diligently and had no luck in the rainforest, and Sandino and Jose couldn’t let us leave without getting what we wanted. While we spent 2 hours having lunch and enjoying the hot springs, they were out finding us exactly what we wanted.
The last 20 minutes before we went home were filled with more excitement and adrenaline than the rest of the tour combined.
We pulled off to the side of the road where a troop of monkeys were playing in the trees. And we got up close and personal. I stood feet below taking pictures as they swung in the branches above us. Other passersby realized our fortune and stopped to take pictures as well (on the way back through moments later, there was nowhere to park!). After tons of great shots, we continued up the road to a turnaround where a sleepy sloth perched high atop a tree. He even glanced our way for a few pictures before returning to his slumber. As I was trying to figure out the perfect angle and lighting, the shouts of “RUN!!! QUICK!!” came from the roadway. I took off full-speed and came upon a massive traffic jam as a sloth was crossing the road!! He was booking it, likely trying to get to the sleepy sloth in the tree we were just photographing, to mate. We lost him in some bushes but were close enough to touch him. So incredibly cool.
After that we journeyed back to the resort. With the exception of Jose, I think we all dozed off for a bit, after the excitement and beauty of the day.
We saw so much. We did so much. It was incredibly beautiful, humbling, relaxing, exciting, and exhilarating. And easily our most recommended tour to new friends around the pool at the resort.
**While the beauty of the rainforest and relaxation of the hot springs are imminent, the extras would not have been possible without Sandino and Jose. We booked through Olympus tours and, if possible, request this duo so you can experience the same wonders that we did!!**