By GAIL LOWE
ARENAL, COSTA RICA — At any moment, a provoked crocodile
could have attacked the rubber raft we paddled along the Penas Blanca River in the middle of a rain forest only 30 minutes from La Fortuna, a town next to Costa Rica's Arenal volcano.
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| Arenal Volcano as seen from the grounds of Hotel Lomas Del Vol |
Fortunately for us, the crocodiles apparently had already
had lunch. But others have not been as fortunate. There have been reports of
sawed off legs, arms and heads. While on our river safari, our guide told us
that in one case a crocodile was euthanized and in its gut a man’s entire
remains were found. What a gruesome image!
We were taken through a region where howler monkeys
swung through the trees, sloths peacefully napped in thick vegetation, venomous
snakes slithered along the embankments and toucans flitted across the water.
Now and then, we’d spot a neon green lizard sunning itself on a rock. This, we
agreed, was the forest primeval.
Our guide used a laser pointer to bring these creatures to
our attention as we glided along. “We” included my husband and I and a mother
and son from New Jersey sharing space in the little raft.
Costa Rica — the rich coast — is known for its biodiversity
and natural resources. Because of the country’s geographical placement near the
equator, it is blessed with numerous species of birds, wildlife, flowers,
spices, hot springs and majestic beauty. Along the east coast, there is the
Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. On the west coast, there is the Pacific. Both
coasts are lined with beautiful beaches.
Our first night of a seven-night adventure in the spring of 2017 was spent in San
Jose, Costa Rica’s capital. Hotel Balmoral was smack in the middle of downtown
and an easy walk to restaurants, shops and museums. The inner city reminded us
of Downtown Crossing in Boston where only foot traffic is allowed. We found it
safe for an early evening stroll to a restaurant, and no one pushed us to buy
souvenirs or other wares. The hotel itself was clean and adequate for our
needs, which is to say we needed a place to sleep. The bed, however, was rock
hard and so were the pillows. Hotel management: Please do something about this
if you want more positive reviews. To make up for it, the room rate included a
full breakfast, and we filled up with coffee, juice, fresh fruit, toast, egg
dishes and various meats before setting off for Arenal in our all-wheel drive
rented Jimmy Suzuki.
The two hours to La Fortuna (Arenal) might have frightened
some—we had been warned that there are no guard rails—but we braved the
switchback roads with ease and found that there were indeed guard rails to
protect drivers. We arrived in La Fortuna a few hours later and after driving
through the small Latino town we found our lodging for the next two nights.
Hotel Lomas Del Volcan, a quasi gated community, was built on a long incline to
the base of the Arenal volcano, which is covered in thick green vegetation. At
first sight, it just about takes your breath away, it’s so majestic. White
smoke curled out of the volcano’s cauldron, and yes it remains active to this
day. At night, there is viewing from the Arenal Observatory Lodge, only a short
drive from the hotel.
We loved this area, including the hotel, for a lot of
reasons and would highly recommend it to anyone. First, every guest is given a
detached wood-frame bungalow for the duration of their stay and breakfast is
included if you book through a tour operator like Gate1travel.com. Some
bungalows feature a bedroom, bathroom and front and rear porches for relaxing.
Other bungalows are big enough to accommodate large families and come with
sitting rooms in addition to bedrooms and bath. The grounds are immaculate and are
a profusion of lovely plants and flowers. Since just the two of us were
traveling, we stayed in a smaller bungalow, but our every need was met, from
shampoo, soap and blow dryer to a fully stocked mini refrigerator. I’m happy,
also, to report that the beds were far nicer than what Hotel Balmoral offered.
Management at this hotel was friendly, warm and welcoming.
People manning the front desk helped us select the best tour options suitable
for us. Instead of zip-lining through the jungle, we opted instead for a river
safari through a rain forest, which included a stop at an authentic Costa Rican
farmhouse owned by two elderly women. While there, we sampled food grown on
their farmland. Following a short rest, we climbed down the embankment and
hopped aboard our rubber raft, picked up our paddles and went on our way.
There were a number of hot springs near our hotel, including
one inside a resort called Baldi Hot Springs Hotel and Spa. Though the springs
are not in a natural setting, the grounds are inspiring, beautiful and well
worth visiting.
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| Overlooking the Pacific Ocean from Si Como No Hotel |
Our Costa Rican adventure allowed only two days in the Arenal
area, so we also chose to walk two miles on a narrow dirt path to the anterior
side of the volcano, also the site of a small lava field. Entering the
walkway cost $15 per person. It is here that the Kodak blue Arenal Lake can be viewed from a distance. The pathway was narrow and a bit tight, as many other tourists wanted to see the volcano close up. This walk is for people who are fit and active, as the path is on a slight incline and rocky in some places. Along the way, we found fascinating natural formations. For instance, a tree grew in such a way that it took on the appearance of a giraffe. We also came across a beehive and an army of fire ants, which we stayed clear of. A better
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| Tree along Arenal pathway looks like a giraffe |
After checking out following a two-night stay in Arenal, we
drove another three hours to Manuel Antonio on the southern Pacific Coast of
Costa Rica. Our hotel, Si Como No (translated “Yes, of course!”) was built into
the side of a mountain overlooking the Pacific. Each room boasted a commanding
ocean view and private patio for viewing wildlife, including howler monkeys
that would awaken us in the morning with their loud grunts.
If you book at Si Como No, know ahead of time that room
access might be difficult. For instance, to access room 19, which was our first
assignment, we had to walk down 48 stairs, which meant another 48 steps to get
back up to street level. For those who aren’t quite fit or suffer any kind of
physical ailment (such as arthritic knees), this could present a problem. The
staff at reception is more than accommodating, however, so not to worry. If you’re
not satisfied with your room assignment, ask for another. They’re all lovely,
quiet and clean, by the way, and well equipped with everything you might need. The
beach at Si Como No also does not have easy access but can be reached by a
hotel shuttle bus that runs on the hour.
Our stay at Si Como No also included breakfast at an outdoor
restaurant and an adults-only pool that we appreciated for relaxing. Tours in
this area also include zip-lining and other adventure activities, but we
decided to skip the adventure, including a visit to Manuel Antonio National
Park which, we were told by other tourists, was like a bad day at the zoo —
overcrowded with people and overrun by animals.
Instead, we opted for a catamaran cruise and visit to a
spice farm about a half hour’s drive from our hotel. The catamaran cruise took
place during the afternoon and lasted three hours. A newlywed couple and their wedding
guests were aboard, and when we stopped for snorkeling many went to the top
deck and jumped into the warm water for swimming and snorkeling. While cruising
along the coastline, dinner was being prepared — delicious fish, macaroni salad,
vegetables and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The afternoon turned out
to be a festive, fun experience.
The spice farm visit was also held during the afternoon and
proved to be a bit uncomfortable due to the humidity, as the farm is inland. Our
guide, however, was knowledgeable and taught us about vanilla and chocolate
making, and demonstrated how cinnamon is shaved from the branch of a tree. At
the end of the tour, we were treated to a half dozen delicacies made with
vanilla and chocolate and bought a bottle of vanilla and white and dark chocolate
beans, plus cinnamon, to use at home.
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| Dinner was served in the shape of a volcano. |
There’s no shortage of good restaurants in every region of
Costa Rica. We expected the cuisine to resemble Mexican food, either hot and
spicy or mild. But Costa Rican food, we discovered, is quite bland in
comparison. This doesn’t mean that it lacked flavor. Anything but. What we were
served was fresh and every bit organic.
Costa Rica had been on our bucket list for quite some time,
and we’re both glad we chose this destination for our annual winter trip. If we
return, we’ll look for a package deal that focuses on
Liberia in Guanacaste. We’re told the beaches there are
absolutely gorgeous.
Visit www.gate1travel.com to view tours.
