Time flies, but we all still have lovely memories of our trip to Costa Rica.
Our trip was divided in two. Our time in Arenal was fun and we enjoyed zip lining, hanging bridges, caving and hot springs. The transfers were all on time, comfortable, and the guides were wonderful. The hotel there was fine…we only caught a brief glimpse of the volcano since the weather was mostly cloudy. Arenal was perhaps a bit more touristy than I had anticipated, but we definitely had fun here.
The flight to Puerto Jimenez on the Osa was great, and again, we were greeted with fresh coconut water and fine transportation. Our time at Lapa Rios was amazing. The bungalow had a fantastic view of Gulfo Dulce and the outdoor shower was gorgeous. The food was plentiful, fresh and tasty. The swimming pool was good, but the walks and guides were fabulous. The guides really went out of their way to make sure we saw as much flora and fauna as possible. We went on almost every available guided walk and experienced each guide. We saw sloths, iguanas, four types of monkeys, twenty scarlet macaws at a time, toucans, snakes, frogs, tarantula (on the night hike), a kinkajou, and much more. We also went on morning bird walks and a rain forest medicine walk. For us it was perfect.
There were several families there with young children (approximately ages 5-12) and they seemed to spend each day at the pool. The beach is a short walk away, but not good for swimming. I would not recommend this place for kids not interested in nature and walking. I’m sure there are many places better for a pool/beach vacation.
Lapa Rios seems dedicated to conservation and I was impressed by the progressive environmental policies in place in Costa Rica. My daughter is trying to figure out how to return to Costa Rica to do some environmental work while becoming fluent in Spanish. It’s a very welcoming place.
As far as the weather on the Osa, we had NO rain in the rain forest for the five days we were there. This was very unusual and the guides expressed some concern about how dry it was. It was hot when we hiked, but I don’t think it felt more humid than August in Charlottesville. -Sabine, 2016
