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FOR YOU, FOR FREE: 17 years' worth of firsthand Costa Rica trip planning and travel advice compiled into hundreds of articles, plus exclusive discounts. Created by a Costa Rican and a four-time published Costa Rica guidebook author. Welcome, amigos, and as we say in Costa Rica, pura vida!

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How To Decide Between La Fortuna / Arenal or Monteverde (or Why You Should Visit Both)

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  • #194948
    Nikki Solano
    Keymaster

    The comment section of this article has moved! If you have a question or comment about our article above or Costa Rica travel in general, please post it in our Questions and Answers Forum on DIY Costa Rica, our sister website, where you can also access our private Costa Rica recommendations, our Costa Rica Destination Tool, and our Costa Rica Recommendations Map. See you there, amigos! 🙂

  • #194949
    reversecommuter
    Guest

    WOW! Those pictures are incredible!!!!

    • #194954
      Nikki Solano
      Keymaster

      Hey reversecommuter!

      Awe (blush). Thanks so much for the compliment! 🙂 I love your trendy tips at Reverse Commuter. Thanks to you, I’m going to start reintroducing belts into my wardrobe! LOL.

      Pura vida!

  • #194950
    ThatSummersGuy
    Guest

    If you decide to visit Monteverde, I highly recommend Hotel Las Orquideas. http://www.orquideasmonteverde.com/index.php It’s a small bed-and-breakfast style hotel run by the family of a good friend. I stayed for a week with a group of friends, and Danilo and his family are among the most hospitable and fun people I’ve ever met. They’re very knowledgeable about the area, and can help plan your whole trip. Highly, highly recommended.

    • #194955
      Nikki Solano
      Keymaster

      Hey ThatSummersGuy!

      Great tip! Thanks so much for sharing it. Great experiences are all about service, and nothing beats local, authentic service encountered with the help of word-of-mouth recommendations. Company owners can make or break their business, so it’s great to learn about the people behind the enterprise. 🙂

      Pura vida!

  • #194951
    buenosdiasbinkie
    Guest

    Great photos and a wealth of info! Thanks!

    • #194956
      Nikki Solano
      Keymaster

      Hi buenosdiasbinkie (Mary)!

      Thanks so much for commenting! I just scrolled through your blog (mainly the “Costa Rica” category) and couldn’t find an article that I wouldn’t be interested in reading. Every post intrigues me! I cannot think of a better sign that a blog is worth reading, so keep up the great work! 🙂

      Pura vida!

  • #194952
    dweezer19
    Guest

    You are right about planning. My husband spent nearly a year mapping out our first trip. But we did not take the typical route to Arenal. Instead we chose Pias and Peace Lodge. For us it was magnificent. Thats what led us to Manuel Antonio, because of time constraints and travel. Then it ended up being our home for 8 mos! Getting your transportation worked out ahead of time seems to be one of the keys to success. Lovely photos. How I miss CR…

  • #194953
    dweezer19
    Guest

    That should have said Poas. Slipping fingers…lol.

    • #194957
      Nikki Solano
      Keymaster

      Hey dweezer19!

      Come back to Costa Rica! 🙂 The route between San Jose/Alajuela and La Fortuna/Arenal via Poas/La Paz is incredible! It was closed for a while after the earthquake, but it’s open now and provides a beautiful, scenic drive. In some areas, cloud cover can make for a longer and more cautious drive, but it’s magnificent nonetheless, as you put it. I bet you loved Manuel Antonio too. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts about transportation. We agree 100%. Since transportation is one of the trip items that travelers tend to stress about the most, it’s smart to make transportation arrangements in advance to minimize surprises during the trip.

      Pura vida! 🙂

  • #194959
    airport transfers london
    Guest

    COSTA RICA is a beautiful place, can’t wait to go there asap. Thanks for sharing such an amazing blog with us…

    • #196720
      Nikki Solano
      Keymaster

      Thank you for commenting, airport transfers london! 🙂

  • #194961
    jaime
    Guest

    Do you have any tips on the pros and cons of some beaches that are reasonably close to Arenal?

    • #194960
      Nikki Solano
      Keymaster

      Hi Jaime!

      Absolutely! Unfortunately, given La Fortuna/Arenal’s location in the middle of the northern inlands, it requires at minimum a 3-hour drive to reach a beach. Most of the nicer beaches are anywhere from a 3.5-hour drive to a 6-hour drive away from La Fortuna. To learn more about Costa Rica’s many, many beaches, don’t miss our blog post: 66 Costa Rica Beaches (In Photos) And Where To Find Them.

      Pura vida! 🙂

  • #194962
    Lori
    Guest

    Thanks for the great information! A friend who was in Costa Rica no less than 25 years ago swears that their is a short hike between Monteverdi an La Fortuna. Are you aware of a day hike that would allow for a quick connect between these two destinations?

    • #194963
      Nikki Solano
      Keymaster

      Hi Lori!

      Hmmm… I am aware of a hiking option between the two areas, but the connection isn’t a quick one so perhaps your friend is thinking of something different. The hike I have in mind is run by ACMCR. It exists between the San Gerardo Biological Station in Monteverde (roughly a 1-hour hike is required to get to the station from beyond the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Biological Reserve) and El Castillo in the Arenal region (an approximate half-hour drive from downtown La Fortuna). Excluding the hour-long hike required to reach the biological station, the hike from there to El Castillo is another approximate 6 hours. 🙁 There are a few other trails that lead from one area (Monteverde) to the other (La Fortuna/Arenal) but they are longer in length, hike duration, and require an overnight stay, so I doubt these are what your friend had in mind.

      Pura vida! 🙂

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