How To Decide Between La Fortuna / Arenal or Monteverde (or Why You Should Visit Both)
We compare and contrast La Fortuna / Arenal and Monteverde, plus offer a quiz, photos, and discounts for both areas to help you decide!
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!
We compare and contrast La Fortuna / Arenal and Monteverde, plus offer a quiz, photos, and discounts for both areas to help you decide!
No, the word Movember is not misspelt. Although today marks the beginning of November, it also kicks off Movember – a month of abundant facial hair and inescapable bad moustaches (mustaches, for our American readers) aiming to raise awareness of men’s physical and mental health. …
Considering a Groupon Costa Rica vacation package? We calculate the cost breakdown of the “travel deal” offered by Costa Rica travel agencies.
Looking for the best La Fortuna hot springs in Arenal Costa Rica? We compare and contrast all 12 and offer discounts for hot springs passes!
La Fortuna Waterfall details including who should visit, hike difficulty, facility / viewpoint info, and discounts for waterfall tours!
Interested in a Manuel Antonio sailing tour? We outline who should go, what to see, tour logistics, and offer a free sailing tour discount too!
We compare/contrast 15 types of Costa Rica transportation, plus offer free discounts for shuttles and car rentals. Learn more!
Want to protect yourself from Costa Rica vacation package scams and red flags? We outline what to be aware of and watch out for.
Everything you need to know about vegan and vegetarian food in Costa Rica, including what to eat and other tips!
Curious if you need a tour guide in Costa Rica? We explore whether Costa Rica guided tours or unguided tours are better, and why.
Want to know where to stay in La Fortuna Costa Rica? We recommend Royal Corin and we offer a free discount promotion code for the hotel too!
We describe the most memorable aspects of the Arenal Springs Resort & Spa in La Fortuna, Costa Rica, plus share photos from our visits.
Last updated on May 20th, 2017 at 05:10 pm GMT-6 (Costa Rica time)Although miles away, my heart is with Canadians today. Happy birthday Canada! You might not be able to make it out clearly, but Ricky’s shirt in the photo above says “proud to be Canadian”. Ricky …
Want to know where to stay in La Fortuna Costa Rica? We recommend Silencio del Campo and we offer a free discount promotion code for the hotel too!
Want to know where to stay in La Fortuna Costa Rica? We recommend La Pradera del Arenal and we offer a free discount promotion code for the hotel too!
Want to skip the Costa Rica all-inclusive resort? Great! Here’s how to do so without sacrificing your “inclusive” vacation. Learn more!
Interested in the mangrove tour Costa Rica? We outline who should go, what you’ll learn, which guides to trust, and offer a free mangrove tour discount too!
Love Costa Rica sloths? Meet “Rapida” (photos and video)–the Costa Rican sloth that paid us a surprise visit at home one day. Pura vida!
Want to know where to stay in San Jose Costa Rica? We recommend Hotel Buena Vista and we offer a free discount promotion code for the hotel too!
Looking for all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica? We list some, but we also explain why the country is not an all-inclusive resort destination. Learn more!
As a child growing up in Costa Rica, Ricky worked as a bean-picker on a Costa Rica coffee plantation. Learn about his experiences here!
Want to know which is the best river for rafting in Costa Rica? We compare and contrast a number here, and offer discounts and savings for each!
Use our Costa Rica Destination Tool to filter 66 Costa Rica destination recommendations according to nearly 150 different criteria. Learn more!
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✓ Ricky is a born-and-raised Costa Rican and Nikki (married to Ricky) has explored Costa Rica since the mid-2000s.
✓ We've operated our Costa Rica-based business, Pura Vida! eh? Inc., for 16 years (and counting!).
✓ Our Costa Rica guidebooks are published by the prestigious Moon Travel Guides brand.
✓ We only ever write about experiences we know firsthand, and we never stuff our blog with general information about Costa Rica that is widely available elsewhere.
✓ We never copy or plagiarize other writers' content. How we wish other writers would show us the same respect!
✓ Unless stated otherwise, every photo displayed on our blog was taken by us, and with our own two hands. (Unlike some other bloggers, who rely on drones to travel and conduct research for them, we actually visit and explore the places we write about.)👍🏽
✓ We're active in promoting Costa Rica around the world. We've written about Costa Rica for Wanderlust Magazine (UK), presented Costa Rica on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel Show and podcast/radio show (US), and served as a Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist (Spain).
✓ Our work is backed by hundreds of positive reviews and testimonials (read some here)
✓ We are not overly active on social media. Instead of fixating on our own popularity, we spend the majority of our time exploring and researching Costa Rica, updating our various Costa Rica resources, and working with travelers one-on-one. We're focused on the quality of your travel experience, not the quantity of our followers. ❤️