Adventure · Arenal & Guanacaste
Costa Rica Volcano & Beach
Hanging bridges, a zip-line, a night walk and hot springs below Arenal Volcano, then three unhurried days on a Pacific beach in Guanacaste.
- Duration
- 6 nights
- Guide price
- from $3,200 pp
- Best time
- Dec–Apr
Three nights in the rainforest, then three at the beach, with the active days first and the beach days as a reward. The whole trip runs through Liberia airport, so there’s no drive back to San José at the end. Minimum ages for zip-lines vary by operator, so tell us the kids’ ages and we’ll choose the tours around them.
The itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Into Volcano Country
Fly into Liberia, where your driver is waiting for the drive of about three hours to Arenal. End the day in the naturally heated pools of a hot spring.
Day 2
Bridges, Zip-Lines and a Night Walk
Cross hanging bridges through the rainforest canopy with a naturalist, who finds the sloths and toucans you would miss. Fly the zip-line in the afternoon, and after dark, follow a guide's flashlight to sleeping birds and tree frogs.
Day 3
The Waterfall
Climb down about 500 steps to La Fortuna Waterfall and swim in the pool below. Keep the afternoon free for a chocolate tour, a gentle river float or another soak.
Day 4
To the Pacific
Drive around Lake Arenal and down to the Guanacaste coast, about three hours with a lunch stop. By mid-afternoon you're on the beach.
Day 5
Under Sail
A catamaran sails along the coast, with a snorkel stop and lunch on board. You're back in time for sunset on the beach.
Day 6
A Day for the Beach
The last full day is open. Stay on the sand, book a spa treatment or take a day trip to the hot springs and mud baths of Rincón de la Vieja.
Day 7
Home from Liberia
Liberia airport is under an hour from most Guanacaste resorts, and many flights to the U.S. leave from there.
Want it a little different?
Add two nights in Monteverde's cloud forest on the way to the coast, or trade Guanacaste for the wildlife of Manuel Antonio and fly home from San José.