“Hola.  What’s the difference between the hot springs at the Arenal Volcano?  That’s a large price difference (Tabacon almost double Baldí)”

- Elaine

Hola Elaine,

Picking the right hot springs while up at the Arenal Volcano can be confusing with the several options available.  Tabacón, Baldí and Ecotermales are the three most visited and each of these options have their own pros and cons.  Some hotels, such as the Arenal Paraiso, Arenal Kioro and Royal Corin feature their own hot springs on site.  It seems like everyday new options are opening up, such as The Springs Resort.  For now, let me compare the three that I’ve visited personally:

Tabacón has the fame of being the best in the area and I must say the grounds are spectacular!  The Tabacon Hot Springs consists of many mineral baths and hot springs all fed by the Arenal Volcano.  The mineral baths stay at a median temperature of 102 degrees and are surrounded by beautiful gardens full of waterfalls and other natural beauty.  Acres of tropical gardens surround the soaking ponds making this one of the most beautiful places on earth.  The Tabacon River begins deep inside the Arenal volcano where it is heated to well over a hundred degrees before it exits at the base of the volcano.   This place if very popular and the price has grown exponentially over the years.  Despite the elevated price, availability has become limited for this busy times of year.

Baldi has very nice hot springs and I think it has more of a young, party atmosphere.  The Baldi Hot Springs offer a friendly and affordable alternative to Tabacon in a safe location.  This is an excellent choice for families or couples,  complete with 16 hot pools, 3 swim up bars, restaurant, spa and changing facilities – surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens.  The pools, fed by individual springs. range in temperatures and some are handicap friendly.  On a clear night you can view the massive Arenal Volcano with it’s impressive lava flows.

Ecotermales is the smallest of the three and does not allow walk ins.   They limit the amount of visitors to keep down the  crowds.  I think they have a nice, relaxing atmosphere – but there’s not too many different pools to choose from.  Availability may also be limited since only a small amount of people are allowed to visit the springs at a time.

Pura Vida,

–
Jason Bateman

If you have a question you want to ask us, contact us at: questions@tocostarica.net

Yesterday afternoon I drove north from Playa Hermosa to the Hilton Papagayo and from the first moment I was greeted with excellent service and have been amazed by this spectacular hotel.  I had visited this hotel several years ago, when it was known as the Fiesta Primier, but the recent remodelations have made this place world class.  I came here for the Guanacaste Marketplace, an event that takes place once a year to promote one of Costa Rica’s most popular tourist destination - the northern Pacific beaches of Guanacaste.  I checked into room 204, a bungalow with fantastic ocean views.  Everything has changed since my last visit, the amenities, the furniture and the Hilton’s emphasis on service is clearly evident.

The hotel is undergoing more changes, as of December 1st it converts from an all-inclusive resort to a “pay as you go” meal plan.  So believe me, I’m taking advantage of the food and drinks - as I will be one of the last to visit the Hilton Papagayo as an all-inclusive resort.   There’s live music here every night and yesterday the group of travel agents who are here taking part in the Guanacaste Marketplace all spent a few hours listen to the show, talking and sharing experiences under the stars.

I just took a tour of the resort with the Director of Marketing for the Hotel and I loved seeing the entire property.  Most of the resorts 100+ rooms are bungalow style, which I think provides guests with a high level of comfort and privacy.  The bungalows are surrounded by beautiful gardens, many have ocean views and as you drive through the property on a golf cart you get the feeling that you are in a small village - with all your cares and troubles miles away!  We then visit the hotel’s “Ocean View” room, which are located at the highest point on the hotel property.  Although personally I like the feel of the bungalows better, there is no denying that the view from the Ocean View rooms is one of the best of the Papagayo Gulf that I have seen.  Finally we visited the Hotel’s Junior Suites, and as soon as we walked into the room my jaw quickly dropped - incredible!  These rooms are larger, have a separate seating area, offer some of the best views on the property and have a private plunge pool on the terrace.  Truly luxurious and perfect for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.

The Spa Vida is incredible, located on a separate section of the hotel in front of another pool which is adults only - so it’s much quieter and private area.  The open air, ocean view massage rooms are fantastic and the prices are quiet reasonable.  One of their most popular treatments is called the “Ancestral Massage”, where warm volcanic stones are placed on your body - I’ve heard it’s very relaxing and am contemplating setting up one for myself this afternoon.  The modern gym, restaurants, pools, beach areas make this place a truly relaxing getaway.  So no more blogging for me, I’m off to enjoy!

“What type of money should we bring? Traveler’s Checks, cash, Debit cards, credit cards? We’ve heard conflicting advice.”

Mary Beth

Hola Mary Beth!

Thanks for your email! For money exchange, you should carry dollars (Bills of $20’s and $50’s) with you when you arrive in Costa Rica.  These bills need to be in nearly pristine condition, as most places will not accept them if they have even the smallest defect.  As the local currency is on a fixed devaluation schedule with the US dollar, you will most always get the best rate of exchange if you bring dollars.

About 80% of the vendors here in Costa Rica will accept US Dollars and Credit Cards (Visa and Mastercard). As far as travelers checks, you will find it difficult to use them with the local vendors as it takes about 30 days for the checks to clear here. If they do accept them be prepared to pay an exchange fee.

Also remember that most vendors will give discounts for using cash over credit cards as credit card merchant accounting companies charge high fees for processing credit card purchases here.

I think that your best bet is to bring US dollars for your initial arrival and then depend on ATM’s, check cards, and credit cards.
Pura Vida,

Jason Bateman

If you have a question you want to ask us, contact us at: questions@tocostarica.net

“Is the hotel stay in San Jose at both ends of the trip standard, or did I tell you that we would arrive late the first day and leave early the last day? “

-Warren

Hola Warren!

Costa Rica is a small country, but it’s rugged terrain and the poor condition of the roads makes getting from one place to another time consuming and sometimes difficult. If you were to book a flight into San Jose arriving in the late afternoon, you are most likely going to want to stay in the city the first night.  It takes about 3 1/2 hours to get to the Arenal Volcano from the airport, and after a long international flight that may be tiring. Manuel is even farther - a land transfer to this popular beach can take up to 5 hours!  I think that perhaps it is best to relax that first night and then we can set up a transfer to the volcano or the beach first thing in the morning.  The first night, if time permits, you may want to set up a private city tour with one of our bilingual drivers.  This way you can see the sights of San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, perhaps go out to a nice restaurant for dinner and get a good night’s sleep before starting your adventure the following morning.

Picking the right transportation option can help you get the most out of you time in Costa Rica.  Many people head to the Arenal Volcano for their first few days as they prefer to end their trip at the beach. There are a couple of interested Transfer/Tours you can do on the way.   You could make a stop at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens for lunch and see 5 of the largest waterfalls in the country, here you’ll also find one of the largest butterfly gardens in the world.  You could also go white water rafting and they would drop you off at the volcano after the tour.  Other popular options are to stop at the Poas Volcano, which is one of the largest craters in the world or a coffee plantation.  These transfer/tours give you a chance to stretch your legs mid trip and visit an interesting attraction on the way to the Arenal Volcano.

On your final day, you may choose to take a domestic flight back to San José to connect with your international flight home.  This way you can avoid spending the final night in the capital and you get an extra day at the beach.  Domestic flights with Nature Air are relatively inexpensive and they save you a lot of time compared to the land transfers.  For example, a flight back to San Jose from Manuel Antonio takes you just 25 minutes!  The panoramic windows that Nature Air offers allow for incredible vistas and give you a perspective of Costa Rica like never before!  We suggest that you get to the international airport 3 hours before your flight home, so when booking flights try to pick one that leaves as late as possible on your final day.

Pura Vida,

Jason Bateman

If you have a question you want to ask us, contact us at: questions@tocostarica.net