A Few Shots from Costa Rica

The Arenal Volcano seen from La Fortuna at sunset.

Last month Anna-Lisa and I spent a week and a half in Costa Rica. It’s become habit for us to get out of the valley in November and head somewhere warm as a sort of summer encore before the long winter. This time around the trip also marked our 15 year wedding anniversary so we decided to go a bit more all-out than we usually do and splurge on a pair of nice hotels in two very different areas of the country. When it’s just the two of us, even in a tropical climate we try to get outside every day for some physical activity to try to offset the big dinners and Mai Tais. Not to mention it’s just a fun way to explore new areas. This trip was no different and we did a pretty good job of checking out as many trails as we could in the ten days we were there.

First up we spent 5 nights in the La Fortuna area, at the Royal Corin near the base of the Arenal Volcano. Being inland and just coming off the rainy season, this area was incredibly green, hot and humid. We spent a few days exploring Arenal National Park and also joined a tour group offering a gravel ride along the shore of Lake Arenal. A few pics from this portion of the trip…

On the bike to kick things off. Lots of mud and muggy riding but it was a unique experience to be on a hard tail in the middle of the jungle.

Lake Arenal with its namesake volcano in back.

The next day we spent the morning exploring the 1968 trail system on the west side of the volcano.

In the jungle.

Back at the Royal Corin. This was probably the coolest hotel either of us have ever stayed in.

Next up was a hike up the side of a dormant volcano called Cerro Chato above La Fortuna. 2.200 ft straight up what is basically a mud runnel lined with wet roots and boulders. The local government is in the process of trying to shut this hike down entirely, which is unfortunate but also understandable I suppose.

The summit crater is filled with water so it only made sense to jump in. When else would there be an opportunity to swim inside a volcano crater?

Back at the hotel, which features a rooftop restaurant looking out at Arenal.

The following day out exploring the Observatory Lodge trail system.

One of the trails descends down into a canyon ending in a waterfall and pool.

The Arenal breaking out of the morning cloud cover.

The La Fortuna waterfall, which is one of the more popular ones in the area to the point where it costs $20 a head to hike down to it.

Next up we headed northwest to the coast for 4 nights, exchanging the jungles and waterfalls of the Arenal area for the beaches and warm water of Guanacaste.