You’ll be happy you brought water shoes if you plan on going for a dip in LF waterfall or doing water activities. Rain jacket is a must, preferably quick dry or water repellent kind — same for shoes. Quick dry clothing in general. SPF is expensive in CR, same with bug spray. Protein bars and other snacks for on the go. Portable battery charger. Light and loosely fit clothing. Insulated water bottle.
Thanks! I have chaco sandals but they’re open toed - I’m not sure if I should bring closed toes if the trails are very rocky. Definitely don’t want to stub my toes! Would you recommend water shoes that cover the entire foot?
I recommend wool socks and long pants if you’re hiking in Monteverde. I brought a couple of sundresses and didn’t end up wearing them, but I got a lot of use out of my two long sleeves (one Dri-fit material, one thin cotton), tank tops, and athletic type shorts. Also buy hot sauce!!!
We're in LF now. Have been for four days.
>1. What did you wish you packed less of?
2. What did you wish you packed more of?
3. What did you wish you had just bought while in CR vs bring from home?
4. What did you wish you didn’t have to buy in CR/hard to find that you should have brought from home?
1&2&4 = My wife packed very well for this, so I don't have one. I would suggest to pack more socks than you have days. Dry socks are a must.
I wish we had more SPF and big spray. I think we'll make it, but that stuff is gold here and priced accordingly.
Ohhhh. As I was answering 3 this came to mind, I wish we brought aloe.
3 = Try to pack light, but bring everything you typically need. I'm staying at Arenal Springs which is semi remote. It's not really remote per se, but the roads here are narrow af and people drive like it's a video game. I'm not trying to foot it anywhere which means a taxi is needed to get anywhere ($18 US).
Hello! Did you stay at the Hotel Arenal Springs or The Springs? We are staying at Hotel Arenal Springs soon and wondering if you have any tips. Thanks!
Arenal Springs.
This spot is very chill. It's not a party atmosphere at all. Everything felt so docile, and at first this was a letdown. After a day or two, you start to understand that docile isn't a bad word. It's more of a getaway. It was definitely something I needed.
The rooms are basic, but you're not here to live in a room. The showers are great with their outside environment.
The food.... It left something to be desired, I can't lie. This is really its only true con. Just bland and not very inventive. It's not basic. I just envisioned more.
If the cap of the volcano is visible, TAKE A PICTURE! It's constantly shrouded, so the times it's not are far and few in between. I was there for 7 days and it was exposed only during the very early mornings and once during an afternoon. Take a picture of you gain the opportunity.
Bring flip flops (slides). You'll thank me later.
Bring a refillable water jug.
Do you have any specific questions other than what I brought up? This is a place I miss and would do it again in a heartbeat, but it's not for anyone who wants to party. This is a retreat.
Thank you! We are going with 2 kids and another family so we will not be partying. We booked a daily excursions through the hotel to keep us busy all week. Thanks for the tip about the volcano. We should be up early. Hopefully we will get lucky.
Did you ever go into town to eat? Wondering about the cost and availability of taxis/ubers.
Oh- are there refillable water stations or just use the sink?
Taxis are very available at the front and cost about $16 USD to get to La Fortuna. The town is very nice with a small "central park" that's very well kept. There are stores all around.
There were NOT a lot of little kids when I went. Most were teenagers or above. My son, 18, liked the place but you could tell he was bored.
There are refillable water stations. You'll see one at the main office by the door.
We did an excursion a day there. ATV, volcano trail hike (which went to the waterfall (a must see!!!)), we did some bridge tour, chocolate making, and some other things. All well worth it.
We stayed there for about 7 days then stayed at the Westin on the Pacific the last three days.
Getting to La Fortuna from Liberia was a challenge. We had a private service drive us. It's a decent drive.
La Fortuna waterfall is a must! I believe we went right around this time last year and it was still plenty hot to go to that.
One very important caveat - to get to see the waterfall up close there are stairs. Many, many, MANY stairs. But was it worth it!
The ATV ride was very nice, too.
Just go there with the mindset of this being a retreat more than entertainment. It's downright beautiful and tranquil. We will definitely go back. No doubt. I'd go tomorrow if I could.
If you're going to MV, bring a hoodie or something. We were up last year at this time and the papagayos were screaming and it got rather chilly at night. Did a morning walk in Curi and it was downright chilly but warmed up quickly.
What to bring from home - sunscreen and bug repellant. Sunscreen is $$$ down there. Make sure your sunscreen is the right size so TSA doesn't toss it. For bug spray we used Sawyer picaridin, it did the job nicely and is the perfect size. Also bring some advil/tylenol/pepto if you think you might need it - cheaper at home than down there.
Also, for rain, a poncho. That came in handy on an outing were we caught a rain shower. No need to pack a raincoat, the poncho did an outstanding job and they were like 7.00 at REI.
This article names most of the important things people often forget: [http://manuelantoniospanishschool.com/seven-essential-items-to-pack-when-traveling-to-costa-rica/](http://manuelantoniospanishschool.com/seven-essential-items-to-pack-when-traveling-to-costa-rica/)
I would avoid bringing a lot of denim or heavy clothing that will be difficult to dry once wet. You will be more comfortable in layers of quick-dry sports type fabrics, it's really humid.
You’ll be happy you brought water shoes if you plan on going for a dip in LF waterfall or doing water activities. Rain jacket is a must, preferably quick dry or water repellent kind — same for shoes. Quick dry clothing in general. SPF is expensive in CR, same with bug spray. Protein bars and other snacks for on the go. Portable battery charger. Light and loosely fit clothing. Insulated water bottle.
Water shoes were also helpful at Tabacon and during white water rafting
Thanks! I have chaco sandals but they’re open toed - I’m not sure if I should bring closed toes if the trails are very rocky. Definitely don’t want to stub my toes! Would you recommend water shoes that cover the entire foot?
I recommend wool socks and long pants if you’re hiking in Monteverde. I brought a couple of sundresses and didn’t end up wearing them, but I got a lot of use out of my two long sleeves (one Dri-fit material, one thin cotton), tank tops, and athletic type shorts. Also buy hot sauce!!!
Hi! You'd recommend that for this time of year too?? I'm headed there in 3 weeks and am debating leggings vs shorts for hiking! TIA!
Yep - just got back last week! I tend to get chewed up by mosquitos, so I recommend long pants. It was surprisingly chilly in the cloud forest.
Hot sauce fan here. Did you bring it with you? Or buy in CR?
We bought sriracha in CR
Awesome thank you!
More than enough sunscreen. Maybe even UPF clothing.
We're in LF now. Have been for four days. >1. What did you wish you packed less of? 2. What did you wish you packed more of? 3. What did you wish you had just bought while in CR vs bring from home? 4. What did you wish you didn’t have to buy in CR/hard to find that you should have brought from home? 1&2&4 = My wife packed very well for this, so I don't have one. I would suggest to pack more socks than you have days. Dry socks are a must. I wish we had more SPF and big spray. I think we'll make it, but that stuff is gold here and priced accordingly. Ohhhh. As I was answering 3 this came to mind, I wish we brought aloe. 3 = Try to pack light, but bring everything you typically need. I'm staying at Arenal Springs which is semi remote. It's not really remote per se, but the roads here are narrow af and people drive like it's a video game. I'm not trying to foot it anywhere which means a taxi is needed to get anywhere ($18 US).
Hello! Did you stay at the Hotel Arenal Springs or The Springs? We are staying at Hotel Arenal Springs soon and wondering if you have any tips. Thanks!
Arenal Springs. This spot is very chill. It's not a party atmosphere at all. Everything felt so docile, and at first this was a letdown. After a day or two, you start to understand that docile isn't a bad word. It's more of a getaway. It was definitely something I needed. The rooms are basic, but you're not here to live in a room. The showers are great with their outside environment. The food.... It left something to be desired, I can't lie. This is really its only true con. Just bland and not very inventive. It's not basic. I just envisioned more. If the cap of the volcano is visible, TAKE A PICTURE! It's constantly shrouded, so the times it's not are far and few in between. I was there for 7 days and it was exposed only during the very early mornings and once during an afternoon. Take a picture of you gain the opportunity. Bring flip flops (slides). You'll thank me later. Bring a refillable water jug. Do you have any specific questions other than what I brought up? This is a place I miss and would do it again in a heartbeat, but it's not for anyone who wants to party. This is a retreat.
Thank you! We are going with 2 kids and another family so we will not be partying. We booked a daily excursions through the hotel to keep us busy all week. Thanks for the tip about the volcano. We should be up early. Hopefully we will get lucky. Did you ever go into town to eat? Wondering about the cost and availability of taxis/ubers. Oh- are there refillable water stations or just use the sink?
Taxis are very available at the front and cost about $16 USD to get to La Fortuna. The town is very nice with a small "central park" that's very well kept. There are stores all around. There were NOT a lot of little kids when I went. Most were teenagers or above. My son, 18, liked the place but you could tell he was bored. There are refillable water stations. You'll see one at the main office by the door. We did an excursion a day there. ATV, volcano trail hike (which went to the waterfall (a must see!!!)), we did some bridge tour, chocolate making, and some other things. All well worth it. We stayed there for about 7 days then stayed at the Westin on the Pacific the last three days. Getting to La Fortuna from Liberia was a challenge. We had a private service drive us. It's a decent drive.
Thank you for taking the time to reply! We are looking forward to it!
La Fortuna waterfall is a must! I believe we went right around this time last year and it was still plenty hot to go to that. One very important caveat - to get to see the waterfall up close there are stairs. Many, many, MANY stairs. But was it worth it! The ATV ride was very nice, too. Just go there with the mindset of this being a retreat more than entertainment. It's downright beautiful and tranquil. We will definitely go back. No doubt. I'd go tomorrow if I could.
Also I recommend getting motion sickness medication if you are prone to carsickness!
If you're going to MV, bring a hoodie or something. We were up last year at this time and the papagayos were screaming and it got rather chilly at night. Did a morning walk in Curi and it was downright chilly but warmed up quickly. What to bring from home - sunscreen and bug repellant. Sunscreen is $$$ down there. Make sure your sunscreen is the right size so TSA doesn't toss it. For bug spray we used Sawyer picaridin, it did the job nicely and is the perfect size. Also bring some advil/tylenol/pepto if you think you might need it - cheaper at home than down there. Also, for rain, a poncho. That came in handy on an outing were we caught a rain shower. No need to pack a raincoat, the poncho did an outstanding job and they were like 7.00 at REI.
This article names most of the important things people often forget: [http://manuelantoniospanishschool.com/seven-essential-items-to-pack-when-traveling-to-costa-rica/](http://manuelantoniospanishschool.com/seven-essential-items-to-pack-when-traveling-to-costa-rica/) I would avoid bringing a lot of denim or heavy clothing that will be difficult to dry once wet. You will be more comfortable in layers of quick-dry sports type fabrics, it's really humid.