Volcano Adventure

Our journey takes us to low-key San Juan del Sur for some serious relaxation by the sea. Set on a stunning horseshoe shaped cove, this fishing village is the perfect place to combine two of Nicaragua's best features – its beautiful beaches and its award-winning Flor de Caña rum! Here you can do as little or as much as you want to do. Take surf lessons, try out your luck fishing, go zip-lining on the hills above San Juan del Sur, or just lounge on the beach! A short boat or taxi ride away, the deserted beaches of Playa Maderas and Majagual to the north and Playa Remanso to the south are calling out to be explored. In the evenings you can take advantage of the relaxed seaside nightlife with the friendly locals.

Estimated Travel Time: 4 hours Approximate Distance: 50km

We make our way up to the misty mountain air of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We explore the town and a guided visit to nearby Forest Reserve, truly a bird lover's paradise. Founded by Quakers in the 1950s the mountain dairy community of Monteverde has become an ecotourism haven due to the presence of the Cloud Forest Reserve and the numerous other adventure options in the area. If you're there at the right time of year, you may be lucky enough to see the resplendent Quetzal. This unique community also has several local co-operatives worth visiting including artist collectives and a cheese factory. Other optional activities include horse riding en route from La Fortuna to Monteverde, sky walks (suspension bridges amid foliage), butterfly garden, and a canopy zip-line tour.

Monteverde or "Green Mountain", when translated into English, is exactly what you will find at the end of the long, rutted dirt road we travel to get to this area. The surrounding pastures were once covered with dense forest, but only a small piece of it now remains. That piece of forest has been preserved as the Reserva Biologica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve.

A cloud forest is much like a rainforest, but much of the moisture comes not from falling rain but from the condensation left by the nearly constant cloud cover that blankets the tops of mountains in many parts of the tropics. Monteverde Reserve covers 1600 hectares of forest and is home to a great variety of wildlife. More than 2,000 species of plants, 320 birds species, and 100 different species of mammals inhabit this small area. The village of Monteverde was founded in the 1950s by Quakers from the United States. They wished to leave behind the constant fear of war and the obligation to support continued militarism through U.S. taxes and chose Costa Rica because it was committed to a non-militaristic economic path. Since its founding, Monteverde has grown slowly as other people, who shared the original Quaker founders' ideals, moved to the area. Although the Quakers came here to farm the land, they recognized the need to preserve the rare cloud forest that covers the mountain slopes above their fields. The community is very different from those on the coast, and offers several souvenir shops and the Quaker cheese factory, which is definitely worth a visit. The Santa Elena Reserve, is another park in this area that is less well known and visited, but also worth seeing. All proceeds from this park profit the local community.

Estimated Travel Time: 8 hours Approximate Distance: 210 km

The small village of La Fortuna is located at the foot of the active Arenal Volcano. La Fortuna is an excellent base for adventure. Take an unforgettable hike around the base of the volcano to see the top glowing an eerie red, accompanied by a soundtrack of monkeys and the rumblings of the volcano in the distance. Hike the area's nature trails, swim in chilly la fortuna waterfall or join a canopy tour and catch a bird's eye view of the forest greenery. Other optional activities include full-day white water rafting on the Toro or Arenal Rivers, mountain biking, caving, horseback riding, or a tour of the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. Like much of Costa Rica, the area is a birders' paradise, with over 600 species as permanent residents. Finally, after a long day of exploring, take a relaxing soak in the lush cascading hot springs. Soak in one of the natural thermal baths and rivers under the shade of the surrounding canopy.

Set on the northern plains of Costa Rica, Arenal Volcano sits on the southeast shore of artificial lake Arenal (77 square kilometres, or 48 square miles). Separating the mountain ranges of Guanacaste and Tilarán, the lake was created by a hydroelectric dam. Winds sweeping off the Caribbean Sea reach speeds of 48 to 72 km/hr (30 to 45 mph), making Arenal one of the best windsurfing destinations in the world. The volcano is quite active and occasional eruptions make it a natural wonder to be respected. Arenal can be especially impressive at night, when the glowing molten lava is blasted into the clear, ink-black sky. Even on a cloudless day, its reflection on Lake Arenal is truly enchanting.

Estimated Travel Time: 4 hours Approximate Distance: 60 km

Travel south through the Costa Rican countryside to the capital city of San José. Like most cities, San José has its good and bad sides. It is the centre of government, theatre, and art, as well as of air pollution and congestion. It has beautiful parks and museums, and a few beggars on the streets. It is big and often noisy, but even from its crowded downtown streets, you'll often enjoy a view of the surrounding lush mountains.

The best and least expensive places to buy souvenirs in San José are the markets. The two main ones are the ones in Plaza de la Cultura, which is an outdoor open market, and the Central Market, where handicrafts are sold along with boots, fish, flour, herbal remedies, shirts and everything else you can imagine. Always watch your belongings and be ready for crowds. If you plan on spending a few days in San José after your tour, there are a number of activities within the city and area that you can participate in, many of them outdoors.

Probably the hardest thing you will do in San José, other than get safely across busy streets, is keep the street numbering systems straight. Street and avenue numbers are posted on buildings at the corners of some intersections. Keep looking as you walk, and you will eventually find one.

Estimated Travel Time: 5 hours Approximate Distance: 150 km