Northern Lowlands
In the far reaches of the northern lowlands, the vast, steamy stretches of pineapple and banana plantations intermingle with rainforest, wetlands and undisturbed wildness. Once a hotbed for Contras and contrabandistas, this sector is crisscrossed by swift highways, well-trafficked by trucks laden with fresh-picked fruit and hefty cattle on their way to market. Most travelers cruise right through, heading to the Caribbean coast or Nicaragua. But those who venture off the highway and brave the bumpy roads will be rewarded. The waterways along the Nicaraguan border provide habitats for an enormous diversity of bird life. Keep your eyes peeled, and you may even spot the rare great green macaw, which is making a comeback in these parts.
Upala
POP 6100
Just 9km south of the Nicaraguan border in the northwestern corner of the northern lowlands, Upala is a small ranchero town with a bustling market and plenty of tasty sodas. This low-lying town was hit heavily in November 2016 by Hurricane Otto, which caused at least nine deaths. Most visitors are Costa Rican business people who come to negotiate for a few dozen calves or a truckload of grain. It’s a somewhat convenient public-transit stopover between the Volcán Tenorio area and the Caño Negro, but there’s no reason to linger. (One positive effect of the hurricane has been the construction of a new bus terminal outside of town.)
4Sleeping & Eating
Cabinas MalekuCABINA$
(
%2470-0142; Av 3; d with/without air-con US$36/32; 
p
a
W)
Wrapping around a gravel parking lot, set just off the main plaza, these cute and comfortable cabinas are blessed with mosaic-tile patios decorated with hand-painted Sarchí-style wooden chairs and plenty of potted plants. It’s a cheerful cheapie, for sure. There’s an attached soda too.
Hotel Wilson AeropuertoHOTEL$$
(%2470-3636; www.facebook.com/hotelwilsonupala; d incl breakfast US$50; paW
s)
One of the nicer Wilson properties, this is a business motel-style facility with a popular bar and restaurant and a big Jacuzzi-fed swimming pool. The 63 rooms are plain but clean, with mostly wood furniture and linoleum floors, plus other appreciated amenities. You’ll need a car to reach this location, or a lot of derring-do if you’re walking the 1.5km from town along the highway.
Rancho Don HoracioCOSTA RICAN$
(%2470-3222; Av 7; mains US$6-9; 
h11am-11pm)
If you need a place to rest your weary feet while awaiting the next bus (the terminal’s just 300m away) you can’t do much better than Horacio’s. The decorations, as they are, consist of soccer paraphernalia and Elvis bric-a-brac. The menu leans on Rio Zapote fish and Upala beef. Fun, lively family join with televised futbol on every wall.
8Getting There & Away
From Upala, the well-maintained, paved Hwy 6 runs south via Bijagua, intersecting with the Interamericana just north of Cañas. Hwy 4, also paved, runs in a more southeasterly direction to Muelle de San Carlos (near La Fortuna). A rough, unpaved road, usually passable to all cars, skirts the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro on the way to Los Chiles, the former official border crossing with Nicaragua.
Confusingly, there are two bus terminals – the new one built after Hurricane Otto is 2016 lies 1.5 km from the center and the other is near the main square. Most buses go through both, and also stop on the main plaza. Taxis congregate here too. Transportes Upala (%2221-3318; cnr Hwy 6 & Hwy 4) has 12 daily buses to Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos; US$2, two hours, 3:30am to 6pm), and three daily services to San José (US$4, five hours, 4:30am, 5:15am and 9:30am), via Bijagua and Cañas. Thrice-daily buses go to Caño Negro (US$2, two hours, 4am, 11:30am and 4pm). Some of the San Carlos buses pass through Guatuso.
Refuge Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro
Part of the Area de Conservación Arenal–Huetar Norte, this remote, 102-sq-km refuge (%2471-1309; www.ligambiente.com; adult/child US$5/1; h8am-4pm) has long lured anglers seeking that elusive 18kg snook, and birders hoping to glimpse rare waterfowl. During the dry season water levels drop, concentrating the birds (and fish) in photogenically (or tasty) close quarters. From January to March, avian density is world class.
The Río Frío is a table-flat, swampy expanse of marsh and lagoon that is similar in appearance, if not size, to other famous wetlands such as the Florida Everglades or the Mekong Delta. North of town, it’s a slender river that carves looming forest. During the wet season, the river breaks its banks to form one immense 800-hectare lake. By April it has almost completely disappeared – until the May rains begin. This cycle has proceeded without fail for millennia, and the small fishing communities around the its edges adapt to each seasonal nuance.
2Activities
Caño Negro is regarded among birders as one of the premier destinations in Central America. During the dry season, the sheer density of birds in the park is astounding, but the variety of species is also impressive. At last count, more than 300 species of bird live here at least part of the year. In the winter months, there are huge congregations of migratory ducks, as well as six species of kingfisher, herons, cormorants, three types of egret, ibises, rails, anhingas, roseate spoonbills, toucans and storks. The refuge is also the only reliable site in Costa Rica for olivaceous cormorants, Nicaraguan grackles and lesser yellow-headed vultures.
Conspicuous reptiles include the spectacled caiman, green iguana and striped basilisk. Howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins and two-toed sloths are common. Despite incursions from poachers, pumas, jaguars and tapirs have been recorded here in surprising numbers.
Caño Negro is also home to an abundance of river turtles, which were historically an important part of the Maleku diet. Prior to a hunt, the Maleku would appease the turtle god, Javara, by fasting and abstaining from sex. If the hunt was successful, the Maleku would later celebrate by feasting on smoked turtle meat and consuming large quantities of chicha, a spirit derived from maize. And, well, they probably had some sex too.
Mosquitoes in Caño Negro are damn near prehistoric. Bring bug spray or suffer the consequences.
TTours
Hiring a local guide is quick, easy and full of advantages – you’ll pay less, you’ll be supporting the local economy, and you’ll have more privacy when you’re out on the water. If you’re spending the night in the area, your lodge can make arrangements for a tour. Otherwise, there are a few local outfits with an office (or at least a sign) in the village center.
Sportfishing trips can also be arranged through the lodges. Be sure to inquire about obtaining a seasonal fishing licence, which is normally required. (Bring your passport.)
Chambita’s ToursBIRDWATCHING
(%8412-3269; www.facebook.com/chambita.romero; half-/full-day birding tour 2 people US$80/140)
Barnaby Romero Hernandez, known locally as ‘Chambita’, is a rising star in the naturalist community, well-respected for his vast birding knowledge. He also leads fishing trips on the river. He doesn’t have a fixed office but can be reached by phone or his Facebook page.
Pantanal TourBOATING
(www.facebook.com/pantanal.toursa; Caño Negro; tours US$35-66)
Marlon Castro and Juan Ríos can take you in their boat for sportfishing or ecological tours of the lagoon. They also lead horseback riding trips and kayaking outings. Their office, not always staffed, is on the main plaza of Caño Negro.
Paraíso TropicalBOATING
(%2471-1621, 8823-4026; per person kayak/horse/boat tours US$10/30/50; h8am-4pm)
Visit Joel and Rosi Sandoval Bardos at their office in town. Joel does a variety of nature tours around the refuge, including a two-hour boat tour of the lagoon (up to four people). Joel guided a trip on the Río Frío in 2014 that bagged a world-record 14.5kg tropical gar. The office is on the main square of the town.
4Sleeping & Eating
Caño Negro is a small village, so all the lodges have easy access to the lagoon.
Kingfisher LodgeCABINA$
(%2471-1116; www.kingfisherlodgecr.com; r US$40-60; p
na)
Located about 400m from the village center, these rustic cabinas surround a well-kept lawn; all have heavy wood furniture and hammock-strung porches (only some have air-con). Your host, Don Antonio, is the big-gun refuge guide and boat captain in town. The reception is located 400m to the east, in a house at the opposite end of the main town square.
Hotel de Campo Caño NegroLODGE$$
(%2471-1012; www.hoteldecampo.com; s & d incl breakfast US$95; paWs)
Set in an orchard of mango and citrus trees next to the ‘Chapel’ lagoon, this friendly hotel is a fisher’s and bird-watcher’s paradise. After angling for tarpons or spying on spoonbills, relax in the ceramic-tiled casitas, decked with vaulted beamed ceilings and tasteful bedding. The stylish restaurant (7:30am to 9:30pm) serves top-notch Italian and seafood.
Boats, guides, kayaks, and fishing equipment are all available for hire. Owner Mauro will proudly lead you around his tropical ‘botanical garden’ of more than 100 tree species.
oCaño Negro Natural LodgeLODGE$$$
(%2471-1426; www.canonegrolodge.com; d incl breakfast US$145; paWs) 
S
Perched on land that becomes a virtual island in the Río Frío during the rainy season, this lodge is surprisingly upscale. Well-appointed rooms have sliding glass doors, wooden and wrought-iron furnishings, and tiny terraces facing the garden. Relax in the pool or Jacuzzi or stroll the leafy grounds. Just off the main road before Caño Negro’s main plaza.
Staff can make arrangements for boat tours of the lagoon. There’s a lovely patio restaurant serving freshly prepared meals and a friendly bartender who will bend your ear as you bend your elbow. Lunch and dinner are extra, but worth the price.
Buses will stop at the ‘front door.’ If you are driving on Ruta 35 towards Los Chiles, exit the highway 8 km before Los Chiles when you see the signs for the lodge.
8Information
Visitors to the park should stop at the ranger station to pay their admission fee. It’s located on the western edge of the village, near the Kingfisher Lodge, but is not always attended. Note that there are no banks or gas stations in town.
8Getting There & Away
Thanks to improved roads, tour operators are able to offer relatively inexpensive trips to Caño Negro from all over the country. However, you don’t need them to explore the river. It’s much more intriguing and rewarding to rent some wheels (or hop on a bus), navigate the rutted road into the rural flatlands and hire a local guide from Caño Negro village. It’s also a lot cheaper, and it puts money directly into the hands of locals, thus encouraging communities in the area to protect wildlife.
The village of Caño Negro and the entrance to the park lie on the rough road connecting Upala and Los Chiles, Ruta 138, which is passable to all cars during the dry season. However, this road is frequently washed out during the rainy season, when a 4WD is required.
During the rainy season and much of the dry season, you can also catch a boat to and from Los Chiles, but this is only by private reservation (at Paraíso Tropical in Caño Negro, or at the dock in Los Chiles), for $200.
In addition, the following bus routes serve Caño Negro village:
Los Chiles (US$2, one hour) Departing Los Chiles at 5am and 2pm; departing Caño Negro at 6:30am, 1pm and 6pm.
Upala (US$2.50, 2½ hours) Departing Upala at 4am, 11:30am and 4pm; departing Caño Negro at 6:30am, 1pm and 3pm.
THE WEEPING FOREST
Extensive deforestation of the Caño Negro area began in the 1970s in response to increased population density and the subsequent need for more farmland. Although logging was allowed to proceed in the area for almost 20 years, the government took action in 1991 with the creation of the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro. Since its creation, Caño Negro has served as a safe habitat for the region’s aquatic and terrestrial birds, and has acted as a refuge for numerous migratory birds.
However, illegal logging and poaching have continued around the perimeter of the park, and wildlife has suffered. In the last two decades, one-time residents of the park including ocelots, manatees, sharks and macaws have vanished. Tarpon and caiman populations are decreasing, and fewer migratory birds are returning to the park each year. Additionally, anglers are reporting record lows in both the size and number of their catches.
Satellite images show that the lake is shrinking each year, and that water levels in the Río Frío are dropping rapidly. It’s difficult to say with certainty what is causing these changes, though the farms surrounding Caño Negro require extensive irrigation, and sugarcane is nearly 10 times as water-intensive as wheat.
Locals are extremely worried about the stability of the park, as entire communities are dependent on fishing and tourism for their survival. In response to the growing need to regulate development in the region, residents have formed a number of organizations aimed at controlling development in the northern lowlands. If you want to support the Caño Negro community, book your tour in town and spend your tourist dollar locally.
Los Chiles
POP 9900
Seventy kilometers north of Muelle on a smooth, paved road through the sugarcane, and just 6km south of the Nicaraguan border, lies the sweltering farming and fishing town of Los Chiles. Arranged with dilapidated grace around a ragged soccer field and along the unmanicured banks of the leisurely Río Frío, the humid lowland village was originally settled by merchants and fisherfolk who worked on the nearby Río San Juan, much of which forms the border. Amazingly, for Costa Rica, there are street signs on every corner of this pueblito.
In the 1980s, American-trained Contras were a presence in town as part of the United States’ subversive military actions against Nicaragua’s Sandinista government.
With the opening of the new border crossing at Las Tablillas, travelers to and from Nicaragua are no longer obligated to pass through Los Chiles, but it remains an enjoyable water route to Caño Negro.
TTours
Los Chiles is a convenient base to organize boat trips to Caño Negro. Inquire at Restaurante Heliconia about these trips. Otherwise just head to the dock, where you can hire boat captains to take you up the lovely, chocolatey Río Frío during the dry season and all the way into Lago Caño Negro during the rainy season.
Three- to four-hour trips cost anywhere from US$50 to US$100 for a small group, depending on the size and type of boat. If possible, make arrangements a day in advance and get an early start in the morning: the earlier out, the more you’ll see.
4Sleeping & Eating
With the new border crossing at Las Tablillas, it’s usually possible to cruise right by Los Chiles without spending the night. If that doesn’t work for you, you’ll find a limited selection of hotels in town.
Hotel y Cabinas CarolinaCABINA$
(%2471-1151; Av 2A, near Calle 5; r from US$30; paW)
Not your typical border-town accommodations. This friendly, family-run option gets good reviews for attentive staff, spotless rooms and above-average local food. It’s near the main highway, just a few blocks south of the bus station. However, there is no attendant on Sundays, so you’ll have to phone to see a room.
Restaurante HeliconiaCOSTA RICAN$
(%8307-8585, 2471-2096; Av Central (Av 0), near Av 6; mains US$6-10; h6am-10pm)
Across from the immigration office and next to Hotel Wilson Tulipán, this is a decent option for lunch or a smoothie. It also provides information on tours and transportation; ask Mayra about boat trips to Caño Negro or taxi rides to the border.
8Information
Banco Nacional (%2212-2000; Av 1, btwn Calles 0 (Calle Central) & 1; h8:30am-3:45pm Mon-Fri) Close to the central park and soccer field, changes cash and traveler’s checks and has a 24-hour ATM.
Cruz Roja (Red Cross; %2471-1037, 2471-2025; cnr Calle 2 & Av 1; h24hr) Located at the northwestern corner of the plaza.
8Getting There & Away
BOAT
The boat docks are located about 1km west of the bus terminal. With the opening of the land border at Las Tablillas, this river border is pretty sleepy. If you do arrange a boat across the border, before hopping on you need to stop at the immigration office (Migración; %2471-1233; Av Central (Av 0), btwn Calle 4 & Calle 6; h8am-6pm), across the street from Hotel Wilson Tulipán.
BUS
All buses arrive and leave from the terminal (Av 1, near Calle 5) behind Soda Pamela, near the intersection of Hwy 35. Chilsaca (%2460-1886; www.chilsaca.com; Plaza San Carlos) has 16 daily buses to Ciudad Quesada (US$2.25, two hours) from 4:30am to 6pm; you can transfer here for La Fortuna. Autotransportes San Carlos has two daily buses to San José (US$6, five hours), departing at 5am and 3pm. There are also three departures to Caño Negro (US$4, 40 minutes) at 5am, noon and 4:30pm. Timetables are subject to change, so always check ahead.
CAR
You’re likely to get here via Hwy 35 from Muelle. Skid marks and reptilian roadkill do break up the beautiful monotony of orange groves, sage-blue pineapple fields and dense sugarcane plantations. More scenic is the road running for 50km from Upala, through Caño Negro, another recently paved option.
GETTING TO NICARAGUA
If you’re heading north to Nicaragua, be thankful for the 2015 construction of the Puente Santa Fe, a bridge that crosses the Río San Juan just north of the Nicaraguan border. As a result, there is now a border crossing at Las Tablillas, 6km north of Los Chiles.
A The border crossing at Las Tablillas (open 8am to 4pm) now handles a good amount of the Costa Rica–Nicaragua traffic, so you might encounter some lines depending on when you decide to cross.
A Hourly buses connect Los Chiles and Las Tablillas (US$1, 10 minutes). Or, get the bus directly from San José or Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos). These buses run daily.
A You will have to pay a Costa Rica land exit fee of US$7 at immigration, payable by credit or debit card only (no cash).
A After walking across the border, you’ll go through Nicaraguan immigration. The entrance fee is US$12, payable in US dollars or córdobas.
A After exiting immigration, you can catch a boat up the river or hop on a bus or a collectivo to San Carlos (US$2.20, 30 minutes).
If you are entering Costa Rica from Nicaragua, you can take an hourly bus to Los Chiles or Ciudad Quesada or catch the direct bus to San José, which departs at 2:30pm.
If you want to get to/from Nicaragua the old-fashioned way, you can still go to the immigration office in Los Chiles and then catch a boat up the river, but you’ll have to arrange this privately with one of the boat captains (no regular service operates). You’ll avoid the Costa Rica land exit fee, but you’ll still have to pay US$12 to enter Nicaragua. It’s actually a more enjoyable trip than the land crossing, but it takes some time.
San Rafael de Guatuso
POP 8600
The main population center of this agricultural area, San Rafael de Guatuso is a small town without too much to offer travelers – except its central location off Highway 4. The humble town is a decent base for exploring the fantastic Venado Caves to the south and is nearly equidistant to the blue waters of Río Celeste and the Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio to the west, Arenal to the south and Caño Negro to the north. The area is also home to the few remaining indigenous Maleku, who reside in palenques (indigenous settlements) near here.
4Sleeping & Eating
Cabinas Los AlmendrosCABINA$
(%8887-0495; cabinaslosalmendros@gmail.com; Av 12, near Av 10; s/d/tr incl breakfast US$35/40/50; paW)
A cute family-run motel with well-maintained rooms, painting of recent vintage, lovely bedding and cute curtains. Each room is named after a different jungle beast or bird, complete with hand-carved wooden sculpture. Set on the edge of town behind the Banco Nacional, this is easily the best choice in the area.
The folk at Los Almendros offer transportation and tours to the Maleku reservation, Venado Caves and Río Celeste (Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio).
Soda La SuyapaSODA$
(Hwy 4, near Calle 1A; mains US$4-8; h6am-8pm)
Recommended by locals as the best soda in this humble town, La Suyapa offers a fresh take on the traditional. Casados come with noodles and potato salad unless you request otherwise. Bebidas include options like fresh-pressed carrot juice and fresh-squeezed lemonade. There are also burgers and excellent fried chicken. Located right off the highway.
8Getting There & Away
Guatuso lies on Hwy 4, midway between Upala and Muelle de San Carlos (about 40km from each). Buses leave frequently for Ciudad Quesada, where you can connect to La Fortuna. There is also one daily bus to Tilarán (three hours, 7:30pm) via Nuevo Arenal, and three daily buses to San José (five hours, 8am, 11:30am and 3pm).
From Guatuso, a newly graded dirt road (plans to pave it are in the works) covers the 21km to the entrance of Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio and onward to Bijagua. It’s a relatively smooth ride with stunning views.
WORTH A TRIP
VENADO CAVES
Four kilometers south of Venado (Spanish for ‘deer’) along a good dirt road, the Venado Caves MAP; (Cavernas de Venado; %2478-8008, 8653-2086; www.cavernasdelvenadocr.com; adult/child US$28, photographer US$20; h8am-3pm, last admission 2pm) are an adventurous excursion into an eight-chamber limestone labyrinth that extends for almost 3km. A bilingual guide leads small groups on two-hour tours through the darkness, squeezing through narrow passes, pointing out the most interesting rock formations while dodging bats and bugs. You’ll be provided with rubber boots, headlamps and helmets, plus a shower afterwards. You’ll definitely want to bring a change of clothes.
Any tour operator in La Fortuna can arrange this trip for you. If you’re driving yourself, the caves are well signed from Hwy 4. Otherwise, Cabinas Los Almendros offers transportation from San Rafael de Guatuso. Cash only if paying at the caves.
Muelle de San Carlos
POP 4900
This small crossroads village – locally called Muelle – was once an important dock (hence the name) as it’s the most inland spot from which the Río San Carlos is navigable. These days it is sugarcane country and serves as a rest stop for truckers and travelers. It’s also only 27km east of La Fortuna. If you have your own wheels, Muelle makes a quaint, quiet base for visiting Arenal and environs.
1Sights
Centro Turistico Las IguanasBRIDGE
(Iguana Bridge; %2462-1107)
This bridge is a popular spot for tourists en route from La Fortuna to Caño Negro. Countless iguanas hang out in the bamboo and trees above the river, providing some great photo ops. Walk across the bridge to see how many you can count – but watch your step! The bridge is 1.8km north of the main intersection in Muelle, where Ruta 35 takes a sharp turn to cross the river.
4Sleeping & Eating
Turismo Rural de JuanilamaAGRITURISMO$
(Comunidad Agroecológica Juanilama; www.turismoruraljuanilama.org; Juanilama, off Hwy 35; per person US$35, tours US$15-20)
Seven kilometres north of Santa Rosa de Pocosol, off Hwy 35, is this unique opportunity to be part of rural life. This cooperative, female-driven effort took root 15 years ago and now involves 90 local families. You stay in one of the comfortable and modern family homes: you may even end up watching Tico novelas (soap operas) over breakfast.
While here, you can take a hike in their 19-hectare reserve, learn about their crops and various home remedies, and make a bit of sugar-cane water. Options include a tour of the dairy, a cooking class, and a walk to the waterfalls. You can also volunteer at the local school.
Tilajari Resort HotelRESORT$$$
(%2462-1212; www.tilajari.com; d incl breakfast from US$110; pna
iWs)
This country club turned luxury resort has landscaped grounds overlooking the Río San Carlos and comfortable, well-appointed rooms. Amenities include racquetball and tennis courts, restaurant, pool, sauna, spa and butterfly garden, plus access to the neighboring 400-hectare private rainforest reserve with several trails. The resort is 800m west of the intersection at Muelle, on the road to Ciudad Quesada.
The facilities are a bit dated but the place offers good value for the price.
Subasta Ganadera SancarleñaSTEAK$$
(%2462-1000; www.subastasganaderascr.com; Muelle de San Carlos; mains US$4-12; hbar & restaurant 10am-11pm)
Overlooking a bull pen, this place is bustling with hungry campesinos (farmers). It has an expansive menu of local dishes, and is a great spot for a cold beer. Come for lunch on Tuesday or Thursday to see the cattle auction. It’s 100m north of the gas station in Muelle San Carlos.
8Getting There & Away
A 24-hour gas station lies at the main intersection of Hwy 4 (which connects Ciudad Quesada and Upala) and Hwy 35 (running from San José to Los Chiles). Buses pass through en route to all of those destinations.
Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)
The official name of this small city is Ciudad Quesada (sometimes abbreviated to ‘Quesada’), but all the locals know it as San Carlos, and local buses often list San Carlos as the destination. We’d like to think the ‘cheesy’ name stems from its position as the country’s number one dairy supplier, but it might just have been someone’s name.
It’s long been a bustling ranching and agricultural center, known for its talabaterías (saddle shops). Although San Carlos is surrounded by pastoral countryside, the city has developed into the commercial center of the region – it’s gritty and quite congested. Fortunately, there’s no real reason to enter the city, except to change buses.
2Activities
Ciudad Quesada is not exactly a destination in itself. But if you’re driving this way, why not stop for a soak? Popular with Tico families, the thermal pools here are an affordable and pleasant alternative to the overdone, overpopulated springs in La Fortuna. The hot springs and resorts are located about 8km east of town, heading toward Aguas Zarcas.
El Tucano ResortHOT SPRINGS
(%2460-6000; www.hoteltucano.com; Ruta 140, La Marina de San Carlos; US$20; 
c)
A posh but aging resort, set amid gorgeous primary forest. The thermal springs feed three pools of varying temperatures – perfect for soaking away your ills. The spring-fed river that streams through the property creates warm, delightful rapids. It’s ‘family friendly’ and the pools are open late, in case you plan on a restful night.
The spacious, colonial-style rooms (doubles US$120 to US$135, suites US$145 to US$200) enjoy forest views from the terrace.
Termales del BosqueHOT SPRINGS
(%2460-4740; www.termalesdelbosque.com; Ruta 140; adult/child US$12/6; h8am-10pm)
Luxury here is low-key, with therapeutic soaking available in seven natural hot- and warm-water springs. The stone pools are surrounded by lush greenery and built into the riverbank, in a forested valley populated by morpho butterflies. About 10km east of Ciudad Quesada on Ruta 140.
Just down the road from El Tucano, for comparison’s sake.
WORTH A TRIP
PROYECTO ASIS
Proyecto Asis (%2475-9121; www.institutoasis.com; adult/child US$31/18, incl volunteering US$54/31; htours 8:30am & 1pm) is an animal rescue center. It’s a volunteer project. It’s Spanish classes. This community-based organization is doing a lot of good, and you can help. The introductory experience is a 1½-hour tour of the wildlife rescue center, but it’s worth springing for the three-hour ‘volunteering’ experience, which includes hands-on interaction with the animals. It’s pricey, but the cause is worthy.
Asis also offers homestays in the local community. It’s located about 20km west of Ciudad Quesada, past the village of Florencia. Reserve at least a day in advance.
4Sleeping & Eating
Apart from the plethora of chain restaurants, you’ll find a few decent local sodas near the park. The restaurants at the resort are also good (albeit more expensive) options.
Tree Houses HotelHOTEL$$$
(%2475-6507; www.treehouseshotelcostarica.com; Ruta 141, Florencia de Santa Clara; d incl breakfast US$113-199, extra person US$15; paW)
Fulfil your childhood fantasy with a couple of nights in an awesome treetop hideout. With solid wood construction and big windows facing the rainforest, the comfortable cabins have all the ground-level amenities you would expect (including air-con), plus fabulous wrap-around porches that bring you even closer to the birds and monkeys. About 17km northwest of Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos).
Rates include a guided hike in the surrounding 36-hectare forest preserve. Assuming you have your own vehicle, it’s within striking distance of the activities around Arenal, but removed from the hullabaloo. It’s 300m north of the cemetery in Santa Clara. Two-night minimum stay required.
8Getting There & Away
Terminal Quesada is about 1km from the town center. Taxis (US$1) and a twice-hourly bus (US$0.50) make regular runs between town and the terminal, or you can walk if you don’t mind hauling your luggage uphill.
BUSES FROM CIUDAD QUESADA
| Destination | Company | Cost (US$) | Duration | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Fortuna | Transpisa | 2 | 1½-2hr | 16 daily, 4:30am-10:10pm |
| Los Chiles | Chilsaca | 2 | 2hr | 14 daily, 4:15am-7:30pm; direct bus 3pm |
| Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí | Transportes Linaco | 4 | 2hr | 8 daily, 4:40am- 6:30pm |
| San José | Autotransportes San José-San Carlos | 3 | 2½hr | hourly 4am-6pm; direct buses 6:40am & 6:15pm |
| Upala | Transportes Upala/Transpisa | 4 | 3hr | 9 daily, 4:25am-10:10pm |
Boca Tapada Area
Here’s an off-the-beaten-track destination for adventurous souls. The rocky roads and lack of signage (even less than usual) could mean a few unintended detours, but it’s worth the effort for a glimpse into an ecological extravaganza. On the roads that pass pineapple fields and packing plants, your fellow travelers will be commuting campesinos (agricultural workers) going about their day-to-day business. And at the end of the road, you’ll be rewarded with a luxuriant bit of rainforest replete with the songs of frogs and rare birds, and an inkling of the symbiosis that can happen when humans make the effort. Local lodges offer tours into the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Mixto Maquenque.
4Sleeping
Mi Pedacito de CieloLODGE$$
(%8308-9595, 7177-0708; www.pedacitodecielo.com; s/d/tr incl breakfast US$65/75/85; pW) S
Perched above the Río San Carlos, ‘my little piece of heaven’ is a rustic retreat, with 14 wooden bungalows offering river and rainforest views. Swing in the hammock-chair and listen to the rainforest come alive. Super friendly service and don Mario’s excellent home-cooked meals are perks. Situated 33km north of Pital, just off the main road.
There are hiking trails in the attached 300-hectare reserve. Three plush-er rooms with all the modern trappings like air-con are located 2km away from the lodge proper, next to beautiful Laguna Vicripalma (named for Mario’s children). It’s walking or driving distance to dinner, but right at the foot of the reserve.
Laguna del Lagarto LodgeLODGE$$
(%2289-8163, 7216-4190; www.lagarto-lodge-costa-rica.com; s/d/tr US$65/85/95, meals US$8-15; pW) S
Surrounded by virgin rainforest, this outpost is legendary among birders. The basic screened rooms here share large, hammock-strung verandas. It’s not fancy, but it’s wild and lovely, with feeders and fruit attracting toucans, tanagers and more. The lodge is about 35km north of Pital on the main road, which is quite bumpy.
There are 16km of trails, and canoes to explore the surrounding lagoons, where caimans dwell and Jesus Christ lizards make tracks across the water’s surface.
oMaquenque Eco-LodgeLODGE$$$
(%2479-7785; www.maquenqueecolodge.com; s/d/tr incl breakfast from US$105/130/155; pWs) S
Set on 80 glorious, bird-filled hectares, 14 unique bungalows overlook a lagoon and tropical garden, while additional tree houses are perched in the nearby rainforest. The place is a birders’ (and photographers’) paradise, with countless species flocking to feeders and fruit trees in the grounds. To get here, you’ll have to cross the San Carlos River in one of their boats.
In addition to birds, encountering a roving band of coatimundis might make your day, too. Prices include a guided morning rainforest hike, a student-led tour of a local school and use of canoes on the lagoon, as well as the opportunity to support sustainable tourism by planting a tree in the rainforest (by request). Be sure to arrange your boat crossing ahead of time
8Getting There & Away
Getting to Boca Tapada is an adventure in itself. The nearest town of note is Pital, north of Aguas Zarcas. About 2km north of Pital, take a right at the fork (after the bus stop) and follow the signs. It’s a slow, rough 40km, but worth it.
Buses reach Boca Tapada on a two-hour trip from Pital, departing Pital at 9:30am and 4:30pm. Leaving Boca Tapada, the buses to Pital depart at 5:30am and 12:30pm (the early bus goes past the lodges, for the later one you’ll have to hoof it into town). You can reach Pital on frequent buses from Ciudad Quesada (US$2, 1½ hours) or four daily buses from San José (US$4, four hours).
The lodges can also arrange transfers from La Fortuna or San José.
Sarapiquí Valley
This flat, steaming stretch of finca-dotted lowlands was once part of the United Fruit Company’s vast banana holdings. Harvests were carried from the plantations down to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, where they were shipped downriver on boats destined for North America. In 1880 a railway connected rural Costa Rica with the port of Puerto Limón, and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí became a backwater. Although it’s never managed to recover its former glory as a transport route, the river again shot to prominence as one of the premier destinations in the country for kayakers and rafters. With the Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo as its backyard, this is also one of the best regions for wildlife-watching, especially considering how easy it is to get here.
San Miguel
POP 2300
Coming from San José or Alajuela, Hwy 126 curves up the slopes of the Cordillera Central, leaving behind the urban bustle and passing Volcán Poás before descending again into pastureland. This is campesino country, where the plodding hoofbeat of cattle is about the speed of life, as the hard-to-spot rural speed bumps will remind you, if you take those curves too quickly. You’re off the beaten track now, and if you’re self-driving, you may as well linger, because there are few Costa Rican corners quite this beautiful and unheralded.
TTours
Mi CafecitoFOOD & DRINK
(%2476-0215; www.micafecitocoffeetour.com; tour US$24; h8am-5pm)
About 5km south of San Miguel, in the foothills of Volcán Poas, Mi Cafecito makes for the perfect coffee break if you’re heading to/from the Sarapiquí Valley. Including more than 200 small farmers, this co-op shows off the whole process of growing, harvesting and roasting coffee beans, especially using organic farming practices. The walk through the farm also yields expansive views of the gorgeous Sarapaquí Valley.
Even if you don’t want to take a tour, there is a big shady cafe where you can get a cup o’ joe (and food too). A package tour includes lunch.
4Sleeping & Eating
The best lunch stop near San Miguel is 5km south of town at Mi Cafecito. In town, there is at least one soda that promises breakfast, as well as bird-watching, tourist information, cabañas and clean bathrooms.
oAlbergue El SocorroFARMSTAY$$
(%8820-2160; www.albergueelsocorrosarapiqui.com; per person incl meals US$75; pi)
Albergue El Socorro is a small family finca, located 1000m above sea level, on a plateau surrounded by a magnificent knife’s edge of green mountains, tucked between the looming Cerro Congo and Volcan Poas. There are three cozy A-framed cabins, from where guests can explore trails through the rainforest, discover waterfalls, swim in rivers or help on the dairy farm.
The owner was born and raised here, but in 2009 a massive earthquake struck the area, destroying the road to San Miguel along with his home and dairy. This wonderful family rebuilt the ranch from scratch and incorporated a tourism component, which provides a rare opportunity to slow down and experience authentic rural Tico living. This is the real pura vida. From San Miguel, turn off Hwy 126 east onto Calle a El Socorro, just before the cemetery if you’re headed north, and then head south.
8Getting There & Away
From Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos), Hwy 140 heads east for about 40km before terminating sharply when it runs into Hwy 126. This intersection – in the hills of the Cordillera Central – is where San Miguel is. You can’t miss the sharp turn as the two highways merge and continue north for 12km toward La Virgen. If you’re coming from La Virgen, it’s about 15km south of downtown.
La Virgen
POP 2250
Tucked into the densely jungled shores of the wild and scenic Río Sarapiquí, La Virgen was one of the small towns that prospered during the heyday of the banana trade. Although United Fruit has long since shipped out, the town remains dependent on its nearby pineapple fields. And it still lives by that river.
For over a decade, La Virgen was the premier kayaking and rafting destination in Costa Rica. Dedicated groups of hard-core paddlers spent happy weeks running the Río Sarapiquí. But a tremendous 2009 earthquake and landslide altered the course of the river and flattened La Virgen’s tourist economy. Some businesses folded, others relocated to La Fortuna, and a few held on. Now, independent kayakers are starting to come back and there are a couple of river outfitters offering exhilarating trips on the Class II–IV waters of the Río Sarapiquí.
1Sights
Dave & Dave’s Nature ParkWILDLIFE RESERVE, BIRD-WATCHING
(%2761-0801; www.sarapiquieco-observatory.com; US$40; h7am-5pm)
Father and son Dave and Dave greet all comers to this 4.5-hectare reserve on the Río Sarapiquí, 200m north of the cemetery. You don’t have to be a birder to get great glimpses or photos from the two viewing platforms, with feeders attracting toucans, trogans, tanagers and 10 species of hummingbird. Follow a self-guided trail system that winds through secondary forest all the way down to the river. A welcome bonus is the free coffee.
Snake GardenZOO
(%2761-1059; www.snakegardencr.com; adult/child US$15/10, night tour US$30/24; h9am-5pm)
Get face to face with 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, including poison-dart frogs, rattlesnakes, crocs and turtles. The star attraction is a gigantic 80kg Burmese python. Make reservations for the night tour, which shows off many species of frogs you won’t see during the day. It’s 200m north of the cemetery.
4Sleeping
There are cheap digs in town, or consider staying in one of the more interesting lodges on the road to Puerto Viejo.
Tirimbina Rainforest Center & LodgeLODGE$$
(%2761-0333, 215 2761-0055; www.tirimbina.org; incl breakfast, dm US$62, d US$90-110, day pass US$17; paiW)
Situated 2km from La Virgen, this is a working environmental research and education center. The spacious accommodations are located at the lodge or at a more remote field station; dorms with shared bathrooms as well as doubles are on offer. Tirimbina reserve has over 5km of trails; tours include bird-watching, frog and bat tours, night walks and a recommended chocolate tour.
The 345-hectare private reserve is connected to the nearby Sarapiquís Rainforest Lodge by two long suspension bridges. The island between has been closed, unfortunately.
Hacienda Pozo AzulBUNGALOW$$
(%2438-2616, 2761-1360; www.haciendapozoazul.com; d/tr/q incl breakfast US$85/99/124; piW) S
Near the southern end of La Virgen, Pozo Azul features stylish ‘tent suites’ scattered on the edge of the tree line, all on raised polished-wood platforms and dressed with plush bedding and mosquito nets. At night, the frogs and wildlife sing you to sleep as raindrops patter on the canvas roof.
Pozo Azul also has a bar-restaurant near the highway with a lovely riverside veranda, though it caters mostly to big tour groups.
Sarapiquís Rainforest LodgeLODGE$$$
(%2761-1415; www.sarapiquis.com; d with/without breakfast US$110/85; pnais) S
About 2km north of La Virgen, this ecolodge offers bat-proof lighting and an education in pre-Columbian culture and environmental conservation. Modeled after a 15th-century pre-Columbian village, the palenque-style thatched-roof buildings each contain a clutch of sparse but spacious rooms, with huge solar-heated bathroom and shared circular balconies. The restaurant incorporates ingredients used in indigenous cuisine.
5Eating & Drinking
El ChanteSODA$
(%2761-0032; www.facebook.com/restauranteelchante; mains US$6-10; h11am-11pm)
This La Virgen favorite has welcoming service and the food is tasty and filling. The place is popular (and it has televisions) so it can get loud in the evenings. About 800m south of ‘downtown’ La Virgen, on the highway.
Restaurante Mar y TierraCOSTA RICAN$
(%8434-2832; mains US$8-10; h8am-10pm)
You can’t miss this roadside restaurant, set in an A-frame in the middle of town. The seafood and steak restaurant is popular with both locals and travelers. Try the arroz Mar y Tierra, a Tico take on surf and turf.
Bar & Cabinas El RíoBAR
(%2761-0138; hnoon-10pm)
At the southern end of town, turn off the main road and make your way down to this atmospheric riverside hangout, set on rough-hewn stilts high above the river. Locals congregate on the upper deck to sip cold beers and nosh on filling Tico fare.
From here, you can stumble right into your bed if you stay in one of the A-frame bungalows (with fan/air-con US$15/20) near the road.
8Getting There & Away
La Virgen lies on Hwy 126, about 8km north of San Miguel and 17km west of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. It’s a paved but curvy route (especially heading south, where the road starts to climb into the mountains). Buses ply this route from San José via San Miguel to Puerto Viejo, stopping in La Virgen along the way. Local buses run hourly between La Virgen and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (US$1, 30 minutes) from 6am to 8pm.
In the fall of 2017 the new Vuelta Kooper Chilamate Hwy, aka Hwy 4, opened west of here, connecting the Sarapiquí Valley to Muelle and beyond, and cutting the trip to La Fortuna in half.
WORTH A TRIP
CINCO CEIBAS
In the huge, 1100-hectare Finca Pangola there is a swathe of dense, green primary rainforest, home to some of the oldest and largest trees in all of Costa Rica. This is Cinco Ceibas (%2476-0606; www.cincoceibas.com; full-day tour incl lunch US$125). And yes, there are five glorious ceiba trees that you see, as you walk 1.2km along the raised wooden boardwalk through the jungle. The stroll is paired with horseback riding, kayaking or an ox-cart ride, plus lunch, for a carefully choreographed adventure.
Cinco Ceibas offers transportation for day-trippers from San José or La Fortuna. If you have your own wheels, it’s a one-hour drive on mostly gravel roads from La Virgen. From the highway north of town, take the turn off to Pueblo Nuevo.
Chilamate & Around
The narrow, paved Hwy 4 runs for about 15km between La Virgen and Puerto Viejo, connecting a few farming villages such as the don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it hamlet of Chilamate. On the northern side, the road is lined with small businesses, prosperous family fincas and acres upon acres of picturesque pineapple plantations. On the southern side is the wild Río Sarapiquí, providing a dramatic landscape for a handful of excellent ecolodges.
Beyond the river, these lodges are surrounded by their own private reserves of primary and secondary forest, crisscrossed by hiking trails, which are begging for exploration. And beyond that, the landscape merges seamlessly into the unexplored northern reaches of Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. Technically, travelers cannot access the park from here, but nothing stops the wildlife – an enormous diversity of birdlife and even mammals like monkeys, kinkajous and peccaries – from sneaking out and spying on unsuspecting passers-by.
The whole region – from La Virgen to Puerto Viejo – is defined by the Río Sarapiquí. Several of the river-running companies have set up shop east of town.
TTours
While agriculture remains the primary money-maker in the region, many folks recognize that tourism also has a role to play in the local economy. And it doesn’t have to be an either/or. Entrepreneurial local farmers have started supplementing their agricultural activities with farm tours, allowing visitors a view into Tico rural lifestyles, sustainable farming practices, and the ins and outs of producing delicious food.
Costa Rica Best ChocolateFOOD & DRINK
(%8501-7951, 8816-3729; adult/child US$30/20; htours 8am, 10am, 1pm & 3pm)
Where does chocolate come from? This local Chilamate family can answer that question for you, starting with the cacao plants growing on their farm. The two-hour demonstration covers the whole chocolate-making process, with plenty of tasting along the way. Choose from four (chocolate) bars at the end of the tour. About 5km west of downtown Sarapiquí, on the main highway.
Organic Paradise TourFOOD & DRINK
(%2761-0706; www.organicparadisetour.com; adult/child US$$35/14; h8am, 10am, 1pm & 3pm)
Take a bumpy ride on a tractor-drawn carriage and learn everything you ever wanted to know about pineapples (and peppers). The two-hour tour focuses on the production process and what it means to be organic, but it also offers real insight into Costa Rican farm culture, as well as practical tips like how to choose your pineapple at the supermarket.
The tour is educational and surprisingly entertaining. And, of course, you get to sample the goods. Located 1km from the Chilamate school and 4km north of the main highway – follow the signs for ‘Tour de Piña.’
4Sleeping & Eating
This scenic stretch of Hwy 126 and Hwy 4 is home to a few excellent ecolodges. Good news for budget travelers: you don’t have to stay at them to take advantage of their private trails and other interesting attractions.
Isla del RíoHOSTEL$
(%2766-6525; www.aguasbravascr.com; dm US$12, r with/without bathroom US$40/35, breakfast US$6; pW)
After riding the rapids, you can hunker down at this riverside hostel, operated by Aguas Bravas. It’s a clean, basic set-up with solid wooden beds, clean bathrooms and hearty breakfasts. There are trails for exploring, as well as an outdoor hangout area where you can lounge in a hammock, listen to the rushing river and recall your rafting adventure.
On the main highway about 6km west of Sarapiquí.
oChilamate Rainforest Eco RetreatLODGE$$$
(%2766-6949; www.chilamaterainforest.com; incl breakfast dm US$30-35, s/d/tr/q US$90/110/130/155; pW) S
Family-run and family-friendly, this is an inviting and innovative retreat, where owners Davis and Meghan are dedicated to protecting the environment and investing in community. Built on 20 hectares of secondary forest, the solar-powered cabins are basic but full of character, with hand-crafted furniture and natural air cooling. Located just off the main highway, about 5km west of Sarapiquí.
The restaurant serves incredible breakfast and dinner buffets, using local, organic ingredients. Covered, flat walkways allow you to move between buildings in the complex without ever getting wet (after all, this is the rainforest!). Behind the cabins, 6km of paths wind through the jungle, where you’re likely to spot sloths, monkeys, toucans, frogs, snakes and more. And when you can’t take the heat, head to the nearby river swimming hole, complete with Tarzan swing from the bridge.
Selva Verde LodgeLODGE$$$
(%in USA & Canada 800-451-7111, 2761-1800; www.selvaverde.com; incl breakfast s/d US$120/140, bungalow s/d US$140/170; paWs)
This former finca in Chilamate is now an elegant lodge protecting 200 hectares of rainforest. Choose to stay at the river lodge, elevated above the forest floor, or in a private bungalow, tucked away in the nearby trees. Rooms have shiny wooden floors, solar-heated showers and wide verandas with forest views. On the main highway about 6km west of Sarapiquí.
There are three walking trails through the grounds and into the premontane tropical wet forest, as well as medicinal and butterfly gardens, various boat tours on the Río Sarapiquí and an onsite Italian kitchen.
La Quinta de Sarapiquí LodgeLODGE$$$
(%2761-1052; www.laquintasarapiqui.com; d/tr/q incl breakfast US$110/125/140; paWs) S
At this family-run lodge on the banks of the Río Sardinal, covered paths crisscross the landscaped garden, connecting thatched-roof, hammock-strung rooms. You can swim in the pretty saltwater pool or in the nearby river swimming hole; observe the creatures in the frog house, caimen nursery and butterfly garden; or hike the trails through secondary forest.
Even if you’re not staying here, you can get a day pass (US$12) to explore the animal exhibits and hiking trails.
Rancho MagallanesCOSTA RICAN$
(%2766-5606; chicken US$5-12; h10am-10pm)
Rancho Magallanes is a sweet roadside restaurant with a wood-burning brick oven where they roast whole chickens and serve them quite simply with tortillas and banana salsa. You can dine with the truckers by the roadside or in the more upscale riverside dining area, painted with colorful jungle scenes.
8Getting There & Away
Any bus between La Virgen and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí can drop you off at the entrances to the ecolodges along Hwy 4, while a taxi from La Virgen will cost from US$8 to US$10.
RUNNING THE SARAPIQUÍ
The Río Sarapiquí isn’t as wild as the white water on the Río Pacuare near Turrialba, but it will get your heart racing. Even better, the dense jungle that hugs the riverbank is lush and primitive, with chances to glimpse wildlife from your raft.
You can run the Sarapiquí year-round, but December offers the biggest water. The rest of the year, the river fluctuates with rainfall. The bottom line is: if it’s been raining, the river will be at its best. Where once there were nearly a dozen outfitters in La Virgen, now there are just a handful. Two of them are actually based in Chilamate and one is in Puerto Viejo – but all ride the same rapids, offering roughly the same Class II–IV options at similar prices.
Aguas Bravas (%2761-1645; www.aguasbravascr.com; rafting trips US$75, safari float US$65; h9am-5:30pm) This well-established rafting outfit has set up shop along the Río Sarapiquí (complete with onsite hostel). Aguas Bravas has two tours on offer: take a gentle safari float to spot birds, iguanas, caimans and other wildlife, or sign up to splash through 14km of ‘extreme rapids’ on the San Miguel section of the river. Both include a spot of lunch.
Aventuras del Sarapiquí (%2766-6768; www.sarapiqui.com; river trips US$60-95) This highly recommended outfitter offers land, air and water adventures. In addition to white-water rafting (both Class II and III/IV trips), you can also fly through the air on a 12-cable canopy tour. Or, stay down to earth with horseback riding, mountain biking or good old-fashioned hiking. Situated just off the highway. For the Class IV rapids, a minimum of four experienced people are required.
Sarapiquí Outdoor Center (%2761-1123; www.costaricaraft.com; 2/4hr rafting trip US$65/90, guided kayak trips from US$90) David Duarte is the local paddling authority. In addition to its own rafting excursions, SOC offers kayak rental, lessons and clinics. Indie paddlers should check in for up-to-date river information. If you need somewhere to sleep before you hit the water, you can crash in the simple rooms or camp in one of the available, all-inclusive tents – no equipment necessary. Located about 18km southwest of Sarapiquí, off Hwy 126.
Green Rivers (%2766-6265, 2766-5274; www.costaricagreenrive.wixsite.com/sarapiquirafting; tours US$60-80; c) Operating out of Posada Andrea Cristina B&B, this outfit is run by the ever-amiable Kevín Martínez and his wife, Evelyn. They offer a wide variety of rafting and kayaking tours, from family-friendly floats to adrenaline-pumping, rapid-surfing rides. They also know their nature, so they do natural history and bird tours, too.
Tropical Duckies (%8760-3787, 2761-0095; www.tropicalduckies.com; off Hwy 126; adults/children US$56/50; hdeparts 9am & 1pm) Highly recommended for beginners and families, this outfit does tours and instruction in inflatable kayaks, which allow for a fun paddle even when the river is low. Paddle on flat moving water or Class III rapids (or somewhere in between). Reserve ahead.
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
POP 9600
At the scenic confluence of the Ríos Puerto Viejo and Sarapiquí, this was once the most important port in Costa Rica. Boats laden with fruit, coffee and other commercial exports plied the Sarapiquí as far as the Nicaraguan border, then turned east on the Río San Juan to the sea.
Today it is simply a gritty but pleasant palm-shaded market town. The town has made concessions to the new economy, with the local polytechnic high school offering students advanced tourism, ecology and agriculture degrees. The school even has its own reserve, laced with trails. Visitors, meanwhile, can choose from any number of activities in the surrounding area, such as bird-watching, rafting, kayaking, boating and hiking.
Every April, the locals celebrate the victory over William Walker and his invading yanqui filibusteros, who were defeated near here in the Battle of Sardinal in 1856.
TTours
Oasis Nature ToursBOATING
(%2766-6108, 2766-6260, 8816-6462; www.oasisnaturetours.com; full-day tour incl transportation from San José per person US$85-100, safari boat tour per person US$35)
This is just one of several guides that runs boat tours on the local rivers. Also offers ziplining, rafting and other guided adventures. Right next to the bus terminal, down the alley in a blue house.
Anhinga ToursBOATING
(%8346-1220, 2766-5858; www.anhinga.jimdo.com; Av 7; tours per person US$25)
This local guide takes travelers out to explore the Río Sarapiquí and its tributaries. Located on the east–west road at the end of town leading to the river.
4Sleeping
This stretch of jungle boasts quite a range of accommodations, from budget bunks in town designed for local long-term plantation workers to several excellent lodges on the outskirts.
Cabinas LauraCABINA$
(%2766-6316; s/d US$25/30; paiW)
Located on the road to the pier, behind Banco Nacional, this place is quiet and cheap. The 22 rooms are simple but spotless, with shiny tiles, wooden furnishings and cable TV.
Posada Andrea Cristina B&BB&B$$
(%2766-6265; www.posadaandreacristina.wixsite.com/andreacristina; d incl breakfast US$64; pW)
On the edge of town and at the edge of the forest, this charming B&B is a rough-around-the-edges gem. The grounds are swarming with birds, not to mention the frogs that populate the pond. Quaint cabins all have high, beamed ceilings, colorful paint jobs and private terraces. There’s also a funky tree house, built around a thriving Inga tree.
Your delightful host, Alex Martínez, is also a birding guide, and bakes a mean loaf of bread.
Hotel GavilánHOTEL$$
(%2234-9507; www.gavilanlodge.com; d/tr/q from US$70/85/100; paWs)
Sitting on a 100-hectare reserve just across the Sarapiquí from ‘downtown’, this former cattle hacienda is a bird-watching haven, with 5km of private trails on the grounds. The tired but cozy rooms have pastel paint jobs and wide porches, some of which have river views. Management is quite charming, offering private boat tours and bird walks upon request.
Hotel Ara AmbiguaHOTEL$$
(%2766-7101; www.hotelaraambigua.com; s/d/tr/q incl breakfast from US$95/95/112/128; paWs)
About 1km west of Puerto Viejo, this countryside retreat (named for the great green macaw) offers oddly formal but well-equipped rooms, set on gorgeous grounds. There are birds buzzing in the luscious, blooming gardens, poison-dart frogs in the ranario (frog pond) and caimans in the small lake.
Even if you’re not staying here, the onsite restaurant, La Casona, is an excellent place to grab lunch and spy on your feathered friends.
5Eating
Most of the lodgings in and around Puerto Viejo have onsite restaurants or provide meals. Otherwise, there are several sodas in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí and a supermarket at the western end of town. A couple of interesting restaurants are along the highway between Puerto Viejo and La Virgen (not your typical sodas), and the Hotel El Bambú restaurant has some nice choices.
Congo Jack’s BBQAMERICAN$
(%8447-6684; Calle 1, near Av 3; mains US$6-10; h11am-9pm)
Here’s a clean, tiny box of a restaurant that seems to have borrowed its gleaming white tiles from the clinic next door. It’s borrowed its menu, certainly, from North America, with BBQ pulled-pork sandwiches and other ‘fast food,’ all claiming to be not fried. Except the french fries, of course.
Restaurante y Pizzeria La CasonaPIZZA$$
(%2766-7101; www.hotelaraambigua.com; meals US$8-16; h8am-10pm; Wc)
The restaurant at Hotel Ara Ambigua is particularly recommended for its oven-baked pizza and traditional, homemade cuisine served in an open-air rancho (small house). If you’re looking for something beyond the pizza/casado routine, try the tangy Frida Kahlo chicken. The deck offers a sweet view of the gardens, where birds flutter by as you enjoy your meal.
8Information
Banco de Costa Rica (Calle Central; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri) At the entrance to the town.
Banco Nacional (%2766-5658; Av 7; h8:45am-4:30pm Mon-Fri) Near the dock.
Cruz Roja (%administration 2764-2424, emergency 2766-6212; Av 4) Provides medical care.
8Getting There & Away
The bus terminal (Calle Central; h5am-7pm) is right across from the park, near Hotel El Bambú. Local buses run hourly between La Virgen and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (US$1, 30 minutes) from 5am to 8pm.
Ciudad Quesada (Transportes Linaco) US$3, two hours, departs eight times daily from 4:40am to 6:30pm.
Guápiles (Transportes Guapileños) US$2, one hour, departs 10 times daily from 5:30am to 5pm.
Rio Frio 16 departures daily from 6am to 7pm.
San José (Autotransportes Sarapiquí and Empresarios Guapileños) US$2.50, two hours, departs 5am, 5:15am, 5:30am, 7am, 8am, 9:30am, 11am, 1:30pm, 3pm, 4:30pm and 5:30pm.
Estación Biológica La Selva
Not to be confused with Selva Verde Lodge in Chilamate, Estación Biológica La Selva is a working biological research station equipped with laboratories, experimental plots, a herbarium and an extensive library. The station is usually teeming with scientists and students researching the nearby private reserve.
The area protected by La Selva is 16 sq km of premontane wet tropical rainforest, much of which is undisturbed. It’s bordered to the south by the 476-sq-km Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo, creating a protected area large enough to support a great diversity of life. More than 886 bird species have been recorded here, as well as 120 mammal species (including 70 species of bat and five species of big cat), 1850 species of vascular plant (especially from the orchid, philodendron, coffee and legume families) and thousands of insect species – with 500 types of ant alone.
TTours
OTS La Selva Research StationHIKING
(%2766-6565, in USA 919-684-5774; www.threepaths.co.cr; guided hike US$35, bird-watching hike US$50; hguided hike 8am & 1:30pm, bird-watching hike 5:45am)
Reservations are required for three-hour guided hikes with a bilingual naturalist guide. You’ll head across the hanging bridge and into 57km of well-developed jungle trails, some of which are wheelchair accessible. Unguided hiking is forbidden, although you’ll be allowed to wander a bit after your guided tour. You should also make reservations for the popular guided bird-watching hikes.
4Sleeping
OTS La Selva Research StationLODGE$$
(%2766-6565; www.threepaths.co.cr; per person incl meals US$90-95; pW)
Rooms are equipped with twin beds, private bathrooms, fans and balconies overlooking the forest. Prices include meals and two daily guided hikes.
8Getting There & Away
Public buses between Puerto Viejo and Río Frío/Horquetas can drop you off along the highway, which is 1km from the entrance to La Selva. Alternatively, catch a taxi from Puerto Viejo, which is about 4km away.
Horquetas & Around
South of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, plantations line Hwy 4 and sprawl all the way to the marshes and mangroves of the Caribbean coast. To the west, the rugged hills of the Cordillera Central mark the northeastern boundary of Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. Most travelers on this scenic stretch of highway are either heading to the Caribbean coast or to the Central Valley. However, some are pulling off the road to visit one of the area’s unique off-the-beaten-track destinations, like the world-class botanical garden at Heliconia Island or the backyard frog habitats at Frog’s Heaven.
1Sights
Heliconia IslandGARDENS
(%2764-5220; www.heliconiaisland.com; self-guided/guided tours US$10/18, d/q from US$82/104; h8am-5pm; pc) S
Drive down a rugged road, walk across the bridge and enter a masterpiece of landscape architecture that is home to more than 80 varieties of heliconias, tropical flowers, plants and trees. The 2-hectare island overlooking the Río Puerto Viejo is also a refuge for 228 species of bird, including a spectacled owl who returns every year to raise her family. There are resident howler monkeys, river otters, sloths, and a few friendly dogs that will greet you upon arrival.
Dutch owners Henk and Carolien offer guided tours to show off the most memorable plants, including rare hybrids of heliconia found only on the island. They also own swatches of secondary forest on either side of the garden, which offers a wild forest buffer and attracts wildlife. The admission fee is waived for overnight guests, who stay in immaculate raised cabins with stone floors and breezy balconies. Heliconia Island is about 5km north of Horquetas.
Frog’s HeavenGARDENS
(Cielo de Ranas; %2764-2724, 8891-8589; www.frogsheaven.org; adult/child US$25/12; h8am-8pm; c) S
The frogs hop free in this lovely tropical garden, which provides a perfect habitat for more than 28 species. On guided tours you’re likely to see old favorites like the red-eyed tree frog and poison-dart frogs, as well as some lesser-known exotic amphibians, such as the translucent glass frog and the wrinkly Mexican tree frog. Come for the twilight tour to see a whole different frog world.
This place is also excellent for birding and – occasionally – spotting other creatures too. Reserve at least a day ahead. Located in Horquetas, diagonal from the church.
4Sleeping
The tricky thing about the lodges in Horquetas is that they’re not exactly in Horquetas. They use this address because it is the nearest vestige of civilization – but these lodges are out there. Some of them are way out there. Make reservations and follow instructions on how to get there. And don’t forget your sense of adventure (and humor), because you’re going to need it.
Yatama EcolodgeLODGE$$
(%7015-1121; www.yatamaecolodge.com; per per-son incl 3 meals US$80)
Are you willing to forgo some creature comforts for the chance to commune with the rainforest? At Yatama, you’ll sleep in primitive wooden cabins with intermittent solar-fed electricity. You’ll slog through the mud to glimpse frogs, birds and bugs. You’ll eat satisfying food. You’ll skip showers in favor of river swims. And you’ll revel in the vibrancy of the forest.
Staff pick you up in Horquetas to make the treacherous, 45-minute drive up to this primitive lodge on the edge of the Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. Bring insect repellent, rubber boots and an adventurous spirit.
Rara AvisCABINA$$
(%2764-1111, 2200-4238; www.rara-avis.com; lodge per person incl meals and hikes US$89)
When they say remote, they mean remote. This private reserve, 13 sq km of high-altitude tropical rainforest, is accessible only to guests who make the three-hour tractor ride up a steep, muddy hill. Accommodations are rustic: there’s no electricity, though the kerosene lamps and starry skies are unforgettable. Prices include all meals, transportation from Horquetas and two guided hikes per day.
The private reserve borders the eastern edge of Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo and has no real dry season. Bird-watching here is excellent, with more than 350 documented species, while mammals including monkeys, coatis, anteaters and pacas are often seen. Since getting here is time-consuming and difficult, a two-night stay is recommended. You can also arrange to travel on horseback instead of by tractor ($35 per person), but you’ll have to hike the last 3km yourself. Pickup is from Calle Fernandez in Horquetas.
Sueño Azul ResortRESORT$$$
(%2764-1000; www.suenoazulresort.com; d US$120-150, extra person US$20; paWs)
Sueño Azul has a stunning perch at the confluence of the Ríos Sarapiquí and San Rafael. The vast property has hiking trails, a suspension bridge, a canopy tour and a waterfall, as well as a stable of gorgeous horses. The facility itself is looking worse for wear, but rooms are comfortable enough, with log beds and river views.
The restaurant, unfortunately, is overpriced and uninspiring – which is a shame, as there are no other options in the vicinity. From Horquetas, follow the signs over the suspension bridge to the property entrance, from where it’s another 1.4km (with another precarious bridge crossing) to the resort itself.
8Getting There & Away
About 12 smoothly paved kilometers from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí is the village of Horquetas, around which you’ll find the turnoffs for Frog’s Heaven, Heliconia Island and the other resorts. From Horquetas it’s another 15km to Hwy 32, which connects San José to the Caribbean coast and bisects Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo on the way to San José.