From the dry tropical forests of Papagayo in Guanecaste it is a three hour drive using the Pan American Highway to Arenal in the foothills of a Volcano that everyone assumed was extinct until one fateful day in 1968 when it erupted.
Today the area is an adventure wonderland for nature loving vacationers and despite being in land and even above sea level should not missed by anyone who yacht is tucked up securely inside Marina Papagayo.
Get Cristiano Paoli of Seamasters to organise a tour into the highlands and spend some time enjoying the clean air. Those short of time need just tell Cristiano to organise a helicopter and the job is done.
Without our own chopper, we drove the journey in a comfortable Jeep and after leaving the highway enjoyed watching the scenery change as we climbed ever higher. Small cattle ranches occupy undulating pastures that look more suited to sheep than bovines. The ranching concept must be quite profitable because the homes and farms we passed are neat, well maintain and many of them sport pretty, visually engaging gardens.
Progress can be slow on country roads especially when cattle are being driven from field to field by horse riding Sabaneros (cowboys) but they are friendly folk and love it when the tourists jumps out of the jeep to take their pictures. Pura Vida they say with a grin!
The area around Arenal makes for perfect walking holidays with hotels to suit every budget. The area makes a perfect weekend getaway for yacht crews whose yachts are berthed inside Marina Papagayo.
It is an area that begs to be explored; rivers wind through bountiful rain forests, waterfalls crash amidst inspiring canyons, and hot springs gurgle up beneath the base of an impressive volcano. Visitors can also enjoy hikes and horseback rides, and pretty much everyone will agree that a soak in one of the area’s many geothermal hot springs is a near perfect ending to any day.