Costa Rica Part 2

La Fortuna

On our second stay in Costa Rica, we first went to La Fortuna. Our plan was to go to the Arenal Volcano and do some hiking. Unfortunately, this plan didn't work out. Since it's about 20 kilometers from La Fortuna to the hiking trails at the volcano, we needed a vehicle. We've always managed well with buses so far, but unfortunately there was only one in the morning at 7, which was too early for us. Since we didn't have a rental car either, the only option left was a taxi. But that would have cost us 60 dollars roundtrip. That was too expensive for us, especially since the national park would also have an entrance fee. So we couldn't go hiking. But we found a good alternative and made use of the heat of the volcano. We went to a thermal bath that is heated by the volcano. We could pass the day there quite nicely😉

Cahuita

From La Fortuna, we then took the bus for about 9 hours to the Caribbean coast to Cahuita. There we visited the Tree of Life Animal Rescue Center on the first day. It was really nice. During the 1.5 hour guided tour, we learned a lot about the animals and their stories, but also about the flora of Costa Rica. In the center, there were, among other things, 3 different species of monkeys, turtles, coatis, and two sloths that you could get very close to. It's really recommended if you're ever there, especially because it's for a good cause.

On the second day, we wanted to go snorkeling, but that was not possible due to rough seas. Instead, we visited the Cahuita National Park, which is even free, but you can make a donation, which we also did. The park is really beautiful. It is located right by the sea and you can walk along an 8-kilometer path along the coast. We went without a guide because they were incredibly expensive. But that wasn't a problem at all. We saw many animals anyway. There were many monkeys, raccoons, lizards, squirrels, sloths, two small snakes, and eventually a coati. There is also a very beautiful beach in the park, but unfortunately we didn't have time for that. But the trip to Cahuita was definitely worth it and so far it has been our favorite place in Costa Rica.

The next day, we were headed to Panama. First destination was Bocas del Toro.