Do you ever have that feeling that you so desperately need to go on a vacation? Well, that was Costa Rica for us! We booked the entire trip within a few weeks after finding a great deal at an all-inclusive resort for a week in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
After doing some quick geographical research, we determined that Guanacaste would be the perfect home base for our trip. This location would allow us to enjoy the authentic Costa Rican experience we were craving – monkeys, volcanos, waterfalls, rainforests, ziplining, ATV-ing.
DAY 1: Arrive in Liberia – The Start of an Unforgettable Week in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
We flew from Toronto to Liberia, Costa Rica. For us, the beauty of booking an all-inclusive resort was that transportation to the resort itself was included. Liberia is a very small airport, so we arrived, grabbed our bags, and got on our bus in no time!
It took us less than an hour to get from the airport to our hotel, which is another reason that it’s a great idea to spend a week in Guanacaste.
The Hotel – Villas Sol Hotel & Beach Resort
Once we arrived at our hotel for the week, Villas Sol Hotel & Beach Resort, we were welcomed with a cocktail while we checked in. The resort is a mix of private villas and hotel guest rooms. We had reserved a guest room in the hotel, which was only a short walk to the pool and restaurants. This resort is on the smaller side, so there’s only one pool (but it has a swim-up bar), along with a small restaurant by the pool, Heliconia, and their main restaurant, Bahía. Aside from the excellent service, and ample food, the view from Bahía is something else! The hotel never felt overcrowded, but it does get a bit busier on weekends because a lot of locals vacation there with their families.
The hotel isn’t directly on the beach, but is just a short walk (or shuttle) ride down to the beach. Here you’ll find a few small restaurants and shops. The water at the beach is warm, almost uncomfortably hot. Because of this, we found ourselves in the pool during the day and at the beach in the evening. The sunsets are something else!
As you’ll come to see, we aren’t necessarily the type to relax at an all-inclusive resort, so each day following had something planned!
DAY 2: Buena Vista Eco Adventure Park Excursion
We booked this excursion through the hotel/all-inclusive rep. This package was perfect for us because it encompassed a lot of what we wanted to do in Costa Rica – ziplining, hot springs, and horseback riding!
This was a full-day excursion – we were picked up from the hotel early in the morning and taken to Buena Vista del Rincon Eco Adventure Park. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by the Buena Vista team and given a safety overview for the Canopy Tour. The canopy tour consisted of 10 cables running through the rainforest. We couldn’t imagine a better way to kick off one week in Costa Rica!
After the canopy tour, we got to ride on the 425-meter jungle waterslide that’s built into the natural forest landscape. We can’t say this was the most comfortable experience, but a lot of fun! And ladies, we recommend wearing a one-piece swimsuit!
Following an adrenaline-packed morning, we got to enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch. After lunch, we went horseback riding to the hot springs! The journey on horseback was a bit stressful as there were some steep edges that the horses liked to get close to. However, these horses have ridden the path so many times that they know what they are doing! Plus, you’ll have guides there to help!
At the hot springs, we got to relax in five thermal pools and bathe in volcanic mud! Yes, that’s right, they have volcanic mud that you can use (if you want) before bathing. Volcanic mud is known to have several health benefits, as well! After relaxing at the hot springs, we got a ride back to the entrance – no more horseback riding.
After a jam-packed day, we were back to the resort just in time for dinner and a sunset swim!
DAY 3: Rio Celeste
Before leaving on our trip, we booked a rental car through Avis (at a nearby hotel), so we could explore Costa Rica on our own for a couple of days! We didn’t check out of the resort or tell anyone; we just left for one night. We got such great deals that it was worth paying for two hotels and only staying at one!
After a quick breakfast at the resort, we were off! There was something about stepping out of the resort on our own that was so liberating (and slightly nerve-racking)! That being said, driving in Costa Rica was very safe, and it was easy to navigate (with a GPS). Their main roads/highways are well maintained.
When planning our trip, we kept coming across photos of the Rio Celeste Waterfall and then discovered the nearby hotel – Rio Celeste Hideaway, and knew we had to visit! We got a great rate at the hotel, so it was worth the trip!
We got to the hotel early, so we decided to do the Rio Celeste Hike. This was the perfect way to spend our afternoon – hiking through the muddy rainforest, along the bright blue Rio Celeste, taking in the vast array of nature. Within Volcan Tenorio National Park, you’ll find the Rio Celeste waterfall, Blue Lagoon (Laguna Azul), and Los Teñideros (where the Rio Celeste forms it’s bright blue color).
After 3.5 hours of hiking through Volcan Tenorio National Park, we were ready to relax at Hotel Rio Celeste Hideaway. This was the perfect place to retreat for a night! Plus, they have a private swimming area where you can swim in the blue Rio Celeste waters!
Read More
Hotel Rio Celeste Hideaway | Hotel Review
Rio Celeste Hike in Costa Rica | What You Need to Know
DAY 4: Arenal / La Fortuna
While getting our rental car, the associate working gave us a few must-visit spots and mentioned an incredible zipline that runs over the La Fortuna Waterfall, with the Arenal Volcano in the backdrop. Of course, he sold us on that zipline but didn’t know what company it was! Upon doing a quick Google search, we found Arenal Mundo Aventura Park!
We booked the 1:30 PM Big AMA tour that would leave us just enough time to drive there from Hotel Rio Celeste Hideaway, with a quick pitstop at the Arenal Volcano on the way.
Arenal Volcano:
We did the quick hike to the base of the volcano and quickly made it back to our car in time to get to the zipline! Roundtrip the hike took us about 45 minutes from the entrance; however, we did do a light jog towards the end. If you give yourself an hour, this would be ample time to get to the lookout and back! Of course, if you love hiking or have more time, we recommend spending more time in the area!
Arenal Mundo Aventura:
This was probably THE highlight of our entire trip. We go into a lot more detail about our experience at Arenal Mundo Aventura here, but this truly felt like what we imagined for Costa Rica – soaring through the rainforest with breathtaking views of waterfalls and volcanos. Not to mention, it was just us and the guides! We couldn’t have asked for a better experience at Arenal Mundo Aventura!
La Fortuna Waterfall:
Then, to top it all off, we got to swim at the base of a waterfall! We LOVE waterfalls, so as you can imagine, this topped off a perfect day!
After completing the La Fortuna Waterfall Hike, down to the base of the waterfall (517 steps to be exact), we got to swim in the waterfall. It was cold, but an experience like no other!
The best part!? We squeezed in just as the park was closing, so there were only a couple of other people there!
After completing the hike back up, we hopped in our car and headed back to enjoy the rest of our week in Guanacaste. We even managed to catch this breathtaking sunset at Lake Arenal!
DAY 5: Playa Hermosa
Since we still had our car until midday, the receptionist at the hotel mentioned an awesome lookout point nearby. We’ve mapped it out at the bottom of this post. It’s worth the visit if you’re staying a week in Guanacaste!
Note: it did seem like they were developing/building on this land, so it may be built on now.
After we returned our car, we took a taxi to the town of Playa Hermosa. The taxi was about $20 USD from our hotel. When we arrived at the town, we arranged for the same driver to come back and pick us up in a few hours!
Of course, we took advantage of a quiet beach, a cute village and happy hour!
DAY 6: Congo Canopy
Now to our final full day in Costa Rica. As we looked at our entire trip, all that was missing were ATVs and monkeys, so that’s what we did!
Madison has a great recognition program through her work, where you can earn points and redeem them on anything from physical gifts and gift cards to full-blown travel experiences. The program works with Viator, so we were able to go on this excursion for FREE!
We pre-arranged transportation from our hotel to Congo Canopy (and back). Because of our booking method, it seems as though it was a local/taxi driver that transported us (as opposed to a tour bus), but we got there safe and sound! Because of the way we booked this tour, it was private – just the two of us and our guide!
It started with the ATV tour. We went through Potrero, along a secluded beach and on the Costa Rican back roads, up to an incredible lookout point! We stopped along the way for a drink and snack – it was perfect.
After the ATV tour, we were given the option of doing their standard Canopy Tour or the Extreme Zipline Course. We weren’t ready for this decision. However, since we had already done a lot of Ziplining in Costa Rica, we figured, let’s try something different!
We go into more detail on this experience in our ultimate guide to Ziplining in Costa Rica – but know that the Extreme Zipline tour took us flying through the rainforest like Superman, swinging from tree to tree like Tarzan and playing with monkeys! What more could we ask for on our final day in Costa Rica?!
DAY 7: The End of an Unforgettable Week in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Sadly, all great trips come to an end… we couldn’t have asked for a better week in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. From the relaxing stays at Villas Sol & Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel to the adventurous ziplining tours, each experience has left us with the best memories, itching to return soon! Embracing the ‘Pura Vida’ lifestyle, we’ve learned to appreciate the beauty of each moment, the richness of nature, and the warmth of the local community!
Map for One Week in Guanacaste
These are all of the places that we visited during our week in Guanacaste, Costa Rica!
