Arenal & Northern Lowlands - Lonely...
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Arenal & Northern Lowlands Why Go? You know about the region’s main attraction: the now- dormant Volcán Arenal, surrounded by old lava fields, bub- bling hot springs and a stunning lake. Venture further onto the wild rivers and into the tropical jungle of the northern lowlands and you will discover real-life Costa Rica, where ag- ricultural commerce and ecological conservation converge as a work in green progress. Stretching from the borderlands of Nicaragua south to the Cordillera de Tilarán, banana, sugar- cane and pineapple fincas (farms) roll across humid plains. Community tourism lives and breathes here, creating added revenue for a historically farm-based economy. You can spot a macaw in the wild, paddle into roaring rapids and cruise inky lagoons, all with lifelong resident guides, then nest in lodges that double as private rainforest reserves. When the tourist hordes get you down, make your way here for a re- freshing blast of rural realism and an invigorating dose of wild beauty. When to Go ¨ There’s no dry season in the northern lowlands: the lush jungles surrounding the rivers in the region, such as the Río Frío and the Río Sarapiquí, receive rainfall at almost any time of year. ¨ There is a less-wet season, though, from January to April, when rainfall is lower. ¨ Because there’s so much rain, you can run the rivers any time of year, but they flow faster from July to December. Best Places to Eat ¨ Restaurant Don Rufino (p257) ¨ Rainforest Café (p256) ¨ Gingerbread Hotel & Restaurant (p265) ¨ Café y Macadamia (p267) Best Wildlife- Watching ¨ Ecocentro Danaus (p248) ¨ Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro (p271) ¨ Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat (p281) ¨ Estación Biológica La Selva (p285) La Fortuna 248 Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal 259 El Castillo 261 Laguna de Arenal 263 Los Chiles 269 Upala 273 Muelle de San Carlos 275 Venecia 277 Boca Tapada Area 277 Sarapiquí Valley 278 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Transcript of Arenal & Northern Lowlands - Lonely...
Arenal & Northern Lowlands
Why Go?You know about the region’s main attraction: the now-dormant Volcán Arenal, surrounded by old lava fields, bub-bling hot springs and a stunning lake. Venture further onto the wild rivers and into the tropical jungle of the northern lowlands and you will discover real-life Costa Rica, where ag-ricultural commerce and ecological conservation converge as a work in green progress. Stretching from the borderlands of Nicaragua south to the Cordillera de Tilarán, banana, sugar-cane and pineapple fincas (farms) roll across humid plains. Community tourism lives and breathes here, creating added revenue for a historically farm-based economy. You can spot a macaw in the wild, paddle into roaring rapids and cruise inky lagoons, all with lifelong resident guides, then nest in lodges that double as private rainforest reserves. When the tourist hordes get you down, make your way here for a re-freshing blast of rural realism and an invigorating dose of wild beauty.
When to Go¨¨ There’s no dry season in the northern lowlands: the lush
jungles surrounding the rivers in the region, such as the Río Frío and the Río Sarapiquí, receive rainfall at almost any time of year.¨¨ There is a less-wet season, though, from January to
April, when rainfall is lower.¨¨Because there’s so much rain, you can run the rivers any
time of year, but they flow faster from July to December.
Best Places to Eat¨¨ Restaurant Don Rufino
(p257)
¨¨ Rainforest Café (p256)
¨¨ Gingerbread Hotel & Restaurant (p265)
¨¨ Café y Macadamia (p267)
Best Wildlife-Watching¨¨ Ecocentro Danaus (p248)
¨¨ Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro (p271)
¨¨ Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat (p281)
¨¨ Estación Biológica La Selva (p285)
La Fortuna . . . . . . . . . 248Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal . . . . . . 259El Castillo . . . . . . . . . .261Laguna de Arenal . . . 263Los Chiles . . . . . . . . . 269Upala . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273Muelle de San Carlos . . . . . . . . . . . . .275Venecia . . . . . . . . . . . .277Boca Tapada Area . . .277Sarapiquí Valley . . . . .278
©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd
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Arenal & Northern Lowlands Highlights1 hiking up the Cerro Chato at Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal (p259) and gazing across the turquoise-blue crater lake at its summit .
2 Marvelling at sweeping lake and volcano views from your perch in El Castillo (p261) .
3 Exploring the lagoons of the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro (p271) to take a gander at spoonbills or a stab at tarpon .
4 riding the rapids through the jungle on the Río Sarapiquí (p280) .
5 Spotting howlers, sloths, peccaries and all manner of birdlife while exploring the grounds of your ecolodge near Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (p283) .
