Traveler Nicole Beckley from San Francisco went to Costa Rica for some adventure and to see an active volcano. And she brought back a ton of memories; she shared some with the San Francisco Chronicle:

Nicole suggests the following:

1. Don’t miss: The 177-foot La Fortuna waterfall. After a short, steep hike to get to the base, you can swim beneath the falls.
2. Don’t bother: Staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge. Its view of the Arenal Volcano is nice, but not worth the price to stay there. Arrange for a hike instead with guides that can take you to a better viewing area.
3. Worth a splurge: The Tabacón hot springs and resort. A stay at the elegant hotel includes a visit to the springs, but if you can’t get a room there or want a more economical experience, you can visit the Baldi springs for about $12.
4. I wish I’d packed: Better insect repellent — I used a repellent with Picaridin, an alternative to DEET, that didn’t do the job. Stick with a repellent with DEET, such as Cutter.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007 at 8:41 am and is filed under Beaches, nature & places in Costa Rica, FAQs - Frequently asked questions, Surf & travel stories remembered. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.