Arriv guide · Arenal & Monteverde
Costa Rica: volcano & cloud forest
Arenal & Monteverde, Costa Rica · 3-day adventure trip · 10 places
By ArrivLast checked
Ziplines over the canopy, waterfalls you can swim under, and hot springs at dusk. Trailheads, viewpoints, and drive times, in that order of importance. 3 days in Arenal & Monteverde with the early starts marked, because daylight is the thing that runs out first, and the parking lots go before the daylight does. Sort gear the night before, since every early start on this plan exists for one reason. The parking fills, and the lot at a popular trailhead is full long before the trail is. This guide maps 10 hand-picked places across arenal & hot springs, monteverde cloud forest, and wild day trip in Arenal & Monteverde, Costa Rica, grouped the way you would use them once you are on the ground. The map below is the useful part, because it shows how far apart the stops sit, which a plain list of names always hides. Duplicate the trip in Arriv to set dates, swap stops, and plan with your group.
Stays on this map
Hotels and rentals near these pins.
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How to use this Arenal & Monteverde guide
- Follow the day-by-day order as a starting spine, because it already accounts for what sits near what. 3 days is the intended pace, and once you duplicate the trip you can stretch it or compress it to fit the flights.
- Day 1 assumes you are checked in and moving, so the first big block starts on a morning that is already yours. Land the night before if the schedule allows it.
- 10 stops carry a note about reservations, timing, or where to eat after the main event. Read those first, because they are the ones that change what you end up booking.
- The lists are themed on purpose, which is why they hold together as sets: Arenal & hot springs, Monteverde cloud forest, Wild day trip, and more. Use them when you have finished the scheduled stops and still have an evening to fill.
- Pin the map so you have it on your phone at the airport. Duplicate into Arriv when you are ready to lock dates, add hotels, and share the plan with everyone coming to Arenal & Monteverde.
Building a longer drive from this guide? Use the road trip planner for drive times between stops.
3-day Arenal & Monteverde itinerary
Tap a stop to see it on the map. Adjust freely once it’s your trip.
Day 1Arrive + Arenal + hot springs
Soda La Hormiga
4.5
Contiguo al Mega Super, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Tip — Casado breakfast to fuel up
Arenal Volcano National Park, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Tip — Lava-field hike under the cone
La Fortuna Waterfall
4.6
Alajuela Province, San Carlos, Costa Rica
Tip — Down the steps for a cool swim
Tabacón, La Fortuna, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Tip — Soak in the thermal river at dusk
Don Rufino
4.6
142 94, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Tip — Dinner and a well-earned drink
Day 2Zipline + hanging bridges + cloud forest
Aventura Park, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Tip — Fly the canopy first thing
Selvatura Park, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Tip — Bridges through the treetops
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Tip — Cloud-forest walk with a guide
Day 3Río Celeste + chocolate tour
Tenorio Volcano National Park, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Tip — Early start for the turquoise falls
Rainforest Chocolate Tour
4.8
La Fortuna - Catarata Río Fortuna, Provincia de Alajuela, San Carlos, Costa Rica
Tip — Back in town — chocolate to finish
Where to go in Arenal & Monteverde
10 places across 4 themed lists — use these when you want options beyond the day plan.
Arenal & hot springs
Arenal Volcano National Park, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Hike old lava flows to the base of the near-perfect cone, and bring a rain layer, because the weather turns without warning.
Tabacón, La Fortuna, Alajuela, Costa Rica
A natural thermal river winding through the jungle, which is best at sunset once the day trippers have gone.
Alajuela Province, San Carlos, Costa Rica
500 steps down to a 70m fall, and you can swim in the pool at the bottom, which is the reward for climbing back up.
Monteverde cloud forest
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Misty trails alive with birds, and if you are patient, the resplendent quetzal is the one to look for.
Selvatura Park, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Walk suspension bridges through the treetops, which puts you at eye level with the canopy.
Aventura Park, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Latin America's longest zipline plus a Tarzan swing, which you should skip if you have any doubts about heights.
Wild day trip
Tenorio Volcano National Park, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
The waterfall that runs electric turquoise, and it is a full-day trip from La Fortuna, which is worth every minute of the drive.
Eat & treats
Contiguo al Mega Super, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
A classic 'soda', which means casado plates of rice, beans, plantain, and fish for a few dollars.
142 94, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
The dinner splurge in town, with grilled meats and a bar that stays busy once the tables clear.
La Fortuna - Catarata Río Fortuna, Provincia de Alajuela, San Carlos, Costa Rica
You go from cacao pod to cup here, roasting, grinding, and tasting your own chocolate before you leave.
Make this Arenal & Monteverde trip yours
Use this guide to duplicate the itinerary into your trips. Set dates, swap stops, invite your crew — then continue planning on the web or take it on the go in the Arriv app.