Arenal from San Jose: the Maleku Presentation, the Iguana Centre and Paradise Hot Springs

A full day that starts at 6:30 in the morning from a San Jose hotel and does not take the highway. The route to Arenal is the scenic alternative, through farms, rainforest and small towns. The first stop is a coffee plantation, where in harvest season the pickers are working the ripe cherries while the guide explains what coffee does to the local economy. The tasting itself comes later. La Paz waterfall is a roadside stop of a few minutes. San Fernando is the longer one: a lookout with a bird gallery where toucans and hummingbirds are common, and the coffee is drunk there, with the traditional snacks Costa Ricans eat alongside it. At the iguana centre the animals sit at eye level in the trees, and a nearby spot is where sloths are usually seen in the wild. Lunch is at La Fortuna, near the volcano, and afterwards people from the local Maleku tribe give a presentation on their traditions. The afternoon is at Paradise Hot Springs Resort: thermal mineral pools, jacuzzis and cascades in tropical gardens, a few hours of it. Dinner is at a local restaurant before the drive back to San Jose. Lunch, dinner and the coffee tasting are all included. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.