Miravalles with the Hot Springs Before the Hike, Not After

The order is the unusual thing here. The crater, the natural hot springs and the volcanic mud bath all happen before lunch, and the walking comes after the soaking rather than before it. Miravalles has the only walkable volcanic crater in Costa Rica, which is the reason to come this far inland in the first place. The thermal pools and the mud are on the same ground. The hike afterwards is guided, through tropical rainforest, over hanging bridges, past three waterfalls that most itineraries never reach. Lunch is included. The whole thing stays well away from the crowds, which is most of the point of it.