Visit Arenal & the Central Highlands

The mountainous Central Highlands lie to the north of San Jose and are the centre of geothermal activity in Costa Rica. The Arenal Volcano National Park has one of the most volatile reputations in the highlands and the booming eruptions and brilliant night-time lava displays of the Arenal volcano are legendary.

Large areas of the highlands spend the majority of their lives cloaked in thick cloud cover; these montain forests are the ideal habitat for many different bird species, ranging in size from the minute hummingbird to the three-wattled bellbird. The cloud forest reserves at Montverde and Santa Elena are home to animals found nowhere else in the world and are one of the highlights of any stay in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Classic

13-day tailor-made holiday from £3,905 pp incl. flights

Costa Rica is a land of spectacular volcanoes, wildlife-filled cloud forests, fast-flowing jungle rivers and tropical jungles. Explore its natural-world highlights in Arenal and Monteverde before kicking back on the beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park or Guanacaste.

Costa Rica: Sarapiqui and the Osa Peninsula

11-day tailor-made holiday from £4,605 pp incl. flights

Let expert guides introduce you to two Costa Rican gems – the rainforest of Sarapiqui and towering Arenal Volcano. You'll then enjoy a full-board stay at the Lapa Rios Ecolodge, hidden among the wildlife-filled rainforests of the Osa Peninsula.

Costa Rica Self-Drive

13-day tailor-made self-drive from £4,375 pp incl. flights

Travel passed farmlands, forests, lakes and volcanoes to Arenal, the cloud forests of Monteverde and the wildlife of the Palo Verde national park. Top it all off with a relaxing stay on the palm-fringed bays of Guanacaste on Costa Rica's North Pacific Coast.

Wildlife of Costa Rica & Caribbean Coast

14-day tailor-made holiday from £5,585 pp incl. flights

This tailor-made holiday perfectly showcases the spectacular variety of wildlife and landscapes of Costa Rica. Alongside stays in luxury eco-lodges, you'll go in search of the wildlife that lives among remote peninsulas, white-sand beaches and subtropical rainforests.

Top places to stay in Arenal & Central Highlands

Nayara Springs, Arenal

Contemporary hotel

Regularly voted amongst the world’s leading hotels, this adults-only Costa Rican resort is truly stunning. It’s set beside a creek, pristine rainforest and the Arenal volcanic national park, home to a huge concentration of wildlife and tropical plants.

Nayara Resort, Spa and Gardens, Arenal

Contemporary resort

This luxury resort at the foot of the imposing Arenal volcano combines outdoor living with luxurious design and exquisite dining.

Hotel Belmar, Monteverde Cloud Forest

Contemporary hotel

In a coveted location high in the famous Monteverde cloud forest, this resort has a wonderful chateau feel and is perfectly situated to explore the vast array of wildlife on its doorstep.

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

Contemporary hotel

All the rooms at this splendid spa resort have perfectly framed views of the famed Arenal volcano – that great conical peak, surrounded by verdant rainforest in Costa Rica's wild interior.

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Where to go in Arenal & Central Highlands

Monteverde

The Montverde cloud forest is one of the most eerie and moving habitats on earth. We recommend you visit early, when the clouds still cling to the forest canopy to get a real sense of the beauty of this changeable environment.

Palo Verde

The habitat of Palo Verde National Park changes with the seasons, spending half the year as a wetland haven and the other half as one of the best examples of tropical dry forest in Costa Rica. The dual nature of this forest is due to the annual flooding of the Tempisque Lake and river system. …

Arenal

The Arenal volcano has a long-established history as the most active volcano in Costa Rica and from the 1960s began admitting a near constant stream of lava into the night sky. This spectacular night-time display ceased as recently as 2010 though when the volcano entered a dormant, resting cycle. …

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When to go to Arenal & Central Highlands

Monteverde

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Arenal & Central Highlands articles

Trip report: Costa Rica

Wexas Latin America specialist Alison Nicolle reports back from one of 2019's hottest destinations – Costa Rica. Expect everything from volcano rainforests to jungle-fringed beaches teeming with wildlife.

Meet our Arenal & Central Highlands experts

Speak to a tailor-made specialist on 0207 590 0697

Meet the team

Visit Arenal & the Central Highlands

Introduction

Top itineraries in Arenal & Central Highlands

Costa Rica Classic

Costa Rica: Sarapiqui and the Osa Peninsula

Costa Rica Self-Drive

Wildlife of Costa Rica & Caribbean Coast

Top places to stay in Arenal & Central Highlands

Nayara Springs, Arenal

Nayara Resort, Spa and Gardens, Arenal

Hotel Belmar, Monteverde Cloud Forest

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

Where to go in Arenal & Central Highlands

Monteverde

Palo Verde

Arenal

When to go to Arenal & Central Highlands

Arenal & Central Highlands articles

Trip report: Costa Rica

Meet our Arenal & Central Highlands experts