Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

Had a very good two hours hike with a small group of other travellers. This was well organised. Although if you have your own transportation, it is not difficult to get to the start of the hike, having a guide will greatly help with actually seeing any of the wild life, in addition to lots of interesting information about the volcano itself. . It is next to impossible to spot any of the wild life by yourself. The guide carries a telescope lens allowing to see the animals very closely and take good pictures. We made an improptu stop on the way to the volcano because our guide knew that a number of sloths were in trees next to the road, and was excited to show them to us. They are very few sloths left in the wild and they are very difficult to spot. It was a a very good start of the trip.

This activity started with a 20 mn drive in a mini bus from our hotel to the Reserve through a dirt road up the hill. We were there in January so the road was dry, but according to the driver, it can be challenging at time. The Reserve got a number of tracks ranging from 0.5km to 4.8km loops. The guide tour took about 2 hours using a 1.5-2km track, as we progressed slowly looking at plants and animals. The track is easy to walk on, especially since we were there in January and it was fairly dry. The weather can change very quickly and can be very misty at time, so come equipped. Although walking around by yourself is not difficult (if you got transportation to get to the Reserve), having a guide is very valuable since it is next to impossible to find and see animals by yourself. The guide carries a telescoping lens so that you can observe very well all there is to see. Our guide, Danny, was most knowledgeable about all the plants around, and was happy to talk about anything related to Costa Rica. We thoroughly enjoyed discussing with him. He managed to find a sloth, porcupine, a tarantula (hidden in a hole), and plenty of birds and other animals. We walked up to the top of the area, where there is a 4 story tower to observe the surroundings, including a number of volcanos. At some stage, we were at the exact point where the water would either go to the Pacific ocean or the Caribbean seen, depending on which side you go. This tour is great for nature lovers and worth getting a guide if you want to fully experience this unique place.

The staff was amazing!

The people at the front desk were the best part. Very helpful in calling taxis, exchanging money and answering our questions. Room was clean and comfortable, the food at the hotel was good. Only four stars because the fire alarm went off at five in the morning and the pool was cold.

Worth the splurge! The staff was amazing - don't miss the welcome tour. The grounds are amazing. Rooms were lovely and the breakfast buffet was so good. The views are crazy beautiful. We wish we would have stayed here longer.

This hotel was a great choice for our family because of the 2-bedroom villa with private pool. We even had monkeys swing by as we were swimming! But the vibe wasn't quite our speed. We didn't take advantage of the wellness opportunities and the food wasn't very family friendly. It might have just been a hard transition coming here after our favorite resort in Arenal.

Beautiful place! We loved walking the trails and seeing the waterfalls and the animals. Food was very good for lunch, too.

It was a bit farther to raft then the information we were given suggested, but even so, I would recommend this trip. Guides were experienced and helpful and it was just the right amount of thrills for our family. The even took us to a spot where we could jump off a small cliff into the water.

I missed this trip because I became ill in Tamarindo and unfortunately they were unable to reschedule us. My husband and kids went and enjoyed their time. The guide was fantastic. As far as snorkeling goes, they didn't see many fish, but they enjoyed the kayak ride.

This was my favorite part of the whole trip

Not our favorite hotel of the trip, but it was ok for the budget we had. Not quite as spacious and nice as others we visited.

Great location and ambience. Rooms were pretty small and they aren't like your typical luxury hotel but that was part of the ambience and probably along the lines we asked for in our in our desired experience and budget. Great view of Arenal Volcano. Interacted with geckos and frogs while there. Quick walk to city center and restaurants.

Rooms were pretty small and they aren't like your typical luxury hotel, more hut-like, but that was part of the ambience and probably along the lines we asked for in our in our desired experience and budget. Kind of a long walk to anything but it's tucked away, so it'd be good if you're looking for that. Could hear howler monkeys often, but didn't see any. Staff sometimes hard to find but they were helpful when you could find them.

This was towards the end of our trip and we were basically headed home. Wasn't the same ambience and experience as some of our other hotels during our trip but definitely nicer and more luxurious.

Great location and ambience. Rooms were pretty small and they aren't like your typical luxury hotel but that was part of the ambience and probably along the lines we asked for in our in our desired experience and budget. Loved the wildlife we were able to see here including a baby turtle emerging from its nest and scrambling to the ocean. Also saw a couple mother turtles laying her eggs up close. Saw frogs, howler monkeys, white faced or capuchin monkeys, iguana, Jesus Christ lizards, alligators, sloth, golden orb spiders, turtles, king fishers, herons, macaws, other rare birds

We headed out early in the morning and it was so peaceful being out in nature and on the water. We got great views of sloth, saw one of the few macaw couples and other rare birds, Jesus Christ lizards, , howler monkeys, and white-faced or capuchin monkeys. At one point our guide took us to a place where a capuchin troop was climbing and playing all around us and very near us.

Our first tour with Canoa Aventura was to hike Arenal 1968 then to the La Fortuna Waterfall including lunch in-between. Arenal 1968 are trails at the base of Volcano Arenal. We had a great tour guide and saw a good deal of plants and wildlife. Our guide would point things out that we would have otherwise overlooked like the Mimosa Fern (youtube it - so cool). The leaf ants were all over the place and fun to watch. La Fortuna waterfall was beautiful. Hard to see in the pictures but our kids had fun interacting with the fish in the swimming area. It was a great way to start our Costa Rica vacation.

This was our second tour with Canoa Aventura. It was a wonderful chance to see a ton of wildlife. Our guides were very helpful in pointing out animals that we would have otherwise missed. We saw several animals for the first time in the wild during our float including howler monkeys, alligators, spectacled owl, river otter, long nosed bats, snake birds (ahingas), Jesus Christ lizards, and sloth. Also saw many iguana (just not for the first time).

Saw some amazing animals and fish including puffer fish, stingrays, very colorful fish, very large schools of fish, coral, white-face or capuchin monkeys (actually touched one), howler monkeys, sloth, yellow viper, golden orb spiders

Not quire as amazing as seeing animals in the wild but at the same time we got to see some animals much closer than ever before and a few we had yet to see. Great guide and overall wonderful experience.

At first nerve racking and then exhilarating.

We enjoyed our time at the village. Saw several cool frogs during a nocturnal walk. Were able to see a turtle emerging from its nest and scramble to the sea.

Solid choice if you are just passing by San Jose. Not great neighbourhood, but if you are there just for a night's sleep is great (beds, staff etc)

This place is actually a hostel (at least the room we stayed in). Wouldn't recommend

Ok choice but better options to look for.

Great place, right next to nature.

Desafio is a great company to do this experience. The river is not that scenic, but a good experience to add while at La Fortuna.

Good place to spot some nocturnal animals

As a park is very nice, but maybe not worth spending a whole day for the experience.

Quite touristy but other than that a good visit

Great experience

Must-see at Arenal. Hot Springs were solid.

Very touristic place. You can see cappucin monkeys and some other animals we couldn't see elsewhere. We had to slide between people to make our way.

Great Catamaran ride but very very bad snorkeling.

Great location! We were a few feet from the beach and the surrounding area had a lot to do. Weather was beautiful the entire time.

Good location though a bit of a walk to main strip. People extremely helpful and friendly. Cleanliness good bit ants and lizards in room likely due to heat and older rooms with not updated windows. Great breakfast with Eat at Joes!!

Canceled this tour due to duplication from prior tour

Arenal Manoa and Hot Springs Resort in La Fortuna - Absolutely fantastic place to stay with beautiful grounds, multiple pools (including a hot springs), amazing breakfast buffet, and plenty of drinking/dining options on site, including a sushi place, a pizza place, and a main dining room with gorgeous views. The service was awesome, and each of our rooms had fantastic views of the Arenal volcano to wake up to! We also got super lucky as we had clear views every day during our stay (which I am told was a bit unusual).

Nice, rustic set-up, right across from a beach with nice grounds. A good dining room with a varied menu, and a pleasant lounge area. We ended up enjoying the nail-biting World Cup Finals while there! The breakfast buffet was unexciting. There is a pool with a swim-up bar, which we ended up not using due to the proximity to the beach itself. The service at the resort was a bit uneven, e.g., they only give you one key per room (regardless of number of guests in the room), and they didn't seem to have the front desk manned after hours in case of any issues like getting locked out. Also, one of our rooms had a leaking AC unit, and the staff did not (or were not able to) fix it and we ended up not using it. The location of the resort is great though with easy access to Puerto Viejo dining and night life.

Location, location, location. Our room overlooking the park was nice and light.

Location is a bit removed from downtown, although proximity to the airport and the park next door is nice. The breakfast Buffett was good.

This was way better than we had expected! Great experience overall, with lots of wildlife sighting and nicely paced.

The experience did NOT fit the description. There was no village, no feast, no sights mentioned. It seems that they just jammed something at the last minute. Maybe it wa because we picked an afternoon session as we were doing another activity in the morning??

You're supporting a good cause!

Awesome experience, and a really worthy cause. We had an excellent guide (a Canadian volunteering) who made everything really fun and enjoyable, in addition to being super informational.

Amazing experience. One of the highlight of our trip. The chocolate making process if very organic, very insightful. The village tour is very informational and you get a good sense of the Bribri culture!

Arenal Volcano Hike was a really nice introduction to the area. Having just taken a long van ride from San Jose, it was nice to get out and stretch and walk with the volcano in the vicinity. Baldi - nice way to finish the evening! Worth visiting once - quite a spot with multiple pools and various areas to hang out.

The tour was first re-scheduled to another day and then the snorkeling part was cancelled due to bad weather. The Cahuita Park hike part was very nice despite the pouring down rain. We got to see the white capuchin monkey floricking up close, howler monkeys creating a racket, lots of iguanas, and also various other flora/fauna. Beautiful setting along the sea.

If you are looking for an authentic ecolodge experience, this is the place for you! Rustic, individual bungalows set in the rain forest. Bungalows were spacious, clean, comfortable with modern amenities. There were howler monkeys in the trees throughout our visit and colorful tropical birds on display at the restaurant. We enjoyed walking the nature trail and were lucky to see a large Fer de Lance off to the side of the trail at a safe distance. The staff was very friendly and attentive. Not for everyone but we loved it!

Great location at the top of a hill outside Santa Elena. Nice views of the valley. We stayed in 3 family garden rooms in the main lodge close to the restaurant. The rooms were large, comfortable and clean with a big bathroom and walk in shower. The restaurant was great for breakfast and dinner, not open for lunch.

Resort style hotel with two pools and beach access located adjacent to the entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park. Very relaxing place to end our trip. Our standard rooms were large, clean and comfortable on a lower floor. Future guests might chose to be on a higher floor to have a better view of the forest or the ocean. The family pool looked great but we'd highly recommend the adult only pool, bar and sushi restaurant on the 6th floor! Excellent breakfast buffet.

Excellent location for arriving and departing from San Jose International airport. Very artsy vibe, clean, comfortable, very friendly staff. Nice bar and restaurant, hearty breakfast. We especially appreciated the friendly airport shuttle drivers who picked us up and dropped us off on time at all hours.

We got upgraded to this hotel with the views of Mount Arenal. Room was very convenient with Jacuzzi and perfect view of Arenal volcano. Staff were very courteous and helpful. Food was decent and vegetarian options were there. There is a gift shop and was quite helpful. Only issue was distance from the town. We got to use the Titoku springs for free and there was shuttle to take us and bring back. Over all a great place.

More like 3.5 stars. Hotel is set right by the beach and very convenient to hang out. Staff was very friendly. Food was average. They did try to accommodate vegetarian food for Christmas dinner. We had ocean suite but jacuzzi didn’t really work well but since was close to beach we didn’t bother complaining. Pool was average. Loved the sounds of ocean, birds, monkeys

Very nice property right next to the Aguti reserve. We could see lot of birds and Animals in the property. Food was fantastic and very accommodating to kids and vegetarians. There were daily activities for family. Our suite was far away from lobby which was little painful. Housekeeping was excellent and they even did laundry.

Guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. He took us around a private farm and we got to see two toed sloths, toads, bull frogs, red eye tree frog, sleeping toucans and more. He took great pictures and shared with us.

It was a small group hike. Guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Hiking was not very hard except for few areas. La Fortuna falls was 500 steps down and little challenging on the way back. Lunch afterwards was fantastic at the farm.

Felt like a small reserve compared to sky. We didn’t really see much more wildlife. It was raining quite a bit so that didn’t help. We saw a male quetzal, humming birds, few other birds.

Wonderful experience doing slow raft on the penas blancas river. We could see monkeys, toucans and few other birds. Carlos, our guide was fun and knowledgeable.

It was our first time zip lining and with a kid. Crew was very supportive and gave all safety instructions. They repeated every time and encouraged us. Views were amazing and needed for true cloud forest view. Main lobby staff was little rude and not accommodating. Our zip lining ended late and so we were late for hanging bridges guided tour but they had us wait an hour.

We really wanted to do this adventure and we’re lucky to see a few turtles coming offshore. Couple didn’t nest but one did and we saw it digging in sand and laying eggs. It was surreal experience. You’re involved a car drive to a place and then a van drive with a group to a beach. Guide at the beach was knowledgeable but little rude. He was watching out for wild life which is very admirable but would have helped to know some of the rules/things before hand.

Catamaran sailing adventure was good. Boat was clean and crew was quite friendly. Bar served drinks all the time. We got to see couple whales and sting ray but not much other wild life. It was more of party boat with music and alcohol. Would not recommend highly for kids. Snorkeling was ok. Was hoping to get some help from crew but there were lot of people on the boat so guess not possible. Food was basic but tasty. Sunset was very beautiful. It’s worth for a relaxed sailing and drinks and views.

The hotel was good, the staff were all super helpful, friendly and nice and the area is conveniently located near the town center of La Fortuna with easy access to restaurants and grocery stores. Only thing would be the door is super hard to figure out especially since you can potentially be locked in the room if the key leaves the room with someone. There aren't door handles on the inside, it was a scrolling mechanism that was difficult to figure out. I think a demonstration from staff at check in could be helpful.

The zip-lining tour was great. It was a lot of fun and the guides were knowledgeable, skillful and helpful. Picture service was also included at an additional fee. The only complaint would be it did feel a little too rush but was still a great time.

Great experience overall. The hike was not strenuous. It was easy and relaxing. The walk down to the waterfall was very enjoyable. Guide was knowledgeable. Food at the restaurant however had chicken that was undercooked and still pink.

The experience was great overall however our guide flipped the schedule around where we did the Volcano hike early in the morning, waterfall during mid day and Mistico hanging bridges in the afternoon so we were thrown off a little bit but overall both experiences were a lot of fun. The waterfall was a great view and fun place to hang out. The hanging bridges was great too, there were not a lot of people since we went much later in the day but wildlife spotting was more difficult.

This was great and probably one of my favorite activity most of all. The Arenal Volcano Hike was not strenuous and you get to see a great view of the volcano, take pictures and walk through hardened lava. The Baldi Hot Springs was also super enjoyable and very unique. The facility was relaxing and enjoyable. Wish we could stay longer.

All of guides during this safari tour of the Penas Blancas River were all super helpful and experienced. It was a little difficult trying to coordinate so many people on kayaks however and can get a little stressful since some people would miss some of the wildlife we were seeing and others will others depending on who is close. Because the group was so large, whenever we stopped to look at something, it was really difficult coordinating the stops. I think having a smaller group would be much more manageable as it was very hard for our 2 guide (1 in front and back) to manage around 16 kayakers.

Wonderful staff and great amenities. Breakfast buffet is just ok but lunch/dinner food is fantastic. And what a view! Some hot springs pools and swim-up bar pool could be warmer and the bathroom in the rooms could be updated but overall, it was an incredible stay.

Staff, food, location, and amenities were all wonderful. Lots of places to dine within walking distance. There was no A/C in our bedroom but luckily we did not need it as it was very cool at night.

Clearly, a new hotel as everything was modern, clean, and new. Such a nice staff and within walking distance to many places to go out at night. Only a $10 cab to the beach.

Our tour guide was sensational and so knowledgeable. A must do to get great views of the volcano.

I booked a teepee, and as nice and cleaned it was, it was also not sound proof at all, which was really the only bad thing. The location and staff was great :D

Nice little hotel, clean and 5min away from the main area of Monteverde. I know the view is advertised in the description, I wasn't mind blown, but the hotel is worth its value for the cost. Would stay again Note: I had a bit of an issue checking out early, I had to wait until 7 for somebody to open the reception. If you need to check out early, make sure you arrange it prior to the day

I was upgraded last minute, and it was the best way to finish the trip

OK.. this was honestly beyond my expectation. I was picked up at my hotel by the coffee farmer, his wife and his daughter. This experience felt super authentic ( I think most other coffee tours and night walks in Monteverde are more touristy). We saw a tarantula, a toucan sleeping and got a full intro to how coffee is made and how it is supposed to be consumed

This was fun and it felt very safe. Lots of zip lines and high sensations. Downsize: the shuttle was late to pick me up, and once down with the activity I had to wait 45 min at the zip line office to get a ride back (they only have shuttles every hour, so if you miss one, you have to wait for 1h)

I cannot stress enough how amazing this was. I almost cancelled this activity because it was a 5 am pickup, but I am so glad I didn't. This day was the highlight of my journey in Costa Rica. Beyond the adrenaline of rafting through the rapids, the scenery of the river Pacuare is fantastic. You feel like you are in a movie. Plus breakfast and Lunch were included

great entry into Costa Rica

wonderful grounds - good morning views of Arenal

step below the Arenal Monoa - If the Arenal Manoa had not been so good .....

just what I would expect in a downtown hotel. Clean, comfortable and well located.

covered in opening

hot spring were warm - needed to ask for hotter water

Mistico Hanging Bridges were great. Lots of animals and birds. Guide had good eyes. Claire and I being 80 did not hike down to the waterfall.

nice easy trip. Saw lots of neat flora and fauna. Good guide - good boat operator. Everything moves at the right speed to see everything.

liked the raft more than the boat. river was up so no getting out and dragging the raft. Flow was such that the trip was too short. Guess we can.t have everything. GOOD GUIDE. Had good eyes.

interesting. Good info on sloths

Ain't no jaguars here. Rescue center for others. mainly baby sloths. CCTV would have been appreciated, Understand the need to keep them isolated. Short trip and worthwhile

Good intro to Bribri. Enjoyed introduction initial presentation. Nice tour of medicinal plants. Understand thee chocolate process better. Will buy some beans stateside and try it. Good video of cracking the roasted cocoa beans.

I realize that we were traveling during the peak season, so finding a place to stay was challenging. One of our rooms was a little smelly but that may have had to do with the septic tank. The staff were not as happy as the other hotels, but again, I appreciate that we had a clean safe place to stay.

Very cute, family run lodge. Loved that they were so friendly and cared about everyone who stayed here. The staff made sure that we had a large enough table for every meal of our stay (8 ppl) We really enjoyed taking the cooking class - made empanadas. Bring a magnet from your home town so that she can display it on her wall. (I will be sending her one)

Chris was very knowledgeable and engaging!

Walter and Kiki were excellent guides

Andy was amazing! He knew so much about the history of Costa Rica and the different regions.

Geiner was an excellent host and knew so much about the history of chocolate and fermentation process. We really enjoyed our tour/demonstration.

I'm so glad that Charlotte scheduled us to visit this Institute. It seemed like our guide was used to more scientific groups than a family with four teens. But we did learn a lot about the region and original rain forest

The location of the hotel was good, but the property was a little older and wasn't maintained super well. It's clean and has potential.

Great place with a convenient location and a nice pool. The kitchen and laundry are super convenient. My only complaint is the sofa bed in the living room is not comfortable at all (thin mattress). If you're four people, I would consider a double room.

Our overnight tay in Kokoro resort was good. In the evening the hot springs bath was relaxing. The Kokoro staff was helpful. Would recommend this resort.

Good location. We were disappointmented the Mar-Inn hotel. They wanted us to put the used toilet paper after defecation in the trash can in the restroom instead of flushing down the toilet.

All good. but no coffee in the room. There was coffee maker but no coffee powder.

Awesome experience if you are not scared of heights.

Excellent hike trhu the rainforest. Very educational. Adrian is an excellent guide.