Wonderful trip to Costa Rica arranged by Kimkim!
Costa Rica
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Mar 30 - Apr 7, 2024
Kimkim planned the most amazing trip to Costa Rica for us. We first worked with Yenyi, then Jessica, our local specialist in Costa Rica finalized our trip. We provided an initial idea of what we wanted to do and see while in Costa Rica, and gave information on the flights we had reserved. From there, everything on our 9-day trip was planned for us, and communicated on our online itinerary. We had the opportunity to review, and ask questions along the way in the planning. We enjoyed our accommodations, the activities we had scheduled (lots of eco-tourism, which we LOVED) and the transportation service lined up for us was top-notch. We had the perfect balance of hiking and excursions to down time where we could choose what we wanted to do. Lots of information about what to do in Costa Rica, what to pack, etc. was included. Somewhere in the emails with Jessica, I must have mentioned that this trip was to celebrate our 30th anniversary, because the hotels we stayed in all recognized us with some form of celebration, including a dinner at a nice restaurant (from Kimkim) and a bottle of wine (from the hotel.) We chose Kimkim based on all the positive reviews, having never used an online travel service before. Kimkim totally lived up to their reputation. I would not hesitate to use Kimkim again - it was a fabulous experience.
Hotel Reviews
This was a wonderful hotel. The rooms all had balconies with views of the Arenal Volcano. The thermal springs were amazing - there are at least a dozen places to enjoy the springs, all with varying temperatures. The morning buffet was extensive, as were both the restaurants in the hotel. The staff were so friendly and helpful. The hotel is located outside town, and there isn't a lot within walking distance, so you need to take a taxi or Uber if you want to explore the area. Would definitely recommend!
This is a cute hotel, located on the edge of town. There are a few aces to eat and shop nearby. Santa Elena is a few minutes walking distance. The restaurant was nice.
This hotel sits at the top of a hill, a little outside of town. It has a great view from the restaurant and pool. The rooms were nice, with great views from the patio.
Activity Reviews
We saw so many animals on this hike. The guide (Jason) was great. He kept the kids in our small group engaged. It was fun crossing the bridges.
Our guide belonged to an indigenous tribe from Costa Rica, and explained how a lot of the plants in the area have been used for years and years. We did the 3-mile loop, and had a really nice time.
Don't miss this one! On this guided tour, we saw so many types of birds, it was wonderful. We learned all about the cloud forest, the plants that live there, and what makes this area unique.
This was a highlight of our time in Monteverde. We were picked up at our hotel and driven to a small coffee farm. We first got to press some sugar cane and a lime, and had some to drink. Then we learned abut how coffee is grown, roasted and what gives it unique qualities. We sampled several roasts of coffee beans. We then ventured out into the forest when it got dark, with flashlights and nerves on edge! We saw a mother and baby sloth, armadillos, tarantula, a couple of snakes, and frogs. We purchased some coffee that had been grown there to bring home. Our guide, Junior, was knowledgeable, entertaining as heck, and passionate about growing coffee. This was one of the best experiences of our trip!
This trip involved a walk into the park, noticing the animals and birds that lived there. We saw sloths, snakes, birds, insects and monkeys. We had time at the beach to swim in the Pacific Ocean before heading back on a different path.