Must Do Arenal Day Trip - Lovely day seeing the beauty of Costa Rica. We were picked up on-time by our tour guide Nesmer (Nes). He was very friendly and was gracious enough to help us practice our spanish. It's a long drive (3.5 hrs) from the Riu Palace; however the scenery is beautiful and Nes pointed out many sites along the way and offered lots of great information about the country. We arrived in Arenal (Mystic Park) and spent a couple hours walking through the park on a very well maintained path and the hanging bridges (it's not really a hike, more of a walk). It was spectacular despite the pouring rain. Beautiful views! We then loaded back in the car soaking wet despite rain gear (that's how much it rained) and drove to Baldi Hot Springs Resort. We were able to spend several hours enjoying the beautiful pools and a lovely lunch. It's a long day (13 hours), but a lovely opportunity to see the countryside and multiple vantage points of the volcano (when the clouds miraculously cleared) and Lake Arenal. Nes was a great tour guide and driver. The car was very clean, comfortable and roomy for our family of 4 and all our bags! Highly recommend this excursion with this provider Seven Senses!

Pick Seven Senses and Mainor! - Our guide was Mainor Chicon(?). He was exceptional. So knowledgeable in all aspects of the tour. Flora, fauna, economy, history, etc. He was delightful and was so interested in what he was doing. Loved every minute of it. It’s a drive though. So prepare for that. We were at RIU Palace. Roads are in bad shape and there’s a bridge closure that is totally beyond inconvenience. Two hours to wait in line to get across. ( I thought I’d not make it to the next bathroom and one guy actually got off and peed on the side of the road while we were waiting). Gotta get a better plan for travelers and workers alike. Call ahead and find out if it’s better yet. But the actual tour itself was phenomenal and we’d ask for Mainor again anytime. We liked Seven Senses tours better than the other two which were Amstar. They were good but many more people on each one.

Volcano tour with Minor. - We took our tour with the tour guide named Minor. He was exceptional. Minor was extremely knowledgeable about all of the plants and animals to explore here in Costa Rica. Whenever we had questions, he readily answered them. If he did not know the answer, he made sure that the question was answered before the end of the tour. He also kept us entertained with great conversation and history of Costa Rica. Without his level of excitement and expertise, our trip would not have been the same. Thank you, minor!

Amazing Tour and Guide - This tour was great! Our tour guide Minor was one of the best guides I've had in any country. He was so knowledgeable and explained all the types of plants and species of animals. He even heard a poison dart frog in the woods and got him to come right to his phone! The weather was perfect; volcano was clear from clouds. Even as we headed back to the hotel, our guide pulled over twice so we could see a sloth in the wild and a pair of Tucans! Keep in mind travel time, it is 4 1/2 hours each way (the roads are very narrow and windy), it makes for a long day but worth every minute! Would highly recommend to anyone.

Our guide Nesmer was... - Our guide Nesmer was fantastic! He took his time and explaining everything. We had a blast! Would recommend to anyone.

Arenal, rainforest and spa…ahhh - Picked up by Mainor who was our dedicated guide. Nice gentleman, warm and easy to speak with and showing a genuine love for his country. Although the drive was a long one from Tamarindo, Mainor kept us engaged for the entire journey and was very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna, and he gave us a very comprehensive overview of Costa Rican culture. Stopped for breakfast along the way which was delicious, as was lunch at the hot springs which were very relaxing after the Arenal hanging bridges rainforest tour. Saw some fauna (not as much as we would have liked but we understood that seeing local fauna is not a guarantee). All in all a very pleasant albeit long day, and we would highly recommend Mainor as a tour guide without hesitation . 🙂

Wonderful day in Arenal area - Beautiful Mystic park with suspended bridges giving unbelievable views of the volcano and jungle. Our guide, Mainor, was amazing, pointing out many interesting facts and explaining the wildlife. We really loved the hot springs experience also, so relaxing!

Beautiful getaway! - We had an amazing time! Our guide Martine was really knowledgable and friendly. The drive was about 3 hours from our hotel which felt very long but the activities made up for the long drive. The hike was not strenuous and sky bridges were beautiful ! We even saw a waterfall. The Baldi hot springs was the highlight of our trip! It was so relaxing wish we stayed there even longer!

Nice but long - Plan a 13 hour day. 3 hours in van 1- way. Tourists need water, none provided. Good lunch and hot springs. Unable to see volcano due to clouds and rain. Hanging bridges and hike were good. Waterfall side hike closed due to renovations. Park was impressive.Start of rainy season in May. Guide was very knowledgeable and funny. Maybe do a closer Excursion next time.

Not worth the time and money you spend - Very expensive, long duration, you can’t see wildlife only trees. The hot springs are in beautiful resorts but the water is very hot and you can’t stay more than 30-60 seconds. We didn’t get the breakfast in cafe macadamia which was included in the trip when I booked it.