Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

The only excursion we would not recommend is the kayak and snorkel tour in Manuel Antonio. The guide was horrible and the snorkeling was a total joke. I’ve never seen such dead coral. Apart from that everything else was fabulous!

We told Randall some vague ideas of what we had in mind and then he did an excellent job of suggesting an itinerary. He then was kind enough to customize and revise it several times for us as we played with the cost and travel schedule until it was just right.

The trip ended up being a perfect progression of seeing different types of wildlife for the first time and/or seeing wildlife more up close and personal. We also enjoyed the right amount of first time and beach time. read more

We told Randall some vague ideas of what we had in mind and then he did an excellent job of suggesting an itinerary. He then was kind enough to customize and revise it several times for us as we played with the cost and travel schedule until it was just right.

The trip ended up being a perfect progression of seeing different types of wildlife for the first time and/or seeing wildlife more up close and personal. We also enjoyed the right amount of first time and beach time.

Hotel Reviews

Sleep Inn Hotel Paseo Las Damas

San José

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Bosco Inn

Fortuna

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bambutel

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Make it easier to find staff for help

Crowne Plaza Corobici

San José

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Laguna Lodge

Tortuguero

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer Hotel - Chocolate Rainforest Tour - Hotel

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Farm Visit and Workshop

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

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).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tortuguero National Park - Boating

Tortuguero

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling & Hiking in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Puerto Viejo - Zip lining

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

At first nerve racking and then exhilarating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tortuguero Village Guided Visit

Tortuguero

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

- Planning with Kimkim was very easy. Jessica was great
- Days per destination and activities added were the right ones.
- Biggest miss was hotels. Arenal hotel was great (Lost Iguana). Monteverde hotel was not good (Jaguarundi lodge) as they have a bad section were you have 8 apartments next to each other with bad soundproofing, no heating, faulty windows etc. We decided to stay at another place called Green Tree B&B which was great and actually a great experience. Manuel Antonio hotel... read more

- Planning with Kimkim was very easy. Jessica was great
- Days per destination and activities added were the right ones.
- Biggest miss was hotels. Arenal hotel was great (Lost Iguana). Monteverde hotel was not good (Jaguarundi lodge) as they have a bad section were you have 8 apartments next to each other with bad soundproofing, no heating, faulty windows etc. We decided to stay at another place called Green Tree B&B which was great and actually a great experience. Manuel Antonio hotel was mediocre (Tabulia tree) as the bathroom was smelling, the beds were not great, but we were able to interact with macaws and monkeys at hotel premises. Overall the last two had some of the things mentioned in public comments and reviews so I would double-check next time public reviews.
- Activities overall were great with enough time in between, good guides, good mix etc. Some guides didn't speak as great English, and one of the activities (snorkeling) was a let down. But overall happy with that part.
- In our view Costa Rica is a very nice and safe place to visit that combines nature and wildlife with beach vacations. That said, it has become very expensive and quite touristy especially during the peak season that we visited. Not our best trip, but a good experience.

Hotel Reviews

Lost Iguana Resort and Spa

Fortuna

Great place, right next to nature.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn San Jose by Radisson

San José

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)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jaguarundi Lodge

Monteverde

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabulia Tree

Manuel Antonio

Ok choice but better options to look for.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing guide!

Transport

Ecocentro Danaus Nighttime Rainforest Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Good place to spot some nocturnal animals

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great guide!

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk & EcoTermales Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Must-see at Arenal. Hot Springs were solid.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide didn't speak great English

Transport

Río Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park Guided Rainforest Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Great food at the stop the guide made!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Quite touristy but other than that a good visit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

a lot of people per vehicle

100% Aventura Zip Line Monteverde

Monteverde

Great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport left early and we had to drive there

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Adventure from Manuel Antonio with Meal

Manuel Antonio

Great Catamaran ride but very very bad snorkeling.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a great trip that ran very smoothly! Any questions or concerns that we had before or during the trip were answered swiftly. Our trip included a lot of traveling around and I was very impressed by how reliable all of our transportation arrangements were. Our drivers were always on time, and were very friendly and considerate. Probably the greatest highlight of our trip was the white water rafting. It was so exciting and fun. Our instructor was very knowledgeable and made sure we were... read more

This was a great trip that ran very smoothly! Any questions or concerns that we had before or during the trip were answered swiftly. Our trip included a lot of traveling around and I was very impressed by how reliable all of our transportation arrangements were. Our drivers were always on time, and were very friendly and considerate. Probably the greatest highlight of our trip was the white water rafting. It was so exciting and fun. Our instructor was very knowledgeable and made sure we were safe out in the water. I enjoyed all of our locations though, and our accommodation in Arenal had a great view of the volcano. It was a bit cloudy most of the time, but when the sky finally cleared up, the view was breathtaking. Our last accommodation in Tamarindo had an ocean view and was only a few feet from the beach. Everyone we met during our trip was so nice and helpful!

Our trip was fantastic and memorable! All of the logistics (with the exception of a few minor mishaps) were well planned and we were able to do all of our activities. Veronica was very attentive and helpful and met our every request. All accommodations (except Pueblo Dorado Surf Hotel which was ok) were fantastic and activities were amazing! The guides who led us in rafting canyoning hiking and zip lining were outstanding and experts who made us feel safe and comfortable. We loved Arenal... read more

Our trip was fantastic and memorable! All of the logistics (with the exception of a few minor mishaps) were well planned and we were able to do all of our activities. Veronica was very attentive and helpful and met our every request. All accommodations (except Pueblo Dorado Surf Hotel which was ok) were fantastic and activities were amazing! The guides who led us in rafting canyoning hiking and zip lining were outstanding and experts who made us feel safe and comfortable. We loved Arenal Paraiso and El Establo and found both accommodations to be excellent. Pueblo Dorado was ok-not quite as nice and had some issues with ants in our room. However all people were very kind and helpful and respectful.
Veronica and team were available 24 hours a day for questions and answers and to provide help. I was nervous using a company to plan the trip and we were very happy with the outcome. Everyone was professional and kind and helpful. Our overall trip was unbelievable and we would recommend Kim Kim band use them again! Pura vida!!

Hotel Reviews

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Paraiso Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto, Costa Rica

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pueblo Dorado Surf Hotel

Camino Principal, Tamarindo

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!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was fantastic and very experienced! Kept us safe and was funny too!

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Paradise Hot Springs & Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning in the Lost Canyon

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Change menu away from items already eaten during trip like rice and beans - bring newer items and more diversity. Allow more hands on cooking and provide recipes and more time. Very short class and seemed rushed

Food

See above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, and Sky Trek Zip Line

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not very personable and just seemed in a rush to get us done due to shift change. Least engaging group of guides on trip.

Transport

Dry Forest Canopy Tour

Tamarindo

Canceled this tour due to duplication from prior tour

Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I worked with Randall to organize this trip and give him an A+ for his work! I would highly recommend him to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica.

There were many moving parts in the planning process, starting from our original plan to do this trip in the summer to ultimately doing this in the winter. Also, we went from a smaller 4 person group to start with to a larger multi-generational 8-person family trip. Randall was extremely responsive, patient and very helpful with all the changes... read more

I worked with Randall to organize this trip and give him an A+ for his work! I would highly recommend him to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica.

There were many moving parts in the planning process, starting from our original plan to do this trip in the summer to ultimately doing this in the winter. Also, we went from a smaller 4 person group to start with to a larger multi-generational 8-person family trip. Randall was extremely responsive, patient and very helpful with all the changes that we had to iterate on. Also, kudos to Chris, the emergency contact assigned to us for support while we were on the trip itself - turns out that due to flight delays, we missed a flight connection, and had to enlist him to make some last minute modifications to our plans. Very handy to have this support.

Now on to the trip itself -
It was 10 day trip with bookends in San Jose. It was a fabulous trip enjoyed immensely by everyone in our party. Costa Rica is a fantastic combination of nature, wildlife, activities, and some interesting cultural experiences - something for everyone in our party. We ended up splitting our time between the Arenal volcano area and the Caribbean Coast. We had originally planned to go to the Pacific Coast (and Manuel Antonio Park) which is more on the beaten path but ended up switching the plans to go to the more chill Caribbean Coast. And glad we did, as it fit our travel interest and style really well, and its Afro-Carib vibe is certainly different from the rest of Costa Rica. Thanks to Randall to enable this switch to happen during the planning process and for his recommendation on the activities in the area.

Some details:

Accommodations:
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).

Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort in Puerto Viejo - 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. One of the people at the front-desk (Alberto) was downright rude. 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.

Transportation - Excellent set-up for our point-to-point movement. Nice, comfortable vans, with good air-conditioning to make some of the 4-5 hour drives very pleasant.

Activities:
The highlights of our trip to the Arenal Volcano area were:
- The Penas Blanco safari float excursion was a very enjoyable experience for the older folks in our group (who wanted to skip the mountain biking some of the others did). It was a short drive from our hotel, so it gave us plenty of time on the water and sighting of some good wildlife.
- The Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge tour was fun, gave us a glimpse of the countryside heading up north to the park near the Nigaragucan border. We were lucky enough to see plenty of wildlife (caiman, monkeys, sloths, toucans, etc.) both on the boat and when we got off the boat when our guide sighted something. The chocolate tour at Don Domingo's farm nearby at the end was a nice touch.
- The white water rafting class II/III excursion on the Blasa river that the younger folks in our group did with Wave Expedition was exciting, perhaps a bit too exciting. Two of them were thrown off the raft very early on in the ride, and were not fully ready/prepared for it - the class category are definitely to be taken seriously!
- Mistico Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall - really nice for the entire group. Great perspective crossing the bridges over the forest canopy and biodiversity and wildlife sighting along the walk. The La Fortuna Waterfall is a definite must do for those that can brave the multiple steps down - the swimming in the watering hole below was a highlight.
- The mountain biking tour was nothing too exciting. It's pleasant enough, but most of it was along a paved road - we were expecting it be more on dirt roads or trail riding. It did allow for us to stretch our legs during the trip. The highlight was a coati along the roadside and the views at the end of the ride overlooking Lake Arenal and the volcano in the background.
- Enjoyed the downtime in the town of La Fortuna more than we had anticipated. Some good local dining options - our find was Choza del Laurel - authentic, traditional plates and amazing freshly ground and brewed coffee at the end!

The Maleku Tribal Village visit was very disappointing. It didn't seem to match the description for it at all: We didn't see any village on the tour, neither did we get served a traditional lunch, nor observe any of the sights mentioned in the write-up. If seemed that those of us who did the zip-lining tour got to do the same experience as well, so not sure what one got for doing the Maleku tour. I would suggest that KimKim review this offering.

The highlights of our trip on the Caribbean Coast were:
- Bribri Tribal and Waterfall visit on the Caribbean Coast along with the chocolate making part. A must-do! Our guide Gloria was awesome
- Jaguar Rescue Center tour - despite the fact that there are no jaguars there - the work they are putting into rescuing and rehabbing the various animals is impressive and worth supporting
- Enjoying the night life and dining in the town of Puerto Viejo including an impromptu music festival one of the nights we were there!
- Beach time at the various beaches in the area, including the one across the street from our hotel
- Some dining finds were Chile Rojo and Lidia's Place in PV and El Refugio in a garden setting down the road near Playa Punta Uva.

The not so good experience was the Cahuita Park Hike & Snorkel tour - mostly because the weather resulted in the snorkeling part being cancelled. We learnt that this is not uncommon for this time of the year - so obviously this is hard to control for and part of nature being in the tropical part of the country - but the guests need to be told about it more explicitly, and if the snorkeling part is being cancelled, they should give the guests the option to opt out of the tour altogether as snorkeling is a big part of the reason we had signed up for it. The Cahuita Park hike is something that one can easily do on your own.

Overall, a great trip. Thanks to Randall and team for their outstanding work in getting everything organized for us!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

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).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Attentive and service oriented. They even flagged us down as we were departing as some of us had left stuff like charging cords behind in our rooms!

Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

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.

Authenticity & Character

Good grounds, nice lounge area and bar.

Location

Access to town, access to Cocles beach

Staff

Uneven service and staff didn't seems fully trained for customer service for a place like this. Some people were friendly and nice and some not so. One of the people at the front-desk (Alberto) was downright rude and condescending including berating one of the older folks in our group for taking off her wrist tag :(

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC in one room was leaking and did not get fixed. Have multiple keys to the room if there are more than one guest.

Holiday Inn San Jose Aurola

San José

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

Crowne Plaza Corobici

San José

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Pre included Baldi dinner is not too exciting but can't complain as it is pre-paid!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Juan was exceptionally knowledgable and really passionate about what he was doing!

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They stopped along the way when they'd sight wildlife. The 2-toed sloth sighting up close was special.

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Unique Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Exceptional guide - she made our long drive to the activity very fun and informational with loads of information about the region, the country, and the flora/fauna. She had amazing tips for us regarding dinner spots in town.

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mountain Biking

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip-Lining Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maleku Tribe Village Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

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??

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Sanctuary - Buttercup Tour

Costa Rica

You're supporting a good cause!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We used rental banana bikes from our hotel to get to the tour. It was soaking rain, but part of the experience!

Bribri Indigenous Territory, Chocolate Process and Waterfall

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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!

Quality of Experience

Food

Home cooked meal was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Learnt a lot from our guide Gloria

Snorkeling & Hiking in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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.

Quality of Experience

Check if this is good time of the year for snorkeling

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 6 adults just returned from a fabulous week-long visit to Costa Rica thanks to Bryan and Nancy at Serendipity Adventures.

We flew in and out of San Jose and took private transportation to visit the Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest and Manual Antonio National Park. We worked with Bryan to book our transportation, accommodations, and most importantly our guides. We could not have been more pleased with his knowledge, professionalism and timely responses to our... read more

Our family of 6 adults just returned from a fabulous week-long visit to Costa Rica thanks to Bryan and Nancy at Serendipity Adventures.

We flew in and out of San Jose and took private transportation to visit the Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest and Manual Antonio National Park. We worked with Bryan to book our transportation, accommodations, and most importantly our guides. We could not have been more pleased with his knowledge, professionalism and timely responses to our questions. We were in touch with Nancy during our trip confirming pick up times and making schedule changes if needed.

From end to end the private transportation was clean, comfortable and on time. The drivers were friendly, brought snacks for us, and happily stopped for bathroom and lunch breaks. We considered renting a van and driving ourselves and are very glad we chose to leave the driving through winding mountain roads to professionals!

Christmas week was very busy but Bryan was able to find excellent accommodations in the small, locally owned hotels we requested. Each one was different but they were all conveniently located, clean, comfortable and included a hearty breakfast. We felt welcome and cared for by everyone we met.

We now know that the key to seeing wildlife in Costa Rica is getting great guides. Chris and Roy (Arenal Star), Andy (Forest Alive), Chris (Sky Adventures) and Andres (Endemic Bird) were fantastic! We appreciated their vast knowledge of each ecosystem along with its flora, fauna, insects and reptiles. They carried high-quality equipment and helped us capture amazing pictures and videos. We highly recommend them all!

Costa Rica is a beautiful country, rich in natural beauty and wildlife. We are grateful that the friendly people of Costa Rica have chosen eco-tourism over deforestation and are preserving their rain forests, cloud forests, fog forests and beautiful beaches for themselves and those of us lucky enough to visit.

Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge

Fortuna

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!

Authenticity & Character

Location

10 minutes taxi outside Fortuna.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were large, clean and comfortable but kept rather dark. That might be because they don't want to disturb the wildlife...

Hotel Heliconia

Monteverde Costa Rica

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy 20 minute walk down hill into town but you'll definitely want to get a taxi for the trip back.

Staff

The staff at the front desk and in the restaurant were very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We avoided all the traffic in town because we were so close to the entrance to the park.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Studio Hotel

San José

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide Chris and our driver Roy took great care of us!

Transport

We decided to use kimkim for our Costa Rica trip in December. This was our first time and we had a fantastic experience with them. Jessica planned out a wonderful trip for us based on our likings and needs. She was flexible with changes and was prompt in her responses. We visited La Fortuna, Arenal, Monteverde and Guanacaste region. All the hotels and activities were as described. We enjoyed the safari float, zip lining and night time sloth observation a lot. We had one hitch with our hotel... read more

We decided to use kimkim for our Costa Rica trip in December. This was our first time and we had a fantastic experience with them. Jessica planned out a wonderful trip for us based on our likings and needs. She was flexible with changes and was prompt in her responses. We visited La Fortuna, Arenal, Monteverde and Guanacaste region. All the hotels and activities were as described. We enjoyed the safari float, zip lining and night time sloth observation a lot. We had one hitch with our hotel reservation not paid and had to pay out of pocket. But Jessica took care of it by immediately refunding! Overall, it was a very positive experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa

Fortuna

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was good mix of nature and modernization

Staff

Helpful staff including the housekeeping.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Property was well maintained and beds were comfortable

Senda Monteverde Boutique Hotel

Monteverde

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.

Authenticity & Character

Setting was beautiful and property was very beautiful

Location

Quick walk to town though uphill on the way back

Staff

Staff was quite friendly especially at the restaurant. Front desk was fine but seemed not so accommodating with checking out an hour late due to our morning activity

Cleanliness & Comfort

Housekeeping was excellent and very warm. Nightly warm hot bags, chocolates!!

Hotel Bosque del Mar Playa Hermosa

Playa Hermosa

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

Authenticity & Character

Casual vibes

Location

Close to beach but far from anything else

Staff

Accommodating and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The jacuzzi was dirty and shower setting was very low

Activity Reviews

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Knowledgeable and friendly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Fresh and vegetarian friendly. Quite tasty

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walk at Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff could be more engaging

Transport

Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was fantastic

Transport

On time and comfortable

Sky Adventures: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sailing Adventure

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nighttime Pacific Green Turtle Nesting Experience (Seasonal)

Costa Rica

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The overall experience of planning and booking was really smooth and easy. Randall provided lots of options and was patient when we wanted things to change or were unsure about certain things.
All of the tours were also great. Our tour guides were all very knowledgeable in the places we were going to and were helpful to take photos and answer questions as needed. read more

The overall experience of planning and booking was really smooth and easy. Randall provided lots of options and was patient when we wanted things to change or were unsure about certain things.
All of the tours were also great. Our tour guides were all very knowledgeable in the places we were going to and were helpful to take photos and answer questions as needed.

Hotel Review

Hotel Arenal Country Inn

Fortuna

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zip-Lining Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio Celeste Day Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - kayaking or canoeing on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I absolutely loved my experience using kimkim. I couldn't ask for a better specialist than Nuria to plan our Costa Rica adventure. She understood exactly what we were looking for, planned the ideal trip, and made herself available for phone calls and messages at all times. She started feeling like a friend after a while. All of the companies kimkim works with for your onsite experiences are top-notch. Every driver for transport around the country was friendly and punctual. All our guides for... read more

I absolutely loved my experience using kimkim. I couldn't ask for a better specialist than Nuria to plan our Costa Rica adventure. She understood exactly what we were looking for, planned the ideal trip, and made herself available for phone calls and messages at all times. She started feeling like a friend after a while. All of the companies kimkim works with for your onsite experiences are top-notch. Every driver for transport around the country was friendly and punctual. All our guides for excursions were knowledgeable, seemed to really enjoy what they were doing, and went above and beyond to create a memorable experience. By using kimkim, we felt in good and reliable hands and would definitely use them again for another trip in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Paraiso Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

quick ride La Fortuna

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde Costa Rica

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Naoz

Manuel Antonio

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am the type of traveller who hates pre-organized group travelling (cruise type).

Kimkim was amazing because it allowed me to safely plan a trip in a country I didn't know (it was a nightmare to try to plan for ground transportation remotely on my own) without feeling stuck in a pre-organized trip. I really designed my own journey, on my budget, at my pace.

Their agents were super communicative prior to the departure to make sure all of my questions were answered and everything ran... read more

I am the type of traveller who hates pre-organized group travelling (cruise type).

Kimkim was amazing because it allowed me to safely plan a trip in a country I didn't know (it was a nightmare to try to plan for ground transportation remotely on my own) without feeling stuck in a pre-organized trip. I really designed my own journey, on my budget, at my pace.

Their agents were super communicative prior to the departure to make sure all of my questions were answered and everything ran super smoothly during the trip, I was able to get so much done in such a short period thanks to them.

Will use them again in the future 100%

Hotel Reviews

Selina San Jose

San Jose

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selina Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mar Inn Costa Rica

Monteverde Costa Rica

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coffee Experience and Nighttime Nature Walk

Monteverde

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Adventures: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

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)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River

Costa Rica

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was exceptional - guides knowledgeable and well spoken. Drivers were on time. Lodging was great. Enjoyed the Arenal area more then the Caribbean location but both were fine.

EXCEPT The trip to the Maleku

After a one-hour drive through the northern plains, you'll arrive at the Indian community Palenque Tonjibe and be warmly received by their people. Following a brief presentation, you'll begin a hike through the village where you'll see many important cultural aspects of... read more

Everything was exceptional - guides knowledgeable and well spoken. Drivers were on time. Lodging was great. Enjoyed the Arenal area more then the Caribbean location but both were fine.

EXCEPT The trip to the Maleku

After a one-hour drive through the northern plains, you'll arrive at the Indian community Palenque Tonjibe and be warmly received by their people. Following a brief presentation, you'll begin a hike through the village where you'll see many important cultural aspects of this special place. The antique home structures, and their unique artwork and craftsmanship, the use of cocoa in their farming, and the creation of their clothing. Next, you'll take a trail through the forest to learn about medicinal plants and how they're used by the tribe. Here you'll also be able to observe antique huacas or indigenous tombs. Finally, you'll pass through a Palenque where you'll be treated to a dance presentation with dialogue in the native Maleku language and customary dress, followed by a traditional meal. You'll depart around 1:00 pm back to La Fortuna, where you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Meeting time: 12:50 pm
Confirmation # AMA-2463

There was no brief presentation. There was no hike through the village in fact there looked like 3 buildings from where we stood one of which was the bathroom. No antique home structures, and their unique artwork and craftsmanship. No explanation of the use of cocoa in their farming, and the creation of their clothing. No trail trail through the forest to learn about medicinal plants and how they're used by the tribe. No observation of antique huacas or indigenous tombs.

What did happen - Entered a Palenque where we were treated to a dance presentation with dialogue in the native Maleku language and customary dress. There was some discussion about life style and maybe the use of cocoa but it was hard to follow. His English was good, his descriptions were not. We were shown a dance around the fire and then danced with the man and his wife. The only 2 Maleku on site. The room was filled with "artworks and crafts" for sale. Some stuff okay but most was of lower quality seen in other sites.

Everything else we did was so top notch that this was a real disappointment.

Ro said you seemed to be reluctant about this excursion. You were right. Big difference in the advertisement and the reality maybe since Ed and Claire were the only two visitors????

Hotel Reviews

Crowne Plaza Corobici

San José

great entry into Costa Rica

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

wonderful grounds - good morning views of Arenal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort

South Puerto Viejo

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to beach -

Staff

Guy (not gentleman) at the desk bordered on being rude with my wife

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn San Jose Aurola

San José

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Maleku Tribe Village Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

covered in opening

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

hot spring were warm - needed to ask for hotter water

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Unique Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Trip

Arenal/La Fortuna

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - safari float on the Peñas Blancas River

Arenal/La Fortuna

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.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Sanctuary - Buttercup Tour

Costa Rica

interesting. Good info on sloths

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jaguar Rescue Center

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bribri Indigenous Territory, Chocolate Process and Waterfall

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

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.

Quality of Experience

Food

likes the banana leaf bowls

Guides, Drivers and Staff

excellent guide. second time we had her

Transport

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica! Charlotte was the perfect agent to work with and provided us with an individualized schedule for an adventurous family with active teens. We traveled to Jaco Beach, Monteverde, Arenal/La Fortuna, and Sarapiqui - a place I never heard of before but a haven for white water rafting and chocolate tours. As a mom, I loved that she combined educational hiking tours (lead by experienced guides) with family bonding time (outrigger canoeing, zip lining, white... read more

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica! Charlotte was the perfect agent to work with and provided us with an individualized schedule for an adventurous family with active teens. We traveled to Jaco Beach, Monteverde, Arenal/La Fortuna, and Sarapiqui - a place I never heard of before but a haven for white water rafting and chocolate tours. As a mom, I loved that she combined educational hiking tours (lead by experienced guides) with family bonding time (outrigger canoeing, zip lining, white water rafting). All of our transportation ran like clockwork which allowed us to experience all the “Costa Rica Essentials” in four different towns. My husband enjoyed the surprise private room to celebrate his birthday too. I highly recommend Charlotte and her team at Serendipity. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Club del Mar Oceanfront

Jacó

Authenticity & Character

Location

I loved the property, but not much to walk to

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tilajari Hotel Resort

Fortuna

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location to La Fortuna was a $40 cab ride each way.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Quinta Inn Sarapiqui

Sarapiqui

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)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ocean Outrigger Adventure

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rafting Sarapiquí River, Class II-III

Costa Rica

Walter and Kiki were excellent guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Festive Dinner for all hotel guests!

Costa Rica

Cloudforest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

100% Aventura Zip Line and Hanging Bridges Monteverde

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Privately Guided Naturalist Hike at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Chris was very knowledgeable and engaging!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim helped us plan a fun-filled family vacation in Costa Rica at the last minute! We went on beautiful nature hikes, saw sloths, monkeys and other animals and got to try new things like white-water rafting. We had a fantastic time the entire trip and made so many great memories. read more

KimKim helped us plan a fun-filled family vacation in Costa Rica at the last minute! We went on beautiful nature hikes, saw sloths, monkeys and other animals and got to try new things like white-water rafting. We had a fantastic time the entire trip and made so many great memories.

kimkim.com is a reliable website for booking our Costa Rica trip. Drivers and tour guides are punctuated and professional. Vehicles are clean. Our tour specialist, Jessica is responsive and helpful. Our family enjoyed the holiday trip so much. We will definitely book future tours from kimkim again.
read more

kimkim.com is a reliable website for booking our Costa Rica trip. Drivers and tour guides are punctuated and professional. Vehicles are clean. Our tour specialist, Jessica is responsive and helpful. Our family enjoyed the holiday trip so much. We will definitely book future tours from kimkim again.

Activity Reviews

Sky Adventures: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer San José to Arenal with Rafting on the Balsa River en Route (Class II & III)

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth & Bird Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at the Base of Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Landed in San Jose airport after a 3 hr delay in flight. Drove to Kokoro Resort at La Fortunat. Our overnight stay in Kokoro resort was good.Hiked the base of Arenal Volcano about to for about 3.5 hrs on lava rocks to top of volcano base and elevation of 3500ft.. Saw some venomous viper snakes in the parking lot curled up on the tree.
Melanie, our guide was very helpful since we were slower than rest of the young group Melanie walked with us. Was a beautiful hike, thoroughly enjoyed and... read more

Landed in San Jose airport after a 3 hr delay in flight. Drove to Kokoro Resort at La Fortunat. Our overnight stay in Kokoro resort was good.Hiked the base of Arenal Volcano about to for about 3.5 hrs on lava rocks to top of volcano base and elevation of 3500ft.. Saw some venomous viper snakes in the parking lot curled up on the tree.
Melanie, our guide was very helpful since we were slower than rest of the young group Melanie walked with us. Was a beautiful hike, thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend to those who are interested in nature.
Lunch ar Indian restaurant was pretty good, especially after the challenging hike. In the evening the hot springs bath was relaxing. The Kokoro staff was helpful. Would recommend this resort.
We were transported by private bus, boat and car from Arenal to Monteverde. Very windy and cold place. We had a great time at Aventura park zip lining the 7 legs. It was an exhilarating experience for both of us since this was our first time. The town is hilly, and after a good meal it is good workout after a walk up and down the hills.
We had night hike in the rain forest of about 2 hrs The knowledgeable guide explained the flora and fauna that we spotted during the night. This is a recommended hike.
We were disappointed with 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.
The next day we were driven to Manuel Antonio. Nice drive from top of the hill to sea level becoming progressively warmer.
We had good 4 hr walk thru the National park Rain forest. We saw a variety of flora and fauna which the guide was explaining in detail, We spent some time on the beautiful Espedillo beach. We then went to Quepos for lunch and got back to the hotel.
The hotel Tibulia Tree was ok, like cabin on the hill nestled among tall trees, but is too far from the beach. Would have wanted it to be closer to the beach.
On the whole we had a good time. Kimkkim had made good arrangements for the trip except for those noted above(. I would recommend Kimkim for for trip planning.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

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.

Authenticity & Character

Location

hotsprings but there was no coffee in the room.

Staff

Very courteous and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mar Inn Costa Rica

Monteverde Costa Rica

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.

Authenticity & Character

Like any other motel

Location

Good location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

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.

Tabulia Tree

Manuel Antonio

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

too far from the beach. Had to take the bus everywhere

Staff

Very courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were very helpful. Since we were slower than rest of the group, Melanie, was with us all the time while the rest of the group went much faster.

Transport

100% Aventura Zip Line Monteverde

Monteverde

Awesome experience if you are not scared of heights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was impressed with the service and speed of Dennis in setting up my perfect honeymoon vacation. We planned a city (San Jose), mountain (Monteverde), and beach (Uvita) in Costa Rica and all went down without a hitch. The hotels that Dennis selected were perfect and customer-service oriented. The Grano de Oro Hotel (San Jose) was professional, quiet, and accommodating. The complimentary breakfast (casado) was delicious, along with a special dinner at the same restaurant. The El Establo Hotel... read more

I was impressed with the service and speed of Dennis in setting up my perfect honeymoon vacation. We planned a city (San Jose), mountain (Monteverde), and beach (Uvita) in Costa Rica and all went down without a hitch. The hotels that Dennis selected were perfect and customer-service oriented. The Grano de Oro Hotel (San Jose) was professional, quiet, and accommodating. The complimentary breakfast (casado) was delicious, along with a special dinner at the same restaurant. The El Establo Hotel (Monteverde) was also very organized. The Monteverde hotel scheduled us for an amazing night walk, and a wondrous hanging bridge hike. The private transfer drivers to each location were on-time and friendly. The biggest hangup to the vacation was getting there--we had a 10+ hour delay for our flight out of the U.S. Fortunately, the Whatsapp emergency line for GWA was fast, responsive, and accommodating. Dennis, Karla, and Mariana were all wonderful to help us keep on-schedule and in-contact with our hotels/drivers.

Hotel Reviews

Grano de Oro Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cristal Ballena Boutique Hotel & Spa

Playa Ballena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling in Isla Caño

Costa Rica

Through Bahia Aventuras, we snorkeled off the Cano island. We saw sea turtles, reef sharks, and even a pair of humpback whales!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Experience

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Charlotte helped create an amazing experience for our family over the Christmas holiday. She honed in on the perfect balance of adventure, luxury, and leisure, accommodating the desires of our 7 person party. Not to miss are La Paz, canyoning near Arenal, the organic farm experience, and our gracious guide Juan Carlos. Pura Vida! read more

Charlotte helped create an amazing experience for our family over the Christmas holiday. She honed in on the perfect balance of adventure, luxury, and leisure, accommodating the desires of our 7 person party. Not to miss are La Paz, canyoning near Arenal, the organic farm experience, and our gracious guide Juan Carlos. Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Peace Lodge

Vara Blanca

Many wonderful surprises await. The kids loved the waterfalls, trout fishing, and of course the amazingly designed guest rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pristine. In the middle of the jungle. Wow.

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

Fortuna

It is a very expansive resort and a shuttle was needed to get around if in a hurry or torrential rain. If only the lobby had a fresher look and welcome amenities, the rooms had more comfortable bedding, and the restaurant have a more quality breakfast, you could almost call this a luxury resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Guanacaste

Lovely boutique hotel with an amazing staff. Transportation was very easy and accommodating to our many activities and dinners. Food was great, although lunch service was a bit slow. Cleanliness and amenities were top notch. Beach is not very swimmable due to lava rock, but better beach is only a few hundred yards away.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Rafting + Canyoning

Arenal/La Fortuna

Do not miss the canyoning and rafting. Incredible. Osvaldo was an amazing river guide. The best! The men of our canyoning adventure led us into some of the most amazing corners of this beautiful land, ensuring we were (safely) having a fantastic time. Roy, Jiro, and Steven were stand outs. Thank you for an unforgettable experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Relaxing on a riverside beach with fresh cut local fruits… just lovely!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class with Organic Farm Fresh Ingredients

Arenal/La Fortuna

Uber and family are amazing hosts. What an education and beautiful dinner experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Hand made tortillas, fresh garden juice, chocolate making, and a gorgeous dinner.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Surfing Lesson

Costa Rica

Our instructors were so patient and knowledgeable! Everyone in our party were surfing within minutes. Not to miss!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Costa Rica

Absolutely gorgeous! Animals, waterfalls, lunch, and a pretty vigorous walk. A brilliant day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The kids loved seeing the wildlife, but we were hoping for more animal sightings. Juan Carlos’ knowledge and tour were exceptional. The pace and depth of his instruction was perfectly attuned to the interests of our group. The bridges are intimidating at first, but by the last ones the fear has dissipated and you are fully the element. Such a great way to see the jungle!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The resorts were gorgeous and had great service. The restaurants in the resorts were excellent. Our guides were superb. Very knowledgeable and accommodating. We loved the whitewater rafting, sea kayaking and hikes. We even enjoyed a night hike. We will definitely use Kim Kim again. We loved the trip in Costa Rica so much we are planning on returning next year. read more

The resorts were gorgeous and had great service. The restaurants in the resorts were excellent. Our guides were superb. Very knowledgeable and accommodating. We loved the whitewater rafting, sea kayaking and hikes. We even enjoyed a night hike. We will definitely use Kim Kim again. We loved the trip in Costa Rica so much we are planning on returning next year.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

The grounds are gorgeous and the restaurant is great. We loved the hot springs. Spa was great too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views were awesome.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds and pillows aren't the most comfortable and hated the shower/jacuzzi. Very unbalanced for taking showers.

Parador Resort and Spa

Manuel Antonio

Magnificent views, great service and good restaurants with a very talented guitarist. Loved the monkey trail. Very clean. Beds and pillows very comfortable. Great air conditioning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling in Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio

Gorgeous views and Werner was a great guide. Very knowledgeable and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

Kenneth was a wonderful guide. Very knowledgeable and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very organized. Great guides. Beautiful scenery.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Great guide. Very knowledgeable and accommodating. Beautiful views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We booked a 12 day (it was supposed to be a 14 day trip but American Airlines screwed us out of two days and Francisco with Tachiz Travel did an amazing job adjusting the itinerary in real time) trip across Costa Rica from coast to coast and places in between that went off beautifully! We highly recommend Tachiz Travel for anyone interested in traveling Costa Rica in good hands!

Our experience was amazing. Our guide, Alfredo was fantastic in La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area. Jose gave a wonderful tour in Corcovado National Park. I felt communications were not well communicated , as some timings were not correct. Giving us more complete details would have been helpful. We had to call to verify info that was incorrect and our call was not returned when they said they would call. read more

Our experience was amazing. Our guide, Alfredo was fantastic in La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area. Jose gave a wonderful tour in Corcovado National Park. I felt communications were not well communicated , as some timings were not correct. Giving us more complete details would have been helpful. We had to call to verify info that was incorrect and our call was not returned when they said they would call.

Hotel Reviews

Las Caletas Lodge

Puntarenas

The accommodation was rustic, but very clean. There was no air conditioning, only ceiling fans. The staff was wonderful as was the food. The rooms would have been more comfortable with more fans and better lighting. The view from the hotel was wonderful with lots of local monkeys and wildlife. Daniel was great and very helpful!

Authenticity & Character

The wildlife

Location

A dock for landing.

Staff

Daniel was the best. Everyone else was very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, but needed more fans and better lighting in clothing storage areas.

Autentico Hotel

San Jose

Very nice and modern hotel with good air conditioning and wifi. It was comfortable with a nice pool in downtown San Jose

Authenticity & Character

Comfortable for shuttles to next location

Location

Easy walk to a few restaurants, but far from the airport

Staff

The restaurant staff was very nice and they all worked very hard.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice clean rooms and showers

Montaña de Fuego Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

We loved the private cabanas, the pool, pool bar and hot tub. We did not have wifi in the rooms, only common areas. This meant we could not reach our other friends unless we knocked on their door. There were several huge roaches in our room. The front desk didn’t seem too concerned. Overall I liked the resort, but they could address the above issues.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the view of Arenal Volcano and local flowers

Location

Good location

Staff

They were helpful, if needed

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bugs in room, pillows were huge and hard. They were not comfortable to sleep on. The bed was comfortable.

Karahe Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Our rooms were on the second floor, centrally located. They were clean and very convenient to the beach. I would’ve liked one more day there.

Authenticity & Character

Situated amongst the trees with lots of wildlife.

Location

Good beach location, but needed taxis to go everywhere.

Staff

Friendly reception and waitstaff very attentive at beach and restaurant. Our waiter Juan Carlo(I think) was great at dinner.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable, air conditioned and good wifi.

Activity Reviews

Traditional Cooking Class with Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Priscilla was fantastic. She guided us through preparation of an authentic Costa Rican meal. Her partner assisted with making tortillas and coffee. The meal was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Learning about new foods and eating an authentic meal.

Food

All of the food was good!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of our drivers were very good. I felt completely safe. The guides were excellent.

Transport

Some of our transports were very long, but it was the only way to get to different locations. I did not like the water landings.

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Just do it. I’m afraid of heights, but psyched myself to focus and keep moving. The bridges did sway while walking on them, but I felt safe. It is a lot of up and downhill , if that is a problem for you. I really felt like I had met my goal by completing the walk.

Quality of Experience

Our guide would stop and show us hidden wildlife through his scope and helped you get good photos.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything

Transport

Good drivers

Arenal Volcano Hiking Tour & Paradise Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

It began to rain as we started, so we chose the shortest of 3 hikes. Fortunately, the rain stopped shortly after we started. We saw cows and lots of birds and monkeys. There is a nice little bar at the top where you can stop, rest and rehydrate if needed before finishing the hike.

Quality of Experience

The hot springs were much needed after hiking. There was a bar there if you wanted to buy a drink. The locker rooms were small, not much room to change in and out of bathing suit. I found the handicapped bathroom stall to be more spacious and private and had hooks to hold your clothes.

Food

The food at Paradise Hot Springs was fair

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide and driver

Transport

You drive a while up and down winding roads to get there