There are many things to do and see in the Central Valley either with a rent-a-car, a pre-arranged tour or a taxi. We are here to assist you with car rentals, english speaking taxi drivers, private vans, buses to the coast, interplanetary transport and more. Don't want to make decisions? Then email us at info@puravidahotel.com, for recommendations.

Some idea of costs: A taxi ride costs you about $13 to $15 an hour, a 1/2 day guided/organized tour costs $25 to $60 a person (or $60 a taxi load) and a day trip (usually including EVERYTHING) is $80 to $160. Here are a few ideas on things you can do in and around the Pura Vida Hotel area - ask us for more:

LAST MINUTE GIFTS
        Alajuela/Mall Internacional - closest mall, not to be confused with Malls you may know.
        Pura Vida - Pefi original ceramics from Cartago, Costa Rica, also coffee and some beautiful Borucan masks
        Crafts Store - wood items, crafts, behind the Fiesta or check out the Namu gallery in San Jose for authentic stuff
        Alajuela Market - you won’t find much but it’s a delight & you’ll have an excellent sensory experience

SO MANY THINGS TO DO, SO LITTLE TIME - many first time guests learn just how much there is to do in Costa Rica and come on back the next year to peel away more layers of this onion. Before heading for the beach stay a day or two in our beautiful central valley and learn the answers to some important questions:
        Why are there so many shoe stores in Alajuela?
        Was Irazu Volcano always an extraordinary aqua green?
        Why is Braulio Carrillo National Park so difficult to spell?
        How do you find a plumber on a Friday evening?
        What is the REAL reason they abolished the army?
        Why a sense of irony will stand you in good stead at PV?
        What good is an Assasin Bug?

Before we start with the trip ideas, here are some DRIVING TIMES (click here) - to various points of the Costa Rican compass. When driving in Costa Rica you can be assured of two things - it will always take longer and you will get lost. Do not worry because Costa Ricans love to be helpful and giving directions is a national pasttime.

If you wake up to the sound of fireworks at 5am, it is either someone having a birthday or it could be a FESTIVAL (click here) - why not book your trip to coincide with one of the many festivals and cultural events in Costa Rica?

A while ago a delightful couple, Carla and Mark did the Grand Tour and then went home and wrote a tale Carla and Mark's trip to Costa Rica- thanks, we appreciate the kind thoughts.

IF YOU HAVE 1/2 A DAY: ZOO AVE - a local Quetzal and a Croc. Step down San Diego, don't bother Munich, fergetabout it London - your famous Zoos have nothing on the tiny gem of a Zoo right here near Alajuela. A beautiful natural environment, lots of room and all the animals are rehabilitated or saved from something or are breeding to reintroduce in the wild. Just a few minutes from the hotel - more animals than you’ll see everywhere else in Costa Rica. Not a bird zoo despite the name - The Nature Restoration Foundation's work can generally divided into three broad areas - rescue and rehabilitation, captive breeding and release and reintroduction of many Costa Rican animals. Take a break with the animals and birds of Costa Rica - a $5 taxi ride from the hotel. Arrive early that day, take a taxi to Zoo Ave - a gem not to be missed!
LA GUACIMA BUTTERFLY FARM About 8km from Pura Vida Hotel. It’s best to visit the farm when it is sunny (mornings in the rainy season), when butterflies are most active. The Butterfly Farm opened in 1983 and was the first commercial butterfly farm in Latin America. It has a presentation about bla bla bla bla - read it on their web site - there may only be one reason to visit Costa Rica - the butterflies all over the country and the extrordinary Morpho. Learn more about the magical Morpho - then take a trip to Corcovado where it all comes together. Close by in La Guacima - an $8 taxi ride.
POAS VOLCANO AND VICINITY 30km up hill from Pura Vida Hotel Start early, we will make you a breakfast to go, at 7am usually assures you a clear view. Poas is a strato volcano that soars 2,708 meters above sea level and is one of the most spectacular volcanoes in Costa Rica. Lately some good sulphurous venting can be seen around the sky blue lake in the center. It certainly is the easiest Volcano to get to in Costa Rica and you can see it from your terrace breakfast table most mornings at the Pura Vida Hotel. About those Morphos . . . Rent a taxi for 4 hours (about $60) and head for the top. Extend the trip - drop by La Paz Waterfall Gardens or the new Las Colinas canopy tour ($45 per person) - have lunch at their fresh trout restaurant - doesn't get much tastier. Finish the day with run over to Doka coffee plantation - day trip $120 for a van load (plus entrance).
LA PAZ WATERFALL GARDENS - 30km up hill from Pura Vida Hotel With over 3.5 kilometers of walking trails, they recommend a minimum of 1 1/2 hours for the trip. Waterfall Gardens is a primarily a self-guided tour. The facility includes a huge butterfly garden (the Blue Morpho in flight is an amazing sight), a hummingbird gardens, the famous waterfalls, an orchid house and plenty of trails. If Poas was too cloudy divert your driver over a few kilometers to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. More adventurous? Tell your driver to keep going to Sarapiqui or down to Las Colinas.
GRECIA,SARCHI AND ZARCERO Nestled in the countryside of Costa Rica's Alajuela province (40 minutes from the Pura Vida Hotel), Sarchi is the perfect place to finish off your trip and find those gifts for family and friends. Travel a little further northwest and you will run into one of the great curiosities of Costa Rica - the special work of our own Edward Scissorhands at the Zarcero church. A wonderful photo opportunity not to be missed Bit too high an altitude for Morphos methinks? A 3 or 4 hour trip - see Grecia, Sarchi and Zarcero - stop for lunch along the way for some inexpensive "comida typica". About $60 a van ride - ask for Sterling.
SAN JOSE TOUR Pura Vida Hotel is conveniently situated a good distance from the capital - about 20 km. Many guests want to delve into the famous gold museum or walk down paseo colon or go visit the pigs heads at the mercado central. You can get our english speaking taxi driver or a 1/2 day tour by bus - see the sights, the sounds and the, well, whatever you want. The Gold Museum is world class. Maybe the best way to do this is the guided tour (about $25 a person). There is also a 4 in 1 Tour that is great for newbies to Costa Rica (1 day - $79 all inclusive).
IF YOU HAVE A DAY TO SPEND IN COSTA RICA: BEST DAY TRIP POAS/SARAPIQUI/SAN JOSE Start out early for this one as Poas volcano often is invisible afternoon as the clouds roll in. Up the hill to Poas, optionally stopping at "the real coffee tour" at Doka plantation. Then up to Poas Volcano, the lake recently turning a new shade and more activity from the sulphur spouts has been observed. An hour or two at Poas then over to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. If you are time constrained skip the entrance and drive by the big waterfall and on to the Sarapiqui river. Stop for lunch at the freshwater shrimp restaurant and maybe take a short river ride in the rain forest. Then on down to San Jose and a brief road tour over to the gold museum or perhaps the national museum to get up to date on our history. Then on back to your hotel before dark. NOTE: You can't do all of these in a day so select the bits you'd like most and email us at info@puravidahotel.com, for a custom intinerary. If you are really good you can also stop by our local school to view the progress of our guests library at the Centro Educativo Tuetal Norte (our local school). AN IDEA FOR A RURAL COMMUNITY TOUR There are many places to visit in Costa Rica but few will compare to the thought provoking experiences of a day spent with Costa Rican families, farmers and artisans in a rural community. About Rural Tourism in Costa Rica . . . in the future Costa Rica can build massive highways leading to disneyesque parodies of golf courses surrounded by all inclusive misnamed eco-resorts populated by loud tipsey hawaiian shirted tourists who can't tell if they are in Maui or Cancun after getting up at mid day after last nights binge and demanding a taxi to the nearest mall so they can "go shopping" for t-shirts and "indigenous masks" made in China. OR perhaps you can help support rural tourism for at least one night of your stay in Costa Rica? There are a number of people involved in supporting rural tourism - ACTUAR, the rural community tourism association of Costa Rica is one of them. For more information, contact Kyra Cruz at actuar@racsa.co.cr or see the ACTUAR web site for information about their members throughout Costa Rica. If you want to learn something about the uniqueness of the Costa Rican character and allow nature and a natural environment to touch you, then give ACTUAR a chance and then you can maybe help them make a success out of it through your involvement. If you want more ideas for rural tourism, we highly recommend the guidebook and work of Beatrice Blake who has been providing better access to rural tourism in Costa Rica for years. Beatrice will also be happy to provide advance trip planning services. She is active in local conservation efforts and her guidebook, "The New Key to Costa Rica" contains more such projects. I'd also suggest some light reading ahead of your trip - one book will help you grasp some of what is going on here - - Green Phoenix by William Allen. Another is the delightful tale of all of the national parks called the Quetzal and the Macaw by David Rains Wallace (out of print but findable). BE AWARE: that rural tourism isn't a scripted tight choreographed Sturbridge village reenactment about life on another planet. You are visiting local people doing normal daily activities and not everything is always working or available. RURAL TOUR #1 NACIENTES PALMICHAL: Visit with the people of Palmichal, about an hour south of the Pura Vida Hotel. The Nacientes Palmichal lodge and community center is located in the central highlands and is a community association of 26 families protecting the watershed for the villages below them. This is an approximation of what could be available the day of your trip. You will leave Pura Vida around 8am and stop over at the Quitirrisi indigenous area where you can learn a little about the people, the area and the ways they sustain themselves including their crafts. We will visit Tabarcia which is a traditional Costa Rican community where we’ll have a typical breakfast. Perhaps you'd like to learn how to make the traditional and delicious Gallo Pinto. After that we are going to stop on a farm nearby - the future of the planet depends on how we use our resources and create a sustainable environment. You will see how a biodigestor works (it doesn't always!) and understand the potential of organic waste. Perhaps you'll come away with some ideas of your own on how we can all reduce our impact on the planet. Lunch is at the Nacientes Palmichal lodge where you can take a nature walk in the reserve, chat about conservation and learn more about what people do with natural resources in this unique area of Costa Rica. At the end of the trip we’ll visit the local dairy and try a freshly brewed local coffee next to a typical stove. You will return to the Pura Vida in mid afternoon. A bi-lingual guide, air conditioned van - $60/person (pickup at Pura Vida Hotel - minimum 2 persons). 4 or more persons $45/person RURAL TOUR #2 NACIENTES PALMICHAL BUTTERFLY AND COFFEE TOUR 7:00 a.m. Your bilingual guide and driver will pick you up at Pura Vida. You will be heading for the remote Palmichal area an hour south west of the Pura Vida. This is an approximation of what could be available the day of your trip. 8:15 a.m. Take a walk along the lovely trail beside the rushing Tabarcia River. You will find yourself surrounded by many species of beautiful butterflies. 9:30 a.m. Arrive at the small San Pablo Elementary School. Meet with the principal and then with a multigrade class where, if you want to, you will give a short English lesson to the students and learn about their conservation efforts. 10:30 a.m.Visit a Beneficio Los Vindas coffee farm, to see how high quality coffee is processed on a small scale. 12:00 a.m. Make homemade tortillas and have a native lunch with Don Manuel and Doña Mary. Enjoy a fresh cup of coffee that you grind and brew in the traditional Costa Rican way. 1:30 p.m. Visit a local wood sculptor and see how local women work with bamboo. See how a local family makes gas for all their cooking needs with a methane biodigestor. 3:00 p.m. Learn how traditional baskets are made by the Quitirrisi indigenous people. 4:00 p.m. Leave for Pura Vida Hotel. 5:30 p.m. Arrive at Pura Vida Hotel A bi-lingual guide, air conditioned van - $60/person (pickup at Pura Vida Hotel - minimum 2 persons). 4 or more persons $45/person. Email us at info@puravidahotel.com, to book these before you get here.
IRAZU VOLCANO AND VICINITY: Volcan Irazu and Cartago/ruins/ cathedral, Orosi or Lankester Gardens - an excellent day trip starts you out early in the morning - leave Pura Vida by 8am (if private driver). Drive south of San Jose to the old city of Cartago (check out the "crawling Christians" on August 2nd when maybe a million people walk to the old church in Cartago from across Costa Rica). Your english speaking driver/guide will then drive you carefully up the side of the volcano to the beautiful emerald lake and volcanoes at Irazu (5 craters last time we counted). Since this is your own private tour take as long as you like walking across the big crater or along the lesser visited top rim. The advantage to this volcano tour is that unlike Poas Volcano, even if it is a cloudy day the clouds on Irazu will invariably part long enough to see the spectacular lake at the main crater. All done then down the winding road to your lunch stop overlooking the Cartago valley. At this point you can choose to go on to Orosi Valley - an "Austrian-like" valley with a pretty little town or maybe complete the trip via one of our favorite gardens on the planet - Lankaster Gardens - a great tour by private taxi or tour operator. My personal favorite for a day trip - orchids, bamboo forests, history, volcano and Austria all in one day - sacre bleu!! Do the air conditioned van - about $120 for 2 or 3 or 4 persons.
IF YOU HAVE TWO DAYS: TORTUGUERO OVERNIGHT - COMMUNE WITH THE CARIBBEAN: The Tortuguero National Park is especially famous for the summer turtle hatching. But please tread lightly here. Tortuguero is the place where the four turtle species of the come to nest - the giant Leatherback, the Green turtle, Hawksbill and Loggerhead turtles (threatened around the world due to the value of its shell used to produce crafts). This area contains approximately 50% of the birds and reptiles species of Costa Rica. An overnight trip with everything included runs about $130 per person. Ask the Pura Vida Reservations desk.
ARENAL VOLCANO OVERNIGHT: Arenal volcano, a perfect cone of 1633 meters of altitude (5.307 Ft), in constant activity that offers the visitor a fireworks spectacle with eruptions and lava (but ONLY if the clouds permit it). Two days, 1 night all included tour - some have tried to do this in a day - not a good idea. With two visits to the world famous hot springs, look out point, Cano Negro wildlife reserve by boat. Food, lodging, entrance fees, transportation all included (about $200 to $260 per person double occupancy). One way transfer tours also available stopping off along the way for about $140.
A TOUR OR A TRANSFER: If you only have a few days in Costa Rica and you need to head for the coast, Arenal or Monteverde, consider turning your transfer into a tour. 10 days in Costa Rica with 2 or 3 days of travel time OR 2 or 3 days of touring? Your choice. For between $100 and $180 a day we can turn most transfers into tours with a charming bi lingual local Tico driver, a 12 passenger air conditioned van, insurance, a CD and DVD player to keep the kids amused and a cooler in the back with complimentary water and soft drinks. Make your trip more memorable with your own personal guide to your next destination. EMAIL us: info@puravidahotel.com, for a quote for your special trip. Pickups are included for all hotels near the International airport. Pickups in San Jose $10 extra. TO THE BEACH! It takes 2 to 6 hours to get to most beach destinations. About 2 hours to Jaco, 3 1/2 hours to Manuel Antoonio, about 4 to 5 hours to Samara/Nosara, about 5 plus hours to Tamarindo and so on. A tour to Tamarindo, for example, with your own bi-lingual Tico driver could drop by Grecia and the wood crafts town of Sarchi, then meander along the Pan American highway stopping for lunch at the White Horse perhaps. Then up to a turn off near Bagaces and a digression to a natural forest lodge run by Ticos and a walk in the forest, then up and across to Tamarindo on the Pacific coast and direct to your hotel. Without the stops this transfer is $150, as a tour it is $180 in your own private van. Email us at info@puravidahotel.com, to book before you get here.