While there are a variety of day trips you can enjoy, the following are highly recommended by the majority of tourism agencies.

Arenal Volcano must be Costa Rica’s most brilliant natural show, staging spewing volcanic ash, rocks, lava and poisonous gases almost everyday. Although it can get clouded quite fast, dramatic views of its idyllic cone-shaped structure, make spectacular pictures.

The Arenal Volcano tour first stops at the chilly but adorable colonial town of Zarcero, where you’ll be amused by the charismatic topiary sculptures of Don Evangelisto Blanco. His rabbits, helicopters and elephant creations decorate the plaza of the sweet-looking blue and white town church.

The road leading to the Poás Volcano, snakes around thick green pastures, traversed by winding streams and armies of deep green coffee plants. At 2,704 meters, the unmistakable smell of sulfur lures you to its magnificent crater. A 30 minute walk, skirmishing through a bromeliad and epiphyte forest leads to la Laguna Botos, an inactive crater that has been filled with rainwater. The tour than continues to la Casa del Café, where your eyes hover over rolling hills of Arabica coffee plantations, while warming up with an exquisite cup of coffee. Afterwards, the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a stylishly decorated chalet-style retreat and natural theme park, offers a truly spectacular butterfly farm, a small colibrí garden, swamped with myriads of colibrí species and an exciting five-waterfall trail, with awesome catwalk constructions, rendering gaping views. Be prepared to get wet, it’s part of the adventure! Lastly, the tour embarks on a small boat, driving down the Sarapiquí river, where you’ll hopefully encounter curious monkeys, sloths, river turtles and large crocodiles, swimming very close to your boat.

The Isla Tortuga tour is a relaxing, yet festive tour, taking you to a handsome white sand island with towering coconut palm trees dancing around the beach. Warm turquoise waters bestow you with a lavish swimming experience.