The sights are great. Now there are two prices. One for nationals and one for foreigners. You can take your car but your not permited to park i the area, but there are a few restaurants near the area... Take your car. The tickets cost 215$ each + 60$ for parking + 120$ for the taxi to take you up to the ruins. In all it's a good place to visit, very hot, not many moskitos if your blood is packed with vit B but it's quite a hike. Swarms of tour guides will come to you, the prices range from 100$ to 330$ or more for a guide. Some beautiful trees very humid take water....

Palenque is not just a collection of stone ruins; it is an experience of discovery and immersion. Nestled deep within the humid Chiapan jungle, the site is unparalleled for its mystical atmosphere and stunning setting. Unlike the more arid sites, here you feel the weight of history surrounded by the vibrant sounds and green canopy of the rainforest. Atmosphere and Setting: The humidity is intense, but the reward is worth it. The jungle hasn't just been cleared around the ruins; it actively embraces them. You'll see massive kapok trees, hear the roar of howler monkeys, and feel the constant presence of the wild. It gives the site a unique sense of being reclaimed by nature. Key Structures: The architecture at Palenque is sophisticated and beautiful, known for its delicate stucco work and refined carvings. * The Temple of the Inscriptions: The most famous structure, which housed the tomb of the great ruler Pakal the Great. It is imposing and a marvel of classic Mayan engineering. * The Palace: With its unique four-story tower, the Palace offers fascinating insights into the royal life and astronomical observations of the ancient city. * The Northern Group & Waterfalls: Don't miss the structures across the small river and the beautiful, small waterfalls and cascades that flow through the site—a perfect spot for a break. Overall: Palenque provides a thrilling blend of history, archaeology, and intense natural beauty. It's a must-visit for anyone traveling through Chiapas and offers a far more engaging and evocative experience than many larger, better-known sites. Arrive early to beat the worst of the heat and the largest crowds!

Amazing site! Get a feel for ancient Maya culture, and discover the incredible pyramids here. It's so cool how they are hidden in the jungle, and I was told only roughly 5% has been uncovered. 100% worth a visit You can also occasionally spot monkeys here :)

Decinitely a must see if you find yourself in Mexico. For me this was so much better experience then Chichen Itza where you have lot of annoying souvenir vendors and a lot more tourist. Palenque is a peacevul heaven hidden inside jungle. Not only archeological site is amazing and you can climb on them (august 2025) but also check nature especially trees while you here. Sanitarios (toilets) are in the start up point where you buy ticket, and also 4 km up in the woods where really walking tour starts. Parking is 62 pessos, Palenqua ticket 215 pessos, governement tax 100 pessos, and transport 60 pessos per person.

I wanted to come here since I was a little child, and I was not disappointed. The ruins are simply stunning both the ones that have been restored in the main area and the remaining ones that are still covered by the jungle. I just wanted to add some details on how to get there. Actually, the best way is to take a collectivo from the city centre. I paid only 25 pesos. When you are there, you are assaulted by people that want to be your guide, but I think it’s actually so much better to go on your own. They tell you that without them, you cannot see the ruins that are in the jungle. but actually it’s not true. I had to pay then, from the official ticket booth 100 pesos to enter the main archaeological park, 235 pesos to get into the jungle, and 60 more pesos to get the shuttle bus to get to the main entrance. There was no shuttle bus to take me back to a ticket booth when I finished, but I could jump on another collectivo that took me back to the city Centre. Please note, but even when it goes back to the city centre all it says on the bus is Ruinas.

was here on a Sunday. on Sundays the locals have free entry and hence the place was busy. I recommend taking a guide to understand the different buildings. I got an unofficial guide from inside the site for 400 pesos though the guides outside asked for 800 pesos. I was alone and hence this lower price, for groups they may charge 1000 pesos. unfortunately I did not hear any howler monkeys even though the guide took me a bit inside the jungle. the place looks mesmerizing and reminded me of video game locations of mayan civilization. there are multiples tickets to be purchased. a total of 315 pesos on tickets and 60 pesos for the collectivo too and fro from the entry gate.this was in addition to the 25 pesos for the collectivo from the town to the entry gate

November 2025. ⬇️Some major flaws/scams⬇️ 1)Gates open at 8 a.m,that's too late. Tropical temperatures and humidity are peaking already by 9 a.m. For comparison,Angkor Wat archaeological park in Cambodia🇰🇭 opens at 6 a.m. 2)Palenque stands out from other Mayan sites in 🇲🇽 for the quality of the artifacts rescued but the Museum is CLOSED for renovation until date to be announced. They won't tell you that upon buying tickets nor will they grant a discount for the incovenience (as we normally do in the EU). 3)You must buy 2 tickets at the registration (3.5 kms from the ruins proper) desk: 100p for the ruins + 215p for the "natural park" 🤌🤌?!? 315p in total or 15€...and that's just the beginning (to be cleared what the "natural park" is?) 4)After paying the ticket, walk 3.5kms in the heat or pay extra 60p extra for a shuttle (again, similar cases in the EU or Turkey include shuttle transfer) 5)tout guides will catch your attention asking to see your entrance ticket (they are not in charge of that) to later offer their services. This considered,2 hours on one's own are enough to tour the site.

🤔I could spend all day here & not get bored! My only complaint is really personal, I get car sick & the curves into valley for me sick 🤢 I will say it's about 250peso to go up the water fall it's a certain part they'll only let u go with guide. They kept trying to talk me into it & I watched some ppl go. You climb up & the falls then jump down so for me it wasn't worth it🤷🏽‍♂️. If u wanna flex on the gram or something yh, go 4 it💪🏽. There was a lot of places to go & see, I'd suggest going as early as u can🌄 bc 2 me it was more fun with ppl & the groups leave early evening. We made new friends which was cool. There's tons of restaurants that'll let u use Wi-Fi🥩 if you eat there. There's also tons of vendors selling lots of souvenirs if you want a momento, some are decent size statues🗿 There's local kids that live there where they can go places visitors 🙅🏽‍♂️can't 4 safety reasons. Keep in mind there's ppl that live here so you might see some🛀 bathing or washing clothes on the river🧼🧽👙🩳 I would recommend this place so many times over & we didn't even get to do that much😎

Beautiful series of waterfalls. This was one of the favorite stops for everyone in our little travel group. The water was fairly blue/green that day and we spent a lot of time in it. We also had a delicious lunch in a small restaurant next to the falls.

It's a long, bumpy ride away from anywhere, but the falls are as impressive and powerful as billed. But, be aware that the water is only blue when rainfall in the highlands has been relatively minimal. We were there in early November after several days of hard rain, and it was Cascadas de Agua Marrón. Also, be prepared for wall-to-wall vendors at every point along the way.

Beautiful waterfalls with area for walk, swimm, shop, eat and they even have short zip line.

The day I went was pouring cats and dogs, yet it was so beautiful. People were swimming despite the rain.

One of the most beautiful cascades visited in mexico The community take care of safety in water and the surrounding area. Very friendly tender owner. Water looks amazing

Absolutely love this place! This waterfalls are probably my most favourite. The water was unbelievable blue and you can bath on many places. If you want more privacy just go more up, where are just few people. There are also plenty of bars and a restaurant with great food, especially the fish.

An Outstanding Textile Museum – A Must-Visit for History and Culture Enthusiasts! I recently had the pleasure of visiting this incredible textile museum, and I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations. Best of all, entry was completely free, making it accessible to everyone. The museum is packed with a diverse range of exhibits, showcasing the rich history of textiles from various cultures and eras. Each display was thoughtfully curated, offering fascinating insights into traditional craftsmanship, techniques, and the cultural significance of textiles around the world. The building itself is a stunning piece of architecture, adding to the overall experience. Its elegant design and historic charm create a perfect setting for the exhibits. Unlike some other museums like the jade and amber museums, which often feel more like shops selling souvenirs, this museum is dedicated solely to education and preservation. It offers a genuine, immersive experience that truly highlights the artistry and cultural importance of textiles. Whether you're a history buff, an art lover, or simply looking for an enriching day out, this museum is definitely worth a visit. It’s a wonderful place to learn, appreciate craftsmanship, and enjoy a peaceful stroll through history. I highly recommend it to anyone passing through the area!

Incredible experience! One of the highlights of my trip to San Cristóbal! It’s fabulous to see the talent the pattern makers possess and it’s free! Don’t miss it 🤩🕺🏻

It's a nice, informative museum in an impressive building with good view of the city. I recently took a sewing course, so there was plenty of colour, stitch and pattern to study. I was there around 4pm on a Thursday, and I was the only one inside.

The "Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya" was an amazing experience. We came on a Sunday so the admission fee was free (0$ only on Sundays). It was a beautiful collection of textiles and artifacts from Guatemala and Mexico, I spent hours looking through their amazing collection of fabrics and weavings and quilts.

If you want to learn about San Cristobal's history this is a good place to start. They have in exhibition ceramic sculptures of the first civilization in the state also they have artifacts from the Spanish Conquest, but the best and my favourite part is the Textile exhibition, it's not a big exhibition but it has a lot of different textiles from Chiapas and from Guatemala.

The best textile museum I've been to in Mexico, absolutely top quality. Free to get in. Excellent ancient relics. Do not miss out.

FANTASTIC museum! One of the best museums dedicated to textiles I have ever been to (and I have been to many in many countries). Huge collection, wonderful service by the staff; you can see the reverence the Mayan textiles and its history are treated with. A favorite place in SanCris, and in México. GRACIAS for allowing us to witness the talent of such a marvelous culture.

It was an amazing experience; we took the 4 am tour with a guide, it was amazing be prepared to walk the terrain was rough and muddy since it rained the Night before; we saw the temples, ruins under the stars and saw the sunrise ! For the morning tour bring a small flashlight if you can, we used our phones but it's better to conserve the battery; apply lots of mosquito repellent! Lots of walking and climbing upstairs

This is also known as temple IV and is the farthest that most people go. There’s a little bit of stuff to see beyond it, but not that much. This temple is famous because it is the one that the park allows visitors to climb up on before dawn and watch the sunrise over the forest with the other temples in the foreground. If you plan to do this, bring a good flashlight because it could take 45 minutes to an hour or more, depending on how fast you walk, and it will all be in the dark. Once you get there, people sit on the steps of the temple facing east And watches the sunrises. Coatis come through looking for food, so that is kind of cool, and the dawn chorus of birds here is fantastic. On the way out, you may get lucky and hear the howler monkeys beginning to wake up and take their claim to their territories before they go out forging. This is one of the unique experiences at Tikal.

Truly a great set of impressive Mayan ruins. Best done with a guide for the historical details. If you have time and a vehicle, also go on to Uaxactan ruins.

Very beautiful and interesting temple complex, which is surrounded by a forrest. Here you can easily spend the whole day and immerse yourself in the life of the Maya. Chitzen Itza could be considered as the boring brother. Scenes from Star Wars: Episode IV were filmed here.

The place to see the sunrise in Tikal is somewhat remote Templo IV. And even when it's cloudy and foggy, this is a magnificent, almost mystical experience. If you then see a group of breakfast howler monkeys passing by, your day cannot go wrong.

In the beginning of this year I visited Tikal, an impressive archaeological Maya site, located in the dense and mysterious jungle of Guatemala. 🇬🇹 It is one of Guatemala’s most famous destinations but still less visited than the Maya sites in Mexico. 📸 I loved going out with a guide of Tikal Go, as the ruins come to life and you learn about the Maya history. Besides that, you will discover the jungle environment around you so much better, with countless monkeys, coatis, butterflies and species of birds. 🐒🦋🦅 Enjoy the pictures and check out the article if you want to learn more about a trip to Tikal. Can’t wait to go on new adventures with Tikal Go to discover more Maya sites in this area. 😍

If you are interested in these keywords such as Maya civilization, historical sites, jungles, nature, history, and walking, I recommend you visit here. I chose an English guide because I can't speak Spanish. If you don't have enough historical knowledge, I hope you'll be with the guide. There is a way for people to walk, but walking alone is likely to risk getting lost. I went with four people, including a guide. If there is an employee you really want to see, it is recommended to tell him in advance before the guide starts explaining. + The view of climbing the highest temple gave me a new feeling. At that time, I can't believe and imagine that the Mayans built these buildings and climbed up to these heights using the stone steps. We, human in these days can climb up to the top through just wooden stairs…!

Pretty cool site to explore! We were able to get lots of great pictures on the Mayan ruins with no one else around! Definitely recommend to those coming to San Ignacio! Only costs 20 belize currency!

This was the most breathtaking thing I've done in Belize. I had a great fortune of getting to experience the site alone, I felt like royalty. It's such a massive site, and would make a perfect day out of anyone.

A relatively small Mayan temple site, it was occupied for most all of Mayan civilization. Very close to town, so easy to visit if you are short on time. Interesting museum and small gift shop.

Wonderful piece of history. Please be advised that their hours of operation are incorrect. They open at 6am and close at 5pm. However, the last entry into the site is 4pm. We arrived at 4:15pm thinking they closed at 6pm (according to Google) only to be denied entry. They do not have an hours of operation sign posted otherwise I would have took a photo. Besides this issue, we returned the following day and got to experience this ancient site for all its wonder. I absolutely love that you are able to climb them. Beware another reviewer also mentions a room within a room with bats on the ceiling. Bathrooms were clean and small information center was decent for what it is. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area and have time.

Very cool archaeological site with lots to see and tons of fascinating history. If you're considering going I recommend not buying tickets in advance. I bought mine online and there was some confusion. It'd likely be easier to have just bought them at the entrance. Definitely recommend all tourists to visit Cahal Pech!

A 20 minutes from town. Had the whole place to myself. A great way to fill in a couple of hours. The museum is very educational about the history of Belize.

It is interesting to walk around, but it certainly doesn’t compare to its neighbors. Also, the check-in process is rather laborious. With a drivers license age and name. Seems like a lot of paperwork for such a small experience.

Absolutely a must visit. We booked this through our Carnival Cruise trip. You are right on the Guatemala 🇬🇹 boarder. Tour guides were amazing and had plenty of fun facts about the site. Make sure you climb to the top of the ruin. The view will make you speechless.

A truly amazing experience! Traveling should be an experience. History, culture, and food a life-changing elements to any good vacation if you are in Belize, definitely explore the Mayan culture. an early civilization that was so organized and advanced. Stand where they stood, walk where they walked. Explore the ruins of the temple and royal residence. You can climb to the top of the tallest structure and feel the energy and presence that yet remains.

We visited Xunantunich as a family of four and it was a solid five out of five. We chose to explore on our own without a tour guide because we already had strong background knowledge from the owner of Villa Massis, who wrote a book that gave us great historical context. That made the visit both meaningful and engaging. If you don’t have much history going in, I would recommend hiring a guide to get the full experience. We arrived just before the start of the busy season and walked in with no wait. We took the hand-cranked ferry across with our vehicle, which I highly recommend unless you’re set on doing the full walk up. The ferry was free, and entry was about $100 BZD total for four people, which we paid in USD. The views from the top were absolutely stunning and stretched into Guatemala. The combination of the history and the setting made it an unforgettable experience. Bottom line: Xunantunich is a must-see. Short, smooth, affordable, and rich in history and scenery.

Xunantunich is an amazing site. We went on a Saturday and it wasn’t crowded. Half hour drive from San Ignacio. There’s a ferry that is free to cross. And, you can hire guides at the ferry to give you tours of the ruins for $50 USD. Then, you can drive or walk up to the site. We drove, it would be about a mile hike uphill. You’re able to walk on and climb almost all of the ruins. The views from the top are stunning. Beautiful place.

This is a Less visited Mayan Archeological site vs those located in the Yucatan but it's still impressive! We combined it with the river rafting and cave excursion and it was a blast!

Great stop to see the ruins, tours guides are available before the ferry. Google maps is off, it won't take you half as long to get across or up to the site as you'd think. At least in Nov. Cash only tickets.

This place is amazing! It’s a long journey to the top but so worth it! You’ll see bats and iguanas on the way up if you keep ur eye out!

Easy drive from Belize city or the airport. $5 to enter for tourists. I recommend you get a guide to get the interesting side of the story. The museum is before the site entrance and it's free. You can climb on any of the pyramids just ensure you keep them intact and preserve them. Watch your step as it is steep and also super slippery when wet. It's mind boggling how old these are! Recommend highly!

The most MUST DO thing in Belize. We did it with my two little siblings (13 and 16) and they had a blast. You have to book with a registered guide (I recommend Limpkin tours). You drive out there to the ranger station, hike out to the cave (crossing a river 3 times), swim into the cave, hike up into the cave through water (deepest at chest level), then take your shoes off as you explore the upper chamber. Truly a fantastic experience and the reverence you feel exploring this Mayan holy site is amazing.

This was worth the trip to Belize. Our guide Dimas was awesome! This is the real deal, you will be climbing wet rocks and need to keep your balance in and out of the water. The only safety measures are a helmet and your judgement, plus the guide's first aid and emergency equipment. Belize doesn't allow any type of cameras because some a couple idiot tourists dropped them on top of skulls causing obvious permanent damage and another one stepped on a human bone trying to get a better angle of another skull.

This is an amazing experience... if you are fit and thin. You will have an absolutely great time if you: likely are older than 16 (or well over 48 inches), confident swimmer, confident on slippery rocks, OK with tight spaces, agile and nimble, adventurous and curious. The creek crossings prior to the cave are a good test, but only of swimming not claustrophobia. Things I wish I had known: you only bring a pair of dry socks which the guide puts in their dry bag. Nothing else. No phone, no bug spray, nothing except your bathing suit, sturdy closed toe, back strapped sandals like Keens, a water shirt. Pro tip: wear neoprene reef gloves to protect the stalagtites and have a little extra grip. You must have a guide, you must book days or weeks in advance.

Such a great cave tour. Amazing to see the attracts still in place, as found. You can no longer take cameras in which is understandable since tourists dropping cameras caused major damage. You must go with an authorized guide.

HIGHLY recommend doing this! My husband and I are very well traveled and have been fortunate to participate in amazing adventures spanning over six continents. We both agree that the ATM Cave is definitely one of our top, most unique experiences! We absolutely loved it! We don't have pictures, because there's no cameras allowed. This actually ended up being a great thing for a couple reasons. One, it's kind of cool to live in the moment and experience something that only lives in your mind. Two, when you do this tour, you'll see there are actual human skulls that have been damaged by people dropping their dang phones on them! So ridiculous. Please don't skip this adventure. While there are some tight-ish spaces, all of these spaces have huge open ceilings. No tight enclosed spaces. Be sure you have a moderate level of fitness. Think of being a kid and exploring rocks and rivers, etc. You'll need to climb and balance, etc. Do it - you won't regret it!

Unbelievable experience in a one of a kind mayan cave. The formations all along the cave are truly spectacular and the mayan pottery and skeletons are quite fascinating to see and realize that they’ve been there for over a millennium.

We took Semu Champey tour and it was absolutely amazing. I think our experience was even better because our tour guide. Jungle boy is very funny, enthusiastic and outgoing. He was born there and therefore he knows everything you need during this tour. The tour took 8 hours around and thankfully it didn’t rain until the end of it. We did things we’ve never done before and they were beyond our fears. We went through a cave with full of water, dark and small, he made sure everything was fine the whole time, and you really can do the jumps and sliding if you want. Aside of jumping from a swing and tubing for a few minutes, we hiked had a big included lunch and finally we swam in the nine pools available for swimming and jumping. We def think that without a guide this is not imposible and even less enjoyable.

Absolutely amazing! Observe that there is no need for a tour guide. I recommend using the parking (if you are in your own vehicle) next to the entrance (Q10) rather than right after bridge (Q50). The hike up to the viewpoint is strenuous, but IMHO worth it. Dogs only allowed if emotional support documentation available.

We went to Semuc with our hostel and we thought it was amazing. A natural beauty. The pools were very clear and clean despite raining a few days before. The view point is great and worth the climb. Would recommend.

Gorgeous place. Our trip was organised by Mayan Gateway with local guide Eli. We climbed the stairs to the Mirador first - took about 20 minutes- which was hot and sweaty and hard on the lungs and legs but worth it for the view and made the swimming afterwards especially nice. There are toilets and changing rooms near the pools as well as lockers (bring your own lock) but most people seem to leave bags on the bank within line of sight. Don't worry about swim shoes - the rocks are smooth and the water is deep. There were a few lifeguards too.

One of the most beautiful places to see in Guatemala. Great for a day trip for swimming and a little hiking to the view point. Hike to view point is a bit steep but so worth the view!

Freaking awesome! But food availability is VERY limited. Take swimming gear, snacks and plenty of water. Then just enjoy the absolutely amazing atmosphere 😍

Genuinely the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited. Sensational pools, beautiful views and magical mountain scenery. The cost for entrance is 50GTQ (£5), which can be paid on arrival without booking. When you arrive, you can pick up reasonably priced drinks and food from street vendors before entering the park. The walk to the viewing point is c. 30-40 minutes up stairs / rocks. It’s relatively slippery, so go carefully. We drove the whole way to Lanquin from Flores. It’s possible in an average rental (4x4 not needed), but is a challenging drive. Always stick to the main roads no matter what your navigation says, as the side roads are very sketchy (steep, slippery, big rocks, etc). Avoid driving at night, as lots of people / animals / cars use the roads, which are not lit. The entrance to the park is accessed via a 10 minute shuttle from Lanquin, which costs around 50-100 GTQ for a return trip. You could drive it in a 4x4 (or possibly in a normal car, with a high risk tolerance), but I’d recommend going via a shuttle, which can be easily found in Lanquin or via your hostel. We didn’t do the cave tours and were perfectly happy at the main section - you can access everywhere aside from the caves in the normal fee.

This was an amazing attractions to enjoy views of the city and the dominant volcano. There are about 175 steps to climb. It was very clean and we hired a guy to take some drone footage which was amazing for $5 each person. At the top there are vendors and rest rooms. At the bottom there are more vendors and restaurants with views of the city.

A beautiful park. It is not expensive $1 for residents and $2 for tourists. Free for children 8 and under. The roads are narrow its best to go through Mejicanos. Its so amazing and breathe taking ! I did miss rhe cultural particular where we use to dress up.

Great place to visit and hike up to the summit of the extinct Volcano. Love the fact that is a small building with the history of the last eruption and that is bi lingual for foreigners to grap the history of the Volcano. During the hike got to see some of the beautiful flora going along the path. Path is taken care of, packed down stone for easy hiking. Up on the top they installed a glass floored observing deck.

Visiting El Boquerón Volcano (also known as Parque Nacional El Boquerón) was an incredible experience. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes because there are quite a few stairs, though there are rest points along the way. The views from the top are breathtaking and you can stop at several points to take photos of the crater from different levels. I highly recommend booking through Dave Mendez Tours—Dave and his team share fascinating stories and history about the volcano that make the visit even more memorable.

Nice and pleasant hiking trail. 2 hours is enough for the hike and enjoying the view at the top. Uber ride costs ~$8 from Zona Rosa. You can reserve the ride going back ahead of time so that you can avoid the wait time. - OR - I made my way back to the city costed <$1 using public buses - I hiked down as I had time. Reached to the main road (Calle al Volcano). Once I reached the main road just waited on the road (stay on the same side, don't cross the road) and waited for Bus 103 which took me to Santa Tacla. Had to flag or the bus won't stop. Bus fare 40 cents pay to the driver. In Santa Tacla, there are many micro buses going to San Salvador at the last stop where the Bus 103 terminated. I took the micro bus 42 back to the Centro. 31 cent fare. It was quite an experience hiking back down and using bus rides back to the city.

Great parkmto see a volcano with a young child. My Daughter is 3 and she was able to see everything. The park even has a playground for kids.

El Boquerón is a beautiful National Park. It is keep clean it has beautiful pathways. You have to climb stairs but they are not to steep. There are beautiful flowers, along the path. The Glass lookout point it's Amazing. If you are afraid of heights there is a second look out below the glass one. That way you will nit miss the Amazing view. Parking is something full and you will have to park down the road. They gave a small Museum that gives you the information About the Volcano.

Cathedral Roof experience GETTING THERE?- The ticket office is located on the southeastern corner of the cathedrals outer complex down a small cobblestone corridor. When you have a ticket you then go to the south western corner of the cathedrals outer complex where there is a tiny gate entrance to give someone your ticket to then go up 2 flights of stairs to the roof. COSTS / PAY / PRICE - Tickets for foreigners were 4USD per person, cash only. Could also pay cordoba. WHAT TO EXPECT? Ascend 2 flights of stairs, have to remove shoes and carry them, given 25mins to explore the 2 outdoor floors of the cathedral roof with white domes and views over the city and surrounding areas. OUR EXPERIENCE- It's a unique activity, only takes 30-45mins in total to look around and can be quite hot as it's exposed. Worth doing whilst you're in Leon. TOP TIP: Worth wearing socks as it's pretty hot on the white roof floor. It's open 8-12 and 2-4pm but other reviews have suggested it can be sporadic and often closed so give plenty of flexibility.

The grandiose Leon's Cathedral is a colonial architecture marvel. It has 5 naves, the size challenges the biggest cathedrals in America. The World Heritage Site, proclaimed in 2011. Visit, enjoy & meditate

This is probably the most important attraction of Leon and it is so poorly managed. 1. It has random opening hours and no update on closure time or days. Luckily I had an extra day so I could visit. 2. The guard at the ticket area is super rude. I came to buy the tickets and said we are not selling tickets now, to come after 15 mins in a rude way even though I can see people coming out with tickets. The tickets have time on it so why can't they just sell with advance time. 3. I asked if I could wait inside as there was a huge space and he rudely said no even though it was scorching hot outside. 4. Even though I was waiting outside then some guys went directly in and bought tickets before even if they came 15 mins after me. 5. The ticket counter is also run by scammers. They asked me 145 Cordoba which I paid. Then when I got the ticket it's says the price is 3 USD which is 110 Cordoba. I didn't argue but this is a pure scam. 6. Lastly when you go up you have to take out shoes even though the ground is hot and will burn your feet. There should be some sort of arrangement. 7. Lastly they let the tour groups block the whole room before the roof and let them do tour explanation there. In the mean time you are stuck outside in the heat and with your feet burning.

Went to the rooftop and it was incredible. The architecture is beautiful and watching the sunset was amazing. I highly recommend going up for it. The ticket cost 145 to go up (they recently increased the price from 110). You need to buy it before 5pm and they let the sunset group up to around 5:20 on the right side of the building. You get to stay there until 6pm.

Worth the visit if you are in León, just beware you have to take off your shoes once you go up. Don’t be stupid like me and arrive with shoes wearing socks. Take you socks off beforehand, that way, they have no other option to let you go on top of the roof with your shoes. Everyone who was wearing sandals was able to keep them on (smart and well prepared move). Meanwhile I was wearing thin socks and burning my feet soles. Ps: you buy the tickets to go up at the backside of the cathedral. So, not at the rooftop entrance which is located on the right side of the cathedral.

Leon’s cathedral is a great place to visit and take a 360 degrees view of the colonial city landscape. Additionally, you can’t take a look of other churches, the sunset and even your next attraction. Perhaps the “Cerro negro”, the black hill ;)

I went to the Cathedral for the Nicaraguan holiday of a “Purisima” and it was a unique experience as the towns people gathered at the Cathedral to celebrate. I would just be careful with personal belongings as the cathedral gets overly packed with people, and to bring or buy refreshments along the way.

The volcano is around a one hour drive away of Leon. After that it take around 45min to get to the top of the volcano. During the hike you’re treated with amazing views of the jungle and other volcanos in the distance. Definitely stay for the sunset which is amazing to see from the top of the bus!

Cerro Negro is one of Nicaragua's youngest and most active volcanoes, famous for the thrilling experience of volcano boarding down its steep black ash slopes. The hike to the summit is moderately challenging but rewarding, offering spectacular views of surrounding volcanoes and the volcanic landscape. Visitors love the adrenaline rush of sliding down the volcano while dressed in safety gear, and many highlight the unique adventure as a must-do activity in Nicaragua. Overall, Cerro Negro combines breathtaking scenery with an unforgettable, exciting experience

Worth the experience. Bit of a goat trail up the mountain, you carry your own board. Takes an average of an hour to walk up.

Totally worth the hike with your board. Amazing place, astonishing views from the top. Weather has been a little bit odd these days, but I liked the fog too.

The trek up is not difficult and took more than half an hour. Great view at the top of the volcano. Extremely windy at the top. Waiting for sunset was the icing on the cake. Beautiful panoramic view. Going down the volcano was a totally new experience, it took about 10-15 minutes to glide down the moving, sliding volcanic pebbles. It was not easy and some really enjoyed the descent

The youngest active volcano in Central America! I'm glad to have experienced volcano boarding here, it was exhilarating! Went here with a local guide, who is an independent contractor with a group tour that I booked. It's great that we went early in the morning so we had the whole volcano to ourselves and avoided the scorching sun. The hike up to the peak is about 45 mins, rewarding you with cool breeze and amazing view. Descending down the slope with the board takes a few seconds to few minutes. An experience of a lifetime that is worth doing again! :)

A few of us went volcano boarding a few years ago, and even if had just gone for the hike and views, it would have been spectacular. Boarding itself was great fun, but make sure you cover up as much skin as you can... and bring water!

Nice boat trip out to the islands in Lake Nicaragua. Enjoyable with lots of flora and fauna particularly bats and monkeys to see!

Really beautiful islands to kayak (or via boat) through. 10/10 can recommend. For kayaking: Vladimir Kayak and Boat.

Great place to spend your vacations in Nicaragua. This is one of the most beautiful places in this country with a great variety of animals and plants.

Beautiful islands off the coast of Granada. We took a boat tour to see the different islands and it is definitely recommended if you are anywhere near. Our favorite island was the one that a Veterinarian bought a long time ago in order for the local monkey population to live in. It was great learning about the history of the Islands and who owns which one. Will definitely love to do this tour again if we are ever back in Nicaragua.

Hundreds of small Islands. Some have hotels, monkeys, Bars…

A very nice boat ride to the isles of Granada lake.

From our hostel we could book the tour for 15$ and it was great! We were the only two in the boat and our guide, Lorenzo was amazing, telling us about the islands and local wildlife. The hightlight was monkeys jumping aboard the ship, just an all around amazing experience.

First let me say this spring is on par with ones I go to in Florida. It’s going to be the “Wekiva type” where the water is mostly arranged in large pools that have been manicured a bit for convenience. Truly, I think Ojo is rather well-designed. There is a shallow section with underwater ledge built to separate it from the deeper half with a diving/Tarzan swing. Some cute playset swings IN THE WATER 🫢 (why haven’t we done that before in FL?? Such a cute idea) and a smaller, medium-deep “adults” pool for those avoiding the kids & families. Sufficient seating, showers, and bathrooms all around. A really easy plantain farm hike (I greatly enjoyed it). And is no one mentioning the fact that c185 towards food is included at the restaurant?? The menu is much more expensive than expected for the most part (fish & chips for $20USD or 600+ Córdoba being the most egregious offender 😂). But c185 can get you a side of fries + queso + soda of your choice 💁🏾‍♀️ which was good enough for me. Had a lovely time. Great way to escape the heat of the day, and if you partake in one of the many cocktails (I did not), you’d probably have an even nicer time 🍻

It was super quiet when we went. People were so nice. The water was incredibly refreshing. It was so peaceful. It's definitely a nice place to stop!

A pleasant walk around a small Lake on the shores of the much bigger lake with the volcano in the background. Trail is minimally maintained. Okay if you don't have any other plans but Nothing special. Enter through the reserve Visitor Center. Don't drive past it or you will be on the property of the hotel on the shore of the lake

This natural pool was GORGEOUS and sooo refreshing on a hot day!! It has a really fun rope swing which was our favorite part!! they also have food with many options there. I would definitely recommend checking this spot out.

Really nice place with a natural pool! We were lucky to visit early in the morning as it got quite crowded by the afternoon. The food at the restaurant was quite tasty, though it had only a few vegetarian options. The staff was super helpful and friendly.

We stayed for 5h, perfect place to stay all day! Service is great, the waters are amazing, very clear, with little fishes that amaze the kids. The swings and Tarzan rope can keep kids busy for hours, and if water gets too cold for them, they can take a break in a trampoline and other games. Must do when traveling on Ometepe! Recommended to us both by tourists and locals, literally everyone we told we were going to Ometepe as a family.

Great experience! It wasn’t busy when we went which was lovely to have open seats and lots of swimming space! $10 usd per person but half of that is used as a voucher for the bar or restaurant, so great value!

It's a nice place to visit with excellent clubs and parties. The beach is also cool. Lots of tourists here.

One of the most exotic fun filled bays to travel to in the world. It is a surfer's and fish eaters paradise. Plenty of wonderful beachside hotels, pubs and restaurants. Come from all over the world to relax, eat surf, fish, walk and party.

•November 2023• a beautiful beach with perfectly warm water and a great place to watch the sunset. Also some great waves to swim in.

truly an amazing place. so pretty. the water is great fun to play in tho u do need to watch out for sting rays

One of the best places to visit in Nicaragua! Ambience is excellent! Great places to eat and to have fun! You must go to visit the christ statue up the hills.

There's definitely better beaches in the area, but it’s nice to watch the sunset. Everytime I came to this beach in the late afternoon, there was always volleyball games taking place on the beach and several people hanging out and drinking while waiting for sunset.

A beautiful sunrise and sunset - if you want a great spot with live music and free entertainment; walk down to the beach volleyball and sit on the bleachers to watch the sunset! Grab a beer from the bar next door and enjoy!

Fantastic park, we all had a great time. The zip lines are amazing and nice to see all the safety gear for the staff as well as the guests. Very nice animal park with large cages for animals, friendly staff around to tell you all about the animals. Horse riding was also pretty fun. Excellent buffet lunch, everything fresh and crisp , nice coffee and juices. Craft beers and full bar available for extra charge, craft beers were 5,000 colons ($10 us dollars ). Great view from the restaurant/main office. The coffee tour was interesting and sugar cane crushing was fun. Overall we all had a great day. Plenty of parking. Recommend staying a whole day in order to fit everything in.

Beautiful!!!! The park is absolutely gorgeous! The view of the ocean and Riu below is breathtaking. We sat and watched zip lining for a while. My husband and I did the nature walk. It’s a zoo. I was a little disappointed. It is nicely organized and clean, except for windows, but I’m assuming the animals make most of the mess. The animals looked well cared for. The sloth feeding was a little disappointing as you could not always hear the announcer. It’s a lovely park. I just think they should call it a zoo or animal park, not a nature walk.

Such a fun day! The all day adventure pass is well worth it. Nice buffet lunch after zip lining. Everything was well maintained and staff very professional. Zip lining felt very safe. The zoo is very well done too. So much to do on property you really can spend a whole day here. Be sure to bring an insulated water bottle to refill.

The zoo is especially well done with great landscaping and enclosures where you can actually see the native animals up close. The toucan and butterfly exhibits are especially captivating. Keepers are very knowledgeable and provide valuable information. There is also ziplining with one called the Superman. Exciting! A cultural experience, horseback riding, ATVs, a beach walk, a good buffet, and a gift shop are also available. Oh, there is also a spectacular view from the restaurant. Highly recommend a visit!

What a adventure! We did day passes which included all parts of the park, ziplining, buffet lunch, parking, shuttle, lockers. Only $140 each for all of that. The animal sanctuary was amazing. We spent the most time there. Saw many animals I have never seen before. The biggest adventure part was the ziplining. One was a MILE LONG! And started at the top of a mountain! For real. Good grief. I never would have done it if I had realized before hand. But, we did it. The crew was fantastic getting us in our harnesses and gear. Total of 5 zip lines and one drop zone or short repel. Fun and scary, too. Kenneth was an absolute treat to work with and talk to. The botanical center and learning centers were interesting. It was super hot while we were in there, so we cut that shorter than we should have. Lunch buffet hot and fresh. Also had salad bar, tea, juices, dessert. Nice selections available. Hammocks available to relax at the beach, or paddle boards. Also opportunities to ride horses or ATVs which we chose not to. Easy to spend the whole day there! So glad we did that.

Experience was great - the zip line was incredible and had the most spectacular views. The lunch that was with our package was so so, it got us easily each something we could enjoy though. The staff was so friendly from every driver and zip line person and each naturalist we spoke with.

Awesome! What’s a great place to spend the day at! So much to do. Great place to come when visiting Costa Rica. Family filled fun. If you’re driving here consider renting at least a mid performance car or at least something with 4x4. Steep hills and rocky dirt roads that are washed out or muddy. Driving yourself not for the weak of heart: narrow winding roads

From the moment we arrived at the hacienda, we were completely immersed in the beauty and culture of Costa Rica. The property is absolutely stunning – a perfect blend of natural wonder and authentic charm. It felt like stepping into another world. The service was nothing short of exceptional. Every staff member was warm, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about making our stay unforgettable. Their attention to detail and dedication to hospitality made us feel right at home. The range of activities offered on the property was spectacular. The highlight for us was the waterfall and Rio Negro – both far exceeded our expectations. Crystal-clear water, breathtaking views, and a sense of untouched natural beauty that’s hard to describe. If you're looking for a place that offers adventure, relaxation, culture, and world-class service all in one, this hacienda is a must-visit. We can’t wait to come back!

We loved our time at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin! There is a lot of beautiful things to see and do right on the property and very close to the National Park and La Leona. As someone with a gluten allergy, I was delighted that all the food on the property is Gluten Free (and delicious!). We stayed in the Honeymoon suite and while the room was great, we were bummed that the private pool was not heated and very cold. Overall, I highly recommended a stay here.

We loved this hotel! It was located on such an expansive beautiful property with so many things to see and do. We thoroughly enjoyed the one day adventure with waterfall rappelling, tubing down the river, zip lining through the canyon, horseback riding to a waterfall, followed by relaxing at the hot springs.

We did not stay in the hotel, so I cannot speak to the quality of the rooms, but the adventure tours were fantastic! We went first with a big group of 7 of us on the Canyon Half-Day tour and had an absolute blast. All the guides were competent and there was always at least one guide who's english was very good. We went back a second day in a row for tubing and horseback riding, and had an equally great time.

One the plus: - Perfect location - nearby activities are included and shuttle bus also - lots of activities - rooms are nice - staff mostly friendly On the negative - the food! Breakfast is OK Neither of the two restaurants offer good food, however. Vegetables were completely burnt, kids' chicken fingers soaked in oil and no salt at all. Burger below average, and so on Pizza was pretty good though - room doors are simply on thin layer of wood, why? - the zip line tour was really worrying!! Nothing happened, but our group was about 50 people, and all were rushed through the course. Staff was clearly not able to focus on safety. All the time, two people were on the same line. Platforms were stacked with people. Staff had to constantly rush. Again, nothing happened, and it was fun, but I only wonder when... They should just limit the number of people per tour and focus on quality over quantity. The same goes for the Tubing, which was fun too but again like 50 or 60 people.

We stayed two nights. Really wonderful place - clean rooms and we saw a lot of wildlife right in the property of the hotel. We took some of the tours as well as independently explored some of the trail.

What a gem. Amazing service, great food which happens to be gluten free. Wonderful location that allows you to access and do so much from your hotel room. Very impressed and my celiac wife was very happy with my choice.

This place was pretty cool. They offer tours that will take you to the waterfall to take pictures. My wife and I saw plenty of people doing this, but we just went by ourselves. The trail is very well maintained and clear. Although, the elevation is extremely intense both ways. Wear proper footwear as it is steep, wet, and slippery. We saw the tourists in slides and bathing suits...it didn't seem like swimming was something you could do there. Also, we saw a few people slipping and falling onto their butts due to wearing improper footwear. It took a little under 2 hours for us to complete the full trail using trekking poles and moving quickly. The blue river is really neat, but the views from altitude were the coolest parts for us. We saw a family of Capuchin Monkeys. If you drive your car here (totally recommend) there is a parking lot for $6 next to the park entrance. The entrance fee was about $12 per person and you have to pay online. You can't bring any food into the park. Overall, this was worth it, and a great workout. Don't bring grandma.

This is a wonderful place if you enjoy outdoor hiking. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes because you will walk a lot ! I saw two snakes on the way but they seemed cool.

First and foremost if your coming buy your tickets in advance. Make an account and buy the tickets, they will not see you at the window without tickets and service sucks once you get there. The walk was awesome not recommended to do it if your hungover but that did help me sweat everything out. The walk is easy but if any elderly that can’t walk or is difficult to walk don’t do it. It’s flat then hilly and full of rocks. The water fall is amazing but the only downside of it is that you can’t walk all the way down to the bottom it’s closed off due to fallen trees. So you can only see it from where we took the photo. Is it worth the money maybe, but you should look elsewhere to get to a waterfall up close. You drive over the water and that’s free you can’t miss it. If we would of known that we couldn’t get to the bottom we would of gone to another one.

3km out and back hike. Challenging at times, but difficult parts are either paved or have man made stairs. The access to the waterfall was closed and definitely makes the effort of the hike less enjoyable but the pool and mixing area are worth it for those who enjoy the beauty and science of the natural world. Plenty of wildlife too including toucans, capuchins and coati.

Beautiful waterfall after a short hike. Trails are well maintained with interesting wildlife to be seen. Stairs were involved and it's a rainforest so we had some rain. Get there early. Nearby parking for a small fee.

One of the busier parks that we visited while in Costa Rica, but with good reason. We got our tickets ahead of time and we didn't have to wait to get in at all. We only went as far to see the blue lagoon waterfall, but I would almost wager that is enough on its own with how beautiful it is. The hike isn't too far but does have some decent vertical bits, and about 250 steps (each way) if you want to get to the base of the waterfall, which I highly recommend doing. At the parking lot there are bunch of vendors with delicious fresh fruit and other foods that make a great refreshing recovery snack after some good exercise.

We visited the park during the start of the rainy season but got lucky that it didn’t rain to much. 100% worth it to see the Rio Celeste. Parking cost 3,000 colones and afterwards you can get a chilled green coconut and fruit as a snack.

Will always have a love for this town. Lived there for 4 months and it was a beautiful experience. Definitely don’t enjoy how expensive it is because of all the gringos. I encourage you to shop from the local markets please instead of the foreign businesses. Beautiful views of the stars at night (when the clouds aren’t in the way). I love the sunshine that’s still radiant even while it’s raining. Pretty great food with good varieties. If you’re visiting definitely try: mar y fuego, ahora si, burger window (best smash burgers I’ve ever had), carrera 18, roots bakery, vino sin vergüenza, kiwi, tika frutika, and corner shot! My favorite part is the market every Saturday! Ugh the best yogurt I’ve ever had with every flavor fruit! And the home made jams. With the best empanadas in town! Always looked forward to seeing all the jewelry vendors. Also, the homemade gelato van down the block if you ever catch it open. Absolutely love the yellow boutique next to limeys with hand sown clothes. Really really small town, days feel repetitive since there’s not much land to explore here but the environment is calm and lovely with nice locals. Not sure if I’d come back again tho, there’s much more of Costa Rica to explore.

Very nice sand beach, great waves for surfing during right tides. Enough spots for drinks and food.

Great beach with several placards to learn to surf. Some great affordable food options right on the beach as well with some great food.

Beautiful beach! Such a large beach that you will have no problem finding a spot away from people. So many little restaurants along the beach. Small park next to the police station has freshwater showers. If you need to escape the sun or heat there are quite a few trees that line the beach to set up under. Saw surfers and horses.

It’s in the top 3 best beaches of our trip in Guanacaste region. Playa Samara is a wide & long crescent beach that stretches for several kms. Fine sandy bottom beach & the waves are gentle most of the time…great for swimming for all ages. It’s perfect for surfing lessons or boogie-boarding. There are small villages along the beach with the town of Samara being the largest. Lots of beachfront restaurants, places for surf lessons, equipment rentals & souvenir stalls. There’s a good snorkeling spot in the tidal pools at the north end of the beach. During our stay we found Playa Samara fairly empty but it gets quite busy on weekends and holidays. It would be ideal if you can stay in Samara for a night or two. We stayed for a month and aside from our ventures outside of Samara, we fully enjoyed the town and its surroundings. It has complete amenities but still has a laid back atmosphere. At no time did we ever feel unsafe while exploring the area.

The water is really nice and you are able to swim . The water is warm . But there should be more sitting areas .bring a towel to sit on the floor . There are couple of stores and restaurants around the area .we stayed the resort near we tried to walk but it was unsafe the roads are to narrow and grass is on slant. Will recommend ask the resort to book a taxi for your travel there . It cost us $10 to get there .

Cute little town and a beautiful beach. Came across a great Italian restaurant “Ahora Si”. Nice area to get away to.

A must visit location in La fortuna, about $72 cad per person to enter but so worth the money. Multiple hot pools at different temperatures and lots of swim up bars. The drinks are priced and an expected price and service is good. The slides are wild, I'm not sure I enjoyed any of them to be honest, fun would be the wrong word, they were very quick and the toilet bowl pool is to shallow and my partner cut his head open hitting the pool. There's lots of fun to be has but be very cautious on the slides.

We weee there in off season and the place was pretty quiet which was wonderful. The grounds are well taken care of and the place is so beautiful. The pools always felt clean and there are so many of them to choose from. The rooms were comfortable and had all we needed. The rooms were clean when we got there and they kept them clean during our stay. The breakfast was delicious, and we had some desserts that were also amazing. Baldi is one of the best places I have stayed, they treat you like VIP the whole time you are there! The food in the upper restaurant was good, but nothing spectacular. It is a buffet style and there was a lot to choose from and had good flavor.

A Jungle Paradise! 🌋 Must-visit in La Fortuna: If you are visiting Costa Rica, Baldi Hot Springs is absolutely worth the money! We spent a fantastic, relaxing afternoon here and it was the highlight of our trip. We visited as part of a tour from the Guanacaste region (about a 2-hour stop) and it was the perfect amount of time to soak and recharge. Why you'll love it: 🌿 Variety: There are massive amounts of pools at different temperatures, so you can find the perfect heat level for you. 🍹 Swim-Up Bars: There are lots of bars right in the water. The service was good and the drink prices were totally expected/reasonable for a resort. 🎢 Fun Factor: We didn't go on the slides, but they looked like a blast if you want an adrenaline rush. Whether you are driving yourself or booking a tour stop like we did, this is a must-do experience in La Fortuna. Highly recommended! 🇨🇷✨

Very nice experience. Stayed with my family and 2 small kids. During the week in October was so nice, not busy and totally relaxing. I have stayed with Tabacon before, but this resort is way more for fun kids and incorporates more bars into pools. They are currently not accepting credit cards, so bring your cash. Located near downtown Arenal, so you can explore there easily and take tours.

Baldi Hot Springs is an incredible experience and a perfect day spa style getaway. We arrived at 9:30 a.m. and stayed until 5 p.m., and the entire day was relaxing and enjoyable. Getting a locker was simple and affordable at $7 and towels required a $10 deposit which you get back when you return the towel. The bathrooms were spotless, and the entire facility was immaculate. There are many different hot springs throughout the property, most of them warm to hot, with a few cold areas. Each pool has its own unique design, and exploring them was part of the fun. The cave hot spring was my favorite. Walking through a warm waterfall inside a cave that opens into a beautiful hot spring pool was an unforgettable experience. The staff was friendly and welcoming. One tip for visitors: Avoid ordering drinks from the premium bar in the back. The drinks there are overpriced and watered down, costing $20 or more. You can get the exact same drink from one of the regular bars for around $12, and those drinks are noticeably better. The luxury bar drinks had very little alcohol and were mostly juice and ice, which made them feel like a waste. We only ordered French fries during our visit. So I cannot speak on the buffet or other food options. We assumed the buffet might be priced similarly to the drinks, so we decided not to eat at the restaurant. Being in the hot springs while it rained was amazing. None of the pools ever felt overly crowded. There are so many options that people spread out naturally, and you can always find a quiet area. The bar near the entrance is the most popular spot. We noticed more visitors arriving around 4 p.m., but earlier in the day it was peaceful, even on a Saturday. There is also a charming jungle trail behind the pools in the back. Where we spotted a toucan, several interesting birds, and farm animals like horses and cows. We did not see monkeys or sloths. The kids area near the helipad looked great, with a water slide, dump bucket, and a comfortable lounge area for parents. Overall, Baldi Hot Springs is a fantastic place to spend the entire day, and absolutely worth the price.

We paid $98 for a day pass for two adults, included parking and ability to leave and come back until 10 pm. There was an ability to upgrade to include a meal. Drinks were a bit overpriced, cocktails ran about $20-25 each. Overall, the multiple different hot springs was cool to see but I don’t think we needed to spend more than a day there. The natural sauna was really cool to hangout around. All the pools have slightly different temperatures, and the swim up bars were covered so we could still hangout while it rained.

Beautiful grounds, clean pools, good breakfast. Short story - stay elsewhere and come for the day to relax..... Watersides are not safe or need more warnings for tall or heavier people! Fast slide can make you go 27 miles per hour. I hurt my shoulder as I couldn't keep the position suggested and almost rolled going around a corner and then came out almost sideways. Medium one was just as bad. PTSD! Same thoughts from a 27 old adrenaline junkie who hurt his lower back doing the fast slide!!!! Room has coffee pot but wouldn't give a coffee packet either morning (said no coffee available) and breakfast doesnt start till 7am. For the room price you would expect so much more. Hotels 1/3 the price had coffee and would bring more if needed...... Shower was sad.... didn't even need to turn on the cold water. Check in process was long as computer system doesnt acknowledge canadian credit cards and had to authorize manually with email confirmations before giving you a room key. Bring your phone with you!!!!! They give you a wrist band but then you have to carry your room key with you to the pools. You have to set up a tab at reception bar and close it off before 930pm.... Can't they attach everything to the wristband????

Do NOT pay extra for a tour guide for this hike. We loved the fact the hike is almost all shaded. The waterfall is beautiful and we got a decent workout on the way back up. The water is refreshing and very clear. Expected a more environmentally friendly space. We also didn’t see a single animal except for a few fish in the water.

Incredible waterfall well worth the admission ticket. The power and height is really impressive. There are several other smaller cascading waterfalls to see on the way down. It's atleast 500 steps down with a railings. Going down is the easy part. There is a wading area separate of the waterfall to swim and get wet. The no love scenes sign was quite funny.

One of the "must see" spots on your Costa Rica trip! The waterfall is picturesque, well maintained and easy to access. It does require you to descend about 530 steps to the waterfall (and then the same back up). I saw people of all sorts and fitness levels doing it. Just take it easy going back up (enough space to rest without blocking the way). It took me about 10-12 minutes to go down and 20 mins to come back up with stops. Important to carry a rain shell with you. When I started from the first viewpoint and start of the steps, the rain was strong. When I reached the base of the falls it had stopped with intermittent drizzle. So, don't wait for the rain to stop - better to start walking and wait at the falls if you need to. If the water is too strong, they won't let you swim directly at the falls. There is another area by the falls where people can swim. Photos can be taken at the base (on the rocks), from the main viewing deck at the bottom (wait your turn when busy), from the viewpoint at the top, and from a few spots along the path. 24-70 mm lens is good. The area is quite developed. You will find a gift shop, bathrooms, and a restaurant serving okayish to decent food. PS: it was raining heavily when I reached the restaurant but eased off again after 10 mins (you get the picture!). There is WiFi at the restaurant. Dedicated/managed parking on site. You can expect to spend 2-2.5 hours here at a normal pace. Tickets can be bought in person at the entrance. Expect this to be one of the more visited places (more tourists). Normal footwear is okay (that will hold up in wet conditions).

Once in a lifetime experience! This waterfall was beautiful and unforgettable. There were a ton of steps, so be sure to wear grippy shoes and a raincoat/poncho if you prefer. I was fine with getting wet with just a t-shirt, but it did get a bit cold. You can swim in the waterfall and there are more spots around to view scenery and smaller waterfalls.

It's a not very difficult staircase leading to a cool waterfall, and you can swim there which is fun. I got there just after the opening hours so there were only few people. However, there's no walking path alongside the river, only 2 spots to swim basically. Still, worth a visit if you arrive early enough.

La Fortuna Waterfall is a must-see! The facilities are well-maintained, and there are rest stops along the 500 steps down (and back up!). No washrooms at the bottom, but there's potable water to drink or rinse off after a swim. Showers, a souvenir shop, and free parking are available near the entrance. Entrance fee is around $50 USD per person."

Definitely worth seeing! There are around 500 steps down/back to access so prepare for that but waterfall is gorgeous and the swimming area has river trout. We recommend going early in morning

We hiked around for three hours with no guide. This was our third day in Monteverde and we had learned about wildlife and plants from other tours we had done so the guide was an unnecessary expense for us. We saw lots of cool plants and some bugs mostly. Heard many birds and saw them flying too quickly to identify but still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!!

Wonderful experience We went without guide and still saw plenty of animals! We also saw the famous quetzal! And we received plenty of amazing explanations from the gardener who was taking care of the garden in the beginning of the park.

Our guide Koky was amazing!! We did a 3 hr walk starting at 8:30a. He could name and imitate every bird call we heard and was full of amazing facts and stories about the area. Also had an amazing scope to make sure everyone could see.

The Curicancha Reserve in Monteverde is an absolute must-do if you are in this region of Costa Rica. It’s a protected forest that has been left to evolve naturally, and walking through it feels like stepping into another world. The biodiversity here is simply incredible – both flora and fauna. I highly recommend going with a guide, ideally in a small group to fully appreciate the experience. I did both a day tour and a night tour, and each was extraordinary. During the day, you can admire the towering centenary trees, unique plants, reptiles, and a wide variety of birds. At night, the forest comes alive with creatures you would never see otherwise: tarantulas with orange knees, lizards, snakes, scorpions, and countless insects. The highlight of my visit was spotting the extremely rare Oilbird, a species that only comes to Costa Rica every three years to feed on a local endemic avocado tree. Even our guide, David (who was outstanding), had only seen it twice in eight years – it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! The reserve is also family-friendly. I visited with my two children (6 and 9 years old), and we always felt safe. The trails are wide, well-maintained, and secure, while still allowing you to be fully immersed in nature. If you love wildlife, this is one of the best places to connect with Costa Rica’s natural beauty. The entrance price is very fair considering the richness of what you experience. Curicancha is simply unforgettable – highly recommended!

Excellent night tour! We had a very good guide, named Dauner, who spotted a lot of wild live we would never have seen ourselves. Birds, spiders, frogs, snakes. We received the photos he made that night.

My family and I did the night walk today and it was wonderful! Being deep in the forest was really cool and we had a really great guide! Thank you Dauner! 🙏🏼 We saw a really beautiful orange and black tarantula, a huge caterpillar, a couple of scorpions, a bird, a couple of bats, butterflies, lightning bugs and learned so much about the cloud forest and animals. This is an absolute must tour to do. You’ll really enjoy it.

This wasn’t where we planned to do our night tour but we are so pleased we made that mistake as it was by far the best tour we did on our trip!! Our guide, Dauner, was phenomenal - his infectious enthusiasm was only matched by his extensive knowledge. It was as if we gave him a wish list of what we hoped to see and he ticked them all off and many many more. He also took photos with his own camera and scope that he shared with us afterwards. Such a special evening - he had our teenage boys hooked on his every word and we were all excited to see what he would find next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A breathtaking and essential visit for nature lovers The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is absolutely beautiful. I visited in November — it wasn’t a sunny day, but that made the experience even more magical. I was lucky enough to see the Resplendent Quetzal and several other bird and wildlife species among the lush trees, vines, and dense vegetation. Yes, the entrance fee is higher than in other reserves, but it’s important to remember that your visit directly supports forest conservation. It’s worth every cent for those who truly love nature. If you’re not a nature lover, maybe it’s not for you — but for those who are, this place is paradise. Monteverde is one of the few remaining true cloud forests on Earth — a rare and fragile ecosystem that must be protected. Please, visit responsibly: respect the trails, take your trash with you, and appreciate this living treasure. Every step here reminds you how important it is to protect our planet. 🌿

I decided to walk to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve since there’s no public transport available. The walk took me around 90 minutes. However, when I arrived at the entrance, I was asked to show my ticket. I had assumed I’d be able to buy a ticket at the gate, but I was told that tickets must be purchased 1.5 km down the road at the main parking area where cars and hotel buses arrive. What made this even more disappointing is that the signage at the car park does not make it clear that entry tickets must be purchased there. As someone arriving on foot, there was nothing obvious to indicate that this was the only ticketing point. The Cloud Forest prides itself on its ecological and environmental values, yet there didn’t seem to be a clear or convenient option for visitors who choose to walk rather than drive. It felt quite ironic that an attraction focused on sustainability makes it difficult for people who opt for the most environmentally friendly method of arrival. To go back down the hill to buy a ticket and walk back up would have taken another 40 minutes, which I wasn’t prepared to do. Instead, I decided to treat the experience as a hiking opportunity and spent the rest of my morning and part of the afternoon enjoying the walk, taking in the scenery, and exploring the surrounding trails leading to the reserve. Overall, it was disappointing not to be able to enter after such a long walk, and I think it would be beneficial for the reserve to provide clearer guidance and better accommodation for visitors arriving on foot.

We took a guided tour and that made all the difference! We found that just marching around on the trails caused us to miss so much. We also loved learning about the history of the park and of Costa Rica

1. Get a guide. It's worth it. 2. Dont trust google maps! Parking is 1km away from the entrance down at the base of the hill, and charged at $5. They run shuttle buses from the lot to the gate. We saw so much that we would otherwise have walked right past. You can come and go through the day with one ticket. The hiking trails are well mapped and easy.

The tour was informative and our guide was knowledgeable about both the local wildlife and the ecosystem of the reserve. That said, we didn’t see much wildlife during the tour—so if spotting animals is your priority, I’d recommend checking out Curi Cancha Reserve instead, which tends to offer more opportunities for wildlife viewing. Still, the trails in Monteverde are absolutely stunning and worth exploring. I’d definitely suggest doing some additional hiking on your own after the guided portion to really soak in the beauty and tranquility of the cloud forest. A solid option for nature lovers, especially those interested in learning about the history and environment of the area.

Monteverde cloud forest is one of the icons of climate change research. This is the place where it was first established that climate change has a direct relation with species extinction with the extinction of the now famous golden toad. Many biologist and environmentalist visit and study this place. So when visiting this forest you need to come with the right mindset. To experience the beauty of a forest where most species survive on the unique phenomenon of clouds watering the forest rather than rain. If you come thinking you will see a bunch of animals or do a zip line or see a beautiful hanging bridge then unfortunately you would be disappointed. The canopy is very thick in Monteverde so animal sighting is harder than other reserves. How to experience this forest? Just peacefully walk through it , listen to the sound of nature and meditate. There is a point in the trail where you can see both the Caribbean and pacific side, do go see that if you can. I see a lot of people complaining about ticket charges and true if you expect something else you would be frustrated but note that your contribution is helping preserve this ecosystem which is already under decline. Try to not treat this as some entertainment spot, and trust me you will have a good time. It’s pretty much where the earth is truly breathing and coming alive. It’s magical and beautiful

Monteverde Cloud Forest is a famous destination, but there are a few important things to know before you go: 1.Ticket Location Confusion Make sure you go to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve Parking Lot to buy your tickets — not directly to the entrance! The entrance (called “Entrance to Monteverde Reserve”) is further up the road, but you can’t buy tickets there. If you go straight to the entrance without a ticket, you’ll have to go all the way back to the parking lot. 2.Free Shuttle Included There’s a free shuttle that takes you from the parking lot to the entrance, and it’s included in your ticket price — convenient and easy! Pricing Entrance fee is $26 USD per adult, and if you want a guided tour, it’s $23 USD extra per adult. 3.Road Condition The road leading to Monteverde Cloud Forest is quite rough and bumpy. Considering the relatively high entrance fee, I think they could invest in improving the access road a bit! 4. Getting There from town You can get to the parking lot by driving, taking public transport, or using a local shuttle service like PyP Transportations (about 4000 CRC round trip). All options are manageable, but some planning is helpful. 5. Bonus: Free Wi-Fi! One pleasant surprise was the free Wi-Fi available at the reserve — not something you’d expect in the middle of the cloud forest! Overall Experience Personally, I found the experience quite similar to rainforests in La Fortuna — lush and beautiful, but not drastically different. If you’ve already visited other rainforest areas in Costa Rica, this might not feel like a must-see. But if it’s your first cloud forest experience, it’s still worth checking out.

Really enjoyed the tour with Carlos and learned so much about illegal pet trafficking - and I thought I was fairly informed to begin with! Some beautiful and unique animals, mostly bound for release, which is so great to see, and a solid explanation for every animal that will need to finish their life at the facility. This is not a zoo, these are not pets, and the animals are treated with a lot of respect. Also lucked out and saw a wild sloth mother and baby while on the tour. Great experience. Definitely recommend.

Proyecto Asis is a sanctuary for many animals in Costa Rica that have been abandoned, have been injured, and kept illegally as pets. These include monkeys, birds, pigs, cats, and many others. Our guide Carlos was very knowledgeable and he was very entertaining explaining such hard topics such as poaching, illegal animal trade. He was great with the kids. The tour was great! This is a very worthy cause and I would recommend this to any visitors to Costa Rica.

I did both the sloth tour and the wildlife tour with Carlos, both tours are super fun, educational and informative! This place absolutely priorities the well-being of animals over anything else, and their practices reflect their value! The animals come from long history of illegal black market trades or from injury; the people here try their very best to safely release the animals back to the wild! The sloths we saw in the tour are wild. Proyecto Asis's land is connected to the greater rain forests, meaning that the sloths we were privileged to admire were just passing by! We learnt from the tour that, some other establishment in the Arenal area actually trap their sloths within their "natural" parks, and those spaces are definitely not enough for the sloths to feel safe. It is a sad reality that many tourists will not know. As tourists, we get to decide where our money go. If you believe that animals should be wild and free, please consider supporting Proyecto Asis's mission!

This was an amazing experience and one of the best things we did on our trip in Costa Rica. Carlos was an amazing guide and we learned a lot about the animals and how they do their best to rehabilitate them if possible. I highly recommend doing the volunteer option! The tour was great but we really loved that part of the visit.

This was a really eye opening tour (booked through their website) of this rehabilitation center for injured and rescued (from captivity) wild animals. Highly educational. Great for kids or anyone to learn from. The animals were beautiful and surrounding nature was wonderful. It is about a 30 minute drive from the center of La Fortuna give or take. The roads there are well paved.

This was the highlight tour of our trip! Carlos was so knowledgeable about the animals, the rehabilitation process, and engaged so well with the kids in our group. I have a lot of respect for Proyecto Asis and the work they do. We also helped prepare the food and then fed the monkeys. We all greatly enjoyed the experience, left feeling more educated about the animal trade in Costa Rica. Highly recommend this tour!

This place is worth every penny! Your money goes toward the ethical rehabilitation and release of animals. Our tour guide, Carlos, was fun, knowledgeable, and passionate. My family, including my 7-year-old daughter, loved the tour and the volunteering experience of making the animals their snacks. This was a worthwhile and memorable experience! I highly recommend this for anyone visiting Costa Rica-- especially because it highlights how to ethically visit the country in terms of experiencing its wonderful wildlife. We also got lucky and saw a wild sloth and her baby on the property 🦥 💜

The waterfall is FREE! Please park on the street to avoid paying for free parking and getting scammed. The "tour" guides will haggle you for money. Just walk right past them and avoid paying whatever they try to get out of you. The hike is a lot better with water shoes. You will probably get your feet/shoes wet while hiking up to the water fall. Wear closed shoes to protect toes. Maintain 3 points of contact while crossing over rocks. So you don't fall. Overall its worth it.

It’s not an easy hike, but definitely worth it. You’re going to want to be careful not to slip and use the ropes they’ve set up. It’s a beautiful reward for the long trek, but it definitely is hard getting there

The coolest hike we’ve done in Costa Rica! It’s an advanced hike. Expect to use both hands and feet to hike up - it’s more like mountain/rock climbing on some paths. Definitely not for the faint-hearted! Better wear closed toe shoes with a good grip. The “paths” are mostly under shades. Sometimes it’s not easy to figure out where the paths are, but we really enjoy the feeling of uncertainty and adventure. It’s rewarding to see three waterfalls along the hike and enjoy the scenic ponds. It definitely worths the efforts. The third waterfall is the most difficult to reach - it’s a steep downhill along the cliff with dusty and uneven surfaces. You can get support with the tree roots on the cliff and a couple of ropes. There is an easier path to get the third waterfall, which is through the main road that leads to the top close to Anamaya Resort (i.e. you don’t hike). However someone in an “uniform” set up a tent there to charge you USD 4 per person to access the trails. It’s hard to tell if they are scammer or not. You could also choose to stay at the first waterfall/pond as it’s relatively easy to get there.

Really cool hike. Wear closed toes shoes for the hike, and be prepared to cross the water stream. It will be difficult for people with physical disabilities or people who are fragile. It will take both hands, feet and some grit to hike to/from the waterfall. Once at the fall, you can swim in the natural pool. Awesome experience!

This is super cool - but beware, it is not a simple hike! It takes only about twenty minutes but your feet will get wet and you will have to climb through trees and use ropes to navigate to the lower falls. The water is cool but not cold and is 100% worth the small hike. Just wear good shoes! We had no problems leaving our stuff on rocks behind the falls to get in.

The hike can be difficult/slippery so do be careful and wear water shoes. They charge you 2k colones to park, you can get away from this by parking on the street if you want. Be aware that if you climb onto the hard part to waterfall 2&3 and decide to take the path/staircase way out they will stop you halfway and ask that you pay $5/person or go back to the “office” to pay by card… meanwhile telling you that people die going back and that you cannot go this way because it is private property. We don’t mind paying but there needs to be a sign at the beginning as this is basically holding people hostage. The company is called Sun Trails.

Great hike with Carlos as our guide. I'm absolutely positive it would not have been nearly as enjoyable without a guide. We quickly made it to the first big waterfall, taking easier paths that were not obvious. Recommend sandals or shoes, although I did see 2 young people hiking it barefoot... We then decided to tackle the 100+ stairs (freshly remade, so easy to navigate) to the higher waterfall (2mil CRC per person). I'm glad we did! There were only 3 people there, and we had fun jumping into the pool there (safely). Water was brown since it had been raining, but it was refreshing and felt clean. Again, having a guide helped, since I would never have felt comfortable jumping where I could not see.

Small island taken over by various tourist vendors with chairs everywhere. There’s barely any space left on the sand to relax, as it’s all occupied by chairs, and the sea is full of rocks that hurt your feet. There’s no fresh water available to rinse off the salt, and the restrooms are in very poor condition. But yes — it looks like paradise.

Had a blast snorkeling.!! Next time we plan to dive the other side of the island.!! Staff was very nice and the day was very enjoyable.! Had a great time coming back drunk and signing songs and dancing with everyone.!! 😜😁😜😁😜😁

Loved the day trip! The crew was amazing! Super personal and they were so kind. The wife and kids had a blast! This trip is great for adults or families. The crew made it a point to learn your name and made sure you were taken care of! If you’re looking for a one day get away this is definitely a trip that you should do! My 9 and 11 year old had a blast! I’d recommend this to anyone.

We took the Costa Cat tour. We had a great time, staff are very attentive. The snorkeling was ok, water too rough for me. But a lot of fish to see. Lunch was great! Really enjoyed the grilled chicken and rice. You get what you pay for on this tour.

I give it a 4 and half stars rating. Would have been 5 if it was a little less crowded. Picturesque beach, beautiful white sand, great vibe. There're few bars on the island to purchase drinks. You can chill under the sun, swim in the beautiful, pristine water, and paddle board out to the other nearby island. There are plenty of things to do. To get here, you have to either charter a boat or book a snorkeling tour. We booked a snorkeling tour, $85 per person, including door to door service and a (castado) lunch.

Very cool place that is unspoiled. Everything must me taken(food and drinks) by the tour operator and then removed off the island when heading back. The boat ride is long as the boat goes really slow. I did the Island hike and the snorkeling. I highly recommend this tour.

FANTASTIC! I highly recommend this trip. The catamaran ride is about 45 minutes, and we saw whales along the way. The setup on the island is terrific, and the staff is exceptional. The lunch served was excellent and the provided free drinks are okay. You can opt to purchase beer and other beverages from the bar. We enjoyed the snorkeling and the fish along the reef. There is also banana boat riding available if you choose to participate. Remember to bring water shoes!