Home & + | Search
Featured Categories: Special Focus | Performance Reviews | Previews | DanceSpots | Arts and Education | Press Releases
Join ExploreDance.com's email list | Mission Statement | Copyright notice | The Store | Calendar | User survey | Advertise
Click here to take the ExploreDance.com user survey.
Your anonymous feedback will help us continue to bring you coverage of more dance.
SPOTLIGHT:
ADVENTURES ABROAD
ExploreDance.com (Magazine)
Web
Other Search Options
Robert Abrams
Adventures Abroad
Costa Rica
San Jose, OT (Costa Rica)

A Tour to Arenal Volcano

by Robert Abrams
September 9, 2006
San Jose, OT (Costa Rica)

Dance Adventures in Costa Rica

  • Castro's Bar - Contender for Best Latin Club on the Planet - 9/7/2006 - by Robert Abrams.
  • CMC2006 Banquet with Dance Performances - 9/7/2006 - by Robert Abrams.
  • Pueblo Antiguo Show to benefit the Costa Rican Children's Hospital - 9/8/2006 - by Robert Abrams.
  • A Tour to Arenal Volcano - 9/9/2006 - by Robert Abrams.
  • Castro's Bar is Crowded on a Saturday Night but There is Still Plenty of Space to Dance - 9/10/2006 - by Robert Abrams.
  • Video of Costa Rican Cumbia at Castro's Bar - 9/10/2006 - by Robert Abrams.
  • Not everything can be about dance when you go on a trip. Sometimes you have to shop.

    I took a tour organized by Viajes Kymbo (www.viajeskymbo.com) to the Arenal Volcano and hot springs. The tour was led by German Sibaja, who proved to be a very able and entertaining tour guide. I recommend him highly as he went above and beyond what can reasonably be expected from a tour guide. He can be reached at german944@hotmail.com and 236-1313 for a variety of tours originating from San Jose, Costa Rica. He can sing quite well too.

    We visited a cooperative in the town of Sarchi that featured the work of many artisans. The items ranged from high quality souvenirs to moderately priced art. It was a good place to get your shopping done all at once. They take both Dollars, Colones and credit cards. The town of Sarchi also features the world's largest oxcart. It looks like the sort of thing someone built just so they could claim to have the world's largest oxcart, but it is rather impressive. This isn't a criticism, by the way. After all, New York City did succumb to the painted cow delirium that swept the US some years ago.

    We stopped a couple of times to admire the lush greenery of the cloud forest, although we didn't actually go into the forest. If you want to go looking for monkeys and birds, that's a different tour. You can also do tours where you slide on a cable from one tree top to another.

    Our final destination was the Arenal Volcano Hot Springs Resort. Make sure to bring a bathing suit. The tour description recommended that you bring a towel, but it turned out you didn't need to bring one as a towel was part of the package at the resort. We had about three hours to sit in natural hot springs fed by the volcano. These included waterfalls and a pool with a "Wet Bar" (you can sit in the pool and order alcoholic drinks). They also have a slide (if you wear glasses, take them off before using the slide). The water smells a little of sulphur, but you would expect that from a volcano. It was very relaxing.

    We had a buffet dinner at the resort. The food was great.

    German had promised our group that we would see active lava flows. Despite the fact that it started raining, he came through. The lava flows were a little faint through the rain and because they were far away (thank goodness), but still quite impressive. If you want good photos of the lava, bring a good camera with a long telephoto lens and a tripod.

    All in all it was a good change of pace from the conference.
    The world's largest oxcart

    The world's largest oxcart

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    The world's largest oxcart

    The world's largest oxcart

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Robert Abrams stands in front of the world's largest oxcart

    Robert Abrams stands in front of the world's largest oxcart

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Robert Abrams stands in front of the world's largest oxcart

    Robert Abrams stands in front of the world's largest oxcart

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Costa Rican mountain greenery - the cloud forest

    Costa Rican mountain greenery - the cloud forest

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    More Costa Rican greenery

    More Costa Rican greenery

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    An advertisement for a canopy adventure tour (that's not a real person up on the cable, but it could be you if you take one of these tours)

    An advertisement for a canopy adventure tour
    (that's not a real person up on the cable, but it could be you if you take one of these tours)

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Costa Rican flowers

    Costa Rican flowers

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    More forest

    More forest

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Our comfortable bus

    Our comfortable bus

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Costa Rican flowers outside the restaurant where we had lunch

    Costa Rican flowers outside the restaurant where we had lunch

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Arenal Volcano

    Arenal Volcano

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Arenal Volcano

    Arenal Volcano

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    What can I say? Volcanos are cool. Unless you get too close.

    What can I say? Volcanos are cool. Unless you get too close.

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Robert Abrams with Arenal Volcano in the distance

    Robert Abrams with Arenal Volcano in the distance

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    A man made lake

    A man made lake

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Hot springs at the Arenal Resort

    Hot springs at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Hot springs at the Arenal Resort

    Hot springs at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Verdant plant life at the Arenal Resort

    Verdant plant life at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Interesting plant life at the Arenal Resort

    Interesting plant life at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Steam rising from the hot springs at the Arenal Resort

    Steam rising from the hot springs at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    A path at the Arenal Resort

    A path at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    People sitting in a waterfall at the Arenal Resort

    People sitting in a waterfall at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    More waterfall.

    More waterfall.

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    More waterfall. You can walk in the streams, but you might want to bring a pair of water shoes.

    More waterfall. You can walk in the streams, but you might want to bring a pair of water shoes.

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    More waterfall.

    More waterfall.

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    The pool with the 'wet bar'

    The pool with the "wet bar"

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    A little girl shoots off of the slide. Addictive adreneline rush.

    A little girl shoots off of the slide.
    Addictive adreneline rush.

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    A flower with the slide in the background

    A flower with the slide in the background

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    By the pool at the Arenal Resort

    By the pool at the Arenal Resort

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams


    Active lava flow at the top of the Arenal Volcano. The picture doesn't do it justice. Go and see it for yourself.

    Active lava flow at the top of the Arenal Volcano.
    The picture doesn't do it justice.
    Go and see it for yourself.

    Photo © & courtesy of Robert Abrams

    Search for articles by
    Performance Reviews, Places to Dance, Fashion, Photography, Auditions, Politics, Health