Should I go from San Jose to Monteverde and then to Arenal or should I go to Arenal first?

Question

I am arriving in San Jose (Costa Rica) around noon and would like to visit Monteverde and Arenal before heading to the Nicoya peninsula (Montezuma). It is not entirely clear to me in which order I should plan my trip. Should I go from San Jose to Monteverde and then to Arenal or should I go to Arenal first and then head to Monteverde and then head to Montezuma? I will be driving a 4x4 and would like to do the route that makes the most sense and least amount of driving.

Answer 1

It's six of one and half a dozen of the other. It'll take about 1/2 a day to get to either from San Jose so it's a coin toss.  I haven't stayed around Arenal but it's beautiful there but Monteverde was simply wonderful !   My only warning for you there is that some of the places we stayed didn't have hot showers. Past that definitely make time to do a zip-line tour through the cloud forest, it rocks!

Answer 2

hey...

i suggest to go to arenal (la fortuna) first. i bet you anything that you or any of you wants to go to the hot springs there... if you go to montezuma first and then the arenal with a bit of tan... that's going to be painful. some times i drive people around and i see how people get the minimum tan and they pay the entrance to the springs and they don't enjoy it as much or the way they have to... then head to monteverde and then montezuma, for some crazy adventure and enjoy that water fall at montezuma.

ps. when you go to arenal, go through san ramon cuz if you like the canopy... north from san ramon, there is a canopy called san lorenzo. is on the road and up in the mountain to la fortuna