Costa Rica - week 3 of 3
- Jocelyn Timmermans
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
February 22-27, 2026
Feb. 22
From the central northern highlands we drove through Monteverde, to Basilito on the west coast.
Hotel Brasilito was right by the beach. We stayed one night. Once we were down at sea level, temperates hit 95F!
Feb. 23 -- A 2-hour drive got us to Hacienda Guachipelin Volcano Ranch Hotel and Hot Springs. This resort included free access to 7 waterfalls, hotsprings and mud baths.
We arrived at 11:00am and then hiked to waterfalls 28, 26, 3 & 2.
First we spent an hour at the pool since it was too early to check in.
We hiked a total of 7 km.
Turquesa Pond.
Red Pond. The natives used this rock to color their faces.
Las Chorreras waterfall
This was one of the few fancier accomodations but we were all in one room and it had no kitchen. So we ate in the restaurant.
Feb. 24 -- Leona Waterfall tour
This tour was exciting!
An owl resting on the cliff face.
Here we had to pull ourselves upstream on the rope.
Careful steps, thankful for handholds.
In the afternoon we visited the Rio Negro hotsprings.
After we dropped off our towels at the checkin station, we crossed the road to do the Reo Negro Falls trail.
There were three different waterfalls just a bit off the main trail. #1
#3 We all got bitten by minuscule noseeum bugs which left us itching and covered in red bumps for two weeks.
A monkey bridge above the road. We stopped to watcha whole clan cross.
Feb. 25
Oropendola Waterfall was a 15-minute walk.
As you can see on Janet's face, the water was "The coldest yet!"
Back at the restort, I had my first Pina Colada. Delicious! All that fresh sun-ripened fruit.
And then we went tubing which was great fun!!!
Then we drove back to the same place we'd stayed at the first night, on the outskirts of Liberia: The Garden Apartments for two final nights.
Feb. 26 - Denise brought Janice to the airport early.
Then we wandered through Liberia.
Cortes Administration 1936-1940. This was a museum but first it was a prison and then police headquarters.
Ornate stones used to grind corn.
AD 1000-1350
A short drive got us to Playa Penca beach. We had to walk through a resort to get there. Denise saw a giant sea turtle while snorkling and Simon ended up stepping on a spikey black sea urchin that left him limping. Good thing it was our last day.
Prickly Pear cactus.
Our last stop was at Flamingo Beach which was right by a village.
Cheers and a toast to a wonderful holiday.
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