Costa Rica’s Greeting Can Be Pretty Spectacular : Volcano Adds Touch of Drama to Costa Rica Trip

We sat in the waters of a swimming pool near La Fortuna, our eyes on Mt. Arenal, a few miles away.

Sitting in a pool watching a mountain may not sound very exotic, but when that mountain is an active volcano, it evokes more than just your normal emotions.

It was dusk. Though the top of the mountain was covered with clouds, we could see little puffs of steam rolling down its sides. As daylight faded, color emerged.

The clouds surrounding the cone sporadically took on a rosy glow, and soon the puffs of steam turned fiery red--ribbons of molten lava oozed down the mountain.

The next morning we went to the piedmont of Mt. Arenal and climbed part way up. It was still active, but we now could hear as well as see it.

With irregular frequency we heard loud thunderclaps, followed by a noise similar to that made by corn popping. But these were not tasty little morsels, they were rocks and lava ejected from the core of the volcano.

Bouncing Rocks

Sometimes the rocks fell close enough for us to see them bounce; mostly we saw only puffs of steam descending from the convulsive turmoil above us.

The citizens of the inaptly named La Fortuna, which lies in the path of this restive volcano, go about their lives with a remarkable equanimity, despite periodic eruptions up to a mile high, the last one in 1985.

We slept without a worry in the small, new Motel San Bosco in La Fortuna, after congratulating ourselves on the reasonable price--only $6 U.S. a night for three of us in an exceptionally clean room with bath.

Active volcanoes, each spectacular in its own way, are commonplace in Central America. We visited several during our stay, but none put on a show like Mt. Arenal’s.

Several are alarmingly close to heavily populated areas. Only a few miles from San Jose, the capital, is Irazu. It greeted President John F. Kennedy’s arrival with an unexpected salute in March, 1963, and has erupted several times since.

Nearby, and easily accessible from the city, is volcano Poas, with two craters--one a beautiful, emerald-green lake, the other ominously steaming.

Despite the volcanoes, this little country the size of West Virginia is a bonanza for nature freaks of any kind.

Though only 10 degrees north of the Equator, the climate in San Jose is mild, averaging 72 degrees all year. In a valley about 3,500 feet above sea level, the city is surrounded by mountains, some of which are more than two miles high.

The country has two seasons--wet and dry. Even during the rainy winters, morning sunlight is the norm. My hosts, a son and daughter-in-law in Costa Rica on sabbaticals, preferred the winter because of its lush greenery.

Hotel Prices

In San Jose, deluxe resort hotels are $40 to $150 a night. First-class hotels, mostly downtown, cost $22 to $85. Apartment hotels are $175 to $200 a week, or $500 to $800 a month.

There are, of course, some very economical places, but they may or may not have their own bathrooms, and their cleanliness is sometimes suspect.

Though we ate many of our meals at home--the market is filled with delicious tropical fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh fish and shellfish--we had our favorite places for eating out.

Sodas are fast-food places, and the one we returned to time and again was Soda Tapia. Its arreglados-- delicious hamburger-type sandwiches--followed by a fabulous ice cream with fresh-fruit dessert, is a must. The arreglado costs about $1.25, and the dessert $2 to $2.50.

Two good hotels, the Amstel and the Bougainvillea, serve excellent meals for about $10. Steak dinners at Las Cascadas also cost about $10. For quiet elegance, Chalet Suizo is highly recommended. Prices, of course, vary, depending on what one orders, but they are generally somewhat below stateside prices and they include a 10% tip and tax.

Curio shops abound in San Jose, and many of the outlying villages sell their own specialties. Sarchi, about half an hour’s drive from the capital, is great for wooden handicrafts--everything from jewelry to furniture to Costa Rica’s famous, brightly painted wagons. Leather craft also is popular and can be found in most curio shops.

Coffee is an excellent buy, whether whole beans or ground. It makes a great gift, especially with one of the little coffee makers called a choreador.

It consists of a wooden stand, like a small easel, from which is suspended a cloth bag through which one pours boiling water over ground coffee.

Potpourri of Creatures

Nature buffs are offered a potpourri of native creatures, including tropical fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and insects. We found them everywhere--in cloud forests, tropical rain forests, dry forests, on the plains and at the seashore.

Water sports and nature go hand in hand. White-water rafting on the Reventazon River combines an exciting and thrilling adventure with superb scenery. These trips cost $59 to $65 a day, depending on which river and what is supplied.

Fishing trips can be arranged through fishing lodges or tour companies in San Jose. They start at about $125 a day, including boat, guide, room and all meals.

A room with bath at the Hotel Cahuita cost $20 for the three of us. After signing in, we went to nearby Puerto Viejo for a superb lobster dinner at Stanford’s Lobster Cafe. The lobsters were caught that night after we had ordered them, and the delicious dinner cost only $8 for three.

Within 24 hours of a swim in the Caribbean, including a brief stop at our San Jose headquarters for camping gear, we were bathing in the Pacific Ocean.

Because it is considered the most beautiful beach in Costa Rica and because its campsites cost only $1 a night, Manuel Antonio is always crowded. But we found a space, and though early--not yet 7 p.m.--it was dark; a year-round equinox prevails this close to the Equator.

One national park worth visiting is Tortuguero. A tour bus from San Jose took us to Moin, a village on the Caribbean side, where we boarded the Mawamba, a river launch, for a seven-hour jungle trip to our lodgings at Sabina’s Cabinas.

Tours to Tortuguero cost $75 to $100 per person for a weekend, including meals. The round trip on the launch costs $16 a person, and Sabina charges $6 to $12.50 for a double, per night.

Several endangered species are protected in Tortuguero, among them the manatee, great green macaw, migrant peregrine falcon, tapir and cougar.

Deeper Into the Inlets

You can’t see all of them from the river launch, nor were we lucky enough to see very many, but at the lodge we engaged a boatman and his cayuca, a small native boat, to take us deeper into the narrow inlets.

In a tree, neatly camouflaged by dappled sunlight, hung a jaguar, enjoying a few winks as we glided silently past him.

Tortuguero also is famous for the giant turtle. Envied by other naturalists is the traveler who can be around to watch these amphibians lumbering out of the Caribbean to dig their nests and lay their eggs in the sand, and two months later be present when the hundreds and hundreds of tiny offspring hatch and make their perilous journey to the sea.

In Monteverde, a wildlife preserve, we stayed at the Quetzal Inn. It costs about $19 a night per person, including three family-style meals.

Because of the host’s interest in bird watching--he has a delightful nook in the garden with a small pool, surrounding by bird feeders--Audubon tours and groups of biologists frequent the place.

From the porch we watched hummingbirds and songbirds and a few squirrels and rabbits. The highlight of our bird watching, however, was in the adjacent cloud forest.

There we saw the shy, elusive quetzal, which does not survive in captivity, so can be seen only in its native habitat.

A soft, fuzzy-looking crest and a smooth cowl, both jade green, blend into a brilliant red breast. The shorter tail feathers are white, but are topped by others that are long and of the same jewel-like jade green. Her shorter tail easily distinguishes the female from her mate.

The quetzal is considered one of the world’s most beautiful birds. But it is only one of many; the tropical forest teems with a wide variety, their songs and calls filling the air.

Among the more exotic are toucans, cockatoos, parrots, macaws, orpendulas (weaver birds) and mot-mots.

There are hundreds of species of native orchids in Costa Rica, both parasitic and free-growing, in a variety of sizes and colors.

Wild Flowers

Multihued impatiens grows wild, vying with ferns as they carpet the shoreline and the sides of cliffs near streams and waterfalls.

Bougainvillea, poinsettia, Mexican creeper, wild roses--on and on--blooms both dazzling and delicate delight the eye wherever it rests.

Bright colors are not confined to flowers and birds.

Some trees are spectacular because of their height, soaring as much as 200 feet; others produce blooms so beautiful that they leave one awe-struck--gold showers, white, blue, incredible reds, oranges and purples.

Many of the world’s most sought-after woods come from these tropics--teak, rosewood, mahogany. They are the source of medicines, resins, nuts, fruits and other useful products.

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Costa Rica is served by several airlines. The country’s own national line is LACSA, which charges $400 round trip from Los Angeles to San Juan. Mexicana costs $600 round trip, while Pan Am is $632 to $645.

Resort hotels in San Jose cost from $80-$135 per night, single or double. Most feature horseback riding, golf, tennis, saunas, swimming and casino gambling. Included are the hotels Carinari, Aurola (a Holiday Inn), Corobici, Sheraton Herradura and the La Mariposa Hotel at Manuel Antonio Beach.

Less luxurious, but comfortable and conveniently located, are several San Jose hotels priced at $40-$80, including the hotels Irazu, Torremolinos and Bouganvillea, and the historic, 100-year-old Gran Hotel Costa Rica.

For under $40 a night, there are several good ones--the Ambassador, Balmoral, Don Carlos, Amstel and Presidente.

As for dining, try Rias Bajas, which specializes in seafood. Dinner, with wine, runs $20 and up. Others, also in the $20-$25 price range, include La Coq Hardi, L’ll de France, Greta’s and Chalet Suizo. Less expensive restaurants ($5-$10, including wine) are the Lucas, Lancaster and Balcon de Europa.

Several rivers offer white-water rafting. Tours on the Reventazon, Sarapiqui and Corobici, all class 2 and 3 rivers, cost $74-$85, and include a guide.

EcoTours, an agency of the Costa Rica Tourist Board in Los Angeles, offers a basic tour--San Jose Delight--for $549 per person, double occupancy. The price includes air fare, seven nights at the Ambassador Hotel, transfers to and from the airport, and a half-day tour of San Jose. It’s a great way to become acquainted with the country. Call toll-free (800) 882-1885 or (213) 385-1215.

For more information on travel to Costa Rica, contact the Costa Rica Tourist Board, 3540 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 404, Los Angeles 90010, (213) 382-8080.