Recently updated on July 3rd, 2025 at 11:47 am
Time to make our way to Arenal via Sarapiqui and it was pouring rain. I guess we are in the middle of a rainforest! At tiny Sarapiqui we stopped at a pineapple farm, the only one of its kind in the world where they produce certified organic golden pineapples. The guide’s stories about how to choose the best pineapple in your local supermarket and the demonstrations were very entertaining. The tastings were lovely and we all had a great time.
Next, we enjoyed one of Trafalgar’s Local Specialities, a visit to a Tico family home and palm plantation. The family were charming and the palm heart snack they prepared for us was absolutely delicious! The demonstration was really delightful and we wanted to buy some of this palm heart dish, but the lady of the house would not hear of it. She offered us some to take away free of charge, which was totally unexpected and a lovely warm gesture.
Our next stop was at a local market where Jorge suggested we do some souvenir shopping, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Later we had lunch at a tropical restaurant that not only offered great food but the most beautiful views. We even saw crocodiles in the river!
We arrived at the hotel in Arenal to find it was set in a lovely location and commanded a stunning view of the smoking Arenal volcano. Dinner was on our own this evening, so we went into the nearby town of La Fortuna with a few of the other guests. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of seafood rice at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the local bar where we chatted to the locals, enjoyed the musicians and had a fantastic evening! I absolutely loved exploring this great little town.
Look out for part three coming next week!
Theresa, Angela & Kelly Szejwallo
South Africa