Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Part resort lodge, part organic farm, Rancho Margot is 152 acres of cinematic loveliness,
set along the rushing Río Caño Negro and surrounded by rainforested mountains. There
are comfortable dorm-style bunkhouse accommodations. If your budget allows, spring for
a beautiful teak-furnished bungalow, its deck strung with a hammock and blessed with
views of hulking mountains, weeping jungle and placid lake. Two-night minimum.
Prices include all meals, a two-hour guided tour of the farm and two daily yoga classes.
Hiking trails and (free) hot springs are at hand. There's also a handful of tours on offer, as
well as a full-service spa. Staff are predominantly students and volunteers, so professional-
ism can be hit-and-miss.
La Gavilana Herbs & Art
BAKERY, GALLERY
( 2479-1747;
lagavilana.discoverelcastillo.com
; items US$2-6; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat)
Meet Thomas and Hannah. He's Czech and makes the hot sauce and vinegar; she's Amer-
ican and bakes the cookies and breads. Their place is decked with paintings (by Hannah),
while the grounds contain a food forest (by Thomas), filled with medicinal herbs and fruit
trees. The whole place is filled with love, beauty and creativity. It's 100m uphill from
Essence Arenal hostel.
La Mesa de Mama
COSTA RICAN
Sit down at the picnic tables for Mama's tasty,
tipica
home cooking.
Getting There & Away
El Castillo is located 8km past the entrance to Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal. It's a rough
gravel road, and it only gets worse once you pass through the village. A 4WD is is re-
quired in the rainy season and recommended year-round. There is no public transportation,
but Essence Arenal runs a shuttle to La Fortuna (6$).
Laguna de Arenal
About 18km west of La Fortuna you'll arrive at a 750m-long causeway across the dam
that created Laguna de Arenal, an 88-sq-km lake and the largest in the country. A number
