Cooking Coast to Coast in Costa Rica

DAY 1

• Arrival at Juan Santamaria International Airport. Meet your driver for a private transfer to your hotel in San José.
• You will stay for one night in San José at an intimate boutique hotel before proceeding to the Caribbean Coast. San Jose is Costa Rica’s capital city and it is home to all kinds of fabulous night life, restaurants, museums, and festivals. You will come across all sorts of interesting attractions in San Jose no matter what time of year you choose to stay.
• You will enjoy a welcome dinner around 7pm at the hotel restaurant.

DAY 2

• Pick-up at 6am to begin your shared transfer to Tortuguero. Tortuguero is a village by the sea, populated by a famous network of canals.
• At 8am, you will stop for a typical Costa Rican breakfast included at Río Danta Restaurant in Guápiles.
• Depart at 9:00 am for the Caño Blanco dock located in the Siquirres area.
•  Arrival at the Caño Blanco dock at 11am and transfer by boat to Tortuguero.
•  Arrive at your eco lodge accommodations  around 1:30pm and have lunch at the fabulous hotel restaurant.
• At 3pm, depart for a visit to Tortuguero Town and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation Museum and learn about the lifestyle of the local inhabitants.
• Return by boat to the hotel at 5pm and enjoy free time in the pool  or luxuriate in your surroundings.
• At 7:30pm, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

DAY 3

• Gather in the hotel lobby at 5:45 am for a private transfer to your next excursion. Complimentary coffee and cookies will be available.
• At approximately 6am you will begin your 2 hour boating  excursion through the Tortuguero canals. You will see all manner of flora and fauna, and likely a selection of the unique wildlife of costa Rica as well. For those hoping to spot a frog or a sloth, this will likely be your chance to do so.
• Return to the hotel at 8am for a breakfast of fresh fruit, pastries, gallo pinto, and more.
• Around 9am, you will take a walk on the private trails of the Hotel, catching sight of natural wonders you may not have been able to see during your excursion to the canals.
• After your walk, you will take a private transfer by boat around 11:30am  from the hotel to Tortuguero town.
• Once you reach Tortuguero town, you will assemble for a Caribbean cooking class. This class will focus on coconut and will include lessons on making coconut oil, coconut fudge, and coconut shrimp. You will eat lunch together following the lesson and enjoy the sights and sounds of this lovely village.
• Return to the hotel around 2pm for free time.
• Meet for an upscale Caribbean style dinner at at the hotel restaurant around 7:30pm. Enjoy a selection of original dishes based on traditional fare, as well as classic Costa Rican delicacies.
• Afterward you may meet for an optional night tour for “the search of the Green Turtle,” which is included in your hotel stay. This is in reference to the fact that Tortuguero is host to the protected nesting beaches of the Green Turtle.

DAY 4

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Meet at the dock at 9am for your private 2-hour boat ride to Caño Blanco.
• Board the bus for your shared transfer to Guápiles, where you will have a lovely lunch at a family-style restaurant nestled amidst the greenery of Braulio Carrillo National Park.
• Arrive at Río Danta Restaurant in Guápiles for lunch around 12:45 pm. You will try a variety of traditional Costa Rican food and international cuisine that has been integrated into the local flavor.
• Depart for Sarapiqui around 1:45pm for a Chocolate experience.
•  Arrive in Sarapiqui around 3pm for The Best Chocolate Tour. You will learn about the chocolate-making production from expert guides, tasting your way through the entire process. You will take part in a demonstration led by the chocolatier in charge of edible samples.
• Afterward you will have another private transfer to La Fortuna, or Volcán Arenal. La Fortuna is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica because of its hot springs, which are a biproduct of the Arenal Volcan. The hot springs are rich in minerals associated with well-being, and your hotel actually has its own private network of hot springs which you can enjoy during your stay. Additionally, the national park boasts the country’s largest artificial lake, Lake Arenal, which is surrounded by picturesque mountains and forest.
• Arrive at your hotel around 6:15pm.
• Relax in the hot springs before having dinner on your own at the hotel or in La Fortuna. Your guide or the hotel staff can recommend local options.
• Overnight.

DAY 5

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• meet for a private transfer to Sky Adventures Arenal at 8:30 am.
• Take a cable car to the viewpoint, heading upward toward the volcano.
• Meet for your Sky Walk tour at 10am, and take a guided tour in the hanging bridges. You will see parts of the forest that would be unavailable to you from the ground, and learn all about Costa Rica’s rich natural world. This sightseeing adventure in the air will change the way you think about the rainforest and give you a one-of-a-kind look at this unique ecosystem.
• Stop for lunch around 1pm at an intimate local restaurant.
• Return to the hotel in La Fortuna and rest for a few hours before your next cooking class. You may want to spend more time in the delightful private hot springs at your hotel or book a spa treatment.
• At 5pm, you will transfer to a local cooking school for your next class. Here, you will learn to make typical Costa Rican dishes based on the local agriculture. Your instructor will guide you through regional gastronomic production while teaching you about La Fortuna’s favorite foods.
• Afterward, you will eat dinner together before returning to the hotel in La Fortuna.
• Overnight.

DAY 6

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Meet in the lobby for a private transfer from La Fortuna to Papagayo Gulf around 8am.
• Arrive in Guanacaste around 11:30am and check into your hotel. You will have access to all manner of activities and amenities during your stay, and you may choose to book additional tours or a massage.
• After checking in, you may take lunch at your leisure, as all meals are included in your stay. The restaurant offers a variety of local and international dishes based on seasonal offerings and the catch of the day.
• The rest of the day can be spent at leisure or exploring nearby beaches and attractions.
• Dinner at the hotel at your leisure.
• Overnight.

DAY 7

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• During your second leisure day in Papagayo Gulf, you will have time to relax and enjoy the sun and sea, or take part in hotel activities. You might go scuba diving or take another guided hike.
• You may also choose to arrange a third cooking class with the hotel, which is included in the cost of your trip. If you do take part, you will learn to make Pacific Coast specialties such as ceviche and fried plantains. Your class will likely be based around the catch of the day and seasonal fruit.
• If you would like to explore Guanacaste on your own, you may also arrange for additional transportation with the hotel.
• You may take lunch and dinner at the hotel at your leisure.
• Overnight.

DAY 8

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Enjoy a final morning of free time at the hotel. You may choose to squeeze in a final excursion in Guanacaste or relax in the sun until your transfer back to the city.
• Meet at the hotel around 2pm for a private  transfer from Papagayo Gulf to San José.
• Arrive at the San José Hotel around 7:30pm.
• Dinner on your own.
• Overnight.

DAY 9

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Transfer out to International Airport Juan Santamaria.