Tee Time – Golf & Nature

Arrival at San Jose’s Juan Santamaría International Airport.

After passing through Immigration you will be met by a member of our team, who will give you the most important information about your trip and will also take you to the San José hotel.

Today will be your first game in Costa Rica.
You will play in one of the first golf courses in Costa Rica, since its inauguration in 1973 world-class events has taken place, especially on our golf course.

Its designer George Fazio worked hard to build not only a work of art but also a legacy which today, without any fear, we can affirm is the most complete golf course in Costa Rica, its maturity and character have made the Cariari Country Club golf course the most challenging of all the courses in Costa Rica.
After a great game, you can have lunch at their restaurant Hole 19, or even visit one of our favorites, The Shrimp Shack, just walking distance from the club.

You will depart early in the morning to Herradura Beach, in the mid-Pacific, to play at La Iguana Golf Course at Los Sueños Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort.

The drive is about 1.5 hours, so you can stop on the way for a nice lunch.

Ted Robinson created the La Iguana course at Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort through the tropical rainforest where monkeys and parrots will join you as you play along this amazing course.

This golf course is richly landscaped to include exotic native plants, banana trees, orchids, monkeys, and more than 150 species of birds and local wildlife. PGA-qualified golf professionals, a vast driving range, a putting green, and TaylorMade rental equipment provide members with the finest of Costa Rica golf facilities and services.

After your game, you can enjoy the beach, or even take a guided walk in Carara National Park or a Crocodile Safari tour in the tárcoles River.

Overnight in San José.

From this point on your adventurous road trip starts. You’ll travel to the Arenal Volcano, passing through some of the most luscious and progressive agricultural areas of Costa Rica.
You will get to see pineapples, yuca or cassava, plantains, papayas, and much more along the road, keep an eye on sloths, and toucans, as they can be quite common on the trees along the way.
The number of activities you can participate in this region is extensive. There is something for everyone, from the most adventurous to visitors who just want to relax away from it all. You will find canopy tours and white water rafting, nature walks and bike rides, hot springs, and spas.

You will have one full day in the Arenal Volcano region. Explore the area, take optional activities at extra cost, or just relax at your hotel and its facilities.
We offer you a great variety of activities such as guided hikes, white water rafting, canyoneering, cooking classes, tours of waterfalls, birdwatching, hot springs, and much more. So contact us for the extra options that you might be interested in.

Our recommendation is to start early so you have time to stop as much as you like on this more than picturesque route. The views are truly breathtaking!
You will travel across the Arenal National Park rainforests first and then around the lake. We highly recommend you stop at the popular German Bakery in the town of Nuevo Arenal.
You will go across the small and peaceful city of Tilarán and start going up the mountains to the cloud forests of Monteverde.
You will notice the landscape and climate changes, and see the humidity crawling on the moss that covers trees and rocks.
As you get closer to Santa Elena you will enjoy your first activity, the Trapiche Tour.
A Costa Rican family runs the 2-hour El Trapiche tour.
You'll see the farm's tilapia, banana, arracache, macadamia nut, orange, sugar cane, and coffee crops.
During the walk, your guide will show you how sugar cane is grown, tell you about its natural history, and let you taste it. After this, the coffee production process begins with planting, crushing, peeling, and machine roasting.
You'll also be invited to ride an oxcart from the sugar cane plantation to the mill (or walk). At the mill, you'll see sugar cane juice extracted.
The tour continues with an exhibit of traditional Costa Rican artifacts like a wood stove, marimba, and pylon. You'll see 'Saca de Guaro' made (a liquor distilled with pure water). You'll see how artisans process sugar cane and its products.
The tour ends with arracache and a drink (lemonade, coffee, or Aguadulce – a hot drink made from sugarcane). As a souvenir, you'll get a sugar cane sweet.

On this day you will enjoy the fantastic Selvatura!
Selvatura Park has ziplining, hanging bridges, butterfly and hummingbird gardens, an amphibians and reptiles exhibit, and a sloths rescue center. Please let us know in advance which activities you’d like to include in your package.

You can also visit one of the many private reserves where you can see many different species of birds, trees, and even white-faced monkeys. We also recommend the twilight tour, which will give you a very nice experience of what happens when the cloud forest gets dark.

On this day, you will travel to the North Pacific coast to your hotel of choice.

IMPORTANT:
**If you are traveling during the sunny season or peak season, please talk to us at your earliest convenience to reserve early.**

Today you will be playing in Reserva Conchal or Pinilla Golf Course, depending on availability.

Reserva Conchal is a truly memorable golf experience that awaits you. The course has been designed in the classic tradition of the game with two distinct nine-hole segments of pure golf.

This is environmentally sensitive golf at its best, with the course incorporated with the native Costa Rican landscape. Careful attention has gone into preserving and enhancing the native forest and mangroves.

Hacienda Pinilla is a 4,500-acre gated community that boasts a world-class golf resort. The golf course is an 18-hole, par-72 masterpiece designed by Mike Young that offers golfers a challenging yet rewarding experience. The course winds through verdant tropical forests, pristine white-sand beaches, and a breathtaking coastline, making for one of the most picturesque and awe-inspiring golfing experiences in the world.

Day at Leisure.

Today you will have the opportunity to relax at the sea or explore the area and the different activities available for you.

Ranked among the “Top 100 Courses Outside the United States” by Golf Digest, our 18-hole, par-72, Arnold Palmer-designed course pairs dramatic elevation changes with stunning views of Bahía de Culebra. Play among the chatter of monkeys from the surrounding, emerald-green forests.

This Golf Course is an optional activity.

Departure to SJO or LIR Airport.
If you are departing from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and your flight departs before 4 pm (16.00hrs), we recommend that you spend your last night close to the airport in San José.

You can also extend one more night at the beach.

Departure from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)

**NOTE**
This applies only if you have to stay an extra night in San José.