We spent a week in C.R. with friends. It was their 20 year anniversary and our 15 year anniversary. Four forty-somethings had an incredible time! Amy Lentz and her husband Jose run the business. Amy is from Baltimore, she moved to C.R. about 11 years ago. She is VERY knowledgeable and helpful.

I e-mailed Amy that we were coming and arranged for pick-up at the airport. She e-mailed a confirmation and asked if we had any day trips in mind. She offered advice on her favorites and we booked 3: the Miravalles Volcano Adventure, the All Day Beaches Tour, and the All Day White Water Adventure. We decided tour tour every-other day. My husband couldn't believe I was going to do all this (I might break a nail!) but I did and it was breathtaking! NOTE: C.R. phone system is a little "shaky". Amy sometimes doesn't get your e-mails!! Try sending them a couple of times. I actually called her and finalized our arrangements.

The miravalles Tour was amazing! Jose picked us up-just the four of us-and we drove to the volcano. There was a cooler in the back full of water, soda, beer, wine and snacks. He stopped several times to let us take pictures and shop. He was a wealth of information about the people, vegitation and towns--anything.
We arrived at the base of Miravalles to do our Zip-line Tour. Again we were the only 4 people in the place. We had 3 guides helping us the whole time it was amazing!! The last zip-line is over 1200 feet long!! Afterwards we walked over and had an amazing home cooked C.R. lunch--delicious!! After lunch we drove farther up the volcano until we could go no further. Here we changed over to horseback for about 45 min ride further up. We dismounted and started up a jungle trail and popped out at a 100 foot long hanging bridge that traversed a gorge with a 100 foot waterfall roaring down it--STUNNING! We crossed the bridge and hiked up the trail to 3 more falls. All the while we are the only people for miles! After hiking and riding back down to the van, Jose drove us to the Thermals (bubbling mud pits and steam vents). We had a little tour of the area and the covered ourselves with beautifying volcanic mud (it didn't work!) Then we rinsed off and sat in the thermal pools. Jose brought over some wine and we soaked our forty-something bones for a while. Jose stopped at the grocery store in Liberia on the way back so we could buy the special sauce we'd had at lunch and some more of the delicious C.R. wine he had served us earlier. Jose had been catering to us for 13 hours, yet he smiled and thanked US when he dropped us at the resort.

The Beaches Tour was our second trip with Avispas. Amy and a driver picked us up this time, again it was just the four of us for the day. We had said we wanted to do some snorkeling so she took us to Playa Conchal, a beach made up of all shell bits instead of sand. Next we went to a restaurant on the beach. I sat with my toes in the sand and had a platter full of lobster, jumbo shrimp and calamari! ($17.00 USD) From here Amy toured us around until we ended up at PLaya Hermosa for the sunset. Another wonderful day!!

Our last trip was the All Day White Water Adventure - you have to ask about this one because the 'All Day' isn't on their web site yet. The other couple we were traveling with were not so thrilled with the white water idea but agreed to go since our first 2 trips had been so amazing. It did not disappoint--class III and IV rapids in the middle of the jungle! Please do not let this scare you away it really is a well run operation and they stress safety. We had good quality life jackets (not the little orange cheap things) and helmets as well as knowledgeable guides. There was also a guide in a "safety" kayak on the river with us at all times. They tell how to paddle, when to paddle, when to get-down in the boat and what to do if you get tossed. :) Yes....we got tossed. On our second class four chute we flipped, but really not that big of a deal. You get wet and you get to the edge and then back in the boat you go! It was a bit scarey when it was happening - because its happening so fast- but lookng back it wasn't that bad. We survived the "BIG ONE" with out tipping. An S-shaped 12+ foot drop - (Hail Mary pray for us NOW! this IS the hour of our death! :) Just kidding - None of us would give this day back for anything! DO IT! After we got off the river they shuttled us back for a nice lunch at the restaurant over looking the Coribici River. The rafting company also takes pictures of you and you can purchase them in CD form. We paid $35 for about 75 pictures of us on the river and 250 pictures they had pre-loaded of C.R. wildlife.

AVISPAS offers many adventures just google their website. They are a first class operation with first class service. KUDOS to Amy and Jose for making this the trip of a lifetime!!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I'd be glad to offer some insite.