Northern Plains, Costa Rica

Volcanic country in motion — Arenal, protected forest, warm water, and the first unmistakable change of landscape.

About Northern Plains

A sense of place.

The Northern Plains are the point where the route stops feeling urban and starts feeling elemental. Arenal gives the region its visual anchor, but the stronger story is the relationship between volcano, forest, river, and warm water. The landscape keeps moving even when a stay is deliberately slow.

Choose this chapter for a stay that makes the surrounding terrain easier to experience. The right base is not simply the one with the most facilities; it is the one that lets a traveler understand why the region belongs between the highlands and the Pacific.

Why stay here

Ideal for the traveler who wants —

NatureActive daysCouplesFamiliesVolcano-to-coast journeys

Stays in Northern Plains

Where to settle in.

All stays

Northern Plains

Blue River Resort & Hot Springs

Blue River Resort & Hot Springs — a Latitude12 stay in Northern Plains.

Journeys through Northern Plains

Pair Northern Plains with the rest of Costa Rica.

All journeys

Costa Rica: Highlands to Pacific

9 days

Three chapters, one slow arc.

A slow route from the Central Valley through Guanacaste to the Central Pacific, moving from coffee country and volcanic highlands toward dry forest and the coast.

Local guidance

What we'd tell a close friend.

nature

Let the volcano set the pace

Build the days around forest, water, and weather rather than trying to stack every excursion together.

tip

Treat weather as part of the stay

Cloud and rain change the view and the experience; they are not a reason to flatten the region into a checklist.

nature

Choose the landscape before the room

The stay decision should begin with access to the places and rhythm of the route.

Nearby in Costa Rica

Where to go next.

Begin your stay

Stay in Northern Plains.

Browse stays Explore Costa Rica

Continue exploring