Costa Rica » Sarapiqui Guide

Located on the edge of the Braulio Carrillo National Park, Sarapiqui makes an excellent stopover on journeys between Tortuguero and Arenal or Bosque de Paz.

There are plenty of activities on offer locally, one of the best being white water rafting on the Sarapiqui River. The route starts at the lodge and runs 13 km downriver to Chilamate, lasting around 2 hours. The rapids are class II and III, which should get the heart rate going.

For a real adrenaline rush, river tubing and rappelling are also available, along with a canopy zip-wire. If you prefer to take things at a gentler pace then guided tours through the National Park on foot or horseback are on offer too.

Just down the road from Sarapiqui is La Selva Biological Reserve, home to over 1,900 species of plant, 330 tree species and over 400 species of bird.

The 3,900-acre reserve is one of the most important areas in the country for tropical research, and a very pleasant few hours can be spent wandering along the trails here.