Costa Rica at Thanksgiving: Sloths, Sashimi, and a Car Rental Ambush

Costa Rica for Thanksgiving. The logic was simple: while everyone else was stuck in airport queues and freezing temperatures, we'd be watching sloths and eating sashimi on a fishing boat. Pura vida.

It mostly worked out. Mostly.

Here's the honest account — including the part where a car rental company ambushed us at the counter, the fishing trip that was quietly terrible, and the rafting day that absolutely made the whole trip.

First Stop: The Car Rental Ambush at Liberia Airport

We flew into Liberia (LIR), the gateway to Guanacaste — smart choice over San José if you're heading to the coast or Arenal. Great airport, easy arrival. And then we walked to the rental car desk.

We had booked a 4x4 in advance with Avis — a solid brand, I thought. What could go wrong?

Here's what happened. The advertised rate is attractively low because it does not include insurance. On arrival, the agent informs you that local insurance is mandatory — and since I hadn't brought a physical printout from my credit card company proving collision coverage (note: a screenshot on your phone is apparently not sufficient), I had no choice but to take their insurance package.

The rental fee doubled. Right there at the counter.

The warnings, clearly stated:

1. Get a physical letter from your credit card company confirming CDW coverage before you travel. Not a screenshot. A letter.
2. Call ahead and confirm exactly what documentation they require
3. The 4x4 category I reserved wasn't available anyway. They'd run out. Classic.
4. Do NOT use Google Maps for driving in rural Costa Rica. It will cheerfully route you down dirt tracks that require a serious 4x4 and a sense of adventure you may not have at 9pm with luggage. Use Waze. It knows the actual roads.

We got a small SUV instead of the 4x4, which was fine for the paved roads but made us slightly anxious on a few stretches near La Fortuna. More on that later.

Guanacaste: The Beach That Was Just Ours

We drove to our Airbnb near Potrero on the Guanacaste coast — slightly secluded, exactly right for three people who wanted to decompress. The property was quiet, comfortable, and a short walk from Playa Prieta, a small beach that never had more than 10 people on it at any given time.

After months of crowded airports and busy cities, this felt like a secret. Clear water, no vendors, no noise. Just the Pacific doing its thing.

If you want a proper Guanacaste beach holiday without the crowds of Tamarindo, the Potrero/Playa Prieta area is worth a serious look.

The Fishing Trip: An Honest Review

We booked through fishingbooker.com, which is a solid platform — but the trip itself didn't deliver. Choppy conditions, communication that was patchy at best, and the kind of day where you spend most of your time hoping the swell calms down.

We did catch a couple of small tunas, and the boat captain made an impromptu sashimi situation on deck that was genuinely excellent. Fresh tuna, ocean breeze, the son trying raw fish for the first time — that part was great.

But overall? We're filing this one under experience gained and moving on.

Tip: If you book a fishing trip in Guanacaste, check recent reviews carefully for sea conditions in your specific travel window. November can be hit or miss on the Pacific coast.

Arenal: Where the Trip Shifted Up a Gear

After a few days beachside we drove inland toward La Fortuna and Arenal — volcano country, adventure territory, and home to more sloths than you'd think possible.

The drive was fine — paved roads, no drama, beautiful scenery. Dry season roads in this region are genuinely manageable. Just keep Waze running.

Rio Celeste Tubing — Fun, Slightly Short

The Rio Celeste tubing run was a good morning out. The river is stunning — the famous electric blue colour comes from a chemical reaction where two rivers meet upstream — and floating through jungle on a tube with a helmet is exactly as enjoyable as it sounds.

Honest note: it's short — about 40 minutes on the river itself. The full outing takes longer with the drive and setup, but manage your expectations on the actual tubing time. The kiddo loved it, though, and that's the important metric.

Book in advance and be prepared for the drive out to the Tenorio area — about 90 minutes from La Fortuna.

Parque Arenal Mundo Aventura — The Highlight of the Trip

This was the day that made the trip.

Parque Arenal Mundo Aventura offers a combined zipline and rafting package, and while the zipline was solid (good views, well-run, properly terrifying at moments), the white-water rafting was exceptional. Class III-IV rapids on the Balsa River, with a guide who clearly loved his job and water that was fast, cold, and absolutely worth every minute.

Our son was somewhere between screaming and laughing for most of it. Honestly, same.

If you're doing Arenal with a family and you can only book one activity, book this one.

The Bogarin Trail — Do Not Skip the Guide

La Fortuna has a quiet gem right in town: the Bogarin Trail, a flat 2.5km walking path through secondary forest that is essentially a sloth superhighway.

We saw several throughout the trip — spotting them in the wild is a skill once you train your eyes to look for the right shape in the canopy — but the Bogarin Trail with a guide was the definitive sloth experience. The guide had a spotting scope, encyclopedic knowledge of sloth behaviour, and the ability to find animals in trees that we walked right past without seeing.

Book the guided visit. The trail is technically walkable without a guide, but you will miss most of what's there. The guide fee is modest and the difference is enormous. Also: bring cash — the trail is cash only.

Spot the sloth — they're hiding in plain sight once you know what to look for

Where We Stayed Around La Fortuna

We found a farm stay outside La Fortuna that turned out to be one of the best accommodation decisions of the trip. Our host Lupita was wonderful — warm, helpful, and full of local knowledge.

The farm setting was perfect for a 10-year-old with energy to burn. Animals, space, fresh air, and waking up to views of Arenal volcano right there on the horizon — the kind of breakfast that makes you want to cancel all future hotel stays.

One note: it's a little out of town, and the access road is manageable in a small SUV but would be more comfortable in a proper 4x4. Worth factoring in when you book your rental car — and booking that 4x4 this time.

New friends at the farm stay — the bunnies were a bigger hit than the volcano

The Last Dinner: Astorga, Liberia

Before our flight home from Liberia, we had one final dinner at Astorga in town.

It was exceptional. The kind of restaurant that reminds you why you travel — unpretentious, confident cooking, genuinely warm service, and a menu that takes local ingredients seriously. If you're passing through Liberia at the end of a trip, do not eat at the airport food court when Astorga exists.

The Practical Summary

Fly into: Liberia (LIR) for Guanacaste and Arenal. Much easier than San José.

Car rental:

• Book a 4x4, you'll want one
• Bring a physical letter from your credit card company confirming CDW coverage
• Use Waze, not Google Maps
• Read the insurance small print before you get to the counter

Don't miss:

• Playa Prieta for a crowd-free beach day
• Parque Arenal Mundo Aventura rafting — non-negotiable
• Bogarin Trail with a guide
• Astorga restaurant in Liberia on your way out

Skip or manage expectations:

• Offshore fishing in November if conditions are choppy
• Driving unfamiliar dirt roads at night

Costa Rica is one of those places that rewards the adventurous and punishes the unprepared. Go prepared. Bring Waze. And book the rafting.