Hacienda with Horseback-Riding Tours in Rincon de la Vieja National Park

The Costa Rican volcano known as Rincon de la Vieja—"The Old Woman's Corner"—takes its name from a local legend concerning a lovelorn recluse who honed her supernatural healing powers while living on the mountain. To this day, Rincon de la Vieja is believed to have therapeutic benefits, and sojourners come from far and wide to take advantage of its natural hot springs and bubbling mud baths. Located at the base of the mountain, Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin rests amid rainforests, waterfalls, and butterfly gardens, all of which combine to suggest an enchanted paradise.

The natural setting is echoed throughout the hotel. Volcanic springs fill the outdoor pool, and a terrarium houses Caribbean basilisks and exotic lizards. In handsome, gold-tinted superior rooms, heavy drapes grace large windows looking out on the grounds.

In the morning, La Hacienda Restaurant offers an American-style breakfast buffet in an open-air setting. Afterward, ranch hands at the stables can lead horseback tours of the surrounding forests or Victoria waterfall. On other adventure tours, you can rappel down a canyon or tube along Rio Negro. The adrenaline subsides at Simbiosis Spa, where velvety chocolate wraps soothe limbs and mud wraps let patrons look like their favorite golem.

Guanacaste, Costa Rica: Volcanic Mountains and Rustic Frontier Towns

Located on Costa Rica's northwest coast, the diverse landscape of Guanacaste encompasses volcanic mountains, tropical forests, and unspoiled beaches. Rincon de La Vieja National Park is probably the best place to explore the terrain. At the nearly 35,000-acre park, you can glimpse volcanic calderas steaming and waterfalls cutting through mossy boulders and black rocks. The mountain's cloud forests are home to exotic wildlife, affording visitors a chance to see capuchin monkeys, boa constrictors, and feather boas in their natural habitat.

A scenic 25-minute drive or cab ride west brings you to Guanacaste's capital, Liberia, where live marimba music can often be heard along its sun-baked streets. Downtown, colorful bodegas stand near traditional whitewashed clay houses. Visitors can sample local sugar-cane juice or watch a live rodeo.