Shortly after eight we head towards Arenal National Park and stop at Arenal 1968 park. There are 2 hiking routes on the grounds and a fantastic viewpoint with a 360° panorama. We opt for the lava fields from the 1968 eruption — a wonderful walk with great views of Arenal volcano and Arenal Lake. The moderate Lava Flow 1968 trail is 3.2 km long and takes about 1 hour; the Forest 1968 trail covers 4.9 km through secondary rainforest, past a small lake and over the lava flow, and is aimed at more experienced hikers — allow about 2 hours. With a bit of luck you'll spot howler monkeys, toucans, and plenty more wildlife. More info: www.arenal1968.com or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/arenal1968.

Afterwards we drive to La Fortuna waterfall — by car it takes just under 20 minutes to reach the other side of the volcano. Hiking from La Fortuna takes about 1 hour. The waterfall lies beneath the dormant Cerro Chato volcano, whose crater lake is also excellent for hiking. Entry to the Reserva Ecológica Catarata Rio Fortuna costs US$10. There are changing rooms, a small shop with a restaurant, a good viewing platform, and of course the steep path down to Fortuna Waterfall (Catarata Rio Fortuna) and the Rio Fortuna. The descent is absolutely worth it — you drop 600 metres via roughly 480 steps in about 10 minutes. The water crashes from a height of around 70 metres into the pool below and flows on peacefully from there. A wonderfully refreshing dip. Pickpockets are reportedly not unheard of here, but under the watchful eyes of the attendants we had no concerns and thoroughly enjoyed our cool-down. More info: www.arenaladifort.com or Tel. (506) 2479-9515.

At 1 p.m. we meet at the info stand in front of Hotel Los Lagos for the Canopy Tour Los Cañones. A bus takes us steeply up the hillside. The tour features 12 cables with a total length of 2.8 km, making it currently the longest canopy (zip-line) tour in the Arenal area — though that could soon change. The price is US$50 per person. Included in the ticket is also access to the hotel's own hot springs, frog pond, leaf-cutter ant farm, crocodile farm, and butterfly garden. Unfortunately heavy rain sets in, so the tour is carried through at quite a pace.

The tour and our visit to Los Lagos were absolutely worth it. Despite the heavy rain, we settled comfortably into the thermal pool at the pool bar and spent the time in between exploring the fascinating hotel grounds of Los Lagos — a dream setting at the foot of Arenal.

To round off the day we head to Punto Fusion on the Parque de La Fortuna in La Fortuna for a delicious dinner. Punto Fusion is known for its authentic Costa Rican cuisine. We were welcomed and served with great warmth, the food was outstanding, and the value for money was superb. The first photo reflects the off-season atmosphere in September — as almost always, fairly quiet — perfect for anyone who wants to travel in peace.