Self Guided Tours
For the adventurous at heart!
For the adventurous spirit we’ve included a selection of self-guided activities you may enjoy. This takes you a little off the beaten path. All directions are from Pagoda Garden Villas. If there is something that you have discovered and would like to share it with us, we will include your find for others to enjoy.
Waterfall Self Tours.
Nauyaca - Quite a fabulous and popular waterfall about 35 minutes away. Usually a horse tour takes you in but you can drive or hike in. There is a small fee for that. Around $10 a person. Closed on Sundays.
Drive to hwy, turn right going north. Drive 15 minutes and after you cross over bridge at Dominical, turn right after police check point. Drive up 10-15 minutes and on the right you will see a big Nauyaca Horse Tour sign. Check in here to see your waterfall viewing options.
Poza Azul- Waterfall in Dominicalito near Dominical. Go to hwy, turn right going north. Before Dominical after "Las Olas Estates" sign there will be a bus stop. Turn right here (if you go over bridge and see a big soccer field on your right, then you've gone too far.). Drive down the little road through a little Tico neighborhood. Cross over the bridge, turn right to go up the hill just a little ways and then park on the left where it looks like there is parking space. On the right side, there is a path to go down steps and to the waterfall.
Uvita waterfall - Drive to hwy and turn left, at BCR in Uvita turn left and drive up dirt road pass the cemetery. Then turn up left as the road veers up just before the hardware store. About half a mile there is a restaurant on your right and here you can park and pay to enter the waterfall. A steep walk down.
El Pavon Waterfall - Quite beautiful and a nice drive. Go to hwy and turn left going south. Drive about 30 minutes. You will see a sign on the hwy on the left for” El Pavon”, “Jungle Pet Lodge” and “Rio Tice Lodge”. Turn left here and drive up a few miles. On the right is El Pavon restaurant where you can fish for trout and have lunch. Across the street is the entrance to the waterfall.
Morete River Waterfall - Our waterfall here in the neighborhood. Drive down to the highway and turn right. Just before the bridge is a driveway down to the river. Drive down the hill and park. Do not bring valuables. Once at the river I recommend taking off your shoes and wear your bathing suits to walk up the river. Just get in the river and start rock hopping upstream. Eventually there will be a bend to the left (about an hour walk), keep going a little further and you will see the waterfall on your right. Quite beautiful. You will feel completely immersed in nature. I love this walk. Please be respectful of the neighbors here. No loitering or drinking please.
Day Trip Drive to the Borucan Village
An indigenous group native to Costa Rica. They are known for their artistry in masks and weaving. We can schedule a tour for $30 pp and includes lunch or you can just show up and look around.
Drive to the hwy and turn left going south. Drive about an hour to Palmar Norte. This is where the highway comes to a “T” and you can turn either right over a bridge or left. Turn LEFT going inland towards Buenas Aires. Follow this road over three rivers; slow down after the Puerto Nuevo bridge and look for the left turn into Boruca. Depending on the weather, the 20-minute drive up to Boruca is best in a 4WD vehicle or a car with high clearance. At the bar just as you enter the town, turn left and go down the hill one block past the police station. Look for the museum and the cooperative La Flor, which is in a thatched-roof building on your left.
Day Trip Drive to Base of Mount Chirripo- Costa Rica’s Highest Peak and Hot Springs
Go to the highway and turn right going North. Drive about 20 minutes towards Dominical. Cross over the bridge and at the police check station turn right driving inland. You will stay on this road for about 45 minutes. About half way up on this road you will come to a town called Tinamastes. It is at the top of a hill and there is an organic market here on Tuesday which is a fun little stop. You can pick a place along this road to have breakfast as well.
Eventually you will enter an actual town. This is San Isidro. Follow the main road through this town and when you find yourself at another main highway (Panamerican Highway) then turn right. You will go over a bridge and then up a hill. At the top of this hill you will see a nursery on your right and a big costco type store called MaxiPali on your left. Here you will turn left as if you are going to turn into the MaxiPali but you dont. You will make an immediate right that goes up a little hill which is parallel to the highway. At the top of the hill you will turn left and follow signs to "Rivas".
Stay on this road the whole way there. About another 45 minutes. It's a beautiful drive. Occasionally on the left you will see a sign for coffee tours. You can stop in here to see if they will give you a tour of the lands. Ask if someone speaks english. Keep driving all the way on this road and eventually you will come to the basecamp of Chirripo or Rivas. There are little hotels and restaurants along the way. On your left you will see a little Cheese factory then a little ways after that is a little chocolate factory, then after that you will continue to Rivas. You can stop in to the cheese factory for a demonstration of how they make their special cheese. You can sample and buy cheese as well. At the chocolate factory you can view how they make their chocolate and sample and buy chocolate. You can sit for a bit and have coffee too.
Once in Rivas there are walking trails here and it's really beautiful and serene. There is a gorgeous river all along the drive to enjoy.
There is also a Hot Spring here. Actually it's a warm spring and very nice since the air is much cooler. You will see the signs that lead you to "Aguas Calientes" or "Aguas Termales". Follow the road up and you will be directed on where to park. There are bathrooms and changing rooms and tables for picnics.
