Costa Rica's hot springs are volcano-fed aguas termales, and at least 6 of them sit in this directory, most around the Arenal volcano. The landscaped thermal rivers of Tabacon Thermal Resort and the hillside pools of Baldi Hot Springs sit near La Fortuna, both heated by Arenal. 5 of the 6 listed here are resort spas, and all of them are paid. Rainforest resort springs define the country.
La Fortuna, below the Arenal volcano, holds nearly all of Costa Rica's thermal resorts in one lush valley. Guests soak in the landscaped thermal rivers of Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa, the waterslide pools of Baldi Hot Springs, the quieter forest baths of Ecotermales Fortuna, and the tiered gardens of The Springs Resort & Spa. Four of the directory's Costa Rican springs sit in this single volcanic valley, making La Fortuna the clear base for a thermal trip to the country.
The Guanacaste northwest adds a wilder spring on the flanks of a second volcano. The river pools of Rio Negro Hot Springs sit inside a private reserve near Rincon de la Vieja, north of Liberia, where thermal water runs through forest channels. This northern spring draws visitors combining a soak with wildlife watching and canopy trails, far from the resort crowds of the Arenal valley to the east.
The Central Valley, east of San Jose, holds a single mountain spring near the Orosi valley. The terraced pools of Termales Hacienda Orosi sit on a working hacienda in the hills, fed by water from the Irazu volcanic range. This highland spring rounds out the directory's Costa Rican entries, a cooler mountain setting among coffee farms well away from the volcano resorts of the north.
Costa Rican thermal bathing is almost entirely volcano-fed and resort-based, with Arenal heating the pools of the country's busiest hot-spring town. The gardens pair warm water with rainforest planting rather than open wild soaking, which sets Costa Rica apart from countries with free backcountry springs. All 6 springs listed in this directory charge entry, and none is free. Water runs warm to hot before cooling through the landscaped pools. These sit within the wider hot springs in North America.
