Traveling alone is fun but also involves a lot of planning, safety concerns, and the occasional strikes of loneliness. That’s why I love integrating day tours into a long journey. This idea also came convenient while I was having a short stay in La Fortuna, a small town in the northern highland of Costa Rica.

Picked up at 7:30 am, I was joined by a few family groups and couples. There were around 20 of us on the tour bus and I was the only Asian, which was not a surprise. Remote from Asia and lacking a reputation for football or movies, Costa Rica is almost unheard of for the majority of people in my home city. And I have proudly become the first Hongkonger my tour guide received this year, if not ever.

The first activity on the itinerary is to marvel at the imposing Arenal Volcano. Several hiking trails are available going around the base of the volcano, with a range of difficulty levels and giving visitors different vantage points. The one chosen for us is Trail 6 (Lava 1968) of Mirador El Silencio, a private reserve of 22 hectares that offers one of the best views. This easy-to-moderate trail leads up to an impressive viewpoint where you can get a close-up look at the volcanic cone, engraved with traces of the old lava flow resulting from the violent eruption in 1968. You can also encounter rocks that remain as a testament to the catastrophe. “You’re all lucky as not many tourists can see the summit,” the guide said as the cloud covering the top of the volcano drifted away, giving us a better look at the giant as if a reward for our morning workout.

We then went down to another trail to see more varieties of plants and wildlife. The guide drew our attention to an army of leaf-cutter ants crossing our path and regaled us with his well-tested joke about how these little devoted creatures have been the only army in Costa Rica since the country’s armed forces were abolished in 1949. The excursion ended with some luscious pineapples that might be one of the best I have ever tried.

Lunch was arranged in an open-air restaurant serving the typical Costa Rican dish, Casado, which consists of white rice, beans, salad, a sort of meat, and plantains. Finishing off with my first coffee of the day, we got on a super bumpy ride to the trailhead of La Fortuna Waterfall. Changing into our bathing suits, we started to descend over 500 steps to the base of the fall – also meaning that we would have to climb back up on return. I was wearing a pair of water shoes knowing we would need to cross a river and climb over slippery boulders. All the effort paid off when we took in the majestic fall cascading from a cliff of over 70 meters high before taking a refreshing dip into the pool.

The tour isn’t only filled with action-packed activities but also features a cultural visit to Maleku Village, one of the 24 indigenous communities in the country. “Kapi Kapi,” the woman with a pony tail and dressed in traditional clothing lightly touched our shoulders twice with her fist when we stepped into a shack brimming with carved masks and delicate artifacts. She also acted as an interpreter for a local gentleman who shared with us their traditions and cultures. They initiated a toast with chica, a fermented alcoholic drink made with corn that leaves a sweet and nutty aftertaste.

As the bright blue sky gave way to the tangerine dusk, we winded down the day at a hot spring resort, with seven pools at different temperatures. They might not live up to the onsens in Japan, but it’s undoubtedly a nice way to relax our tense muscles and sore legs after a day of exploration. A mixed drink with alcohol was also offered while we were soaking in the lukewarm water. Though I’m skeptical about the health benefit of this pairing.