Tucked within a green corner next to Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano National Park, Nayara Springs is a haven for wellness seekers in the middle of the rainforest, with natural hot springs baths in each villa and healthy, farm-to-table-inspired menus in its restaurants. And if you want to take your wellness journey up a notch, be sure to spend some time at the idyllic spa, where open-air treatment rooms face the surrounding tree canopy inhabited by everything from toucans to howler monkeys. They’ll be the soundtrack to your experience, whether you’re getting a hot stone massage or a wrap treatment sourced from local ingredients, including volcanic mud, organic coffee, or chocolate.
With a view of the Arenal volcano the surrounding verdant rainforest, Mis Amores has one of the best vantage points at Nayara Springs. The restaurant’s menu is casual by day (fresh-caught fish and pizzas made in a wood-fired oven), and shifts to more sophisticated fare by night try the tuna carpaccio and the braised short rib). You might want to bring your binoculars for wildlife sightings between courses: the restaurant sits at the tree line, and many of Costa Rica’s 300 bird species can be spotted, along with the occasional three-toed sloth.