Rural San Rafael, commonly known as Guatuso (pop. 7000), is the capital of the cantón of Guatuso, called “Llanuras de Guatuso” (“Plains of Guatuso”) for its expansive tropical plains. Two percent of the cantón is made up of indigenous Maleku communities, descendants of the Guahisos —a Corobicí tribe that emigrated from the Central Valley to establish itself in the hillsides of the rivers Tonjibe, Venado, La Muerte, and Margarita. Three of the Maleku towns (Margarita, El Sol, and Tonjibe) are open to tourists. Although San Rafael is not frequented by many tourists, its residents are charming hosts, and the small pueblo makes for an excellent base from which to explore the region’s numerous natural wonders—over a fifth of the cantón is part of Refugio Nacional Caño Negro , the Venado Caves and their underground waterfall are less than 10km away, and the area contains part of Volcán Tenorio National Park including the hike to the spectacularly blue Río Celeste.
Most tourists never set foot in San Rafael, but the town’s location between Upala and transportation hubs of Ciudad Quesada/San Carlos and San José means that there is a fair amount of public transportation passing through the city. Buses leave from Guatuso to San José (5hr.; 8, 11:30am, 3pm; ¢2000), Upala (2hr.; 8:05am, 12:30, 4:10, 7:30pm; ¢950), and Ciudad Quesada (2hr.; 5:15, 7, 9:10am, 1:30, 4:30, 6pm; ¢1250) via Fortuna (1hr., ¢950). Contact Autotransporte San José-San Carlos at ☎2255 4318.
There are about 12 licensed taxis in Guatuso (☎2464 0363); those looking for passengers queue up in front of Super Pague Menos. Luís Alberto (cell ☎8355 1022), who has a pickup truck that holds 12, is a popular driver who can give you plenty of information about the region on your way to your destination. Ask for him at El Turístico (see below).
San Rafael stretches along one main road from the bridge to Upala on the north side of town to Bar Restaurante El Rancho Guanacaste on the south end of town. Buses stop on the main road in front of Super Pague Menos, which is located 350m south of the bridge at the center of town.
You can buy your own food at Super Pague Menos, next door to El Turístico. (☎2464 0672 or 2464 0373. Open daily 7am-8pm. AmEx/D/MC/V.) There are also many sodas that line the main road.
Guatuso is a good place to visit if you want to explore rural Costa Rica while enjoying all the creature comforts of a small town. San Rafael’s fiesta patronal (patron saint festival) is on October 24. If you have never seen a cattle auction, Subasta Ganadero Maleco, only 2km south of the center, is an incontestably memorable experience. Every Wednesday, auctioneers shout the weights and prices of each specimen in an infinite parade of cattle. Ask Luís Alberto (see Transportation) to take you. Also ask about the cabalgatas that take place nearly every month, when thousands of horse riders gallop off to a nearby pueblo for a day-long festival to entertain the community.
Though Guatuso does have several bars, they are rather small, dark, and almost entirely frequented by men.
It is not possible to see the Cavernas without a guide, so visitors have 2 options: arrange their own transport and get a guide at the cave entrance, or go to the caves on a guided tour from Fortuna. Public transport to the caves is tricky; from San Rafael de Guatuso, take any bus heading to Ciudad Quesada/San Carlos or San José (25min., ¢650), and ask the driver to drop you off in Jicarito. From Jicarito, it is a 7km drive up an unpaved road to the pueblito of El Venado, at the end of which you will see the gate to the caves’ entrance. Buses leave the next day from El Venado at 6:20am and 1:30pm, and head back to Ciudad Quesada/San Carlos. If planning public transportation seems too complicated, you can take a taxi from San Rafael de Guatuso (round trip ¢15,000) or set up a tour with one of the operators in La Fortuna, including Desafio (US$35-45). It is also possible to take a bus from El Tanque in La Fortuna to El Venado (1hr., 8:30am, ¢700; return 1:30pm). For information on individual visits, group rates, restaurant hours, or longer expert tours, contact the owners (Wilbur Jiménez and Yoleni Cuero) of the finca on which the cave is located. (☎2478 8008. Open daily 7am-4pm, tours usually 9am-2pm. During the rainy season, most of the tour will pass through water; expect to be almost completely submerged at points. If you don’t want to trek in water-filled boots, bring hiking sandals; the caves are pretty warm throughout the year.) Standard 1½hr. guided tour of the cave costs US$15. The fee includes necessary equipment (helmet, flashlight, boots, and breathing mask) as well as access to onsite showers and towels.
Since their discovery in 1942 by two hunters chasing a tepescuintle (pig-like rainforest mammal), the Venado caves have lured thousands of spelunkers to their hidden wonders. On a private ranch up a gravel road from the small pueblo of El Venado, the caves are open to the public through guided tours. Guides can take you in to discover 10 galleries full of stalactites and stalagmites, six-million-year-old columns (called “papayas” because of their resemblance to the fruit), underground rivers, multitudes of bats, primitive insects, and fossils of the sea life that inhabited these caves millions of years ago. If you visit during the summer, gallery Boca de la Serpiente receives a magical stream of light from 11am to 1pm. During the rainy season, an 18m waterfall from Río de La Muerte awaits halfway through the 1½hr. tour. Though open to the public, the caves have not been developed at all. There is no electricity, and rivers run through most of the passageways. Expect to be squeezing through tunnels and scrambling up chimneys; wear clothes that you will be comfortable in while soaking wet, and bring a change of clothes for afterwards. Avoid wearing glasses, which fog up underground and could be damaged. A waterproof camera is best for pictures and necessary during the rainy season, though a professional photographer accompanies larger groups (photo CD US$20).
The town of El Venado, at the foot of the gravel driveway leading up to the finca where the caverns are, is charming but tiny, with more cows than buildings. The police station is 100m up the road from Hospedaje las Brisas, and the clinic is 200m down the road from the caves (open M and Th 8am-4pm).
If you bring your own tent, you may camp near the caves for free (there are bathrooms and showers at the caverns). The only cabinas in town are at Hospedaje La Brisas , near the end of town that leads to the caves, which has two small, clean doubles (☎2478 8107; ¢5000 per room). If groups arrive, friendly owner María might let you stay in rooms in her house, but you should call ahead. Bar el Venado is the only restaurant around, preparing gallo pinto (¢1000) and casados for ¢2000 (open daily 7:30am-8pm).
The best way to get to Río Celeste is by driving; the closest you can get by public transport is a 3km uphill walk away from the beginning of the hike. You need a 4WD to drive to Rio Celeste; from Guatuso, follow the road to Upala until km 13; take a left at the sign for Rio Celeste Lodge and follow the gravel road and signs until you reach the lodge’s parking lot, about 12km from the turnoff. If driving isn’t an option, you can take the bus from Guatuso to Río Celeste (1hr.; 11am, 4pm; return 6am, 1pm; ¢700). The bus will leave you at a bridge that crosses the river, and from there it is a 3km walk along a gravel road to the Rio Celeste Lodge (}2876 4382 or 8361 3510), which is the official entrance to the park. A taxi can take you all the way to the entrance from Guatuso for ¢10,000 round-trip.
An hour away from San Rafael lies one of Costa Rica’s unique natural marvels: the Río Celeste. The river’s name is derived from its mesmerizing, brilliant blue hue, a product of the mixing of two streams of different temperatures (one highly acidic) with volcanic minerals and gas bubbles. Though the trail along Río Celeste is officially part of Parque Nacional Volcan Tenorio, the entrance is on the private property of Río Celeste Lodge. The US$10 entrance fee is dispersed among MINAE, the community, and the lodge. The trail starts on a short uphill hike through the rainforest and then branches into two separate paths, one leading to the base of the magnificent waterfall, the other leading to the hot springs and the teñidoros, where you can see the two streams coming together and producing the celestial blue color that the water carries downstream. The unguided trip through both trails can be done in 2hr., though most guided tours take about 4hr. If you miss the bus back, you can stay at the lodge’s beautiful, rustic rooms with forest views and private hot-water baths (rooms US$25, 1-4 people per room; with meals and tour US$30 per person).
Palenque el Tonjibe is 6km from San Rafael de Guatuso. Buses leave from in front of El Turístico (; 30min.; 8:30am, noon, 4:30pm; return 9:15am, 1pm; ¢800). A taxi from Guatuso costs ¢4000. Few tour operators officially offer trips to El Palenque, but you can request to be taken there on trips to Río Celeste or the Cavernas Venado.
Minutes from the capital of Guatuso, a population of about 500 members of the Maleku tribe live in three small pueblos on a reserve for indigenous peoples. One hundred and fifty years ago, the Maleku fought a war to protect their precious rubber trees from invaders who came to steal sell them to foreigners. The Maleku were decimated by battles like that of Río de la Muerte. The few that are left today seek to continue their traditional way of life. Although many have designer clothes and cell phones, they continue to eat traditional food, use medicinal plants to treat illnesses, and participate in ancient ceremonies.
Tourists can visit the pueblo of Tonjibe, which offers a program combining eco-tourism with demonstrations of Maleku rituals and dancing ceremonies. The well-organized, under-touristed program includes a 2hr. hike through a plot of land that the Maleku have recently reforested, with fascinating explanations of the traditional uses of many of the plants. The guide will help you partake in edible roots, chew on plants that relieve hypertension and stomach aches, and lick leaves that work as natural anaesthetics. Eat them at your own risk. After a traditional lunch prepared by members of the tribe, the Maleku perform traditional dances and story-telling, after which you can mingle with the tribespeople, admire their native artwork, and even purchase something to take home. The entire program lasts 4hr. (US$25 per person).You can show up at any time, but most tours start between 9am and 10am, and the guides recommend calling a day in advance to make a reservation (☎2307 8972 or 2890 6509). Most of the guides speak only Maleku and Spanish—call to confirm that you can take the tour with an English-speaking guide, or organize to go with an English-speaking tour guide from a tour company in La Fortuna.
Stay in the onsite traditional huts with modern amenities (like private baths) for US$60 a night, which includes the 4hr. tour and all meals. Local guides will also take you on a unique tour of the Río Celeste (prices negotiable). The Maleku also accept volunteers, who can help with reforestation projects and building construction while staying in the on-site huts (call the reservation for details). The money raised through the tourism project is used by the Maleku to buy back land that was purchased generations ago by tico farmers. They hope to reforest the land and return it to its original state.
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