Birding Arenal Observatory Lodge

Is Arenal Observatory Lodge the White Lotus for birders? 

Is that reference to a 2025 tv show going to stand the test of time? Who knows, but Arenal Observatory Lodge is a wonderful type of birding that I've never experienced before. It was great.

For me, a dirtbag, "birding hotel" means the first hotel by the highway interchange, the kind of place with a key on a brown plastic diamond and stains on the carpets. That's not what Arenal Observatory Lodge is.

my typical birding hotel key

The Arenal Observatory Lodge is high in the Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica, with a point-blank view of the famous Arenal Volcano. It's an all-inclusive property: 870 acres of primary and secondary rainforest, gardens and lodging, and pasture. The vast majority of that land is open for exploration, meaning birders and guides can wander around the look for birds and other wildlife to their heart's content, and still make it back to the restaurant for meals.

For a first-time Costa Rican birder like me, Arenal Observatory Lodge was paradise. It's completely self-contained, meaning I didn't have to worry about any of the things I may have to worry about if I were birding just out in the wide world: parking; language barriers; finding bathrooms; finding food; any of that stuff. Plus, it was also easy for my non-birding-but-wildlife-interested wife and son, who could safely wander the grounds at their own pace, hang out at the fruit feeders to see incredible, colorful birds up close, or take advantage of the other amenities.

Those other amenities are what made the place feel a bit like Birder White Lotus. There was a spa! There was a gorgeous pool and hot tub! There was a museum! This wasn't just a birding lodge, it's got something for everyone.

And, of course, the birding was incredible. I don't really know what to say. I hired a guide the first morning, Néstor Villalobos Rojas, and he was great. We didn't leave the central area for two and a half hours but got 66 species, most of them lifers. I regret not hiring him for the rest of the day, actually, because I would have gotten more birds but also learned a little bit more about where to focus on the other trails around the property. Alas.

On subsequent days and afternoons I explored almost all the other trails. Traveling out and around the pasture was lovely, and helped me get some species that aren't found near the main lodge like Chestnut-headed Oropendola, but to be honest I don't think birders need to leave the area of trails right below the restaurant and around the canopy tower. That's likely the best place to see some coveted mixed flocks and other goodies. The Waterfall Trail also goes through some great forest, though the water noise overwhelms birdsong once you get too close.

Alright so for the rest of this I am going to post some pictures with some other info or tips about birding at Arenal Observatory Lodge.

This is a Red-legged Honeycreeper at the famous fruit feeders. These contraptions are right off the big main deck by the restaurant -- accessible to all -- and feature some incredible and beautiful birds, including Bay-headed, Golden-hooded, and Emerald Tanagers, and many more.

This is also from the feeder deck - a Grau-headed Chachalaca with the peak of Arenal Volcano in the background.

SIGN UP FOR THE NIGHT TOUR. Do it. It's so cool, and you get to see a lot of creatures -- mostly amphibians and reptiles but also sleeping birds and monkeys -- that you don't see during the day. This is a world-famous Red-eyed Tree Frog and a crazy Eyelash Pitviper! Do the night tour!

There are hummingbirds all over the gardens, viewable from most of of the rooms. It's great. This is a White-necked Jacobin.

One of my best birds of the whole trip was this Sunbittern, the only member of its family and one of the most beautiful birds on earth. I really wanted to see one of these birds because I was planning a trip with friends to Costa Rica a few years ago but had to back out at the last second. They all still went and saw tons of birds - but missed Sunbittern. I lucked into this stunning bird at the river crossing just below the main gate to Arenal Observatory Lodge. It appears to be a reliable spot, though crossing paths with a bird during its route up and down the river isn't guaranteed, so multiple stops may be necessary.

The eye-blowingly bright Scarlet-rumped Tanager is one of the most common birds in the main area of the Lodge.

I spotted this Yellow-throated Toucan peeking its head out of its nest hole just below the Frog Pond. Just another of the amazing wildlife sightings available at Arenal Observatory Lodge!

General tips for traveling in Costa Rica:

• Get cash at the airport. Like many places, tipping culture is important here (especially for bird guides), but ATMs are really tough to come by. Make sure you stock up on small bills before you leave the airport.
• The roads are fine. With the caveat that I was there in April, at the end of the dry season, I'll say that the roads and the drivers were both easier to deal with than elsewhere I've traveled in the Caribbean / South America.