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Dark slope of Rincón de la Vieja with clouds around the summit.

Costa Rica · Rincón de la Vieja

Hot springs and mud baths

Bathing is not allowed inside the park, but several private centres on the volcano sell day passes.

5 places1 closed or restricted, flagged

  1. 1

    WellnessOpen

    Río Negro hot springs

    Río Negro canyon, Hacienda Guachipelín10.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    $95
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Volcano-heated pools beside the Río Negro, with a mud bath and steam, on Hacienda Guachipelín’s land.

    Source: Hacienda Guachipelín – Nature tours (oficial) · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Access comes with packages: one-day Nature Pass $95 (5 h) or adventure pass $129; free for hotel guests.

    Tip: Pair it with a morning walk at Las Pailas and finish the afternoon in the pools.

    Nearby: Tubing on the Río Negro (0.5 km) · Santa María sector hot springs (3.2 km) · Oropéndola waterfall (3.7 km)

    Sources: Hacienda Guachipelín – Nature tours (oficial) · Hacienda Guachipelín – Adventure tours (oficial)

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  2. 2

    WellnessOpen

    Borinquen Thermal Resort day pass

    Cañas Dulces, north along the Borinquen road10.8 km from the centre

    Entry
    from $72
    Hours
    9:00 to 20:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Thermal resort on the volcano’s slopes with a day pass to thermal pools, a lagoon and volcanic mud rituals, with a meal included.

    Source: ResortPass – Borinquen Thermal Resort · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Day pass with lunch from $72; night pass with dinner from $77 (ResortPass).
    Hours
    Pools 9:00 to 20:00; spa 9:00 to 16:00.

    Tip: It is in one of the communities under the CNE green alert (Cañas Dulces): confirm it is operating before you set off.

    Nearby: La Cangreja waterfall (5.3 km) · Escondida waterfall (6.3 km) · Hacienda Guachipelín: one-day adventure pass (7 km)

    Sources: ResortPass – Borinquen Thermal Resort

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  3. 3

    WellnessOpen

    Rincon Thermals & Adventures (formerly Vandará)

    About 45 minutes from Liberia15.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    $95
    Hours
    8:00 to 16:30
    Booking
    Not stated

    Hot-springs and adventure centre with volcanic mud baths, a 400 m waterslide, ziplines and horseback riding, reached on paved roads.

    Source: Vamos Rent-A-Car – Rincon Thermals & Adventures (actualizado jul. 2026) · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Explorer Pass $95 adults and $75 children 5 to 11; Nature Pass (no zipline, horses or waterslide) $65 and $52; both with lunch.
    Hours
    Daily 8:00 to 16:30.

    Tip: Booking direct usually costs less than through a hotel concierge.

    Nearby: La Leona waterfall (0.3 km) · Hacienda Guachipelín: one-day adventure pass (4.7 km) · Waterfall canyoning and rappelling (4.7 km)

    Sources: Vamos Rent-A-Car – Rincon Thermals & Adventures (actualizado jul. 2026)

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  4. 4

    AdventureOpen

    Buena Vista del Rincón day pass

    Cañas Dulces area, about 30 minutes from Liberia airport20 km from the centre

    Entry
    $110
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Eco-adventure park on a ranch with canopy, a jungle waterslide, hanging bridges, horseback riding, hot springs with mud and a cane and coffee tour.

    Source: Buena Vista del Rincón – Experiences (oficial) · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    12-in-1 pass $110 adults ($120 Exclusive version); 8-activity pass $85; plus tax.

    Tip: It also sells single activities: waterslides $35, hanging bridges $30, hike to hot springs and 3 waterfalls $50.

    Nearby: Horseback riding at Rincón de la Vieja (0 km) · Night walk at a lodge (0 km) · Rincon Thermals & Adventures (formerly Vandará) (7.7 km)

    Sources: Buena Vista del Rincón – Experiences (oficial)

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  5. Santa María sector hot springs5

    Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0

    WellnessRestricted access

    Santa María sector hot springs

    Santa María sector8 km from the centre

    Entry
    $15
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Hot springs beside a cold stream, about 3 km from the homestead, once a popular soak inside the park.

    You can hike to them, but bathing is prohibited to protect endemic organisms (ACG; sign confirmed in 2025). To soak in thermal water, use the private day-pass centres: Río Negro (Guachipelín), Borinquen, Buena Vista or Rincon Thermals.

    Source: ACG – Sector Santa María (oficial) · 2025 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $ · under US$15

    Nearby: Santa María sector (2.5 km) · Tubing on the Río Negro (2.8 km) · Las Pailas trail (3.2 km)

    Sources: ACG – Sector Santa María (oficial) · Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Santa María sector

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