Baldí Hot Springs

The Baldí Hot Springs are a close second to Tabacón in opulence. This massive hot springs resort is definitely impressive. It sports 16 different hot springs baths of varying temperatures. (One of the pools is 45°C, enough heat to sterilize my unborn grandsons) Baldí, as seen in the picture, is right at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, so nighttime viewing is great—just make sure you go in March or April to get a better shot at seeing the volcano. Baldí also has two swim-up bars and spa services on site. Check out our If you want to see how Baldí stacks up against other hot springs resorts around La Fortuna, check out our Hot Springs Comparison Chart

Baldí Advantages

• Size. Baldí is a full 4.5 acres, with 16 different hot springs choices (most are around a cozy 40°C).
• Price. When pre-purchased through a hotel or travel agency, Baldí is the cheapest of the hot springs resorts in La Fortuna at $17.
• View. Baldí has the best, least-obstructed view of the Arenal Volcano, making for great night viewing. Baldí also has a large pyramid from which you can get good views of the Arenal Volcano and the whole San Carlos region.

Baldí Disadvantages

• Walking. Baldí is big and the hot springs are spread out. You may have to walk quite a bit to test all the hot springs baths.
• More Artificial. Baldí is big and has a theme park feel. Tabacón and Eco Termales have a more enclosed, natural ambience, instead of just a wide-open series of fancy man-made hot tubs. In Baldí's defense, though, the hot springs in the back are more picturesque and are surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens.

Baldí Prices

Admission to Baldí Hot Springs is $25, but you can pre-purchase for $17 at select hotels and travel agencies. You can get entrance plus lunch or dinner for $40, but I recommend doing a package tour that includes not only admission and dinner, but also a guided hike through tropical forest and all transporation included. This tour is the same that is offered with Tabacón, but runs a bit cheaper at about $45-$50 per person. I recommend booking this tour a day ahead of time with your hotel. Travel agencies give discounts to their customers who book with hotels, and even though a few hotels take all of that discount in commission, most commissions are still low enough to make the price to the customer still much lower than the agency's official tour rate.

How to get to Baldí

Baldí is about 4 km from La Fortuna on the road that heads towards the Arenal Volcano. A taxi should cost about $5 at 2007 prices.