At night, stars sparkle against velvet skies and things become magical. The slight temperature drop is a welcome reminder to enjoy the ‘ahhh’ experience of soaking in a natural hot spring pool.

At the Tabacón Hot Springs, a night soak with friends or a significant other offers one of the most sublime experiences you can have in Costa Rica. Surrounded by rainforest, strategically placed lighting creates a nighttime fairy tale along the hot spring pools and thermal waterfalls.

Many hot spring resorts in the Arenal/La Fortuna area channel streams of hot spring water into man-made pools. Not so at the Tabacón. Here, pools naturally form along the riverbed of the thermal Tabacón River. Each river pool feeds into the other with a gentle but palpable current.

The pools here vary from large to smaller, more intimate nooks. Although well lit, a small flashlight and a pair of flip-flops are extra insurance to have with you. Once a favored pool has been located, lay your small belongings on the poolside rocks, get in, and relax!

A night pass to the Tabacón Hot Springs provides a span of four hours to enjoy the therapeutic mineral pools. Although the included buffet dinner opens from six in the evening, some prefer to wait till the last call at 8:30 pm. All the while, trails in and out of the dense rainforest present a fun detour to the cold-water pool.

In the novelty of exploring the warm water pools at night, getting a feel for the rocks and shape of the pool marks the first phase of acclimation. Following a wiggling and probing of toes, bodies submerge and reflections on the beauty of life ensue. The sounds of crickets and murmurs of laughter soothingly offset the quiet of the night.

In what can be described as nature’s bathtub, worries leave your mind and body. This is the quintessential hot spring experience. With a kindred soul you can talk with your heart’s content and with and the rest of your group, jokes and life experiences are shared.