pura vida passOpen in appENES

Maleku Indigenous Community (Palenque Tonjibe)

Landmark · Arenal & La Fortuna · hidden gem

Maleku Indigenous Community (Palenque Tonjibe), landmark in Arenal & La Fortuna (photo 1 of 4)
Photo: Stevenj · CC BY-SA 3.0
Maleku Indigenous Community (Palenque Tonjibe), landmark in Arenal & La Fortuna (photo 2 of 4)
Photo: Wayne77 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Maleku Indigenous Community (Palenque Tonjibe), landmark in Arenal & La Fortuna (photo 3 of 4)
Photo: Wayne77 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Maleku Indigenous Community (Palenque Tonjibe), landmark in Arenal & La Fortuna (photo 4 of 4)
Photo: Wayne77 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Home of the Maleku (Guatuso) people, who keep their language and craft traditions alive. Visits usually include thatched houses, medicinal plants and the bright balsa-wood masks the community carves and paints.

Time there
1.5 h
Best time
morning
Kids
6 / 10
View
3 / 10
Crowds
3 / 10
Swimming
0 / 10
Effort
1 / 10
Location
10.6286, -84.7852 — Google Maps

Tip

Buy crafts directly in the village (it's how the community earns from visits) and ask before photographing people.

Be careful

Keep an eye on your belongings in busy town centres, and dress respectfully if you go inside a church.

Getting there

Community-run visit: ask at the entrance for the guided tour and the fee; hours are set by the palenque.

Places nearby

  • Rancho Maleku Tafa UríjifTours & AdventureA Maleku family's cultural rancho in the Guatuso indigenous territory, led by Hiqui Morera Castro, where visitors learn about the smallest indigenous people of Costa Rica, their language and crafts.
  • Gingerbread Restaurant & HotelFood & CoffeeLively, quirky restaurant on Route 142 by Nuevo Arenal where chef Eyal often cooks off-menu for each table.
  • Café Con AmorFood & CoffeeGourmet coffee shop and restaurant 200 m south of the gas station with Lake Arenal views from the patio, big sandwiches, Geisha coffee and local-liquor cocktails.
  • Soda La Parada (Nuevo Arenal)Sodas & Local FoodFamily soda at the Nuevo Arenal bus stop that surprises travelers with hearty casados, arroz con pollo and soups at very fair prices, open from 5 am on weekdays.
  • Tom's Pan German BakeryFood & CoffeeThe classic coffee-and-pastry stop on the lake road in Nuevo Arenal, run by a German family for 25+ years: fresh bread, strudel, cinnamon rolls, bratwurst and schnitzel.
  • Los Platillos VoladoresFood & CoffeeAlien-themed Italian restaurant next to the Banco Nacional in Nuevo Arenal, with friendly owners, fresh pizza and pasta made with local ingredients; a little pricey but a crowd favorite.

Sources: Wikidata Q21006646 · https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Malekus · https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21006646