LA FORTUNA: WATERFALL HIKE, TOUCANS AND A HOT RIVER
Having breakfast while seeing toucans and white nose coatis that come for food to my accommodation garden, swimming in a hot river and sleeping to a symphony of wild animals in the forest is what makes me smile when evoking the days I spent in La Fortuna.
La Fortuna is one of the most visited places in Costa Rica and despite that, it has not lost its charm and magic, and I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to this beautiful country.
Localed 130 km from San Jose in the province of “Alajuela”, La Fortuna lies in the middle of the Costa Rica jungle, and it is a dream for hikers and nature lovers.
The town in itself does not have so much to offer. It is a rural quiet and slow paced town which history has always revolved around the volcano. The Arenal volcano, that is currently dormant, was in the past a beast that violently erupted on July 29th1968.
The villages of Tabacón, Pueblo Nuevo and San Luis were buried under the debris and 87 people lost their lives. There are some sources stating that the town took its current name after the catastrophe.
La Fortuna waterfall hike
La Fortuna waterfall is one of the main attractions of the area. It is located 6 km from the town center and it is a common destination for families and solo travelers for a day picnic.
The water falls at a speed of 100 liter per second and it is dangerous to swim close to the waterfall as the current could pull you down not letting you come out.
There are life guards around the waterfall and several warning signs. Some people venture swimming on the sides but I would not take the risk, mostly when only a few meters down there are a couple of natural pools where were you can safely swim.
The entrance to the waterfall is around 18 dollars and you have changing rooms and a restaurant.
La Fortuna waterfall hike is 500 steps down and on the way you have a panoramic balcony from where you can see the waterfall surging from the rainforest.
If heaven is certain type of blue that is the color of the water of La Fortuna waterfall.
There is also a butterflies garden and beautiful greenery on the way to the waterfall.
You can take a taxi to get to the waterfall from the town center. I did walk from my hotel to the waterfall, it is a beautiful walk and you could be lucky and bump into a white nose coati. The road is steep so I would recommend to have a good breakfast before heading to the waterfall.
Pilar sitting at the back of La Fortuna waterfall
La Fortuna waterfall hike should in your “must see” list when you visit this area.
Toucans and White Nose coatis
As a surprise I did not expected to see, I was lucky enough to stay in a hotel with a gorgeous green garden where birds and white nose coatis came feeding in the morning.
The staff would leave some food in the garden, in front of the breakfast area, so that guests could admire these amazing jungle creatures.
TIP: Bring some big zoom camera and shoot in bursting mode to catch beautiful birds shots.
This is the hotel where I stayed. The owner was a lovely woman and we had nice conversations about spirituality and self – development. She told me I brought her good luck as every time we were talking she would receive unexpected calls for hotel reservations.
The hotel is called Hotel Arenal country Inn and you can book it by clicking on the image below.
Tabacón hot river
The Tabacón river flows from the Arenal volcano into the jungle. When the water reaches the Tabacón area its temperature is around 35 degrees Celsius.
The water carries healthy volcanic minerals and flows through landscapes of breathtaking beauty. The combination of the natural setting with the water properties are perfect for relaxation and rejuvenation.
There is an area in Tabacón where you can enjoy the river for free but I decided to go to the Tabacón resort as I was traveling on my own and carrying my camera with me, so I did not want to risk to leave my things unattended. If you are traveling with a group I would suggest to check the free swimming area.
If you are traveling on your own or you have enough budget I would highly recommend to spend a day in the spa. You can buy a day pass with dinner included and stay as long as you want.
I stayed almost 8 hours and it really worked the magic of making me feel really relaxed.
Is it worth visiting La Fortuna? Yes, it was one of the most beautiful places I visited in Costa Rica. There are plenty of things to do in Costa Rica, but do not forget to add this stunning location to your Costa Rica itinerary.
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