Best Things to Do in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Are you planning a trip to Costa Rica and wondering if you should add La Fortuna to your itinerary? Well, if you’re a wildlife and nature lover who also enjoys some adrenaline filled activities then a visit to this small Costa Rican village is a must. Below you can find all the best things to do in La Fortuna, including details about entry fees and saving tips, so you can plan your itinerary (and budget) accordingly.

For reference we spent a total of 3 weeks in Costa Rica, of which we spent an entire week just in La Fortuna. We tried to see and do as many activities as our bank balances could afford and those that we hadn’t already done somewhere else in Costa Rica.

If you’d like to see what we got up to in La Fortuna, then make sure to check out our Costa Rica Playlist on our YouTube channel.

Costa Rica Travel Guide – Read This Before Your Visit

If you’re looking for answers to common questions such as safety, cost, what to eat and how to travel across the country then make sure to check out my detailed blog post below.

The blog post includes answers to the following questions:

• Is Costa Rica Safe?
• Is Costa Rica Expensive?
• Do You Need to Speak Spanish in Costa Rica?
• Health Related Travel Tips
• Best Ways to Move Around Costa Rica

How to Get to La Fortuna from San Jose

By Car – For the greatest flexibility, you can always hire a car for the duration of your stay in Costa Rica. If you arrive to San Jose airport, then you can always pick up your vehicle from there and reach La Fortuna in about 3 hours. The roads are generally good; however, you might want to consider hiring a better car that can easily travel across some of the bumpier roads in the area. You don’t need a 4×4 though.

Private Taxi or Group Shuttle – You can always book a private car service or group shuttle from San Jose to La Fortuna. Of course, the private taxi will be more expensive, so if you don’t mind sharing your ride with a few others then I highly recommend you book a group shuttle service.

By Bus – If you’re on a tighter budget, then you can always take a local bus to La Fortuna from San Jose. The bus leaves from this terminal once a day at 8:40AM. It takes around 5hrs and costs around 3,000 Colones or 5USD. Note that you cannot book your ticket in advance, and they sell them on a first come first serve basis, so make sure to get to the bus stop early enough. There is no toilet on the bus. However, it stops about halfway through so you can use the facilities there.

If you’re heading back to San Jose from La Fortuna, the bus leaves at 14:45 every day from here.

Note – Always keep your belongings close to you and always ask an official worker about bus times and tickets as scammers are often there to offer their services.

How to Get to La Fortuna from Monteverde

You can also easily reach La Fortuna from Monteverde by hire car or a private shuttle and boat combo.

You can book the latter at any hotel in Monteverde. You’ll get picked up from your accommodation by a minibus which will take you to the shores of Arenal Lake. This part of the journey should take around 1.5 hours. From there, you’ll hop onto a boat which will sail across the lake for approximately 45 minutes. Once on the other side of Lake Arenal, you’ll once again jump into a minivan that will drop you off at your accommodation. The entire journey should cost around 30USD per person.

Note that there won’t be any toilet options along this journey!

If you’re heading to Monteverde from La Fortuna, then you can always complete this journey in reverse order.

Whilst this method is slightly more expensive, it’s worth every penny just for the amazing boat ride across Arenal Lake.

Best Time to Visit La Fortuna in Costa Rica

La Fortuna is a tropical all-year-round destination to visit. For example, temperatures and humidity barely vary during the year. The rainiest months are normally June, July, August and October. The drier months are normally from December to April, although it doesn’t mean that it won’t rain at this time.

For this reason, most tourists will visit La Fortuna during winter. Therefore, expect the prices to be higher than during the rainy summer season. For reference we visited in February, and we had pretty good weather conditions although it still rained a lot and was very humid.

10 Best Things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica

1. Hike the Arenal Volcano 1968 Trail

The No.1 thing to do in La Fortuna is definitely hiking the Arenal Volcano 1968 Trail.

Arenal Volcano became one of Costa Rica’s most visited natural attractions after it erupted in July 1968. The eruption effected a large area, destroyed 3 towns, killed many people and damaged crops, livestock and forests. It also changed the landscape forever. Up until 2010, Arenal Volcano remained very active. The eruption was also the main reason why the area’s main source of income became tourism.

Today, Arenal Volcano 1968 Park offers its visitors a chance to hike through the lava fields and get a 360-degree view of both Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. There are two trails you can choose from: ‘Forest 1968’ Trail (Sendero ‘Bosque 1968’) or ‘Lava Flow 1968’ Trail (Sendero ‘Colada 1968’). Luckily, since neither of the trails are too long, you can easily complete both in one day.

Entry Fee – 19 USD per person.

Opening Hours – Every day from 8AM until 5PM. 

Click here to read everything you need to know about hiking the Arenal Volcano 1968 Trail in La Fortuna.

2. Admire the Powerful La Fortuna Waterfall

Probably the second most visited place in La Fortuna is the stunning La Fortuna Waterfall.

Emerging from the jungle before plunging 75 meters (246 ft) into an ice-cold blue pool, La Fortuna Waterfall is a paradise for many.

After you’ve walked through the visitor centre, you’ll have the chance to admire the waterfall from a distance. From there you’ll need to take over 500 steep steps down which will lead you to the waterfall itself. 

Make sure to take your swimwear with you if you’re planning on having a refreshing dip into the pool. Be aware that the pool is cold, and the currents are strong, so avoid swimming too close to the waterfall. Even if you don’t want to swim in the ice-cold pool, you can just sit on one of the big rocks and admire the waterfall.

When you’re ready to come back up, you’ll have to take the steps again. Once at the top, don’t forget to visit the Orchid Garden since it’s included in your ticket price. We didn’t see many orchids because it wasn’t the right season, but we managed to spot a few playful toucans which were totally worth entering the garden for.

Useful Information Before Your Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

How to get to La Fortuna Waterfall? – It is located about 6 km (3.7 miles) to the southwest of the town centre of La Fortuna. You can either jump into a taxi or walk there from the town. There’s no direct public bus available. A one-way taxi ride should cost between 6 or 7USD or about 4,000 Colones. If you have the time and the energy, I personally recommend you walk back to town. This way, you can stop at El Salto Rope Swing and enjoy another dip in the water. 

Entry Fee – 18USD or 11,500 Colones per person. 

Opening Hours – Every day between 7AM and 5PM.

Facilities at La Fortuna Waterfall – Visitor Centre, toilets, café, gift shop and changing facilities. 

Top Tip – Make sure to arrive for opening time and head to the waterfall straight away. There will already be some people, but you’ll have the chance to enjoy the waterfall before the big tour groups arrive.

3. Watch Locals at El Salto (Rope Swing)

Another fabulous thing to do in La Fortuna is El Salto Rope Swing.

Since it’s located en-route to La Fortuna Waterfall, you can easily combine your visit. The place is accessible from the left side of the road bridge via a short path. If you weren’t brave enough to swim in the pool at La Fortuna Waterfall, then you’ll have the chance to enjoy calmer waters here. What’s unique about this place is that it has a rope from where you can swing and jump into the river. 

Since it’s one of the limited places that doesn’t have an entry fee, you’ll see many locals enjoying the waters, having a picnic and most importantly showing off their skills on the swing. Watching them doing backflips and swinging upside down on that rope was truly amazing. If you’re brave enough, you can also queue up to have a go, or alternatively, you can just do some general cliff jumping.

This place isn’t a hidden gem anymore and you’ll see many tourists hanging out here too. However, since we saw just as many locals enjoying the water, I think this was definitely the most authentic experience we had in La Fortuna. 

4. Go Sloth Spotting

Have you even been to Costa Rica if you didn’t spot a sloth in the trees?

Since we didn’t have much luck spotting any ourselves in the Monteverde Cloud Forests, we decided it was time to splurge on a guided tour to increase our chances to see a few.

We decided to go to Bogarin trail which is a 2.5 km (1.5 mile) long trail just outside La Fortuna’s town centre. The guided tour was fantastic and worth every penny. Our guide was very knowledgeable and told us all about the history of the area and his personal story about the time and aftermath of the eruption of Arenal Volcano.

He went the extra mile to show us wildlife along this trail. We saw many tiny frogs, spiders and birds with his help. Most importantly, we managed to see 5 adult sloths and two baby sloths. Seeing them was so magical and we both felt incredibly happy that we paid for a guided tour. This also allowed us to learn what kind of trees sloths are likely to be found in and what to look out for, which helped us spot a few sloths ourselves in Manuel Antonio.

The trail was also an easy and flat one to walk along, which would be perfect for anybody looking for a relaxing walk. At the end of our tour, we also got to try some of the sweetest pineapple we’ve ever had. All in all, I cannot recommend a visit to this place enough.

Entry Fee – Self guided tour is 15USD per person. Guided tours are 45USD per adult. They also offer night tours for 60USD per person. Note that you can only pay in cash. For more information you can visit their website.

5. Soak Your Muscles in Natural Hot Springs

Due to the geothermal activity, there are a lot of natural hot springs in La Fortuna. Normally these hot springs are part of hotels or spa resorts, which means you either have to be a guest or buy a day pass.

The price for these day passes will vary depending on which hotel resort you pick. There are definitely more luxurious ones where you’ll pay at least 80USD for a day pass, such as Tabacon Resort. This one is actually the most popular one to visit due to it having the only truly natural hot springs. Not to mention its incredibly beautiful and lush setting. However, there are definitely some more affordable ones such as Paradise, Baldi, the Ecotermales or the Hotel Los Lagos Resort.

Are you on a tight budget and don’t fancy paying so much money for the hot springs? If so, then just about a hundred meters down the road from the luxurious Tabacon resort you can enjoy the hot springs for free. Since this location isn’t a secret, expect it to be pretty crowded with both tourists and locals. However, it’ll definitely be a more authentic experience, especially if you’re looking to connect with others.

Saving Tip – If you wish to enjoy the hot springs at Tabacon Resort – or at any of the other hotels – then check out how much a night would cost you there. You may get a good discount which would cost you the same as a day pass but would allow you to enjoy the hot springs even before the day trippers arrive.

6. Go on a Canopy Walk at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges

If you’d like to enjoy the rainforest from a different point of view, then definitely head to Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges.

The Castillo Rodríguez family, who inherited the land from their parents, decided to preserve parts of the forest. Later, they started the creation of an ecotourism project called Los Puentes Colgantes del Arenal (The Arenal Hanging Bridges). Once the project was finished it was then opened to the public who can now admire the forest from the canopy.

During your visit, you can walk along the 3.2km (2 mile) long trail which includes the crossing of six hanging bridges and around 10 stationary bridges. This trail gives you the chance to spot some wildlife such as sloths and birds that you wouldn’t normally see from the ground. In addition, you can also get a great view of Arenal Volcano from the first suspension bridge. 

Hanging Bridges Trail Cost – 27USD per person.

Opening Hours – Every day between 6:00AM and 4:30PM.

How to get to Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges? – It’s located about 20km (12 miles) to the west of the town centre. Since there are no public buses there, you can either use a rental car, a private taxi (could cost around 30USD one way) or book a tour that includes transportation in the price.

The park offers a lot more adventures and packages so make sure to check out their website to find the most suitable one.

7. Learn About Coffee on a Coffee Tour

If you enjoy drinking coffee and you want to sample the best quality coffee, then you must join a coffee tour in La Fortuna.

Costa Rica produces about 197 million pounds of coffee annually. This means that the country isn’t the largest producer in the world, however, it is well-known for its Arabica coffee. Arabica beans are actually a lot harder to grow than the lower quality Robusta beans. These coffee beans need very specific conditions such as higher altitudes and milder temperatures. Costa Rica benefits from mountainous areas with warmer temperatures which creates the perfect environment for the Arabica beans. 

Did you know? – In Costa Rica a law was passed that prohibited the plantation of low-quality coffee beans in 1989. This means that Costa Rica only produces 100% Arabica coffee which are the highest quality coffee beans. 

Based on what the tour guide said and my own research, apparently a few years ago there were plans to start planting Robusta beans. Due to climate change, the conditions for growing Arabica can be seriously impacted whereas Robusta seems to be a bit more resilient. Robusta also grows twice as fast as Arabica, so it’s more economically beneficial for producers. However, based on my internet search the ban on Robusta cultivation was upheld.

By joining a coffee tour, you will have the chance to learn about the exact process used to make your delicious morning cuppa. 

8. Learn How Chocolate is Made on a Chocolate Tour

If you love chocolate, then you should definitely go on a chocolate tour during your stay in La Fortuna. 

Cacao actually used to be the leading export product in Costa Rica until coffee and bananas took over. There are actually many other provinces in Costa Rica that grow cacao trees such as Cartago, Alajuela, Guanacaste and Talamanca. 

Did you know? – A fungus called monilia wiped out at least 80% of the cacao trees in the country in the late 1970s. In the 1980s, Dr. Phillips-Mora started his project to find the most tolerant cacao trees. Much later, in 2006, he released the first batch of hybrid cacao varieties which were much more disease resistant.

During the chocolate tour your guide will walk you through the process from getting the cacao beans to turning them into delicious chocolate for you to try. 

Saving Tip. You can visit North Field Coffee farm for a Chocolate and Coffee Tour for 34USD per person.

9. Join a Night Walk to See More of Costa Rica’s Wildlife

As the sun sets, the night creatures will begin to emerge. So, if you’d like the chance to explore the jungle at night and see more of Costa Rica’s amazing wildlife, then make sure to join a night walk. A guide will give you a torch and will lead the walk through the dark paths of the forest. With experienced eyes our guide spotted and identified different species in the cloud forest. It was actually very impressive to see how they spotted the tiniest creatures in the dark. 

Note – Every night walk will be different, and you may or may not spot any wildlife. We actually didn’t see anything crazy like a snake or the famous, red-eyed tree frog. However, we still managed to see many insects, tiny frogs, geckos and spiders. At the end of our tour, we even spotted an armadillo, which was definitely the highlight of our night walk.

It was our very first time walking in the jungle at night, so it definitely felt a little strange and creepy at first. Although, later on during our backpacking trip we hiked in the Amazon Rainforest at night too which was definitely a more intense experience.

Top Saving Tip – Instead of booking three different activities, why not combine them? It’ll save you both time and money. At Don Juan, you can complete either a Coffee and Chocolate Tour or a Chocolate and Night Tour for around 42USD each.

10. Go on an Adrenaline Rushing Zipline Adventure

Last but not least, if you enjoy adrenaline pumping activities, then you have to go on a ziplining adventure when visiting La Fortuna. There are many other extreme sports you can try out whilst you’re visiting this area. However, since recreational zip lining was indeed invented in Costa Rica, if you do one extreme sport, then it has to be zip lining. 

History of ziplining – While ziplining dates back to many centuries ago in China and Australia, recreational ziplining started with a wildlife biologist, Donald Perry. He originally used this new method to be able to study the Costa Rican flora and fauna. It later led to the invention of the adrenaline pumping recreational activity of ziplining. 

There are many adventure parks you can choose from. Some of them are more extreme, like SkyTrek, or more family and beginner friendly such as Arenal Canopy. Make sure to shop around to find the best adventure park for you.

Final Thoughts on Things to Do in La Fortuna

I guess it won’t come as a surprise when I say that my absolute favourite activity in La Fortuna was hiking in Arenal Volcano 1968 Park. I can totally see why many people come to this part of Costa Rica just to enjoy the views of the volcano. Of course, seeing sloths – especially baby sloths – with our own pair of eyes was also a memory we’ll never ever forget. Whilst I personally enjoyed the crisp fresh air and temperatures we had in Monteverde compared to the muggy and hot ones in La Fortuna, I still very much enjoyed our time in this area.

Have you ever been to La Fortuna before? If so, how much of the area did you manage to explore? Let me know in the comments below.