As the motto goes, “Pura Vida!” If you like to hike, swim, and meet people, you can find all those things in La Fortuna!
Check out my other blog post about all the things you can do in La Fortuna!
Day 1: Experiencing the Rainforest and Arenal Volcano on the Hanging Bridges and Arenal 1968 Hike
Morning
The morning of my first full day in La Fortuna, I started off by going straight to the Mistico Park Hanging Bridges. The Uber from Fortuna was CRC 6,770 or about $12.50 USD. The park is a very family friendly, low impact activity. It takes you through the rainforest and you can see lots of flora and fauna. I think I spent about 3 hours here, and I was a bit slower than average. I saw a lot of waterfalls, great views of Arenal, and lots of insects. Not very much wildlife, although I saw a lot of hummingbirds.
Pro Tip: I recommend getting a guide so that you can learn more, but you can also walk through on your own and have a great time!
Afternoon
In the afternoon, I went on the Arenal 1968 hike, which takes you on rock created by the 1968 eruption. This was a cool hike, also fairly low impact, and through the rainforest. At the end there is a nice bar/restaurant to relax at. It was a 2-3 hour hike, and I would definitely do it again. On this hike, I saw and heard howler monkeys. They were really cool.
Evening
That night, there was a cheap shuttle from my hostel to the free, local hot springs. The “hot springs” is a creek with gentle flowing water. The water is warm, definitely not hot. When it gets dark, the locals light candles and it gets very romantic. I stayed at the hot springs for 3 hours. I would definitely go here again, especially with my girlfriend this time.
Pro Tip: Bring your water shoes and be ready to get romantic when it gets dark!
Day 2: An Awesome Hike Up the Cerro Chato Volcano and Finding Community at the Hostel
Morning
On Day 2, I set out early to hike Cerro Chato, which is a volcano next to Arenal with a lake at the top that you can swim in. If you are adventurous, this is the hike for you! The Uber from Fortuna to Green Lagoon Wellbeing Resort (where you pay and start) CRC 1,970 or about $4 USD with a tip. You pay $15 at Green Lagoon, and they have a couple of suggestions for you to help you on your hike.
I was alone on the hike, and it is extremely rugged. Make sure to bring food and water. There were times when I was using my arms to pull me up. It is wet and muddy, also very muggy. There were times when I considered turning back, but I persisted on. At one point, I was greeted along the hike by a frog and a snake.
I think it took about 1.25 hours to reach the lake at the top. I think I hike faster than average because I passed 2 groups of people.
At the top, I swam in the cool, refreshing water, which felt awesomely refreshing. There is seriously nothing like it. I stayed at the top for about 15 minutes, and then a group of Germans were descending, so I decided to go with them so I wouldn’t be alone. If you enjoy hikes that are challenging and ‘off the beaten path’, Cerro Chato highly recommended. You won’t be disappointed.
Evening
After Cerro Chato, I needed some food and rest, so I just relaxed at my hostel. I stayed at the Palacios Arenal for $22/night and there were a bunch of friendly, social people from around the world there. If you are looking to meet people and rub elbows, I recommend staying in a hostel instead of at a resort or Airbnb.
My hostel had a very vibrant atmosphere to it with people from all over the Americas and Europe passing through. There was a group of Europeans there who made “family dinner”. They wrapped a bunch of foil around the table and then made a huge serving of nachos on top. We then sat around and talked and drank and got to know each other.
You can find the best hostels from Hostelworld. Make sure to check Hostelworld everyday, because people cancel all the time, and new openings come up hour by hour.
Pro Tip: If you want to meet people, definitely book through Hostelworld.
Day 3: Free Fun at El Salto and the Chocolate Tour of a Lifetime
Morning
On Day 3, I was a bit tired and I was going to be leaving the next day, so I stayed close to La Fortuna.
I went to an archeological site that was about ancient maize cultivation. I thought this was going to be an official museum, but it wasn’t – it was very small and unofficial, yet really interesting. I wandered around for a few minutes, until a local farmer saw me and told me all about the ancient practices and showed me ancient tools. It was all in Spanish, as he did not speak any English.
I then walked to El Salto, or ‘The Jump’. This is a rope swing that is free and popular. It was a lot of fun to do the swing and watch people do it as well. I wish I had brought my water shoes with me. I spent about 3 hours here.
Afternoon
I then went on a Rainforest Chocolate tour. This was one of the highlights of my trip. Overall, my attitude is that there are somethings I can’t do in the U.S., and a chocolate tour is one of them.
The chocolate tour was informational, talking about the history of chocolate, and then we played a couple of games in around the chocolate trees, and finally got to participate in the chocolate making process. The entire tour was very kid friendly, and there were a lot of kids and families there.
We also got to try lots and lots and lots of chocolate samples with dozens of different ingredients available, such as lavender, vanilla, whiskey, cinnamon, sprinkles, marshmallows, anise, turmeric, and the list goes on.
This was my last day in Fortuna, so I had to pack and say goodbye to my friends. Read my post on the beach portion of my trip and NYE in Tamarindo!
Summary and My Observations
Fortuna is a great home-base for doing as many adventures as you can fit in. I was in the Fortuna area for 4 nights, and I felt safe the entire time. Even when I walked alone to parts far beyond the tourist areas, I felt safe, and I did not feel like anyone was looking at me being out of place or anything.
No one confronted me, no one offered me drugs (which did happen in Tamarindo, FYI), nothing was stolen. I didn’t see any fights, confrontations, or catcalling.
Prices in Costa Rica are very similar to the US or even more expensive! Yes, it is Latin America, but no, it is not the place to get a 4-course meal and drinks for $7.50. Places like that exist in the world, but it’s not Costa Rica. Overall, the food was ok, nothing fancy. Bring enough cash, as I ran out of cash quick and the line for the ATM was sometimes long. If you use a credit card, there is a 15% tax, so cash is king! I do believe there are is a parallel pricing system in place that charges locals (or people with really, really good Spanish and negotiation skills) less for things.
For affordable food, I found Sabor Tico (Soda de Doña Flor). There are a few other sodas as well. While affordable, the food isn’t amazing.
I also found a used clothing store (thrift or second hand store) in the neighborhood directly south of the main strip. It is called ‘Tienda Americana Emilia’. I think there was also another thrift store in this area, too. I observed mostly locals in this area.
There wasn’t much nightlife in Fortuna. There was some live music playing popular covers, and there was a nightclub, but for the 4 nights I was there, it didn’t look open.
Overall, I highly recommend La Fortuna if you are looking for adventures, to relax, or to have a family-friendly vacation.