Instead of sitting in a bus or shuttle, you get to river raft your way over! Want to book the Pacuare white water rafting tour? Get our Pacuare rafting discount! Venture into the country side of La Fortuna by way of horseback, one of the best to discover the intricate corners of the land.

On a clear day, you can horseback ride with Arenal Volcano as your backdrop. Not a bad view while sauntering though the open country! This is a half day activity but you can also combine it with something else like ziplining or ATV.

Lake Arenal is the biggest lake in Costa Rica. Take a sunset boat ride, go fishing, jet ski, stand up paddle board, kayak, sail, windsurf or boat across to Monteverde. The lake offers spectacular views of Arenal Volcano and is a great place to enjoy the water and rainforest.

Arenal Volcano erupted in and you can visit the national park or a private reserve to hike around the base of the volcano and see the lava rocks.

One of the best places to see the lasting effects of the eruption is Arenal Volcano National Park. The national park has trails to see the original lava rocks with viewpoints of the volcano and Lake Arenal.

You can also visit the other sector of the park, called the Peninsula Sector which goes to a viewpoint of Lake Arenal. You can also hike in the private reserves near the national park such as Arenal for equally impressive views.

The reserve opens until 6 PM and is open everyday. If you really want to see sloths in La Fortuna, then you have to take a guided sloth watching tour. Although sloths do readily live in La Fortuna, they can be very difficult to see due to their excellent camouflage in the high treetop canopy.

One easy option are the sloth tours right in town. Our tour partner runs a sloth watching tour that goes to private reserves and natural forests. Get a discount for this tour here called Slothies and Birdies. Enlighten your taste buds on this interactive and fun cooking class and farm tour.

Cacao is incredibly important to the indigenous communities in Costa Rica and it grows incredibly well in La Fortuna. Learn how to grow cacao, how to process the beans and how to create the sweet delicious desserts we love on a chocolate tour.

Many chocolate tours also offer sugar cane and coffee so you can spend a full day learning about three extremely important crops of Costa Rica. Since there are SO many awesome things to do in La Fortuna, we highly recommend a minimum of 3 nights.

That way, you have 2 full days in the beautiful La Fortuna area to enjoy and experience the rainforest, volcano and nature. For the tours, get our discount here!

Day 1: For a entire day, Arenal hanging bridges in the morning, La Fortuna waterfall, lunch and then Arenal Volcano hike. End the day at the hot springs resorts. Day 2: Sleep in and then go on a wildlife watching river safari float in the afternoon to see animals. Afterwards, relax at the local central park in the evening and have dinner.

or you can go back to the hot springs and have dinner there. If you plan to eat dinner out in town, check out Mercadito or La Fortuna Pub for craft beer and a fun night out. Day 1: Enjoy a full fun day of ziplining and white water rafting Class 2 and 3.

It includes lunch and afterwards, shower, rest, nap and relax. Visit the hot springs at night to relax. Day 2: Sleep in, rest and visit either Arenal Volcano National Park or one of the private reserves like Arenal , El Silencio or Arenal Observatory Lodge to hike the trails for close views of the volcano.

This will take around hours if you hike a couple of the trails. Book a canyoning tour or an ATV tour for more exciting rainforest adventures!

If you want something more chill, we recommend a coffee and chocolate tour or a cooking class instead. Binoculars or camera for photographers. Join our mailing list and get our free Costa Rica eBook!

Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer If you plan to visit La Fortuna and are not sure what to do, this post will help! There are affiliate links in this post. Quick Information About Visiting La Fortuna, Costa Rica La Fortuna is in the Alajuela province.

It is around 3 hours from San Jose Airport and Guanacaste Airport Liberia Airport. You can also take a taxi-boat-taxi from Monteverde.

The La Fortuna area is famous for its natural hot springs, exotic wild animals, great hiking trails, lush rainforests, and amazing volcano views. The best way to get around La Fortuna is via rental car as attractions are spread out. However, you can visit without a car by booking a guided tour that includes roundtrip transportation as long as your hotel is in La Fortuna town and the nearby neighborhoods.

Get our La Fortuna tours discount to save money on your guided tour! You can easily visit multiple attractions in one day due do their close proximity. A popular Arenal 1 day tour is Arenal Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano Hike and natural hot springs. What is the difference between Arenal and La Fortuna?

Canyoning Waterfall Rapelling Jump down foot waterfalls and tall cliffs deep into the rain forest on a tour of canyoning in La Fortuna. Rio Celeste waterfall. SkyTrek ziplining. Rio Frio safari float. Titoku hot springs. Mistico Hanging bridges Park — walking on a hanging bridge.

La Fortuna waterfall. Pacuare river white water rafting. Horseback riding around Arenal. On a clear day you can see the volcano. Lake Arenal and Arenal Volano. Arenal Volcano view from the national park lava trails. Sloth watching tour in La Fortuna.

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With horse parades, rodeos, musical performances, carnival rides, and a seemingly infinite supply of beer there are claims it's second only to Oktoberfest in the amount of beer that is served , this festival attracts about a million people from all over the country. Take the trip, but be sure to keep your wallet in a safe place; Palmares is a pickpocket's dream.

Known as the Game of the Little Devils, this commemoration of the Brunca people's resistance against Spanish conquest takes place in two Indigenous communities, Boruca and Rey Curré, in December and in January, respectively.

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Trip Ideas. By Ashley Harrell is a Northern California-based journalist who writes about the sea, wildlife, travel, and more. Ashley Harrell. Trending Videos. Was this page helpful?

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budgetrentacar.info › › Costa Rica › Provincia De Alajuela › La Fortuna Events and Festivals in La Fortuna: Find more about upcoming events and famous festivals in La Fortuna. A perfect guide to plan your trip Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing

Festival de la Fortuna - Answer 1 of 4: We have been to La Fortuna during the month of September when a street festival was held by all the local hotels in the area budgetrentacar.info › › Costa Rica › Provincia De Alajuela › La Fortuna Events and Festivals in La Fortuna: Find more about upcoming events and famous festivals in La Fortuna. A perfect guide to plan your trip Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing

Clicking on them may earn Costa Rica Vibes a commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support! Are you wondering which Costa Rican holidays might be going on while you are traveling and what you can expect regarding celebrations? Costa Ricans also known as Ticos are festive people who generally care a lot about family, religion, and pride in their country.

The way holidays and festivals are celebrated in this country are a good representation of that. One of the many things we love about living in Costa Rica is having the chance to get a taste of a different culture.

It is always interesting to see how other countries celebrate the same holidays as you and it is even more interesting to see the celebrations for holidays you have never heard of before. We also created this guide to Costa Rica holidays so you can plan your vacation accordingly and know what to expect from street closures, bank holidays, and awesome celebrations you can join.

This event is probably celebrated just like you are used to. If you are interested in celebrating, San Jose , Jaco , Santa Teresa , and Tamarindo typically have the best nightlife scenes in the country.

Eating 12 Grapes : Similar to the Spanish tradition, many Costa Ricans eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. They make a wish with each grape to symbolize their hopes and dreams for each month of the upcoming year.

Walking with a Suitcase : People who are hoping for a year filled with travel walk down the street with a suitcase. Since you are traveling in Costa Rica and probably already have a suitcase with you, this sounds like something you can easily enjoy. Firework Displays : People often have their own firework displays and some towns put on a display as well.

Please try to avoid driving late in the evening on December 31st and even in the morning of January 1st. The government has really been trying to crack down on drunk driving and there will likely be checkpoints throughout the country, however, drunk driving can still be a problem.

Most people in Costa Rica do not have December 31st off of work, but January 1st is considered a public holiday and businesses will be closed down. However, a lot of people take the entire week between Christmas and New Years off of work to spend with family.

The whole week is not exactly a public holiday, but most schools are closed and most people at least have work off for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. On Good Friday you can expect to see processions throughout the country reanacating the stations of the cross.

Costa Rica is a predominantly Catholic country and these religious processions are taken very seriously. Please be respectful if you happen to come across a festivity. The actual day of Easter is not that big of a deal in Costa Rica. In fact, most people spend Easter on the road heading back home after their fun Semana Santa week.

This week is also one of the most popular travel times in Costa Rica. You can expect the beaches to be packed and the traffic heading to the beaches on Thursday and Friday tends to be crazy!

If you would like to travel to Costa Rica at this time of year the best thing you can do is to book as early as possible. Also, plan to avoid popular beaches if you can. I think it is best to aim and visit jungle towns like La Fortuna over the Easter weekend and save the beach days for after.

For more information on Semana Santa including tips for joining in the celebrations, areas to avoid, etc. check out our guide to Easter in Costa Rica. Dia de Juan Santamaria occurs every year on April 11th. This day is a Costa Rican holiday commemorating the Costa Rican victory during the Battle of Rivas in against William Walker and his troops.

William Walker was a US citizen who had previously defeated the Nicaraguan government. Next, he had his sights set on Costa Rica and other Central American countries with the idea of developing some type of slave trade empire.

The chances of Costa Rica winning the battle were very slim. Unfortunately, it also resulted in the death of Santamaria due to enemy fire. The story about Juan Santamaria seems to be a bit hazy with everything we read saying different things about exactly who this young boy was.

However, everyone agrees he helped save the country from William Walker and his troops. On this day you can expect parades throughout the country to celebrate. These parades tend to be put on by schools with kids leading the festivities.

When driving through towns you may have to deal with a few delays due to these parades. If you would like to watch a parade, just ask at your hotel. They should be able to tell you when and where a celebration will occur.

Labor Day is celebrated every year on May 1st in Costa Rica. This is a public holiday so most people have the day off of work to relax.

If this day falls on a Friday or a Monday you can expect the traffic from San Jose to the coast to be worse and the beaches will be more full than usual as everyone tries to take advantage of the long weekend. Typically this day is celebrated as you are probably used to.

Nothing special happens. It is just a day off of work. This is a national holiday celebrating the annexation of Guanacaste Province from Nicaragua.

It is also often referred to as Annexation of Nicoya. Basically, in the people of the Guanacaste region which then also comprised of what is now considered Nicoya in Costa Rica were considering leaving Nicaragua and joining Costa Rica.

They felt that their beliefs were more closely aligned with Costa Rica than Nicaragua. So, a vote was taken and the majority of the cities voted to become part of Costa Rica Nicoya and Santa Cruz voted yes and Liberia voted no. This historic moment took place on July 25th, and this decision to join Costa Rica is celebrated every year on Guanacaste Day.

It is not just a commemoration of territorial annexation but also as a celebration of the choice made by the people of Guanacaste to determine their own destiny. If you will be in the Guanacaste Province on this day we suggest asking at your hotel about nearby celebrations which you can participate in.

Usually, there are street parties, dances, rodeos and more! Traditional costumes are worn and it is definitely a fun time! The event is a pilgrimage in honor of the Virgen de Los Ángeles Virgin of the Angels , who is the patron saint of Costa Rica.

Every time the statue was moved to another location, it mysteriously returned to its original spot. This was interpreted as a sign that the Virgin wanted a church built on that site. Today, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles stands on that very location. Every year on August 2nd, hundreds of thousands of Costa Ricans, as well as people from neighboring countries, embark on a pilgrimage to the Basilica in Cartago.

Some walk for days and are often barefoot as a sign of devotion. Often, people approach the church on their hands and knees. The Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles, is an impressive structure with beautiful stained glass windows and religious artwork.

If you plan on driving the country in the days leading up to August 2nd you may see people walking as part of their pilgrimage. Some roads may also be closed especially in the Cartago area for walkers. Travel Tip: If you happen to be in Cartago on a different day, the church is usually open to go in.

It is actually one of the most important celebrations of the year. Children and fathers present gifts to the mothers in the family, ranging from homemade crafts to store-bought presents. This celebration marks the day in when Central America officially declared independence from Spanish rule.

Costa Rica, along with other Central American countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, all commemorate this significant day. The news took about a month to reach the small country of Costa Rica!

Most kids make these latterns from paper at school and then walk through town with their school classes. The day culminates with a runner coming down from Nicaragua with a Freedom Torch and delivering it to Cartago. This is broadcast on TV throughout the country and everything stops for the country to sing the national anthem together.

How beautiful is that? However, major tourist attractions, restaurants, and hotels typically remain open. Houses, cars, businesses, and streets are typically adorned with the national flags.

Funds that would have been used for military purposes were redirected towards education, healthcare, and other social programs.

However, some private schools and businesses may be closed. Christmas is a special time in Costa Rica filled with religious traditions and family gatherings. Christmas in Costa Rica is celebrated on December 25th.

Some families do things on the evening of the 24th as well, but it is not typical for people to have the day of the 24th off of work. The typical food in Costa Rica for Christmas often includes tamales. In Costa Rica, tamales are made with masa a type of dough filled with meats, rice, vegetables, and spices, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

Do you know anything about this? You could take a taxi or the public bus from the bus station in downtown La Fortuna. Please add me to your email list. These publications are extremely helpful in planning our trip to CR. Just added you, Mandy. You should be receiving an email with a link to confirm the subscription and then will start getting our weekly blog posts.

Thanks for your interest in our site! Love your site…lots of great info! We are planning a trip to CR in the spring My wife and I plus 15yr old son and twin 6 yr old girls We only have time for a short 6 day trip.

Heading to The Springs then the last two nights at the Westin Cochal. Heard some talk about getting car sick on the long winding roads…preparing to bring some meds.

Any thoughts on activities for young kids or concern with eating certain foods? The water is very safe so fresh foods are totally okay to eat. La Fortuna has lots of activities for young kids. Arenal Oasis and EcoCentro Danaus are a couple of good places to do the tour.

Both are great for kids. question…what is the drive like from Liberia Airport — to Rincon Vieja, then to Arenal?? Some of the driving is not easy from my memory and I have not been in this area and there will just 2 women alone. Check back on our website mid next week or you can subscribe to our blog click here to get it sent to your email.

Hi there. We have just subscribed to your blog as we are heading to Costa Rica in March We have already planned activities for Poas area and Arenal but are very interested in road conditions as we are driving from the Playa Flamingo area to Poas and then over to Arenal.

Do you have any of that information available yet? Definitely love the time and effort you put into you blogs. Hi Gloria and Dave, All of the roads between those destinations are in good condition. For more detailed information, you can read our post Road Conditions of Specific Routes in Costa Rica.

Jeff, for motion sickness, I found the miracle cure. Ginger candies. I prefer the ones made by The Ginger People. I keep a bag in the car and take them on all trips, including Disneyland. I pass them around to the kids, and no one gets sick in the car reading their tablets while we drive through canyons and mountain passes.

Best of all, no side effects like drowsiness. It also works on morning sickness. We will be travelling to La Fortuna in 2 weeks and have booked Princesa de la Luna. It has very good reviews on Trip advisor.

I have been following you blog for about a year in anticipation of our trip — thank you for all the great information you provide. I found this blog on La Fortuna and was hoping it was one of your hotel picks. We are staying at Hotel Aranjuez base don your review in another blog!

Hi Sharon, Thanks for all your support! I think I remember emailing with you a while back. Love this Article I will be visiting Arenal Next month 🙂 I would love to be added to your mailing lists!

Any recommendations for Beaches to visit in Costa Rica? We are planning to visit Playa Blanca? But I would like to visit others as well. Also did you get a chance to visit any caves during you stay Thank you. There are tons of choices for great beaches to visit. Pacific or Tamarindo or Samara. Follow the links to more articles about those places to see how they differ in terms of how developed they are, activities available, etc.

For caves, there are some great ones near Arenal Venado Caves and also Barra Honda to the south. I am about 5 minutes away from booking 2 weeks in Costa Rica for my husband and I to celebrate our 25th anniversary!

I am so excited! Hubby has left it all up to me. We are in our early 50s. Hubby more physically fit than me but, I can keep up. We love nature and relaxing on the beech.

Originally we were going to go to Guanacaste area but after reading your blog… I think going to the volcano, rainforest, cloud forest, etc.

A much better option. What if we like one area more than another or vice versa?? Oh I think we want to rent a car to have the convenience. We have been to Panama we stayed at the Gamboa rainforest resort and took a tour.

We have traveled through Europe and the USA. But going through Costa Rica sounds exciting and a bit nervous at the same time. HELP, AND THANKS FOR YOUR WONDERFUL BLOG! Oh we will be there from July August 1 , Hi Joanne, How wonderful that you and your husband are planning an anniversary trip to Costa Rica!

I hear you on wanting flexibility with hotels. The most popular hotels will probably be booked but there is always somewhere with rooms available. If you want help figuring it all out, you might be interested in our itinerary service.

Basically we provide a framework for your entire trip. Once we learn more about your interests, we recommend destinations, hotels, activities, and restaurants as well as the best order for your travels. We can also help with the rental car. I love your site!

I am planning to be in CR for 3 weeks in July. The first 2 weeks, I will be at a language school in Santa Ana studying Spanish. My husband will join me for the third week and we plan to travel. I just changed our original itinerary after reading through your very informative posts.

Keep up the great work! Hi Sandra, Sounds like you have an awesome trip planned. What a wonderful, helpful site! My husband and I are coming April for just a 6 day get away.

Thinking of staying in La Fortuna for the entire stay and doing most of your recommendations from your page. Do you think this is wise for just a short trip?

Should we drive to any other locations beach or Monteverde or just enjoy what this area has to offer? Thanks for your insight! Hi Sara, It really depends on what pace you want for your trip.

There are definitely enough activities around La Fortuna to keep you busy for 6 days. or the Central Pacific for San Jose Jaco , Manuel Antonio , etc.

Hope that helps! Take a look here. Hi Dionisia, We have a fee sample itineraries on our Itineraries page. You could also get some ideas using our Destinations Summary Guide or we have a few sample itineraries on our Our Top 10 Itineraries book.

My husband and I along with our 16 year old daughter are visiting Arenal and Monteverde November , Thanks for all of the wonderful suggestions for food and activities!

I am really unsure about what immunizations we should get coming from the United States. Also, what can we expect with mosquitoes in late November?

Zika is in the back of my mind, but not enough to keep us from our trip. Hi Ellen, Sounds like an awesome trip! The CDC does recommend Hep A and Typhoid for Costa Rica. Just wear repellant and proper clothing when doing activities outdoors and you should be fine.

We have more info in our post Costa Rica and Mosquitoes: Tips to Prevent Zika, Dengue, and More , for which repellants work best, etc. Have an awesome time! My husband and I are taking our 6 year old to Costa Rica in the spring.

We are first timers and have booked some time in La Fortuna. Thanks for all of the great tips! We are so excited! We have 8 days total and are trying to decide how much time to spend in La Fortuna and if we should plan a few days at the beach. We were thinking days in La Fortuna and then 3 in Tamarindo or Jaco.

Any thoughts or suggestions on how to and where to divide our time? Also, would you fly into San Jose or Liberia? It has a lot of things to do with kids like a night walk, hanging bridges, the waterfall, and a waterpark too.

We actually included it as a recommended destination for families in our Top 10 Costa Rica Itineraries book so you could get more ideas in there as well.

Jaco and Tamarindo are both good choices. There are smaller beaches with calmer water near both though. Hope that helps with the planning. If you need more help figuring out the logistics, you might be interested in our itinerary service. Thanks Jenn and Matt! I actually just got a copy of your book.

After reading the family section it looks like Nosaro might be a better bet for us. Thanks again for your help! Wow, great site, thanks!

We are coming to CR for 10 days in mid October only time we could do it. Three quick questions I hoped you could help with; 1 Looking at spending a few days in the Playa Flamingo area, seems like that area is our best shot at some dry weather on the beach, would you agree or is it a mistake to go here at this time?

And last, 3 Planning a couple days in La Fortuna, is a day trip to Tenorio realistic or should we try and find a room near Tenorio for the end of that day?

Thanks again for the great site,. Hi Craig, It is fairly rainy along all of the Pacific Coast in mid-October. Take a look at the charts in our Weather post for more info Playa Flamingo and Samara are closest to Liberia.

We would have expected Flamingo to be the best choice since Northern Guanacaste is typically the driest region, but it actually looks like it receives a little more rain in inches than the Central Pacific Coast in October but slightly fewer days with rain.

As for if you can do the Rio Celeste as a day trip, yes it is definitely possible. We just recommend getting an early start. Check out our Rio Celeste post for more info there is good info in the comments too.

Hi guys, which places you recommend in Arenal Area for Zip Lining and Canyoning rappelling. The guides are really fun too. We wonder what is the best way to enjoy the hot springs while we will visit the arenal. We saw there are many hotels with their own pools.

Is it better to reserve an hotel with private hot pools or any hotel without and visit some other hot springs. Is the pools within the hotels are same as hot springs places?

What is your recomendation. Hi Yehuda, You can do either really for a nice experience. A few hotels with nice pools that you could look into are Arenal Kioro higher end , Arenal Springs mid range , and Arenal Paraiso more affordable.

so I wanted to end my trip there but because that is closer to the end of the month where do you recommend I start my trip? Are MA and MV similar? Is there somewhere else I should go instead of either MA or MV?

Hi Ashley, I hope we caught you in time since your trip is coming up very soon. Your itinerary sounds really good. Those three destinations are all very different and will give you a feel for how diverse the country is.

Monteverde is the cloud forest and will be totally different than your other destinations in terms of climate, how the forest is, and even the style of hotels and hostels etc.

If you want to end in MA which we think is a good idea and are flying into San Jose, we would recommend starting in La Fortuna and then heading to Monteverde. This makes more sense for bus routes. Hope you have an awesome time! We are going in 3 weeks…any suggestions where to find anew easter mass schedule.

I hear Semana Santa is huge over there. We will be in Santa Juana that Sunday? Thk u. Hi Karen, Yes, Semana Santa is huge here so you should definitely be able to find a service.

There are a lot of churches in Quepos the next town over. Hi guys,love your blog, its so helpful. How long would you recommend i stay in Fortuna area for? i was planning 3 nights but perhaps 2 is enough to go to the waterfalls, hot springs and do a hike in the national park?

My husband and I are in La Fortuna staying for a few days. We just wanted to thank you for recommending all of these wonderful places! We ate at Soda Viquez yesterday and we plan on going back today. The waitresses are extremely nice and the food is awesome!!!

Thanks again! Thanks for taking the time to write. Hope you and your husband have a wonderful trip! Have you heard of a company called LocalAventura Tours? They offer a chocolate tour that sounds quite interesting. The tour leaves from La Fortuna Bullring. Do you know if that is in town? Hello, great website and tips!

Please add me to the email list. for three weeks over christmas. We are avid hikers and are always looking for a hard hike to do. That sounds like an awesome family trip — 3 weeks is a good amount of time to really experience the country. We have a whole chapter called Eco-Trekking that covers our favorite hikes around the country.

It was Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve. Not particularly challenging but really off the beaten path and beautiful. Hi there, My husband and I are planning 12 days in CR, in April We are staying one night in Alejuha as recommend our first night in and hope to get see La Fortuna the second day.

Is it realistic to do that and get to our base lodge in Jaco by the end of the day? Or should we spend a couple of days around Fortuna? I really want to see Manuel Antonio and think planning some day trips to Playa Manta and Blanca will be easy to do from Jaco.

Are those day trips realist. Or should we try and stay around Manuel Antoino a night or two so not to be rushed? You want to avoid driving long distances at night. Manuel Antonio is a little over an hour from Jaco so it is much easier to do on a day trip. Just get an early start and you will be fine.

Playa Blanca and Playa Mantas are easy day trips from Jaco so no problems there either. We are visiting this area May How can I be put on your email list to read your posts? Still deciding on a hotel. Thanks for subscribing. Hi, we go to CR in early December.

I have a question concerning our itinerary. We land in San José and go straight to Manuel Antonio for 5 nights via hotel transfer. We then have 2 nights before going to Tamarindo for a week. Do you think this is madness? Hi Leona, That would totally work as a stopover and is not crazy at all.

If you decide on Monteverde, make sure to check out our destination guide and post on driving there so that you have good directions. Hope you have a great trip! Hi, we are heading to CR to stay in La Fortuna at Nayara springs for 7 nights yes, we are going all out. We are two thirty somethings and travelling sans kids on this trip.

We are looking to do as much as we can, essentially, with a bit of a rest day. We are pretty set on doing the following: White water rafting class IV, Canyoning Desafino?

Should we get a guide? Is there anything else we should look at doing? Thanks for your help on these questions.

We can also answer your general questions on hikes in the area and if you need a guide. Send us an email to bookings at twoweeksincostarica dot com with your trip dates and anything else you might be interested in and we can get started.

Looking forward to hearing from you! Hello, Happened on your site and read the comments. I would like to end the trip on the beach with a yoga retreat or in the mountains with a yoga retreat preference is beach. Looking forward to your response.

thanks so much. Anne Marie. Hi Anne Marie, With about a week, we would recommend two destinations. Each of those beach towns has a different feel so check out our Destinations Summary Guide for which is the best fit.

Also keep in mind that you will be traveling over the busiest time of year so it will be very busy, especially at the beaches. Good luck with the planning! What a fantastic site! What order makes sense: SJ, LF, MV, MA or SJ, LF, MA if not MV or reverse?

Hi Genie, You could definitely do Monteverde if you have nine days. You could do without being too rushed since drive times between those destinations is manageable. The order SJ to LF to MV to MA works well. The reverse order makes just as much sense, but personally we like ending trips at the beach.

Good luck with the rest of your trip planning! Excellent website, si helpfull. I am travelling almost one month in march from San José to Panama city. I will begin probably with poao, then torteguro, then arenal area, monteverde, montezuma, jaco, cerro chirripo for the hike, then puerto viejo salamanca and crossing border to bocco del oro, and continue to Panama city.

backpack, couchsurfing, hôtel, bus and hitchhiking.. what do you think about this plan? I travelled for many years around the world. Hi Michel, That will be a fast paced trip but I think it is possible.

If you spent two nights in most places and three in a few, you would still have about two weeks for Panama. A couple of legs of the trip that will have a lot of travel time are Monteverde to Montezuma and Chirripo to Puerto Viejo.

Sounds like you are well traveled though so you will figure it out. Good morning! My wife surprised me with a Costa Rica vacation for Christmas!

This will be our first time there so we really are looking for advice. Right now we are flying into San Jose and staying for a week at the Tabacon Resort. Should we rent a car and drive from the airport or take a shuttle to the resort. Once we are at the resort would it be safe to rent a car to explore the area and to go back and forth into La Fortuna.

Any info would be appreciated. Hi Jim, What a great Christmas gift! The road is curvy and mountainous but well traveled. Driving locally between Tabacon and town is safe, and it will definitely be nice to have a car there because the area is more spread out. The company we work with, Adobe, also has an office in La Fortuna if you decide to wait to rent.

Shared shuttles are the cheapest option from the airport if you do go that route, but if you need a private shuttle because of flight times, we can help you with a recommendation. Let us know if you need any more info, otherwise, good luck with the planning! Is the drive from San Jose airport to Tabacon really bad at night?

Hi Amy, We have not done that drive at night but everyone we have talked to says to avoid it because visibility is often poor due to heavy fog. Better to stay overnight near the airport and get an early start the next day.

Some companies, including the one we work with, will deliver your car to your hotel the next morning for free too. First, thank you so much for such well made, informative site!

Would greatly appreciate your input, thank you! It will take around If you need a recommendation for a hotel near the airport, we have some ideas in our Best Hotels Near SJO post. One of the options has a discount promo code too. What are the best transportstion options from sjo to arenal to tamirando to lir without renting a car?

SJO to Arenal and Arenal to Tamarindo — fly on a small plane fastest or take a shuttle van. Shuttles are either shared up to people, have AC, schedule is set or private you set the time.

If you need a recommendation for a private shuttle, just let us know. Another option is to take the public bus but this takes a lot more time. Thank you and yes do you have any private shuttle suggestions for our transfer from Aernal to Tamarindo. We really want a trust worthy company.

I am looking at my first trip to C. America, and I will be flying solo. I was wondering if you could help? From your experience, is it reasonably safe for a solo female usual sensible behaviour applied and is it relatively easy to get around?

I am thinking 10 days, and possibly SJO for 1 night, then La Fortuna, then Monteverde then somewhere with beachs and a bit of community? Does that sound sensible and achievable?

Or would a group tour be the better option? Any help very much appreciated!! Hi Natalie, Costa Rica is very safe for solo female travelers. I think you will find a lot of other women going at it solo when you are here. Those destinations you mentioned would be great stops.

For your time at the beach, you might like Samara or Montezuma , which are safe, attract a lot of younger people, and have nice communities. It is fairly easy to get around too. The public bus system is decent we used to use it when we backpacked here and all the popular destinations are accessible via affordable shared shuttles when the bus would take too long.

Hope that helps you decide! You should also look at our safety tips post to get a better idea of the type of crime to watch out for.

We cover travel by bus specifically. I think I have decided on Manuel Antonio for the beach part, I found a good surf lesson company there too! What do you think? I will read the safety post. Thank you so much for your help, feeling more confident already! Manuel Antonio is another good option.

Glad your plans are coming together! I will coming to CR in March and have a few questions. How hard is Cerra Chato. I noticed you are from Boston and so are we. Is it more challenging that the White Mountains of NH? If I go to Arenal National Park can I access all the hiking trails and La Fortuna Waterfall or do I need to drive to the falls?

Is there plenty of parking at the park and how much is the entrance fee? Is Cerra Chato trailhead in the park? Is the Observatory in the park? We are sharing a care with others. If we needed to split up, will I be able to get around via taxi and how much would that cost about?

We are staying at Paraiso and we would like to go to the about referenced places. Hi Candi, 1 You can read our detailed post about the Cerro Chato hike to learn about level of difficulty.

In comparison to Mt. Washington, which we have hiked before, it is much easier because it is shorter but different because of the more intense heat and humidity.

You can find the location on Google Maps. Cerro Chato can be entered from either the Observatory or Green Lagoon Lodge. The Observatory is separate from the park. A cab to the Observatory will be quite a bit because the road is very slow so go there as a group if possible.

The back to SJO for a day. The flights seem very confusing with luggage chargers. Should we fly? Get a private driver? How do we find a private driver? Thank you. Hi Cindy, Flying on a small plane is a good way to save time. Yes, the small plane carriers price their fares based on luggage weight, but you can always pay for one of the more expensive fare classes for heavy luggage.

All of your destinations are served by these shuttles. They are air conditioned vans that hold between people. If you would like help booking either type, let us know.

We work with a reliable company here. your site seems great! We have a trip planned and leave next week for a week in Mexico for a wedding and then off for 8 days to CR. We do have things planned but im trying to see if i can fit in other smaller activities during the days that we end things early.

Is there a particular guide for me to check out? Or must i give you exact locations? I do know we have a private walk planned for arenal on one morning but im wondering if once thats over we can fit in a hike that allows us to see more wildlife and fauna etc.

Suggestions on how i can go about finding some things out instead of giving you my list? Thanks so much for organizing and being present on this site!!! Hi Carolyn, Our Itineraries book has information on different things you could do to fill up your time when you have a free hour here or there.

La Fortuna is covered right in the Best of Costa Rica itinerary and is also in a few other chapters. Is parking in downtown Fortuna easy to find? We are worried of leaving a car there most of the day. Is the parking free or paid parking?

Would you recommend leaving a car there all day? Hi Carina, La Fortuna is a tourist destinations but still has a small town feel. Hi Jenn!! Is it possible to explore this beautiful area without booking a guided tour?

We are touring on a budget but also want to be able to explore everything La Fortuna has to offer without spending a lot of money on guided tours.

Is this possible? Hi Sara, It is totally possible. Hello from texas 🙂 Partner and I are looking into visiting La Fortuna in May for days and just have a few questions. Obviously prefer the cheaper and safer options. Should we pre-plan these things for the best prices or wait until we arrive to speak to locals etc.

Thanks for all your advice! We work with one of the major shuttle companies in Costa Rica and can get discounts if you book more than one trip through us. We just answered a similar question from someone on this post tonight. Scroll up to our response to Sara for more.

But we always recommend making the arrangements for anything you know you want to do so that you get the best choice for date and time of tour. We are a travel agent and can make bookings so if you would like help, let us know. Like the shuttles, if you book multiple tours through us, we can often pass on savings to our clients.

We also plan a stay in Ojochal and Quepos. You folks are around Dominical as I recall? Again thank you for a great site. Hi Dave, Nice to hear from you again. Glad you have another trip planned. There is very good birding in the La Fortuna area. We have seen a lot of different species there.

We have heard good things about it I think they focus mostly on snakes. The feria in San Isidro is great! One of the best and definitely worth the trip from Ojochal.

If you need a good place to eat, we highly recommend Ricar2 on the main road between Dominical and SI right side about 15 min before you get to town. Excellent local food and has a really nice view too. heading to CR as a couplein late April , first time!

any suggestions for unique jungle-cultural places to stay in ME-Quepos? good eats. other outings? can u keep me updated on the newest suggestions and weather forecasst!

Hi JC, You can read our Manuel Antonio Trip Planning post for suggestions on places to stay. For restaurant recommendations, read our Manuel Antonio Restaurant Guide. And for things to do, the destination guide I referenced before has some ideas and also our post 7 Off-the-Beaten-Path Things to Do Near Manuel Antonio.

You can subscribe to our blog to receive our latest articles. We are actually returning to La Fortuna soon and will be coming out with new posts. My boyfriend and I are traveling at the end of June and would love to swim in the pool at the La Fortuna waterfall as well as the hot springs across from Tabacon.

to these places and not have them get stolen? Hi Emily, Great question! What we do is put all our stuff in a dry bag something like this and put it as close to us as possible, on the rocks, etc.

Not sure what you have for a camera. For more casual pictures, we have a waterproof one this one that we love because it can come right in with us. We just came back from 8 days in Costa Rica and I found your blog to be very helpful.

The owner was very friendly. We bought several wood items made by the owner or his friends, had yummy patacones, and stocked up on coffee roasted in his shop for family back home.

Hi Elaine, That sounds like a great stop, thanks for the suggestion. Glad that our website was helpful with your planning and you had a nice visit. Hi, my wife and I will be heading to The Springs Resort in Oct and want to do some 4-wheeling while we are in Costa Rica.

Could you recommend any good companies near our resort or La Fortuna? Thank you! Hi Steve, Yes, we know of a great company out of La Fortuna and would be happy to help you arrange a tour. We will send you an email now.

Have to take issue that Fortuna is a charming town — I found Montezuma charming, but Fortuna with its endless identikit tacky souvenir shops just s bit much. We also struggledto eat well. Have to say that cafe Mediterranean was pretty mediocre. This truly is the most helpful blog on Costa Rica!

Would we be able to get guides at the volcano and the hanging bridges, or would we need to arrange one in advance?

I greatly appreciate your advice. Hi Laura, At some national parks in Costa Rica, there are guides lined up ready to do a tour. But that is not the case at Arenal Volcano or Mistico. Mistico has their own guides but you do need to arrange them in advance and they are still a little expensive.

Not sure how much time you have in La Fortuna, but we would recommend splitting up Mistico and the volcano, otherwise it would be a lot of hiking in one day.

Better to pair one hike with the waterfall one day and do the other hike another day, maybe with a visit to hot springs. We work with a great company that does guided tours of the volcano and Mistico- and we could most likely get you a discount on the rate.

Just reply to this comment with what tours you would like to do, and we can send you more information by email. Hello, just found your blog and the information is awesome. We will be in La Fortuna in February and would like the name of the company for a tour of Mistico Hanging Bridge and Arenal tour.

We like to do the bridges in the morning and the Volcano in the afternoon. Is this too much, celebrating my husbands 60th birthday. Hi Brenda, We just sent you an email about a combo tour that we can help you arrange. It includes both the hanging bridges and hiking around the volcano, as well as a visit to La Fortuna Waterfall.

We will be visiting Manuel Antonio and Arenal next month with our kids! I am trying to figure out what to do on our last day in Arenal heading to SJO area that afternoon. We already have planned: hanging bridges, AOL for hiking, Club Rio activities, and safari float. Do you think a chocolate tour would be good on our last day?

Not sure if the kids would appreciate La Paz enough for that cost. Hi Justine, A chocolate tour would be a great short activity before you head back to SJO. The Rainforest Chocolate tour is especially good for kids because the guides are really funny. Our flight is scheduled to land at SJO at pm.

I have read numerous posts discouraging driving after dark pm. We would definitely prefer to get a rental car at SJO but I wonder if it would be better to hire a private transfer and get a rental car in La Fortuna the next morning instead.

I saw through your link that Adobe will drop the car off at our hotel…is this a better option? Hi Amy, Unless your flight arrives late, you should have the rental car around 3 pm, which would get you to La Fortuna around So you should be fine.

Renting it from La Fortuna is easy too if you feel more comfortable doing that, and yes, Adobe could deliver the car to your hotel. Usually this is for free unless your hotel is far from town. I have a trip planned with my kids to Arenal.

We planned on visiting the hot springs, probably a day pass at the Springs resort. I have recently read about amoeba being present on some hot springs, and there was a child fatality a few years ago.

The resort told me they extensively clean the hot springs every day. Does anyone have safety information about this? I want my kids to be able to play in the hot springs if it is ok. Hi Brian, It is our understanding that that was a very isolated incident.

People use these hot springs every day and that is the only incident we have ever heard of. Hi, my wife and adult son are staying at the Hummingbird nest, a VRBO offing. We will arrive on the 29th of Dec and be there thru the 3rd of Jan.

I have read reviews of the place we are staying. Do you have any insight into what we can expect when we arrive? We arrive in CR on the 28th and will drive up the next day. We just plan on relaxing and see the local sights while there and then going down to Dominical and Uvita for diving and additional sightseeing there.

We depart on the 11th of Jan. El Castillo is a very small town on the other side of La Fortuna, closer to Arenal Volcano National Park. While it is a longer drive to downtown La Fortuna for restaurants, shops, etc.

It will be a nice home base for you and very peaceful. Hello I was just wondering if you had any recommendations on good places to snorkel off the beach without needing a tour? We are arriving at San Jose on March 4th for 13 days and then going to Tortuguero for a couple of days.

We are looking at going back to San Jose and then to La Fortuna, Monteverde and then over to the Pacific side somewhere. I saw that Isla Tortuga might be good. Conditions really vary depending on the seas but March is generally a good time of year.

We are thinking about booking for a week at Villa Hermosa. What is your take on this place? Off-the-beaten path like you say, but fine if you have a rental car. Hi Jenn and Matt! I stumbled upon your site and wanted to say thank you for all the great information.

We have been to Costa Rica a few times, but this time we will have our 7 year old with us. We are flying into San Jose and planning to spend 3 nights in La Fortuna, in Manuel Antonio and in Ojochal or Uvita area. We have done rafting and canyoneering in La Fortuna, but Jack is not quite old enough.

We will definitely do the hot springs, but wondering if you have other suggestions. I found some great suggestions on your website of things to do when we are on the coast: catamaran, kids saving the rain forest and Nauyaca Waterfalls to name a few.

I cannot believe we have not gone to the falls yet. It sounded like it might be doable as a hike so we can consider that although horseback could be fun too. So many things around Dominical I did not know about. I am sure hanging out at the beach and pool would be nice too. Just like to have some kid friendly options for adventures.

Hi Candace, The Family chapter of our book, Top 10 Costa Rica Itineraries , goes to La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio so you should definitely check that out for ideas. By the way, if you did want to go canyoning with your son, he is actually old enough for one of the operators in Fortuna their minimum age is 5.

A good hike with younger kids to see the volcano is the new Peninsula sector of the national park. This is a paved trail closer to the lake, but it still feels immersed in the jungle. It leads to a nice lookout of Lake Arenal and the volcano.

We went with our son and it worked out great. La Fortuna Waterfall will be a good activity for you.

The Nauyaca hike is a bit long but if he is used to walking, he should be okay with the approx. Hope that helps to give you some ideas. Yor website is a gem of information — thank you and please add me to your email list!

Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing The Festival de la Luz, or “Festival of Lights,” is a dazzling event that takes place annually in San José, Costa Rica, usually on the second Missing: Festival de la Fortuna

We wonder what Festival de la Fortuna the best way to enjoy the hot springs while we will Fortnua the Marcadores exclusivos de Bingo. My husband Fortunw join Festivap for the third week and we plan to travel. The tour leaves from La Fortuna Bullring. Do you have any of that information available yet? Christmas is a time for presents, but religion and family gatherings are definitely at the center of the celebrations here.	She is originally from the United States but has lived in sunny San Jose, Costa Rica since The best way to get around La Fortuna is via rental car as attractions are spread out. Known as the Game of the Little Devils, this commemoration of the Brunca people's resistance against Spanish conquest takes place in two Indigenous communities, Boruca and Rey Curré, in December and in January, respectively. La Fortuna is the name of the small town, located about 20 minutes away from Arenal Volcano. Walking with a Suitcase : People who are hoping for a year filled with travel walk down the street with a suitcase. I am planning to be in CR for 3 weeks in July. Please try to avoid driving late in the evening on December 31st and even in the morning of January 1st.	budgetrentacar.info › › Costa Rica › Provincia De Alajuela › La Fortuna Events and Festivals in La Fortuna: Find more about upcoming events and famous festivals in La Fortuna. A perfect guide to plan your trip Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing	The La Fortuna area is famous for its natural hot springs, exotic wild animals, great hiking trails, lush rainforests, and amazing volcano views Music event in La Fortuna, Costa Rica by La Cartelera on Sunday, April 4 In La Fortuna town there are usually a lot of special activities to celebrate this time, such as the traditional "Fireworks at night", concerts and different	In La Fortuna town there are usually a lot of special activities to celebrate this time, such as the traditional "Fireworks at night", concerts and different Missing Answer 1 of 4: We have been to La Fortuna during the month of September when a street festival was held by all the local hotels in the area
We were thinking days Recarga bono giros gratis La Fortuna and then 3 in Tamarindo or Foortuna. It is just a Ruleta relámpago en casino off Recarga bono giros gratis Fstival. San Jose ends up being empty Feztival the beaches are packed! My husband and I are coming April for just a 6 day get away. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. You can expect the beaches to be packed and the traffic heading to the beaches on Thursday and Friday tends to be crazy! is that too much to squeeze in?	Book a canyoning tour or an ATV tour for more exciting rainforest adventures! But that is not the case at Arenal Volcano or Mistico. But we always recommend making the arrangements for anything you know you want to do so that you get the best choice for date and time of tour. We were thinking days in La Fortuna and then 3 in Tamarindo or Jaco. Want the whole crazy story? Oh I think we want to rent a car to have the convenience. If your kids are too young less than 4 for Pure Nature and 5 for Penas Blancas or are with seniors who cannot sit on a raft, we recommend the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge by boat tour instead.	budgetrentacar.info › › Costa Rica › Provincia De Alajuela › La Fortuna Events and Festivals in La Fortuna: Find more about upcoming events and famous festivals in La Fortuna. A perfect guide to plan your trip Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing	5 Best Festivals in Costa Rica · Fiestas de Zapote, San José · Carnaval de Limón · Envision Festival, Uvita · Fiestas de Palmares · Juego de los The Festival de la Luz, or “Festival of Lights,” is a dazzling event that takes place annually in San José, Costa Rica, usually on the second Missing	budgetrentacar.info › › Costa Rica › Provincia De Alajuela › La Fortuna Events and Festivals in La Fortuna: Find more about upcoming events and famous festivals in La Fortuna. A perfect guide to plan your trip Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing
For most employees Festival de la Fortuna Costa Rica, having a day off Festivval Festival de la Fortuna holidays is at the discretion Feshival the employer. We Tecnología de Apuestas Innovadoras touring on a budget but also want to Fodtuna able to explore everything La Fortuna has to offer without spending a lot of money on guided tours. Traveling to La Fortuna? I love your site! to these places and not have them get stolen? We will send you an email now. For a full list and additional tips, read our post La Fortuna Hotel Guide: Where to Stay Near Arenal Volcano.	Are you wondering which Costa Rican holidays might be going on while you are traveling and what you can expect regarding celebrations? Hi Dionisia, We have a fee sample itineraries on our Itineraries page. Once we learn more about your interests, we recommend destinations, hotels, activities, and restaurants as well as the best order for your travels. Hi Anne, La Fortuna would be a good option for before the wedding. Hi Brenda, We just sent you an email about a combo tour that we can help you arrange. For delicious and authentic Italian food, head to Italianissimo.	budgetrentacar.info › › Costa Rica › Provincia De Alajuela › La Fortuna Events and Festivals in La Fortuna: Find more about upcoming events and famous festivals in La Fortuna. A perfect guide to plan your trip Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing	Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar—The Fiesta of the Virgin of the Sea on the Saturday closest to the 16th is marked in Puntarenas by a procession of decorated fishing Trip Planning Guide to La Fortuna. The most up-to-date information on exploring Arenal Volcano, restaurant and accommodation recommendations, plus a video Music event in La Fortuna, Costa Rica by La Cartelera on Sunday, April 4	5 Best Festivals in Costa Rica · Fiestas de Zapote, San José · Carnaval de Limón · Envision Festival, Uvita · Fiestas de Palmares · Juego de los The Festival de la Luz, or “Festival of Lights,” is a dazzling event that takes place annually in San José, Costa Rica, usually on the second Trip Planning Guide to La Fortuna. The most up-to-date information on exploring Arenal Volcano, restaurant and accommodation recommendations, plus a video

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