That’s right, La Fortuna boasts its very own free hot springs! In fact better than that, it’s actually a hot river! If there’s any better start or end to a day in La Fortuna than soaking in a hot spring river, then we haven’t found it yet. The downside to El Choyin though, is that it’s no secret, quite the opposite. It’s one of the most popular attractions in the area, and the crowds can really detract from your experience. It’s also led to a bit of a scam in the form of the parking mafia.
In this guide we’re sharing everything you need to know about El Choyin, from which is the best spot in the river, to how to escape the mafia, and avoid the crowds. Oh and a little night time secret too.
Things to know before visiting La Fortuna’s free hot spring
1. It gets very, very crowded
As we already mentioned in the intro, the most important thing to know before visiting El Choyin is just how crowded it gets. If you don’t mind crowds, then when you visit will largely come down to the weather. If it’s a hot day, then you won’t want to visit in the middle of the day, but otherwise you can come anytime.
If crowds are not your thing, then you’ll want to time your visit to avoid the masses.
I would avoid weekends entirely if you can, as we were gobsmacked by the sheer number of people on the weekend; it can get so crowded that you’ll literally be rubbing up against people. You’ll also likely encounter boom boxes and lots of drinking.
Weekdays are quieter, but in the dry season, still far from quiet. That’s why you want to pick the right time as well as the right day of the week.
2. You want to come early, or very late
If you visit early in the morning, you are likely to get the entire river to yourself. That’s what happened to us and it was the best start to the day! We actually went super early at 6.15am, but that was a bit of overkill. Even when we left at around 8am, no one had come yet!
I think if you aim for some time before 8ish you should be fine. Plus it’s ok if there are a few people there because most stay in the early part of the river - more on that later.
Your alternative is to come late. But not 8pm late, much later. We tried 8pm (albeit on a weekend) and it was my idea of hell. That was the aforementioned skin to skin contact and boom boxes. You’ll want to come for a proper late night adventure, and preferably not on a weekend as people were getting really drunk, so you never know how long they’ll stay.
If you’re worried about coming in the dark, know that the walk is literally a minute long, and with a good head torch, is no problem at all. It won’t be for everyone, but we love a good night time adventure!
The final reason to go early or late is the temperature. Even in the cooler months, La Fortuna is pretty hot. We visited in February and the daytime temperatures were about 25-30C (75-85F), which isn’t ideal for hot springs! However, the temperature dropped to 18C (65F) in the early morning and late evening, which was perfect for hot spring soaking.
It’s worth noting that the water is not super hot in the river, but it would start to feel hot pretty quickly in the main heat of the day.
3. The best part of the river is not the most popular
The walk to reach the start of the river from the parking area takes literally a minute. This is a nice area, but it’s not secluded, and the water is very shallow. You’re really only sitting in a few inches of water.
This is ok temperature-wise, as the air temperature here is generally warm, so you don’t need to have your whole body in the water. However, it doesn’t feel like you’re properly bathing.
If you want to reach a more secluded and deeper part of the river, you can continue for 90m beyond the start of the river (140m from the parking area). There are two ways of doing this. The first is to take the dirt track and follow it round. It’s easy enough, but it’s rustic, with rocks and tree roots to watch out for.
There is also some barbed wire fencing along the last section - this is keeping you away from the adjoining land, which is private.
The second option is to walk straight through the water (up river). I only recommend this if you have water shoes. The rocks are quite sharp in places and it’s really tough on your feet. It’s my preferred option with water shoes, or shoes you’re happy to get wet, but otherwise stick to the dirt track.
You’ll know you’ve got to the deeper part of the river when you’re past the big pipeline. This part of the river allows you to cover half your body when sat down and it’s also a narrow section of water, so it feels more enclosed by the forest.
It’s a shame about the pipeline, but sit facing the opposite direction and it’s beautiful!
4. You need to watch out for the parking mafia!
If you follow our tips for going early or late you can skip this bit because your experience should be delightfully mafia free. However, come at the more popular times of day and you will be asked to pay a parking fee.
There is no parking fee for this area, these are opportunistic people cashing in on the hot springs popularity. The mafia look official because they have high vis jackets, but it’s still a bit scammy.
Trouble is that by not paying you leave your car a little vulnerable. I read a lot of reviews online before our visit and people were being asked for anywhere between 1,000 and 5,000 colones for parking (USD $1.80 to $9).
Some reviewers said they were asked only to tip, like it was optional, but some had payment demanded. We even heard about people being told something bad might happen to their car if they didn’t pay the fee.
We didn’t want any of the hassle, or the crowds, so simply opted to avoid this situation altogether. How much it will bother you will probably come down to your budget and the fee you’re able to negotiate.
5. You can see wildlife in the early mornings
Another bonus to visiting in the early morning is the wildlife. We saw plenty of the usual birds and butterflies which was lovely, but also a whole family of coatis.
We were so thrilled to see 10 of them, including some babies, going about their business searching for breakfast.
It was lovely to observe them for ages without anyone trying to pet or feed them, which we sadly did encounter in other places.
6. And at night time!
What we’d never heard about El Choyin is that you can see fireflies at night! Watching the golden flashes of the light in the bushes was such an unexpected treat.
You can see them on the little trail to the spring and even from inside the earliest part of the river (but there are definitely more in the bushes along the path). Unfortunately from our experience with fireflies in Costa Rica, they are most active for the first hour or so after sunset - which is when we saw them at El Choyin - and this doesn’t coincide with low crowds at the spring. Still if you don’t mind that the hot spring could be busy, it’s exciting to see them!
I am used to firefly sightings being seasonal and I haven’t been able to find out for sure if that’s the case at El Choyin, but as fireflies love water and warmth, it might be that the thermal nature of the area means they are here year round. For reference we visited in the dry season (February) and we saw plenty.
Logistics for visiting El Choyin, free hot springs La Fortuna
Where to park
El Choyin is located very close to Tabacon Resort and Spa. There is no car park, but the coordinates for the off road parking are: 10.4887689, -84.7244539 (or you can find it on Google Maps by clicking here).
If you come early or late you can park right beside the path down to the river. At other times you have to park either side of the road and may have to walk for a while as it gets so busy.
It’s roughly a 13 km and 18 minute drive from La Fortuna.
Make sure you lock your car and don’t leave any valuables inside as break-ins do happen.
The walk to the springs
From the start of the trail to the first time you can enter the river is just 50m. It’s an uneven gravel path downhill and along the steeper bit there is a bit of rail if needed.
You’ll pass through a wire fence which is always open.
You can continue up river for a further 90m with relative ease. There’s a rustic dirt track through the forest. Roughly 65m along the track you’ll see an entry to the river.
The path deteriorates from here, but is still passable. Just watch out for the rocks and the barbed wire (it’s not keeping you from the river, but from accessing private land which adjoins the public area).
The track can be a little muddy and would be much more so in the rainy season.
Alternatively you could walk up the river, but you’ll need water shoes, or shoes you don’t mind getting wet.
Just 15m from when you re-entered the river area, you’ll pass a big pipeline. This is a few metres from our favourite spot, with deeper water and more seclusion.
Be particularly careful if making your way to this area at night as you really don’t want to get caught on the barbed wire fence, which does run for a few metres.
Opening times
As this is a public area, it’s open 24 hours a day. You’ll see a fence when you first arrive, which if you’re visiting at night, may look like it’s closed.
But once you shine the torch on it you’ll see it’s open and you can just walk straight in.
Keep them wild
Please take all rubbish with you when you leave. I know 99.9% of people would never dream of doing anything else, but sadly there was a fair amount of litter on our visit to El Choyin. That’s unsightly for visitors, but a much bigger shame for the wildlife.
Please don’t put candles directly on the rocks when you visit at night. If you want to bring candles, bring ones inside a container not tea lights. Of course, it’s magical to sit in the springs by candle light, but it’s not magical to see wax all over the rocks!
Where to stay in La Fortuna
Arenal Observatory Lodge
The Arenal Observatory is a pretty special place. The lodge has incredible views of the iconic Mount Arenal - even from the rooms!
The rooms are clean, comfortable and well away from the hustle and bustle of La Fortuna town.
It’s surrounded by nearly 900 acres of privately managed rainforest, there are walking trails and even a bird sanctuary on site.
Check the latest prices & availability on:
Apartamento Equipados RyA del Volcan
For those looking for a comfortable stay in a central location, this apartment is a great choice.
Apartamento Equipados RyA del Volcan is a short walk from the centre of La Fortuna, so you don’t have to worry about finding parking or paying for a taxi every time you go out for a meal.
The rooms are stylishly furnished, clean and have a small living area and kitchen for the times you don’t fancy eating out.
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