La Fortuna makes it onto just about everyone’s Costa Rican itinerary. With an epic volcano, endless hot springs, hanging bridges and wildlife galore, it’s easy to see why it’s become so popular. However, with this level of popularity comes high prices and lots of crowds and that’s where we come in.
Whilst not everything on this list is free - because let’s be honest here - that would make for a pretty short article, all our options can be done without a guide, which helps to keep your costs down.
Here are the best things to do in La Fortuna without a tour.
Things to do in La Fortuna without a tour
1. Spot Costa Rica’s most famous residents
Who doesn’t love sloths? They are probably the most coveted animals to spot in Costa Rica and your chances of seeing one in La Fortuna are very high.
We found an amazing free reserve just outside of town where you can see them, though sadly since publishing our guide they’ve closed some of it off. However, there is still a section open worth looking at.
We also spotted a sloth on the road into the reserve, which is not uncommon.
If you don’t get lucky, or want to do one of the designated sloth watching trails, you are almost guaranteed to see one on the Bogarin Trail, even without a guide.
We saw three sloths and the walk was both very easy, pretty and shady - a winning combination! You can read how to improve your sloth watching chances in this guide.
2. Marvel at the best view of Arenal Volcano
La Fortuna is most well known for its views of the awe inspiring Arenal Volcano, which looms over the town centre. On our first visit to Costa Rica the volcano was still active and you could actually see lava spewing from the cone every night.
Currently Arenal is a sleeping giant, but it’s still a captivating sight. It’s one of those volcanoes which is picture perfect, steep and with a sharp cone - basically if someone was going to draw a quintessential volcano, it would look exactly like Arenal.
There are numerous places around La Fortuna (including the town centre) where you can see the volcano, and luckily one of the very best vantage points is from the cheapest of the volcano hiking trails.
As well as offering a stupendous view, Mirador el Silencio is our favourite overall hiking trail in the area. You’ll walk through primary rainforest teeming with birdlife, and emerge from under the canopy to hike up a section of old lava flow, which takes you up to the most incredible volcano view.
Arenal looms over a mass of jagged volcanic rock, while toucans and swallow-tailed kites soar overhead.
It’s hard to believe that this was the cheapest hike we did in Arenal, yet easily the best, and the quietest!
All the details on what the hike entails, including an easy version where you can drive much closer to the viewpoint, are in this guide.
3. Soak in hot springs in the forest
La Fortuna boasts its very own free hot springs! In fact, it’s not just hot springs, but an entire 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.
However, when you get it to yourself, it’s a dream and we have you covered on exactly how to do that in this guide.
If you venture to the springs at night, you might have your way lit by the shining light of dozens of little fireflies - Costa Rica really is a magical place.
4. Take a dip in crystal clear waters
Not much comes for free in La Fortuna, but happily the El Salto rope swing bucks the trend. Although the swimming hole is just below a road, it’s surprisingly lovely, with a small waterfall and blue green pool.
It’s also really easy to reach, so it’s perfect for a hot day when you want to cool off without much exertion. Thrill seekers will love the rope swing too, though we didn’t do it ourselves!
It is a really popular spot though and gets very crowded during peak season. However, there’s another swimming spot close by that surprisingly no one seems to go to. This one has clear blue water and a gorge wall that gives it a wild vibe.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting both spots.
5. Admire one of Costa Rica’s best waterfalls
La Fortuna Waterfall is spectacular, the falls create an incredible mass of white water, the power of which is mesmerising to watch. The waterfall cascades over a towering moss covered cliff wall, which feels truly wild.
Surprisingly, given its power, you are actually allowed to swim in the pool at the base - although I use the term swimming loosely because it felt like a rough ocean when I was in there, and you couldn’t stray too far from the rocks. However, there’s a sensational turquoise swimming area just a minute’s walk from the falls, which is what we’d recommend instead.
Walking to the falls requires negotiating 600m of steep stairs, but the steps are very well maintained and there are handrails. You can read more in our La Fortuna Waterfall guide.
6. Traverse huge suspension bridges in the rainforest
Suspension bridges swaying high in the rainforest canopy, overlooking dense jungle and crystal clear cascades. It all sounds very evocative and we didn’t meet a single person that hadn’t put hanging bridges on their Costa Rica itinerary - whether it was in La Fortuna or Monteverde.
We chose to visit Mistico Hanging Bridges, which has six huge swing bridges which crisscross the rainforest canopy.
Although there are shorter options, you really want to do the full 3.7km circuit to get your money’s worth and see the best of the rainforest. If you don’t go with a guide, you are not guaranteed to see wildlife due to the dense forest canopy, although we were lucky enough to see monkeys, birds and bats.
However, we made the mistake of visiting Mistico on a weekend, which was a really bad move. It was absolutely heaving and it definitely made it less enjoyable, so if you can, visit very early in the day and preferably midweek so you can have a more peaceful experience.
Here’s our full take on Mistico Hanging Bridges.
7. Watch monkeys swing by with your morning coffee
There aren’t many places in the world where you can be sat in a cafe just outside a town centre and watch monkeys swing through the trees. And if the monkeys don’t come out to play (we’ll be honest and say we only saw them once over six visits), then you can watch the hummingbirds (which we saw every time) and maybe even an Emerald toucanet or two.
The place to head to is Café Metrópoli, a ten minute drive from the centre of La Fortuna.
Opt for one of the chairs along the edge of the terrace for the best views, they even have binoculars if you spot something that’s a little further away.
The coffee is good (not amazing, but good) as is the banana bread, but be prepared for high prices. It was worth it though for the setting. We went to several coffee shops in town (one of which, Arábigos, had slightly better coffee) but we kept returning to Café Metrópoli for those fabulous rainforest views.
I found it especially atmospheric in the rain, although that did seem to keep the wildlife away.
8. Stare in wonder at the bluest water you can imagine
Rio Celeste is one of those places where it’s hard to believe that it’s real. The water really is that blue and the setting that stunning. It’s around 1.5 hours from La Fortuna, although almost everyone who visits does so from here, so we’ve included it in this guide.
The walk to the waterfall is very pretty and well maintained all the way to the falls. The last part of the trail is a set of steep stairs, but there are handrails if needed. If you only want to see the falls, the walk is 3.2km return, but if you want to see more blue pools and great scenery then you can walk beyond the waterfall for a further 1.2km each way.
The first time we visited Rio Celeste, it was still a hidden gem and we were the only ones there and swimming was permitted. It’s since become one of Costa Rica’s most well known waterfalls, so you’ll want to read this guide to make sure you can enjoy it without the crowds.
9. Hike the old lava trails
It’s not often you get to hike on old lava flow, but in La Fortuna there are a few places you can do it. One of which is at Mirador El Silencio mentioned above, however, we also loved the lava trails at Arenal 1968.
It is one of the more expensive things to do on this list, so it’s only worth it if you do the full circuit hike, not the short version - and only if you have clear skies around the volcano.
As well as hiking up the black jagged rocks of the old lava flow, you’ll also get fabulous volcano views (assuming you don’t go on a cloudy day like us!) and get to walk through a really atmospheric rainforest - some of which also had old lava flow to walk on, which was very unique.
You can read more about Arenal 1968 in our detailed guide.
10. Swim in gatorade blue water
Swimming through water so blue that it looks like it came from a glacier should be on everyone’s Costa Rica bucket list. It really is a magical experience.
Though you can no longer swim at Rio Celeste Waterfall itself, you can swim in the nearby river, which has the same gatorade blue water.
There are a couple of great easy to access options which you can pair with a visit to the waterfall. As long as there hasn’t been too much recent rain, which causes strong currents, the swimming is leisurely and a real delight. We even had toucans fly overhead, it felt like something from a movie scene!
We have detailed our favourite swimming spots in this post and note that none are anywhere along the Rio Celeste Waterfall trail, where swimming is prohibited.
11. Make a day trip to Bajos Del Toro
Most people have heard of Rio Celeste, but fewer people know about the stunning blue waterfalls of Bajos Del Toro (almost the same distance away from La Fortuna as Rio Celeste). This tiny village in a cloud forest is packed with jaw-dropping waterfalls and dreamy turquoise pools. Although we’d recommend spending a couple of days in this area, you can still see a lot on a day trip from La Fortuna.
The aptly named “Blue Falls” is a must-do, as this short walk has five separate waterfalls, including a stunning green canyon falls and several dazzlingly blue pools. Wild swimming lovers can also check out Pozas Celestes, a picture perfect blue pool that’s also extremely easy to get to.
Poza Celestes
Blue Falls
Those looking for a real adventure should head to Catarata Vuelta del Cañon - one of the most picturesque waterfalls we’ve ever seen. It’s a 5km hike each way, crossing rivers and rainforest, but the destination is like something from the Lost World.
Catarata Vuelta del Cañon
For those who aren’t as keen to swim, then head to Catarata Del Toro, a giant waterfall that plunges down into an extinct volcanic crater. Walk to the bottom and feel the full force of this immense waterfall.
Getting to La Fortuna
La Fortuna is located roughly 130km and a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from San Jose. It’s a similar distance to Liberia and 220km and around a 5 hour drive from Manuel Antonio. We always recommend hiring a car (but read this article so you don’t get scammed) and driving yourself around Costa Rica, but you can also hire drivers if preferred.
La Fortuna is a popular place, so it’s also easy to visit by public transport. Public buses are pretty cheap (approx USD $5 between San Jose and La Fortuna), but tend to be slower. You can also take more expensive shuttle buses (approx USD $50 pp between San Jose and La Fortuna).
Getting around La Fortuna
It’s easy to drive around La Fortuna and we never had to pay for parking, or had trouble finding a space anywhere around town or at the various attractions - though watch out for scams at the hot springs and rope swing, which we mention in the guides linked in the relevant entries above.
The town is not big and it’s very walkable in terms of just getting to restaurants and cafes etc.
Taxis are abundant and at time of writing, Uber does operate in La Fortuna (though it is technically illegal).
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.
Check the latest prices & availability on:
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.
