La Fortuna is known principally as the gateway to world-famous Volcán Arenal, which awoke from its 450-year dormancy on July 29, 1968, with eruptions that buried two villages and 87 people. It has been spewing orange-red lava and boulders ever since, looming above the small town of La Fortuna and filling the horizon with smoke and flames. The area offers a diverse set of wilderness exploration options: tourists flock to the hot springs at the base, while more rugged travelers hike through rainforest to catch glimpses of lava or check out the Catarata La Fortuna and Las Cavernas de Venado. Laguna Arenal, about 30min. from the town center, offers a number of adventure excursions as well.
According to local legend, La Fortuna got its name from the flotsam and jetsam that would drift down the Río Fortuna during floods— indígena tools and relics were scooped up by villagers as signs of good fortune. The small town’s luck hasn’t run out yet. The lava of Arenal, 6km to the west, flows away from town, though La Fortuna is close enough to offer spectacular views and easy visits to the volcano. La Fortuna’s good luck has also meant a booming tourism industry, and the quiet streets are now almost overrun with hotels, tourist agencies, and over-priced restaurants. Luckily, the influx of tourists into the town has not spread over much into the natural sights of the area, and you can still enjoy the region’s hiking and outdoor activities without too much company.
NatureAir operates out of Sunset Tours, offering flights from the small airport at El Tanque just outside of La Fortuna (☎479 9585; www.natureair.com).
La Fortuna’s bus terminal is located 100m south of the southwest corner of the parque, next to the megastore. Buses pick up passengers and head to: Ciudad Quesada/San Carlos (1hr.; 12 per day 4:30am-5:30pm; ¢420); San José (4hr.; 12:45, 2:45pm; ¢2000); Tilarán (3hr.; 8am, 5:30pm; ¢1500) via Arenal (2hr., ¢1000); San Ramón (2hr.; 9 per day 5:30am-4pm; ¢750), where you can transfer to a direct bus to San José (45min., ¢500).
Taxis line up on the east side of the parque. There are two car rental companies offering similar services, vehicles and rates, which vary by season. Alamo, across the street from the west side of the church, has the largest selection of cars. (}/fax 2479 9090; www.alamocostarica.com. Open daily 6:30am-6pm.) Adobe Rent-a-Car (☎2479 7902, cell 8380 8541, fortuna@adobecar.com) located 50m south of southeast corner of parque central, has a small selection and rents only to those 23 and up (open 8am-6pm M-Sa; MC/V).
Bicycle rental available at Cabinas Hervi, 50m south of the southeast corner of the church. (US$2 per hr.)
The main street into La Fortuna runs east-west; many businesses lie here. Along its north side is the parque central. The church sits on the west side.
The most expensive resorts lie a few kilometers west of La Fortuna along the highway. In the town center, competition among hotels and B&Bs is fierce enough to ensure a wide selection of reasonably priced lodgings, and new hotels and hostels open each year. Though most locals and tourists feel that the town is safe, women traveling alone should bear in mind that certain sections along the river are poorly lit at night.
The most conspicuous restaurants in La Fortuna cater to tourists with international cuisine at high prices. Reasonably priced típico fare can be found at sodas a block or two off the main road toward the Río Burio. For The Super Cristian supermarket is across from the southeast corner of the parque. Another location is one block south of the southwest corner of the church. (☎2479 7272; both open M-F 7am-10pm, Sa 7am-10pm, Su 8am-8pm; MC/V).
Numerous tour operators in La Fortuna offer a bewildering variety of activities. You can hike, kayak, bird-watch, canyon, rappel, zipline, raft, canoe, spelunk, windsurf, bike, fish, take a canopy tour, bathe in a waterfall basin, swing on a hanging bridge, ride horses or an ATV, take an aerial tram through the trees, explore the Venado caves, or raft along Río Peñas Blancas or Río Celeste.
To get to El Castillo, turn left at the Ranger Station for Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal (about 17km west of town), continue on the gravel road for 10km until you reach the pueblo. The road to El Castillo is currently only accessible by 4WD, but the government is in the process of improving the road, so check with the Rancho Margot office in town about conditions before making the trek out.Rancho Margot runs a shuttle bus to El Castillo from its office on the north side of the parque central 3 times daily (7am, noon, and 4:30pm). A taxi from La Fortuna costs about US$20. If you book a trip in El Castillo through a tour operator in La Fortuna or through Rancho Margot, transportation is usually included.
Though most often visited as a daytrip from La Fortuna, El Castillo is actually a pueblito in its own right, and one that is quickly developing a tourism infrastructure that takes advantage of both Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. Numerous hotels, lodges, and attractions have been established in the area, and the only factor preventing a tourist boom in the small town is the poor condition of the road leading up to it, which requires a 4WD vehicle. However, with road construction in progress, a water-sports center under development, and new hotels opening their doors each year, El Castillo is poised to become a newer, wilder version of La Fortuna within the next couple of years.
There are an increasing variety of tourist activities available in El Castillo, most of which can be done as daytrips from La Fortuna or as part of a stay at Rancho Margot (see below) or other lodges in El Castillo. Costa Rica Sky Adventures, about 2km from the cruce toward the La Fortuna-Tilarán Hwy., offers a zip-line adventure through primary and secondary forests by two spectacular waterfalls. A sky tram takes visitors to the first platform for a more leisurely view of the forest. (☎2479 9944; www.skytrek.com La Fortuna office across from Banco Popular. Sky tram US$50. Sky tram and zipline US$60. Student discount 20%. Open daily 7am-9pm.) Fourtrax Adventure offers exhilarating ATV tours from a site to the south of Volcán Arenal, about 8km beyond El Castillo. (☎2479 8455 or 2479 8444; www.fourtraxadventure.com. 3hr. tour with 1-person ATV US$85; with 2-person ATV US$99.) For both the canopy and ATV tours, advance reservations are necessary; they can be arranged through most tour operators in La Fortuna or through the website.
The WildSide BioPark, 600m up the side-road from the cruce, is one of the most comprehensive and fascinating butterfly garden/botanical gardens in all of Costa Rica. Its atriums are specially designed to create distinct habitats supporting a unique variety of butterflies, from the spectacular blue morpho to the translucent “invisible” butterfly. The guided tour takes you through the botanical gardens, where you can look for edible fruits and therapeutic leaves to chew on, and finishes with a 1hr. hike through primary forest and a stop at the ranario to see the collection of venomous frogs. Although you can enter the park on your own for a voluntary donation, the tour with friendly, expert guides is well worth the cost. (☎8306 7390. Entrance fee is by voluntary donation. Guided tour 3hr., US$10 per person. Open daily 8am-5pm.) Jardin Ecológico de Serpientes del Arenal, 200m down the road from the BioPark, back toward the cruce, features up-close encounters with over 30 different species of snakes, frogs, lizards, and turtles. (☎8358 6773 or 8692 2087. Serpentarium US$7, with botanical garden and mariposario US$12. Open daily 8am-5pm.)
While most visitors to El Castillo stop by for the day, the town is actually home to one of the best accommodation options in the area for those who want to experience both the tico lifestyle and the natural beauty of the region. T Rancho Margot , the brainchild of Chilean entrepreneur Juan Sostheim, is a sprawling complex that is part resort, part hostel, part organic farm, and part fledgling wild-life refuge. The ranch, which is completely off-grid, has its own hydro-power source and produces the meat, dairy products, and vegetables consumed by employees and guests, making it almost entirely self sufficient. While most guests come for the beautiful, hard-wood bungalows and relaxing yoga sessions, the ranch has numerous opportunities for volunteers. Those with at least a month available can help teach English, work on the organic farm, clean, or do virtually any other activity for which they are qualified; one volunteer did horse surgery. Volunteers receive free room and board in the ranch’s bunkhouse; email the ranch to find out what jobs are available. Rancho Margot also offers a variety of tours, specializing in hikes around the region and horseback rides on the beautiful (and well-cared for) horses. (La Fortuna office ☎2479 7259, El Castillo office ☎8302 7318; info@ranchomargot.org. Free Wi-Fi and computer use. Doubles in bunkhouse US$45 per night including meals. More luxurious bungalows for 2 people US$160 including meals, US$30 per additional person. Fee waived for guests who volunteer on the ranch.)
Hot Springs. In the past few years, the demand for the original hot springs has increased so much that the prices have skyrocketed at the original resorts and numerous new springs have opened their doors. Of the two original hot springs, T Baldi Hot Springs is closer to town (4km west of La Fortuna) and much more reasonably priced than similarly popular Tabacón. It features an expansive set of 25 pools, sauna, spa, two swim-up bars, botanical gardens, and a Mayan pyramid replica. (☎2479 9651. US$28 entry plus US$5 for a locker key. Open daily 10am-10pm.) Operators in La Fortuna offer trips to the termales as part of the Volcán Arenal tour, which also includes a hike around the base of the volcano and a view of the lava at night. This is the best way to see the Baldi springs, as the combined price is not much higher than the individual entrance fees (approx. US$30 for the combined package with Baldi). For only US$20, you can visit the cold-water and hot-water swimming pools, waterslide, six thermal pools, butterfly garden, crocodile exhibit, and Arenal mirador of Los Lagos Resort (☎2461 1818; fax 2461 1122; www.hotelloslagos.com. Open daily 10am-10pm. AmEx/D/MC/V. The bridge just after Tabacon has paths on each side that lead down to a hot-water stream that runs underneath and feeds a natural hot spring on each side of the bridge. Though there is no lifeguard, the springs are preferred by locals and backpackers looking for a free dip. 2 buses per day to Tilarán from La Fortuna pass the springs (8am, 5:30pm; return 3pm. Taxi for ¢5000 each way.)
Catarata Fortuna. At Catarata La Fortuna, 5.5km outside of the town center, the Río Fortuna tumbles down through 70m of rainforest canopy. After a 20min. walk down the rocky trail, you come across the waterfall basin and a separate runoff area that’s safe for bathing. Though the sign advising against swimming may seem nonchalant, bathing in the waterfall basin is extremely dangerous. The outward-flowing surface waters conceal a powerful undertow that is impossible to swim against, and there are currently no lifeguards stationed at the Catarata La Fortuna. Guided horseback tours are also available through tour operators in La Fortuna (US$45). From the parking lot, there is a trail to Cerro Chato, the dormant sidekick of Volcán Arenal. It’s a steep, muddy slog that requires at least 2hr. each way, but an impressive crater lake at the top awaits. Local guides advise against swimming here because of the chemical composition of the water, so the hike is worth it only if you enjoy uphill treks or are in search of a cheap outdoor activity. Those looking for a safer spot to swim can check out local swimming hole T El Salto, on the left side of the bridge just past the entrance to the Catarata as you head out of town. Though there is no lifeguard here, the swimming hole is popular with locals and features a rope swing and numerous unmarked hiking trails that go around the area. (Head south on the road that runs along the west side of the church. 1km later, a dirt road branches off to the right. After a 4km uphill walk that lasts about 1-2hr., you hit the waterfall parking lot. Taxis can take you as far as the parking lot for ¢2000—cabbing it there and then walking back to town downhill is a practical option. The road to the parking lot requires 4WD if it has recently rained. Taking a bike is another good option—you may have to walk it most of the way to the top, but you’ll fly by exhausted hikers on the way back down. From the waterfall parking lot, a steep trail leads 20min. to the base of the falls. Bring plenty of water. Entrance ¢3600. Open daily 8am-4pm.)
Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal. While the boundaries of the park stretch to Tilarán, Ciudad Quesada, and San Ramon, the paying entrance to the park is 17km west of La Fortuna (head west for 15km toward Tilaran and turn left at the sign). Though closer to the volcano, the view from the Mirador is not spectacular, and the park is really only worth a visit to see the volcano spew lava and rock out of its consistently active crater. One of the two paths in the park, Sendero Las Coladas (2.8km), crosses the 1992 lava trail and ends at a lookout point over the current lava trail. At nighttime, you can see what looks like a fireworks show as red-hot lava rocks fly down the mountain. Most hotels in the area have miradores from which you can see the lava flow down the mountain; sometimes it flows to the southwest, and other times more to the north. Check with guides in La Fortuna to confirm where the best lookout points are at the time of your visit. (You can reach the station by bike, private car, or taxi. A one-way taxi ride costs US$10, but it’s easier to take one of the guided tours (approximately US$20 including park entrance fee, with trip to the hot springs US$40). Eagle Tours offers a free 2nd chance if you don’t see lava the first time around. Station open daily 8am-4pm. Park admission US$10.)
Laguna Arenal. Fifteen kilometers to the west of La Fortuna is a manmade lake that was created several decades ago after the construction of a dam as a part of a hydroelectric project. The newly formed lake covered the pueblo of Arenal, whose residents were compensated by the government and moved to the town of Nuevo Arenal, on the shores of the Laguna near Tilarán. The old town remains intact but decaying under water. When the water level is low, locals claim that they see the cross of the old church rising above the Laguna’s gray waters. The renewable energy source now produces up to half of the country’s electricity, and the lake has become a major destination for adventure seekers. Tour operators in La Fortuna and Tilaran offer kayaking (US$45; see Eagle Tours) sportfishing (US$180 for 2 people; see Sunset Tours), and transfers to Monteverde that include a 1hr. boat ride across the lake (US$45; see Eagle Tours). The lake is popular with windsurfers, but those looking to catch the winds that rush across the lake do so from Tilarán .
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