Tour in La Fortuna 1: Low budget

Hi! My name is Serendipity and in this blog I will give you very useful information to enjoy a 1-day trip through La Fortuna, with a low budget.

I recommend this travel itinerary if you travel by car, since the distances are not so short and there is scarce bus accessibility.

In addition, you may eat a strong breakfast and prepare a nutritious snack for mid-morning, since along the way, we will find a beautiful place to eat it.

Some details

La Fortuna tends to be a rainy place, this allows it to have such lush and green vegetation. Generally the rain here is intermittent and it has a warm temperature. This is part of the natural wealth of the area, so I recommend you to bring a cape or umbrella to protect yourself from the rain, in case it comes along the way.

1. Arenal Volcano National Park

As the first destiny I recommend visiting the Arenal Volcano National Park!

This park is covered by a pleasant tropical forest and wildlife. Here you can walk on the “Lava Coladas of 1992” (large accumulation of lava and solidified volcanic material that formed in a period of much activity in 1992), as well as appreciate the impressive Ceiba tree with more than 400 years of antiquity and visit several viewpoints of the Arenal volcano and the Arenal lake.

It is located 20 minutes from the center of La Fortuna. Check out here its exact location in Google Maps.

The rate for nationals and residents is ¢ 1,000 (adults) and ¢ 500 (children), for non-residents the rate is $ 15 (adults) and $ 5 (children): prices for the year 2019. 100% of the earnings of the visit are used by the National Park Fund to finance all protected areas of the country.

This park opens at 8am, so you can arrive very early and take advantage of the morning. I advise you to start the adventure with the “Coladas” trail, where you will walk on the volcanic lava from a 1992 eruption, this trail is 2km long. Then, you can take the 400-year-old Ceiba tree trail to observe this impressive tree; this trail is located in the same area and is 3 km long.

During this walk, it is important to be alert, since at any time you can meet different types of birds, animals and insects, which live freely in the park. If you want to observe them, I recommend that you walk in silence so that they don’t run away.

After hiking through the “Coladas Trail”, I recommend you to take your car and drive 2 kilometers to the East to reach the “Peninsula” sector (if you have any questions you can ask the park rangers and they will guide you). The trail is 1 kilometer 300 meters long, is cemented and is accessible for people with disabilities. At the end of this path you will find a platform where you can sit and appreciate the Arenal Lake up closely. There are two more viewpoints on the road and a 3-story tower (12 meters high), from where, if the clear weather permits, you can see the volcano and very beautiful views of Lake Arenal.

The “Peninsula” sector is the ideal place for you to savor your snack while enjoying the beautiful scenery. In this area, you will find chairs, tables, drinking water and bathrooms. For more information about the trails of the Arenal National Park check out here! 

The duration of the walk will depend on the speed with which it is done, I encourage you to take the time to enjoy the hike, however, for planning purposes,  the tour will take between two to four hours.

After you’re done discovering this magical place, you can easily get to the Lake Arenal dam, which is another beautiful site worth a stop.

2. Arenal lake: dam and “pizotes”

The Arenal Lake dam is also called the “tapón” of the lagoon. This was created artificially by the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) to generate hydroelectric power. Here you will stand on the material they used to close the passage of the river and see a tower that has a water outlet, which serves as a water escape when the lagoon fills up too much. This is a nice place to visit when you travel with low budget!

A secret I will tell you is that ,under this lagoon, rest the remains of an entire town. Sometimes, when the water level goes down you can see the cross of the flooded town’s church, since it was the tallest building in the town. A second, but less mysterious secret, is that if you continue down the road (for approximately 200 m) you reach an area where you will find boats, where you can usually see herds of “pizotes” (coatis) around the road. Enjoy watching them, just don’t feed them!

3. Relaxing hot springs: Paradise Hot Springs

On the road back to downtown La Fortuna (at this location), be sure to make a stop at this hot springs oasis. 

Highly reviewed in Trip Advisor, Paradise occupies a place in the Top 10 of activities to do in La Fortuna. Besides crossing out from your list a do not miss activity to do in La Fortuna, you can also have lunch, find a spot to stretch muscles after the hike, relax and spend a beautiful afternoon. The most wonderful thing about this place is that each pool has a different and very pleasant hydromassage, to release all stress.

Another great secret of this site is that here you can relax without the crowds and rest in built-in lounge beds inside the hot springs, with a splendid view of the volcano. Moreover, after dipping in the warm pools, you can stop by the Phoenix Swim-up Bar, where you can enjoy delicious and healthy drinks from the Health-bar section of the menu, to hydrate after a long day’s walk.

You can also get dinner and relieving massages. Click here to check Day Pass rates!

Temporary offer

During September and October, 2019, if you buy the Day Pass tickets (on-site), you will get a free hot chocolate and a 15% discount on the chocolate tours offered by Estukurú chocolate and coffee shop, in La Fortuna. Take the opportunity to taste delicious chocolate and support the local economy.

(When you buy tickets at Paradise you will be given a coupon that you can present at the chocolate shop. It applies from September 1 to October 31, 2019, applies to nationals and foreign adults.)

Hasta luego!

Arenal Volcano National Park Trails

The Arenal Volcano National Park is covered with an authentic tropical forest surrounded by wildlife; it is a place to appreciate the diversity of Costa Rica’s natural resources. Even though most of the park is covered with forest, another part of it is covered with large lava and solidified volcanic material accumulations named the “Coladas de Lava de 1992”, area that was formed in 1992 during a high volcanic activity period. Besides the varied geological landscape, hikers can also enjoy other espectacular elements, such as an impressive 400-year-old Ceiba tree.

While walking through the national park, it is possible to observe a wide flora and fauna variety typical from the area. Among the existing fauna, visitors can see birds such as guans, toucans, hummingbirds, orioles, parakeets, umbrella birds and bell birds. Moreover, adventurers can also spot animals such as different snakes, mountain pigs, coatis, congos, Colorado and White faced monkeys, among others. Even though Arenal’s wildlife makes the preserve very impressive, it is not the only feature of the park. If you are visiting on a clear day you can see the wonderful Arenal Lake, the Tilarán mountain range and the Chato Hill (an extinct volcano).

If you want to discover the Arenal Volcano’s natural beauties, you should not miss the opportunity to wander around its trails. This national park has several trails of different lengths and durations, therefore, visitors have options to select the one that matches them best.

The Trails

Heliconias Trail: This trail is 610 m (0.37 mi) long. It has a flat, narrow path, which is all covered with vegetation. From this trail you will be able to observe the volcano crater.

1. Coladas Trail: It is 1.7 km (1 mi) long. Here, you will appreciate the volcanic cone, the Arenal Lake and the Tilarán mountain range.
2. El Ceibo Trail: ​This route is relatively flat, it is 2.3 km (1.4 mi) long and in this path you will see the large Ceiba pentandra tree, with more than 400 years old.
3. Volcanic Cone Viewpoint: This path is 1.5 km (0.9 mi) long and ,from here, you may appreciate the majestic Arenal volcano.
4. La Peninsula trail: The trail was built at the beginning of 2017 with the introduction of La Peninsula sector. This trail is 1.2 km (0.74 mi) long and extends through the middle of the forest. It is the only trail at the National Park equipped for people with reduced mobility, has a viewpoint from where you will see the Arenal Lake area, a visitor center and exhibition areas.

How to get to the National Park?

The park is 6.25 mi (10 km) away from La Fortuna downtown, in the Alajuela province.

From San José: drive west through the Interamerican Highway, through San Ramón. Then follow the road north through La Tigra and Chachagua until you get to La Fortuna, from downtown, continue on route 142 for 6.25 mi. The road is accessible by any type of car.

Check out here its exact location in Google Maps.

Schedule and rates

The Park is open every day from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m. The rate for nationals and residents is ¢1,000 (adults) and ¢500 (children), for non-residents the fee is $15 (adults) and $5 (children). Every visit makes a direct contribution to Costa Rica’s natural resources conservation, since 100% of the income from the entrance is used by the National Parks Fund to finance all the protected areas of the country.

Learn more about this and other National Parks by visiting SINAC’s (Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación) official website.

Above all, a hike in this park is one of the many family tours available in La Fortuna de San Carlos.

In addition to visiting this wonderful national park, it is recommended to enjoy a soothing thermal water bath in the impressive Arenal Volcano’s thermal waters. Click here to check Day Pass rates!

Happy hiking!