La Fortuna & Volcano Arenal

The 270 km from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica to La Fortuna took as planned 4,5 hours, plus one stop at a Soda (local eatery) on the way, with far less traffic than on the roads we had taken before. With a quite tight program (after relaxing at Puerto Viejo and enjoying the beautiful accommodation at Colina Secreta), we started immediately with activities… La Fortuna is one of the touristic hotspots in Costa Rica, with throngs of visitors going to all kind of activities, nature or adrenaline orientated. Some people stay there for one week or even 10 days to do it all, from hanging bridges, ziplines, white water rafting, quad and horse back riding treks, canyoning, … You name it. The town is widespread, without center, with numerous restaurants of all types, most of which are full in the evening (we even saw people queuing to get into some places…). But all in all, it doesn’t seem so crowded after all.

El Choyin Hot Springs

Of course, you can go to one of the luxury hotels to enjoy the hot springs in a luxurious environment, but we did not feel like dishing out somewhere between 250 and 700 USD to go to a hot swimming pool for the 5 of us. We chose the free option, El Choyin Hot Springs, which are easy to find. Local people manage the parking and ask for a hefty price (10 USD), but that makes your life much easier as well. You then go down to the river (ask the people who manage the parking or follow the crowds), then go down a somewhat muddy path to the river… which is indeed at approx. 37 degrees. It was a nice moment with a funny crowd from all over the world.

Danaus EcoCenter – Night Walk

Guided night walks is clearly a must-do in Costa Rica, because it is the only way to spot some of the very iconic species of the country. And do not be mistaken, without a guide, you will simply see nothing! We had no luck with the weather on that night, with partly heavy rain, but the guide was both extremely patient with the kids and highly knowledgeable. And we saw lots of animals: Danaus EcoCenter is clearly a very, very good option. The guide insisted we should come back the next day (included in the ticket of the night walk) to enjoy the garden at daylight. So we did! It is extremely difficult to spot wildlife alone, but it was a nice complementary walk anyway, to complete the experience of the night before.

Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park

It is a 2,5 – 3 hours guided walk, crossing 6 hanging bridges (up to 97 meters long and 45 meters high). Believe me, crossing those hanging bridges alone is quite an experience! The guide (French speaking) was extremely knowledgeable and enabled us to see lots of animals we wouldn’t have even imagine (he acknowledged they have a WhatsApp group where they share the location of animals spotted). Both kids and adults had a really good time there, walking through the paths in the jungle and crossing those swinging hanging bridges.

Volcano Arenal – Arenal 1968

There are several options to hike and see the Volcano Arenal. Note that you cannot climb to the top, unlike Volcano Poas. It seemed us quite difficult to pick the right option, and following the advice of our hotel, we went for Arenal 1968. That was a great choice. The “long” hike is 4.980 meters and takes 2 to 3 hours depending on the number of stops you make. There are different parts in the hike: you first walk across the forest, then through the lava fields where you reach a viewpoint / mirador on the volcano and the lake on the other side, then down to a lake where it is said you can see caimans (we saw none) and back. The end turned a bit challenging, as the kids were both tired and hot. The cafeteria at the end of the trail is horribly expensive but offers spectacular views of the volcano.

Catarata La Fortuna – Or how to get it really wrong all the way…

This is a quite spectacular waterfall, falling down 70 meters into a small lake where you can swim (though the sheer power of the waterfall makes this completely unthinkable with kids), set in the middle of the jungle. But you first have to take some 520 steps down, and bad news: up again! This is actually a place where you come to swim (further down the river, the water is much more quiet) and relax for the afternoon. Well, we arrived far too late (16:00), and after 15 minutes it started to rain heavily. So we went back up, soaking wet…

Catarata Rio Celeste / Parque Nacional Volcano Tenerio

This waterfall and National Park is a convenient 1,5 hours’ drive from La Fortuna and 2,5 hours’ drive from Monteverde, so it is a nice option on the way from the one to the other without adding a significant travel time. On weekends, it is a very popular place amongst locals, and it can turn very, very crowded. It is convenient 1,5 km walk to the waterfall, and another 2 km walk to the mirador (of the Rio Celeste). We skipped the last 500 meters to the end of the trail, as the kids were tired. Some wildlife can be seen from the path, especially snakes (don’t leave the trails!). We had to wait sometimes at the viewpoint to the Cataratas, as locals were spending time for pictures (and only 6 people are allowed on the viewpoint). The road is very picturesque, though road conditions are partly quite challenging on this leg, especially when approaching Monteverde (a 4WD is definitely necessary there).