Costa Rica's adventure hub in the northern lowlands, built around the Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. The town of La Fortuna is the base for volcano hikes, rafting, canyoning, hanging-bridge parks, and the thermal hot springs the area is known for, with the quieter lakeside village of El Castillo just to the southwest.
Why visit La Fortuna
La Fortuna sits at the foot of Arenal, the near-perfect volcanic cone that anchored Costa Rica's adventure tourism. The volcano stopped its lava shows in 2010 but still heats a string of natural hot springs, and the surrounding rainforest packs waterfalls, hanging bridges, rivers, and Lake Arenal into a small, well-organized base. It is the easiest place in the country to fill a day with big-ticket adventure and end it soaking in a thermal river.
Why people stay
Most things worth doing are within 30 minutes of town: the La Fortuna waterfall and its 500 steps, the hanging-bridge parks, rafting on the Balsa, and the hot springs along the volcano road. The town is compact and walkable around its central park, with the country's deepest bench of tour operators, so you can book a different adventure each morning and still be back for a soak by dark. Río Celeste and the Caño Negro wetlands are doable day trips.
Known for
Arenal Volcano and its national park
Natural hot springs heated by the volcano
The La Fortuna Waterfall and rainforest hanging bridges
Whitewater rafting, canyoning, and ziplining
Plan your visit
Getting there and around
From San José it is about 3 to 3.5 hours by car or shuttle, roughly 120 km north through the mountains, and there is no commercial airport, so most people drive or take a shared shuttle. A popular jeep-boat-jeep transfer crosses Lake Arenal to connect La Fortuna with Monteverde in about half a day. In town you can walk to most restaurants and tour offices around the central park, but a car or tour transport helps for the waterfall, the hot springs strip, and the quieter lakeside village of El Castillo.
Best time to go
The dry season from December to April brings the best odds of a clear volcano, though Arenal makes its own weather and mornings are almost always the clearest window. This is rainforest, so expect rain in any month; the green season from May to November is lush, cheaper, and quieter, with the heaviest rain from September to November. The volcano has not produced visible lava since 2010, so come for the cone, the forest, and the hot springs, not an eruption.
Hotels and places to stay
Boutique hotels, jungle lodges, hostels, and private villas, verified and current. See all 22.
Family-owned hotel in La Fortuna with individual villa-style bungalows set among tropical gardens facing the Arenal Volcano. Villa types range from Standard and Family to Romantic options with a private jacuzzi, all with air conditioning, minibar, and a garden terrace. The property includes natural hot springs, a cold pool, the Papiro restaurant, a spa, an interactive farm, and an organic vegetable garden.
Hostel in the center of La Fortuna, open since 2001, with a pool, jacuzzi, and tropical gardens and views of the Arenal Volcano. Accommodation ranges from shared dorms to private rooms, safari tents, and cylinder rooms.
Family-owned glamping site near the Arenal Volcano with furnished tents that have en-suite bathrooms and private viewing decks. Standard tents suit couples and family tents have two queen beds, and the property has a pool, rooftop garden, and breakfast lounge.
Gastro pub in downtown La Fortuna, 50 meters east of Banco Nacional next to Kappa Sushi, pouring draft beer and signature cocktails. It serves bar food and larger plates, and hosts live music.
Upscale restaurant in downtown La Fortuna mixing Costa Rican flavors with world cuisine. The menu runs to filet mignon, grilled octopus, and pork belly, with an extensive wine list and an in-house sommelier. Open daily from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm.
Sushi bar 25 meters north of Banco Nacional in downtown La Fortuna, blending Japanese technique with Costa Rican ingredients. It offers a vegan sushi menu alongside the standard rolls, plus sake, wine, and cocktails.
An ecological park near Arenal Volcano National Park with rainforest trails and habitats for frogs, snakes, crocodiles, birds, and other wildlife. Visitors can choose self-guided admission, guided daytime tours, or a guided night walk, with online booking. The park focuses on conservation and education.
A family-run wildlife refuge near La Fortuna best known for its frog-watching night walk, a roughly 2-hour guided tour starting at 5:45 pm through rainforest trails. Certified naturalist guides lead visitors to spot tree frogs, reptiles, insects, and other nocturnal wildlife, with flashlights and round-trip transportation included on the higher tier. Reservations are required.
White-water rafting operator running guided trips on the Balsa and Sarapiqui rivers near La Fortuna, with class II-III and class III-IV options depending on river and season. The base office is in downtown La Fortuna, 50 meters north of the police station, and tours include transport, equipment, and a bilingual guide.
Car rental branch in downtown La Fortuna, located just behind the Catholic church, offering cars, SUVs, vans, and 4x4s for exploring Arenal Volcano and the surrounding area. It is one of the few rental desks with a physical office in La Fortuna town itself.
Boutique rainforest resort and wedding venue set on a 106-acre private reserve at the foot of Arenal Volcano, with an in-house wedding specialist team handling ceremony design, farm-to-table catering, and on-site legal paperwork. Venues range from the jungle-set Raindrop Platform to canyon-suspended suites, and the property also arranges photography, hair and makeup, and spa add-ons for couples.
Resort spa at the Amor Arenal hotel offering massages, couples rituals, facials, body treatments, and wellness experiences such as Tibetan-bowl sound therapy and cacao ceremonies. Treatments include hot stone, aromatherapy, deep tissue, and a water-based therapy called Aqua Harmony.
Resort spa at the Amor Arenal hotel offering massages, couples rituals, facials, body treatments, and wellness experiences such as Tibetan-bowl sound therapy and cacao ceremonies. Treatments include hot stone, aromatherapy, deep tissue, and a water-based therapy called Aqua Harmony.
Hot springs resort and spa near the Arenal Volcano with 25 thermal water pools of varying temperatures fed by natural springs, set among tropical gardens with waterfalls and waterslides. The complex includes the on-site Pyramid Restaurant, swim-up bars, and hotel rooms. Day passes and overnight stays are available, with online booking through the resort.
Small reservation-only thermal-springs property with natural hot pools set in dense forest, capping visitor numbers per session for a quieter experience. It sits about 3.5 km east of the Catholic church in La Fortuna and offers entry plus optional meals.
A yoga and wellness studio in La Fortuna offering weekly drop-in classes and private sessions in a natural jungle setting, along with therapies and periodic retreats. Weekly classes run about an hour, with private classes also available. The studio is located 1 km south of the Catholic church in La Fortuna.
La Fortuna massage and spa studio offering massages, body exfoliations, body wraps, couples massage, and volcanic-mud facials. Bookings are arranged by phone and email.
Hotel and hot-springs complex on the road toward Arenal Volcano National Park with multiple thermal pools at varied temperatures, water slides, and volcano views. It sells day-pass admission that includes the pools, and the grounds also have trails and a wildlife area.
Banks, ATMs, and medical help in La Fortuna, checked against live sources.
Banks and ATMs
Bank
Banco Nacional (BNCR) La FortunaFacing the central park, La Fortuna centro
State bank on the central park with on-site ATMs. Phone is the national call center, not a direct branch line.
ATM
ATM (shopping center across from the park)Commercial center across from the central park, La Fortuna centro
Bank ATMs in the shopping center on the park; the easiest cash stop downtown. La Fortuna also has BCR and Banco Popular branches in the town center (locations pending re-verification).
Medical
Hospital
Hospital San CarlosBarrio El Carmen, Ciudad Quesada, about 1 hour north of La Fortuna+506 2401 1325Open 24/7 with an emergency department
Public CCSS regional hospital for the San Carlos canton; the nearest hospital and where 911 takes serious emergencies from the Arenal area.
Clinic
Fortuna Medical CenterLa FortunaOpen 24/7
Private urgent care with X-ray, ultrasound, and lab, plus ground and air ambulance; accepts travel insurance. Contact via the clinic website.
Clinic
Centro Médico SanarAbout 200 m east of the central park, La Fortuna+506 7266 2088
Private clinic with general care and on-site dental; English often spoken. Emergencies +506 8302 2791.
Clinic
Área de Salud La Fortuna (CCSS)About 50 m north of the Musmanni bakery, one block east of the central park
Public CCSS clinic with a lab, pharmacy, and emergency care; bring your passport. Hours change seasonally.
Pharmacy
Farmacia Fischel La FortunaNear the south side of the central park, La Fortuna
Branch of the national pharmacy chain with a doctor on site for basic consultations.
