ISLAND GUIDE
The tours and day trips worth booking.
The 15 top-rated things to do in La Fortuna — the boat trips, beach days, volcano hikes and old-town wanders worth building a day around, with real prices and who to book each one with.
Prebook your La Fortuna Waterfall ticket for faster entry. Hike 500 steps down, enjoy the 70m falls, swim if conditions allow.
Most Popular“Beautiful spot. Can be crowded and hard to get pics. Be prepared for 15 min stairs all the way down and back up! Quite the workout lol. But nonetheless, deff worth the visit!”
Walk Místico Arenal hanging bridges in the rainforest canopy for wildlife views and an 18-meter waterfall stop.
“This was a perfect way to be in the jungle/rain forest for about 1.5 to 2 hours. The whole family loved it-two teens, two twenty year olds and two adults. The path was mostly concrete and easy to walk on. It was not touristy, it was just being iRead more”
Baldi Hot Springs day pass in La Fortuna gives you 25 thermal pools, water slides, and optional meals near Arenal Volcano.
“Much to do, very kid/family friendly. Lunch was good. The staff went out of their way to to accommodate. I would definitely visit again given the opportunity. One of my better days in La Fortuna.”
Soak in mineral hot springs at Paradise Hot Springs in La Fortuna, with hydromassage pools, Arenal views, and optional meal.
“Pleasent place with excellent service. Spring pools were amazing. Accessories and devices in a very good shape, with high level of maitenance”
Horseback through Arenal rainforest to La Fortuna Waterfall, with a swim option, rainforest wildlife stops, and a Maleku cultural visit.
“The guides were amazing and the waterfall was as well. The problem I had with this tour is as a horse owner myself, I felt the route for the horses was very unstable and unsafe. All concrete and rock hills, the horses were actually slipping going back down. Rather than a scenic trail, it was…”
Zipline over sea views, quick-jump thrills, snorkel or paddle in Gulf Papagayo, plus a hanging-bridge croc moment and a big-view lunch.
“Ana amazing day trip! We enjoyed horseback riding, ziplining, and spent time at the hot springs!”
A short guided sloth walk in La Fortuna with telescope help for phone photos, easy rainforest paths, and fresh pineapple snack.
“What a wonderful tour! We saw at least five sloths, including several three-toed and one two-toed sloths. We never would have been able to spot them without Alex’s help and his expertise with using the camera with the scope ensured we have wonderful pictures and videos. In addition to the sloths, we saw bats, an…”
A customizable La Fortuna combo with Arenal Volcano hike, La Fortuna Waterfall swim, hanging bridges, and optional hot springs. Pickup included.
“This tour exceeded all expectations! From start to finish, it was a perfect blend of adventure, breathtaking scenery, and insightful learning. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating details about Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity and ecosystems. WalkinRead more”
Hands-on Costa Rican cooking in La Fortuna, then a salsa dance lesson with included hotel transport for an easy 3.5-hour night.
“This was such a fantastic experience. The cooking and the dancing were a lot of fun, with great instruction and lots of cultural background interwoven into the experience. I definitely recommend partaking in this class. And do the dancing option!”
Arenal full-day tour from La Fortuna: river safari float, La Fortuna Waterfall swim, family farm lunch, and a slow volcano hike.
“Absolutely incredible day. Best way to see Arenal region in one tour! Pepe, our tour guide was awesome. Very knowledgeable about the area, the animals, the history, and the Volcano. Minor, our driver was also great, as he protected our personal belongings while we were on our various excursions! Highly recommend this tour if you…”
La Fortuna sloth trail plus tortilla cooking class. Spot two- and three-toed sloths, press cane juice, then cook tortillas.
“Our family of four (2 teens) really enjoyed this morning sloth tour in a wildlife corridor seeing not only sloths but other creatures such as a Green Basilisk lizard, an agouti, bats and a sleepy porcupine. Sergio, our guide was very knowledgeable and patient. The sugar cane squeezing and tortilla making was fun and the…”
La Fortuna night cocoa tour with wildlife spotting, hands-on chocolate making, and tastings on covered cement paths for $67.
“This tour was absolutely incredible! Our guide was fantastic—so knowledgeable and passionate, making the experience both fun and educational. We saw an amazing variety of wildlife, from colorful frogs to exotic birds, and walking through the jungle at night was pure magic. The highlight was making our own chocolate—it was fascinating to learn the process…”
Canyoning waterfalls, ziplining, and rock moves, then Balsa River Class 2–3 rafting in La Fortuna. Lunch, pickup, photos.
“Well organized always felt safe and lots of fun. Got wave rafting photos but not repelling how do we obtain those? Thanks!!!”
Private La Fortuna to Liberia airport transfer for up to 6. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned minivan, flight-based timing, quick airport drop-off.
“Harold was a wonderful driver and even though we had a communication gap (he spoke Spanish and we spoke little Spanish), he did his best to make sure we had a comfortable trip”
Join the Ecogarden Arenal night walk in La Fortuna to spot nocturnal frogs, caimans, and sloths on a guided, ticket-included 2-hour eco tour.
“The only frogs we found where spotted by the visitors. The guide was mostly busy having a "party and chatting" with the american visitors instead of searching for animals or explaining other stuff of thw forest.”
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