La Fortuna - waterfall, volcano, and a scooter from a suspicious souvenir stall

Waterfall with the taste of the best coffee

First stop before entering the park — a small café across the road. Flat white. Easily the best coffee I had in Costa Rica.

The day started with a trip to the local waterfalls. I was a little annoyed to discover that the travel agency had quietly marked up the price by a full 50%, but the moment I stood under that wall of water, the irritation dissolved.

The waterfall is monumental. The force of it beneath you is impossible to describe, and swimming against the current was an experience in itself - even though the current made it impossible to reach the actual base of the falls.

The hike back up runs along an endless flight of stairs. A solid fitness test.

Trek under Arenal volcano

After the waterfall came a transfer to the foot of the majestic Arenal volcano. A roughly four-kilometre trek through dense jungle followed. Along the way I witnessed some local ingenuity that made me smile.

The humid air felt like it had less oxygen than normal, or maybe it was just the terrain - either way, it was a proper slog. You develop a respect for every metre.

The views of the volcano were breathtaking, even though its peak kept playing with the clouds and stayed hidden. The authenticity of the place was underscored by our guide, who vividly recounted the history of eruptions and the fates of people who died here. Hearing those stories in the immediate presence of that sleeping giant gives the whole trip a completely different dimension.

A well-earned lunch was served in an improvised "dining room" right in the jungle, food brought in by vehicle. There was a campsite right next to it, and I have to admit - sleeping out there in that wilderness takes a serious amount of courage.

Traffic reality and a thermal finale

The journey back brought me back down to earth. Morning queues there and evening queues back mean you spend half your time crawling along in a car.

But then came the reward: Hot Springs. Forget polished hotel pools - this was the real thing, a raw spot by the river right under a bridge by the road.

On first glance it felt a little odd - mostly locals, and without the travel agency I probably wouldn't have found it. But even though the whole day had been tropical, the water was at absolutely perfect temperature. After the brutal hike and endless stairs, it was the best possible end for both body and muscles.

Renting a scooter in La Fortuna

In the evening I tried to find a motorbike or scooter. The deposit at the one motorbike rental put me off immediately. I tried two more scooter places, but no luck. Everything in this country runs through WhatsApp - even scooter bookings happen there. After a while one rental got back to me and passed on a contact for someone who could lend me one. The owner spoke no English, but with an open laptop and Gemini I sorted everything I needed in a few minutes.

They wanted 55 dollars. The handover happened at a sketchy souvenir stall run by an older woman - but given that the owner trusted me and asked for no deposit, I ended up renting that "beast of a machine."

Scooter ride and Mistico Park

The next morning I set off along what is supposedly the most beautiful road in the country. Every description bills it as something epic, but the reality was considerably more modest. It is a pleasant road alongside water - the kind you find thousands of around the world. Not exactly jaw-dropping. Ironically the best moment came on the way back, when the volcano finally revealed a proper view. Far more interesting than the famous "epic" stretch.

If you want to experience the rainforest from a different angle, Mistico Park is worth a stop. It is a series of suspension bridges with views of the volcano. I bought a self-guided ticket online in advance - about a 4 km forest walk. If you want to see animals, however, get a guide. They have a trained eye for it; if I hadn't been passing groups with guides pointing into the jungle, I probably would have spotted nothing myself.

On the way back I stopped at a stall selling pinchos and coconut. An older couple ran what amounted to a fast food stand. For anyone travelling independently, this kind of food is highly recommended - usually excellent and cheap.

ℹ︎

Pinchos in Costa Rica usually means grilled chicken skewers.

At first I thought 55 dollars a day for such an old rattler was steep. But when I returned it, I saw how the owner related to his machine. Despite his age, it is clearly his main source of income - so in the end I didn't begrudge him the money at all.

I have two - actually three - tips on where to eat in La Fortuna. The first is an unconventional fast food spot, and the other two are restaurants close to each other: one cheaper, one pricier, but you will eat well at both.

Where to eat in La Fortuna