• La Fortuna waterfallA steep stair drops from the park gate to a cold pool, a short ride from town. Swim only if the river allows. You climb out on the same steps.
  • Arenal VolcanoOn a clear morning the cone shows from town, and the summit stays closed. Lava trails in the park are a drive. Cloud often takes the peak later.
  • Hot springsWarm water sits in built pools, not in a creek you find on foot. Go after the daylight stops. Farther from the gate is usually the quieter soak.
  • Mistico hanging bridgesThe hanging-bridge loop is a drive toward the lake, not a stroll. Spans cross wet forest. Early walkers see more birds, and wet wood is slick.
  • Lake ArenalPast the dam, the road follows open water, with the cone across the lake if it is clear. Not a beach. The far shore town is a real drive.
  • 1968 trailPark trails cross the 1968 lava: dark rock, no shade, a view of the cone when the sky allows, so bring water. The path does not reach the summit.
  • Bogarin sloth trailA flat, guided path at the edge of town looks for sloths in the trees. Morning works better. It is short, and it is not a hike you do alone.
  • Río CelesteThe blue river at Bijagua is a long round trip. Start early. Mud is expected, and hard rain can dull the color. Do not add it after lunch.
  • Venado cavesWest of town, a guide takes you into wet caves: mud, bats, a helmet, low rock. It is not a dry gallery. Skip it if you dislike a crawl.
  • Waterfall horsebackHorses cross pasture toward the falls. Most rides end above the stair, and you walk the steep part. Ask where you get off before you agree.

The landscape is rainforest, river, and volcano views. You are likely to see sloths, toucans, howler monkeys, basilisk lizards and red-eyed tree frogs. The plants around them are rainforest, ferns, heliconia and cecropia along the waterfall trail.

Around La Fortuna, sloths and toucans are in the forest toward the volcano at first light. The town itself is sodas and the view. Frogs are a night walk after the rain.

Arenal Volcano National Park, Tenorio Volcano National Park at Río Celeste, and sloth habitat on the Bogarín trail.

In La Fortuna, stay on the trail and do not feed what you came to see. That is the rule that keeps this place the way it is.

The climate is tropical wet. Warm, about 24–30°C. Rain falls most of the year, heaviest from May to November. It is drier spells in March and April. La Fortuna sits at 250 m (820 ft).

If the view is gone when you arrive, wait. Cloud here comes and goes. The countrywide calendar is in the best time to visit Costa Rica.

The airport for this region is Juan Santamaría in Alajuela. Once you are in the valley, San José traffic matters more than the kilometers.

Traffic decides the time, not the kilometers. A short hop can take an hour. Buses, shuttles, and rental cars are compared in getting around Costa Rica.