From Wikitravel

Fortuna (La Fortuna de San Carlos) is a small town in the north of Costa Rica. It is mostly famous for its nearby Arenal Volcano (1633m) that has been constantly erupting since 1968. The Arenal Volcano is a destination for scientists and tourists alike as it erupts on an average of 41 times a day.

[edit] Get in

Direct buses from San Jose or transfer in Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos). Local bus from Tilaran. Schedules are at thebusschedule.com.

By car it is a 3-1/2-hour drive from San Jose, but the junctions are not very well marked, so bring a good map.

[edit] Get around

Most tourist activities will include transportation. For other purposes you can use taxi.

• Costa Rica Executive Transportation [1] Chauffeur Driven Luxury Transportation and Security Service. Providing Costa Rica Executive Transportation, air charters, meet and greet services, airport transfers for all travelers to Costa Rica.

[edit][add listing] See

• Arenal Volcano tours usually start out in the early afternoon and include walking for about an hour through lava rocks before reaching El Mirador, the best place to view the eruption from the volcano. There are also possibilities of skipping the lava rock walking and go straight to El Mirador. At the observation point you hopefully will see eruptions and lava flow that can be quite spectacular set against the black night sky, but often it will be so cloudy that you won't see a thing. Most tours state that they will stay for a hour/hour and half at this place, but if there is nothing to be seen probably a lot less. Also be aware that it might be chilly, so bring a jacket. The tours come in a variety of options: with buffet dinner and entrance to the Tabacon hot spa $64, with entrance to Baldi hot spa $30, just the tour $25. There is also a possibility of a no frills tour by mini-bus to El Mirador and back to Fortuna for $10.

• Fortuna waterfall by horse $25. Stone steps lead to the bottom. Take a swimsuit for the pool in the lovely stream below. The entrance is accessible by road, so a cab works fine too.

• Lake Arenal

[edit][add listing] Do

• Canopy Tour, [2]. 7:30am - 10:30am - 1:30pm. Mundo Aventura Canopy Tour

Enjoy gliding through 10 cables above the rainforest canopy, listening to the sounds of the Rainforest and enjoying a panoramic view of waterfalls and Arenal Volcano.

THE TOUR INCLUDES: 1- Horse back riding approximately 45 minutes 2- The cables, 10 in total, span lengths of 200 meters up to the longest of 800 meters 3- Visit to indigenous group called Malekus

• Combination Tour, [3]. Combination Tour

Departs daily at 8:00

1.) Butterfly Farm and tropical gardens 2.) La Fortuna Waterfall 3.) Lunch Restaurante 4.) Walking to the Arenal Volcano lava rocks 5.) Tabacon Resort’s Hot Springs & Spav 6.) Buffet Dinner at Tabacon Resort

It’s a lot of tour. Start out by learning about the natural history of Costa Rican butterflies such as the Blue Morpho, Monarch, Owl Butterfly, Swallow-Tail, and many more. Get a close look at a wide variety of tropical plants and traditional organic crops. You will see close of plants including medicinal plants, spices, orchids, and more. This is a special spot for bird watchers birds.

Your tour can end here, or you can continue with a refreshing two – hour thermal hot springs visit. Tabacon Resort is the number one attraction in Costa Rica, and considered by many as the most beautiful hot spring s in the world.

Choose from 4 options:

1. The hike 2. The hike PLUS Tabacon’s Natural River Hot Springs 3. The hike PLUS Tabacon Resort Spa 4. The hike PLUS Tabacon Resort Spa & Buffet Dinner

All tour options include the Silencio Trail, entrance fee, beverages, on expert bilingual naturalist guide and round-trip transportation.

Bring hiking shoes (during the rainy season, sandals to cross the river and keep your hiking shoes dry) a camera with plenty of film, binoculars, a poncho and insect repellent.

Now we head back past town to the La Fortuna Waterfall. Look around as we head up the road, and take in the beautiful panoramic views of the San Carlos lowlands. A short hike down a steep trail (with steps and a handrail) leaves you only a few feet in front of this powerful waterfall. Time to relax. Sit on the huge rocks around the falls, admire the beauty of the surrounding flora, take a refreshing swim in several pools, or get a massage the natural way under several smaller waterfalls.

By now you are looking forward to a great lunch at restaurant. A fantastic typical Costa Rican lunch will get your energy back for the next part of your tour.

The final stop of Tabacon Resort is just a few minutes away. We start with a guided walk along the trails of past lava flows. Hear eruptions and lava tumbling down the face of this mighty volcano. Occasionally we also see lava rocks on this side of the mountain. Now it’s time to relax in what most will agree is the best thermal hot springs in the world. Enjoy thermal rivers with large waterfalls to sit under for a wonderful massage, or stand behind as a natural sauna. There are also 7 different temperature pools, a cold water pool, Jacuzzis, swim-up bar, a first class Spa, perfectly manicured grounds with many grass areas to relax, an unbelievable variety of flowers and trees, paths along the edge of the rainforest, and more. All of this with the volcano right in front of you. It’s not hard to see why this is the number one attraction in Costa Rica. Top it all off with a buffet dinner at the resort.

• Wear long pants and hiking shoes. Bring bathing suit, towel, repellent, poncho, camera, binoculars, and plenty of film.

 edit $60.  edit

• Jeep Boat Jeep, [4]. Monteverde Jeep - Boat - Jeep

The fastest way to Monteverde This trip starts at La fortuna at 8:30 a.m. where our company will provide transportation to the Arenal Dam. At 9:00 a.m. we will board our boat for around 35 minutes observing a beautiful panorama and sightseeing in front of our colossal friend, the Arenal Volcano .On the other side of the lake, four wheel drive trucks will be waiting and will take us to Santa Elena, it takes 30 minutes from fortuna to the arenal lake, 30 across the lake and 1 hour from the arenal lake to Monteverde. so in 2 hours you can go from La Fortuna to Monteverde or the other way

Morning transportation pick-up time: 8:00 a.m. from Monteverde.

                                                                         8:30 a.m.  from La Fortuna - Arenal.  

Afternoon transportation pick-up time: 2:00 pm. from Monteverde.

                                                                          2:30 pm.  from La Fortuna - Arenal.

(The cost of pick-up from your hotel depends up on the location) edit

• Cano Negro Wild Life Refuge, [5]. Caño Negro Wild Life Refuge

Rio Frío are biological humid areas considered to be one of the richest in biological diversity in Costa Rica. Here you can find a great variety of resident and migratory birds plus three different species of monkeys, also iguanas, sloths, turtles and caymans. The tour starts at 7: 30 a.m. when we pick up all "Nature Lovers" from the hotel in a very comfortable bus for the 1-½ hour Transfer to Los Chiles, a culturally mixed village only 4-km from the Nicaraguan border. Here your boat waits for your river adventure, at that time we begin our 4-hour floating safari through Tropical Rain Forest and pastures until we arrive at the marsh. An experienced English - Spanish speaking guide leads the tour.

Some birds are residents in the area and it is possible to see hundreds of them especially during the dry season. Some of them are Anhinga or Snake - bird, Roseate Spoonbill, it is possible to see little groups of this bird eating in the surroundings of the river. Wood Storks, the Jabiru, the largest bird in Central America and very endangered. Also the Olivaceous Cormorant, that makes its nest in the area, it is also the most popular bird in the refuge. Caño Negro has the largest colony of cormorants in Costa Rica.

Along the river we can see howler monkeys, spider monkeys, white-faced monkeys, also the three-toed sloth and some reptiles like caimans, Jesus Christ lizard and turtles. edit

• Arenal Volcano Night Hike, [6]. Combining the desire of adventure with the passion for discovery, our company offers for local and intenational tourists an option of half a day, maybe the most requested by the people who come to visit La fortuna. At 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon we will arrive a comfortable microbus with destination to a predetermined point to start hikig for around two hours, appreciating the secondary rainforest which contains lots of habitat of monkeys, spiders, congos, some cariblancos and not leaving behind the tucans, turkeys, and the big quantity of different flora thats in the skirts of the volcano. After making this hiking we will enjoy a refreshment and wide information about our colossal friend. To continue with the discovery our guide will show you where hotsprigs come to life and where you will perceive the sulfur odor and an emerald green color lake due to the deposit of copper on it. Later we will view, if nature allows to, an spectacular sightseeing of the volcano for 1 hour.

Back, after a long day full of adventure we will comment about this unforgettable day Arenal Volcano Hike Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hotsprings Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hotsprings + Dinner Arenal Volcano Hike & Tabacon + Lunch Arenal Volcano Hike + Ecotermales

Night Walk at Danaus Eco-center Night Walk in the Hanging Bridges Night Walk into the Primary Forest edit

• Cerro Chato Hike (La Fortuna Costa Rica), [7].

CERRO CHATO EXPEDITION

We leave La Fortuna early in the morning for the hotel "Observatory Lodge", where we begin our walk through very dense primary forest toward the Cerro Chato through very dense primary forest. There we will visit the Crater Lake, where you can swim, take pictures and explore the surroundings. After that, we continue our descent through the rainforest where birds, insects, animals, immense trees and a wide variety of tropical plants can be appreciated. We can also enjoy San Carlos Valley as well as the Arenal Volcano view.

The walk will end at La Fortuna Waterfalls, where we hike for about 15 minutes before we can feel the breeze of the powerful waterfall and take a refreshing swim in the river. Afterwards we return to La Fortuna.

Departure: 7:00 a.m.

Arrival: Around 4:00 p.m.

Includes: guide, transportation, beverages, sandwiches, entrance fee

Cerro Chato, Cerro Chato Hiking tour, cerro chato tour, arenal volcano cerro chato , costa rica hikng tours Cerro Chato, Hiking tour la fortuna, cerro chato tour arenal volcano , costa rica hikng tours, Cerro Chato Hiking, Hiking tour la fortuna costa rica edit

The main attraction in Fortuna is of course the Arenal Volcano, but there are a lot of other activities and tours to be found. The prices listed are typical prices, but there are a lot of operators, so you should check around. Full day tours usually include lunch and soft drinks. Most tours start between 7 and 8 in the morning.

• Rain Goddess fishing boat - for entertainment the boat navigates around the Arenal lake, so that you can appreciate the unparalleled views. They have kayaks and other water activities you can do at the lake. Of course the main attraction is the fishing. The lake has many species of fish but the "Guapote" Bass is most prevalent; this fish is a close relative of the peacock bass and is just as strong. Other fish like the Mojara are also prevalent, think 'kin to the piranha but fruit eaters'. Using the fish you catch, Clifford, the amiable chef will cook them for you. Enjoy the fruits of your day's fun along with his many special recipes!

• Tabacon Hot Springs Entrance fee $65. The fee includes modern changing rooms with locks, towels, and access to the multi-level hot spring with a slide, artificial waterfalls, view of the volcano, and bars for drinks without leaving the water. For a higher price, there is a magnificent buffet. Many hotels will arrange packages including a guided hike to the volcano followed by a trip to the hot springs for a much lower price.
• Baldi hot springs 16 hot springs of various temperatures. Like Tabacon Hot Springs, this too is often included in volcano viewing packages.
• White water rafting on the Mighty Río Toro Class 3-4 or the Beautiful Río Balsa Class 2-3.
• Canyoneering (Waterfall-Rappelling) In the Lost Canyon with Desafio Adventure Company $85. www.desafiocostarica.com
• Community, Culture & Conservation Think globally, act locally! Visit AMURECI woman’s co-op, Proyecto Asis Animal Rescue Center & Luna Nueva organic farm. (You can also visit only Luna Nueva or Proyecto Asis separately.)$75. Exclusively with Desafio Adventure Company.
• Caño Negro wildlife tour $49
• Venado Caves $35
• Canopy tour by horse $45. You'll go on horse back for about 40 minutes to the place of the canopy. Don't worry if you never have ridden a horse before, they'll set you up with friendly one. Recommended.
• Safari boat on the Peña Blancas river $45
• Rainforest Mysteries: Food Medicine Habitat link [8] $69 At an organic/biodynamic herbal estate called Luna Nueva, this is a great opportunity to learn about all aspects of the rainforest and how it relates to us as humans. A wonderful, relaxing, informative day tour with organic lunch and bilingual guides.
• Horseback ride to Monteverde travel the old fashioned way by horse $75. This is a gorgeous 2-1/2 hour horseback ride along the beautiful Lake Arenal on wonderful, healthy horses. Best way to get to Monteverde! Highly recommended by Lonely Planet, Fodor's, Frommers, tripadvisor and more.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Standard souvenirs, photos of the erupting volcano, machetes at the hardware store, Costa Rican ciffee.

[edit][add listing] Eat

• La Choza de Laurel is located next to Burger King. Fantastic menu selection. Tasty food. Low prices!
• Kioro is located at El Mirador and is the restaurant closest to the Arenal volcano. You can sit in the restaurant and watch the erupting volcano or the red lava glow from the top. Specializes in meat. A steak will set you back 4500-5000 Colones. Tel 461-1700.
• Los Nenes, not a very attractive setting one block from the main street and two blocks from the park (when entering from east), but reasonably priced food (but not as good or big portions as Rocas de Lava). 2000-3200 for a dinner. The nachos with everything (1200 C) is really good.
• Rocas de Lava (Lava Rocks Café) on the main street, just after the park. Tel 479-8039, lavarocks@racsa.co.cr. Good food, generous portions. Try the Casado de pollo (2950 Colones).
• Lava Lounge is on main street just getting into town before the park. Good food, a break from typical Tico food.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• La Fortuna Costa Rica, ☎ 2479-7242, [9]. Hotels Guide

La Fortuna offers you diverse hotels, but we have selected those very close to the Arenal Volcano. We want you to feel the energy that makes your heart beat with every breath and rumble that the volcano makes.

• Hotel La Fortuna, ☎ (506) 2479-9197, [10]. A brand-new state-of-the-art five-story hotel in downtown. Features spectacular views of the surrounding country including the magnificent Arenal Volcano. Several rooms and most of the hotel are wheelchair accessible. On site restaurant, sports bar and offers "No Limits Tours" for senior and physically challenged and disabled tourists. edit

 edit

• Volcano Lodge, [11]. Welcome to Volcano Lodge

Is located on the side of the road that connects La Fortuna de San Carlos with the Arenal Lake, with direct view of the Arenal Volcano, a World-famous volcano. The lodge has 65 spacious and comfortable rooms with two double beds, a/c and private bathroom with hot water.

Any trip to Costa Rica must always include a visit to the beautiful Northern Region, land of green magnificent natural beauty.

Volcano Lodge, accommodations with one of the best views of the lava flow of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica. Near the Tabacon Hot Springs

Swimming Pool, Gardens and Jacuzzi (Facilities)

Volcano Lodge offers our guests the opportunity to enjoy our crystalline water swimming pools, which are meticulously treated to offer our visitors the best possible first impression of our facilities. The pools have a peculiar form which is a continuation of the image projected by the Lodge, which brings out a more beautiful way of looking at the Volcano. We feature an open air Jacuzzi that enhances relaxation amidst nature, with a magnificent view of the Volcano.  edit

• Hotel Magic Mountain, [12]. Hotel Magic Mountain is located in Costa Rica, right on the base of the Arenal Volcano and near to the local hot springs.

Our hotel offers a new vision in accommodation services (First Class Accomodation), base on the quality service and with the only objective of a full satisfaction of our clients that makes us different. Our country is famous for its tropical rain forests and active volcanoes. The Arenal Volcano in the northern region of Costa Rica (where we are located) is of special interest to visitors because they can view from up close its constant lava flow.

U S A 800-4716618 ( Español or English) U S A (727) 214-1616 ( Español or English)

C R Fax: (506) 2460-6796 U S A Fax: (814) 680-7008 info@hotelmountainparadisecr.com edit

• Hotel Arenal nayara, [13]. ARENAL NAYARA HOTEL & GARDENS

A world of comfort and style surrounded by an untouched natural paradise. Located in the outskirts of one of the world’s most amazing volcanoes, Arenal Nayara Hotel & Gardens is the experience of a lifetime. At Arenal Nayara Hotel & Gardens, you will find a unique blend between the hospitality of our local culture and the warm tropical climate, making your Costa Rican vacation an unparalleled experience that soothes your senses and rejuvenates your spirit.

Make one of our 26 deluxe rooms your home in this lush and verdant natural wonder, where simply waking up to the wondrous sight of the Arenal Volcano is an experience in itself.

Your time by Arenal Volcano will be a highlight in your Costa Rica experience, our aim to provide all the time the best service in a unique place with an authentic Costa Rica spirit will add that special touch to a life time vacatation.

The Arenal Nayara Hotel and Gardens is surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, each one of its 26 spacious bungalows provides an exclusive retreat in which guests can relax amidst the breathtaking view of the volcano. The Hotels' deluxe tropical architecture mirrors the beauty of Costa Rica’s natural wonders and gives the opportunity to enjoy the best of the authentic Costa Rica hospitality.

Arenal Nayara Hotel and Gardens is brand new hotel with comfort and style while maintaining a close contact with the natural surroundings. With the guests experience in mind, the hotel has built a unique concept of individual bungalows separated by lush tropical plants. Every one of its large suite-size bungalows provides the independent space and privacy that includes a private backyard with an outdoor shower as well as wide glass doors facing the private front balcony.

Arenal Nayara Hotel & Gardens offers a full service restaurant, where local ingredients blend with a world-class cuisine to provide an incomparable dining experience. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and boasts a direct view of the active volcano.

Welcome to our home! edit

• Hotel Mountain Paradise, ☎ (727) 214-1616, [14]. Hotel Mountain Paradise has a privileged location in the Arenal Area. Only 6 kilometers from downtown La Fortuna and 800 meters from the main road, with a direct, uninterrupted panoramic view of the Arenal Volcano from any where in the property.

The Mountain Paradise hotel is a brand new option in the Arenal Volcano area and offers guests some of the finest accommodations available. Perched upon a hilltop overlooking the rolling valley below, as well as a direct view of the Arenal Volcano, it is situated in an ideal location for observing the world's second most active volcano. Being just a few minutes from the town of La Fortuna it is a very convenient location to visit many of the area's attractions edit

• La Fortuna Costa Rica, [15]. La Fortuna Costa Rica Hotels And Tours, your reservation is safe with us La Fortuna info is a site dedicated to promote and discover La Fortuna, Costa Rica and its beauty. Here you will find places to stay, cheap cabins, budget rooms, la Fortuna rooms,Volcano Arenal rooms, moderate hotels, luxury hotels, tours and bus schedules. La Fortuna Costa Rica, Poas Volcano National Park Hotels Near Poas peace lodge Manuel Antonio Hotels

We offer the best price in Arenal volcano tours; general information for free, private transfers and/or tour guides. We will give you the same but often a better price that you can get from the hotel you wish to reserve plus we will give tips of how to save money and time around Fortuna and Volcano Arenal, one of the major attractions of the country where you can do night hikes and/or day tours. This is quite an experience you will never forget and will keep telling your friends about.  edit

• Finca Luna Nueva Lodge Link [16] Tel: +506 468-0352 Email: info@fincalunanuevalodge.com 30 min South of Fortuna in San Isidro de Peñas Blancas. Finca Luna Nueva Lodge is an organic/biodynamic certified ginger and turmeric farm with luxurious yet rustic lodgings on the edge of the rainforest. Steven, the farm manager is a walking encyclopedia of medicinal plants, sustainable farming and rainforest ecology. They have a variety of lodging options from individual cabins to airconditioned master suites. All have overwhelmingly comfortable beds and nice views. Check the web page for pricings. The food is all organically grown on the site (including the meat) and is alone worth the trip. They have a natural pool and solar jacuzzi, wireless internet, rainforest hikes, options for day-tours both on and nearby the farm.

• Jardines de Arenal, 2 km east of town. Tel/fax 479-9728, cellphone 353-3633. jarenal@racsa.co.cr http://www.jardinesarenal.com. The friendly owner Hernán Blanco will usually give you a lift into or back from town or you could take a taxi for around 650 Colones. 15 rooms, all with AC and fan, 1 double and 2 single beds. $27.50 per person with volcano-view and slightly bigger bathroom, $23 pp for the others. A typical breakfast with gallo pinto, egg, ham, cereals, fruit, bread, coffee and juice is included. The owner can help you order tours to the surrounding attractions, and if you're lucky, he might give you a free ride to the volcano (and back). He can also get you shuttle service to or from San José for $15 (one way) leaving Fortuna at 06:00 and returning at noon. Friendly and helpful staff. Recommended.

• Arenal Paraiso [[17]] Phone: +506 460-5333, Email:mailto:info@arenalparaiso.org. Located about 6km from the town, each hotel room has a small patio and offers a view of the volcano. There are also 14 hot springs pools on the hotel property where one can enjoy a drink and take advantage of the varied temperatures in each hot spring pool (pools higher up are warmer while the base pool is relatively cool). The hotel also has the famous canopy tour on the property which costs $45 and lasts about 3 hours. Rooms range from standard to superior to suite style with costs ranging from $60 to $300 (not including tax). The standard room offers excellent amenities (double bed, tv, fridge, coffe pot, hot water) and is worthwhile for the frugal traveler.

• Arenal Country inn link Located in the foothills of the Arenal volcano, it has 20 rooms with view of the volcano. The rooms have air conditioning, safety deposit boxes, hot water, flat screen cable TV, phone and private terraces. The hotel has swimming pool, beautiful gardens, restaurant service and conference room. Tropical breakfast included in the room rate. The price of a simple room hill 100,10 dollars, a double room hill 100,10 dollars and one triple room hill 114,06 dollars.

• Tabacon Grand Spa Member of the Leading Hotels and the Leading Spas of the World (www.tabacon.com) is the region's most luxurious and best known destination. Entrance to the renowned hot springs and spa is included in room rate. Room rates start at $235 + tax per night in garden or forest rooms, with buffet breakfast included. The property features the Grand Spa, one of the top spas in Costa Rica.

• Arenal Springs Resort [18] Modern hotel with volcano views from $87

[edit] Contact

There are two internet cafes in the main street, by the park. At Destinytours (tel 479-9850) 50 meters north of Banco National you can download pictures from your digital camera and burn to cd.

[edit] Get out

From Fortuna you can go to Monteverde with a combination of jeep and boat or horse. Or you could take the bus to Tilarán, and from there to Santa Elena, Monteverde, or down to the Interamericana that takes you north to Guanacaste or south in the direction of Puntarenas. You can get to Los Chiles, Puerto Viejo and San Jose via Ciudad Quesada. And of course there's the direct bus back to San José, both the regular bus and the Interbus express ($25).

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!