Region Guide
La Fortuna & Arenal
An active-feeling volcano town where hot springs, waterfalls and rainforest adventure all sit within minutes of each other.
- Arenal Volcano1,633 m cone
- Hot springs3 big complexes
- Whitewater raftingyear-round
- Waterfalls& hanging bridges
About La Fortuna & Arenal
One volcano, and everything built around it
La Fortuna sits at the base of the Arenal Volcano, and it’s built almost entirely around one thing: getting visitors close to it. That means an unusually dense cluster of overlapping tours, hikes, hot springs, and combo packages, most of which sound identical from their titles alone.
The volcano itself has been quiet since its last activity in 2010, resting rather than extinct, so nobody’s hiking to an active crater. What you’re actually choosing between is: how much hiking you want, whether hot springs are included (and which ones), and whether you’d rather do one thing well or cram several into a single long day.
We break that decision down tour by tour in the guides below, rather than repeating a generic “things to do in La Fortuna” list. Weighing La Fortuna against your next stop? See Arenal vs Monteverde.
Wake up to a volcano, hike its old lava trails, and soak in its hot springs by night.
Top experiences in La Fortuna
Featured guides for La Fortuna & Arenal
- Arenal (La Fortuna) vs Monteverde: Which One Fits Your TripVolcano and hot springs, or cloud forest and quiet. Here's what actually differs between La Fortuna/Arenal and Monteverde, and who should pick which.
- Best Arenal Volcano ToursSix real Arenal volcano tours compared: hike-only, hot-springs combos, and one we'd skip. Duration, what's included, and which one actually fits your day.
- Best Hot Springs in La Fortuna: Which One to Actually BookLa Fortuna's hot springs all draw from the same volcanic water. Here's what the price difference actually buys, and which one to book, from a calm adults' soak to a family water park.
- Best White-Water Rafting from La Fortuna: Balsa vs SarapiquíBalsa River is the easy, close-by Class II-III trip. Sarapiquí is a longer drive for real Class III-IV rapids. Here's which one actually fits your group.
- La Fortuna Waterfall: Guided Tour vs Doing It YourselfThe waterfall itself needs no guide, the trail is a fixed set of stairs down and back up. Here's the real cost difference between the entrance ticket and a guided combo.
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges: Self-Guided vs GuidedMistico Park's hanging bridges trail is walkable on your own or with a naturalist guide. Here's the real difference, and which one is worth paying more for.
Not sure where to start?
Browse live, bookable La Fortuna & Arenal tours and check current prices below.