Costa Rica: Arenal Volcano, Jungle Waterfalls and Guanacaste Beaches
A week in Costa Rica in 2021: Arenal Volcano views, hanging bridges and hot springs around La Fortuna, a jungle waterfall hike, then Pacific sunsets and boat days in Guanacaste.
Our first Costa Rica trip, in March 2021, was a classic loop: a few days around Arenal Volcano in the rainforest, then the Pacific beaches of Guanacaste. We came back two years later for my brother’s wedding.
- Who came
- Just Colin and me
- Route
- La Fortuna and Arenal → Rio Celeste → Guanacaste
- How long
- About 1 week
- Best for
- Volcanoes, jungle and beach in one trip
Arenal and La Fortuna
La Fortuna sits at the foot of Arenal Volcano, and you see the perfect cone from everywhere. We had volcano views from our lodge garden and rocking chairs on the porch, walked the hanging bridges through the rainforest canopy, and soaked in a hot-spring river.
Rio Celeste and La Fortuna Waterfall
We chased two waterfalls on two different days. One day we drove north to Tenorio Volcano National Park to hike to Rio Celeste, the river famous for its unreal sky-blue water. Another day we walked down the long staircase to La Fortuna Waterfall, a tall ribbon of water dropping into a pool ringed with boulders. Both are worth every step.
Guanacaste
Then we drove west to the Pacific coast for beach days: loungers under the palms facing the bay, cold Imperials, a boat day, and golden sunsets through the palapas.
Costa Rica tips
- Rent a 4x4. Roads to waterfalls and beaches get rough.
- Plan on about 4 hours between La Fortuna and Guanacaste.
- Bring a rain jacket. The Arenal area is rainforest for a reason.
- Book hot springs ahead on weekends.
Read about my brother’s wedding in Costa Rica and our BVI sailing trip.
