Three Days in the Costa Rica Rainforest
I had never been to Costa Rica, so when I was assigned to work a Concacaf Gold Cup game there in June, I kindly asked if I could fly in three days in advance. The wish was granted.
Knowing I’d be working in San Jose, I wanted to see some of the nature the country has to offer. The miles of beaches didn’t interest me. I wanted to see the rainforest, and the Arenal Volcano.
Here’s a recap of my trip, with some tips if you’re considering traveling solo into La Fortuna.
AIRPORT AND TRANSPORTATION: I arrived into San Jose on Monday, June 10. I had done a little research on the best way to get to La Fortuna, and while the public bus is cheap (like $5), it takes longer and sounded more difficult to try to find. Instead, I reserved a seat on Interbus online, which cost about $55. Some people rent cars, but I knew I wouldn’t need it once there - and I also prefer others to drive in unknown locations.
Once through the airport, I waited a couple hours in the attached coffee shop for what is essentially a shared van. There were a bunch of people offering rides, so just keep calm and ask any official if you’re uneasy or uncertain. Once the Interbus van pulled up, the driver called out names, and four others loaded on. Through endless turns and hills on one-lane roads, it took about three hours to get to La Fortuna. We stopped once for the driver to take a break at pre-determined location, allowing us to grab a bite and drink (and souvenirs, if you wanted).
HOTEL: The van dropped me off at the Hotel Monte Real. I didn’t know where / what to look for in a hotel. From what I gathered, if I wanted to stay closer to the volcano/nature, there weren’t many options for traveling into town. Also the hotels were more expensive, it seemed. So I chose to stay in town - La Fortuna - in this budget hotel….for at least one night. It turned out to be just what I was hoping for: two blocks off the main square / park, very clean and quiet, it included breakfast at a local shop next door and had with a very nice and helpful front office staff. I paid about $70/night, and then extended for two more nights once I arrived and saw that I’d be OK there. By the way, don’t know if he’s there always, but was pretty cool to see a sloth hanging from the trees out back.
LA FORTUNA: It’s a quaint, mountain town that caters to adventure-seeking tourists. There are plenty of ‘Americanized bars / restaurants,’ some local grub and grocery stores, and a bunch of souvenir shops and travel offices to book a number of different experiences. Don’t expect perfect sidewalks or well-lit side streets…it’s part of the charm. As it was rainy season, it wasn’t until the next day - when the fog and clouds cleared up - that I saw the incredible Arenal Volcano rise beyond la Iglesia de La Fortuna de San Carlos.
ADVENTURES: The amount of tour companies offering seemingly the same experiences for slightly different prices is somewhat overwhelming. With some knowledge and ideas, I checked with the front desk…and they suggested a combo that I had not yet seen and that offered nice perks. Shortly after, a car pulled up to take me to the Mistico Hanging Bridges and the Spider Monkey Canyon.
Riding alongside - and past the volcano - we arrived at the beautiful Mistico Park mid-morning. My first adventure would be canyoning…basically maneuvering your way through a canyon with whatever means available..
A van took me to the start, where I learned I was the only person signed up for the morning tour. In some ways, that was great. I had five guides all to myself - walking me through how to attach cords, guiding me into 20 foot jumps into waterfalls, showing me how to repel off the hanging bridges, and encouraging me to let go as I zip-lined hundreds of feet through the tops of trees with a canyon below. It rained the entire time, which just added to the scene - I mean, we were in a rainforest, after all. The guides were great - bi-lingual, funny, and most of all, took our safety seriously. There are other canyoning adventures available - with higher jumps, or more zip-lines, or longer. But this was perfect for me. It took about two hours and gave me just the amount of adventure and experience I was looking for.
After showering and changing into dry clothes, the van brought me back up to the main Mistico Park entrance. Lunch was included, and needed. Afterwards, it was time to walk across some bridges. It’s a beautiful and safe walk that can be done on your own, but my combo included a guide - and once again, I was the only one on the 2pm tour. I usually like doing these nature walks on my own, but man was I glad I had someone who pointed out so many things I never would have seen, and answered every question I had. With his telescoping binoculars, the guide pointed out toucans, viper snakes, and the poisonous ‘blue-jean’s’ / red dart frog, among other sites.
There were six bridges that literally hang above the forest, and 10 or so that are more permanent. Again, the guide was great in explaining the diversity of the landscape, and everything involved in maintaining and studying this dynamic ecosystem.
In all the combo cost me $130, and included rides to / from hotel, canyoning, lunch, and a guided bridges tour.
THE RAINFOREST: Coming soon…
THE WATERFALL: Coming soon…
