La Fortuna, Costa Rica

The little town of La Fortuna is nestled in the mountains in the northern part of Costa Rica. It's main purpose is to cater to the tourist industry, which can be seen as you walk the 5 or 6 blocks that make up this town. Each corner hosts numerous tour companies, souvenir shops, and restaurants. That being said, there is a reason why so many people come here, and it looms noticeably in the distance.

Arenal Volcano's obvious cone shape stands at roughly 5,400 ft and is still active, although it hasn't erupted since 2010. It provides a wonderful backdrop to the town, and heats the many hot springs nearby. We spent a full week doing many of the fun tourist activities offered here.

One of the most popular things to do around here is ziplining. Ian has never done it, and it has been many years since I have. What better way to add adventure to your day than speedily gliding through the trees, hundreds of feet off the ground with nothing but a harness and a leather glove. It was thrilling and worth every penny. At the end, we were even able to rappel down a 200 ft cliff. Included in the tour was a relaxing soak in a nearby hot springs, which was just what we needed.

Next to Arenal is another, smaller and dormant volcano called Cerro Chato. At the top is a vibrant green lake filling up the caldera. You can hike to the ridge, get a fantastic view of Arenal, and swim in the lake. We spent a day to do just that. It is only a 10 minute cab ride to the trailhead, and you pay a small fee to get in. The trail is a short 3 miles round trip, but very steep with 1500 ft of elevation gain. That is twice as steep as the Oyster Dome trail, as a reference for those of you in Whatcom County. It was mucky clay with roots, vines and deep trenches. Most of it was clambering up on hands and feet or hauling yourself up with Tarzan-like vines. The trail from the ridge to the lake was even more exciting at a nearly vertical angle. It was more like climbing a ladder than hiking a trail. Even though this was difficult, it only took us about 4 hours round trip with time for pictures, snacks and enjoying the view. It was also one of the most fun hikes I've ever been on, as I felt like Laura Croft or Indiana Jones making my way through the jungle.

Not far from the Cerro Chato trailhead is the beautiful La Fortuna Waterfall where many people come to swim. Again there was a small fee to get in, but it was very pretty to see. I decided not to swim because the water was cold and it was a bit crowded, but it was a good end to a great hike.

We leave tomorrow for San Jose where we will fly out to the next leg of our journey. We will be spending 3 weeks in Arequipa, Peru to learn more Spanish and do another big trek.

Hotels:
Hotel La Fortuna: $60/night
Regina Hotel: $45/night

Restaurants:
Soda Viquez
La Parrilla de Maria Bonita
Chifa La Familia Feliz

Transportation:
Bus to San Jose: $18/ea
Bus to La Fortuna: $4/ea
On foot

Activities:
Zip Lining: $45/ea
Hike Cerro Chato: $12/ea
La Fortuna Waterfall: $12/ea