I left Cahuita after three days on another shuttle to La Fortuna. On the bus I met a girl from the Netherlands who told me about her trip so far and everything she had booked for her stay in La Fortuna. Unlike me her two weeks in Costa Rica had been mapped out beforehand and everything was well planned. I liked her idea though to book a guided tour for the main sights of La Fortuna and around, so while on the bus I signed up with Desafio for a tour the next day.
After what felt like an eternity but was probably only just over five hours, including two breaks, we reached La Fortuna. I got dropped around the corner from Nice Place Hostel (not so nice), my home for the next three nights. While on the bus I had decided on my itinerary for the next two days which would include two guided tours and a visit to one of the hot springs. Besides the volcano Arenal, the hot springs are what La Fortuna is famous for. So of course I would pay a visit to them.
The volcano Arenal looms large over La Fortuna. Wherever you go, you can’t miss the volcano. Most of the times its top is shrouded in mist and clouds. Only sometimes you get lucky enough to see its top.
first impression of the volcano Arenal @La Fortuna
My walk into town, all of three minutes, brought me to the ‘Parque de la Fortuna’ which is basically the center of it. This huge tree, with its heart-shaped crown, provides a lot of shade and shelter for locals and tourists alike.
big and beautiful tree in the center of town @La Fortuna
I also finally managed to get some cash. La Fortuna is big enough to have several different banks and one of them let me withdraw some much needed currency. Some places, like Nice Place hostel for example, only take cash.
The rest of my afternoon was spent at Rain Forest Café where I had my one and only traditional Costa Rican coffee (café tipico). It’s like a filter coffee except that you do all the work yourself. There is no machine for dripping the water, you pour it yourself. But honestly that coffee was tasty!
traditional Costa Rican coffee @La Fortuna
While sitting and watching the coffee fill my cup, I decided I would take a leaf out of the girl’s book from the bus. There was still much to see in Costa Rica and as much as I enjoyed taking it slow, I was not sure it was the wisest decision to stay for three nights all the time. That wouldn’t give me a chance at all to see as much as possible. And so, within a matter of minutes, I made my decision on where I would travel for the next ten days. Because apparently I had already reached half-time of my vacation. If this was really clever in the end, I can’t say. But I definitely enjoyed myself the last ten days of my vacation as well.
La Fortuna is an excellent starting point from which to discover the area around. There are so many things to do here, I could have easily spent a week without getting bored. But I only had two full days and I was intent on making the most of the time I had. The girl on the bus had had the right idea, to book guided tours for La Fortuna. Without a car you can’t really access any of the major sites in the area. Hot springs, volcano, hanging bridges, and national parks. I was ready for an adventure. But before that, I needed a pedicure. Best feeling in the world to get pampered. All of that is possible in La Fortuna. Yours, Pollybert
sunset with volcano Arenal @La Fortuna
