waterfalls· Swimming· volcanic· Jungle
Catarata La Fortuna
A 70-metre falls into a swimming pool carved by Arenal Volcano
4.8(4 reviews)
La Fortuna
Best Time to Go
“Best before the day arrives”
About this place
Most visitors to the Arenal region stare at the volcano from a safe distance, missing the waterfall that sits in its shadow. Catarata La Fortuna drops 70 metres off a basalt ledge into a wide, jade-green pool — one of the few places in Costa Rica where you can swim directly beneath a major falls. The descent is 500 steps cut into a steep jungle hillside; the effort is the price of admission. The pool is cold and deep, and the mist from the falls creates a permanent spray that hangs over the water in the early morning. Arrive before 8am to have it nearly to yourself.
