waterfalls· waterfall· Secluded· Swimming
Cataratas Llanos de Cortez
The most accessible major waterfall in Costa Rica — and the most generous
4.7(3 reviews)
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The most accessible major waterfall in Costa Rica — and the most generous
Cataratas Llanos de Cortez delivers a dramatic 12-meter cascade that plunges into a refreshing pool surrounded by dry forest canopy in northwestern Costa Rica. The waterfall is most impressive during the rainy season (May-November) when water volume peaks, though it flows year-round in this remote corner of Guanacaste. The journey involves a moderately easy hike through guanacaste and fig trees, where howler monkeys echo overhead and scarlet macaws occasionally flash through the canopy. Swimming in the crystalline pool below the falls is the main draw, offering relief from the region's intense heat and a chance to feel dwarfed by the water's power.
A 12-meter waterfall plunges into a refreshing pool surrounded by dry forest canopy—swimming in the crystalline pool below the falls is the main draw and offers relief from the region's intense heat. The moderately easy hike passes through guanacaste and fig trees where howler monkeys echo overhead and scarlet macaws occasionally flash through the canopy. The waterfall flows year-round but peaks during the rainy season (May–November) when water volume is most impressive; expect a remote setting in northwestern Guanacaste.
Best Time to Visit
Visit December through April (dry season) for the most reliable hiking conditions and clearest water visibility; January–February offers the fewest crowds and best birding for scarlet macaws. Go early morning (6–8am) to beat the heat and catch peak wildlife activity—the waterfall's flow is modest year-round, but May–October brings lush green forest and stronger cascades if you tolerate occasional rain. This remote spot rarely gets crowded even in high season, making it ideal for solitude.
What Changes Through The Year
Green Season (May–Nov)
Water volume peaks during the rainy season (May–November), making the 12-meter cascade most impressive.
What to Bring
Who This Is For
Miguel Á.
March 2025
I went expecting a mid-tier stop en route and left thinking it was one of the highlights of the trip. The falls are wider than they look in photos — the curtain spans the full width of the canyon and the pool beneath it is generous. Weekday afternoon in shoulder season we had it almost to ourselves. The picnic tables on the flat rock by the pool are excellent. Bring lunch.
Sarah K.
January 2025
Good swimming and easy to reach — exactly what it promises to be. Not wild or remote, not the most dramatic waterfall in the country, but utterly reliable. The flow is good even in dry season. Come on a weekday if you want breathing room; weekend high season it fills quickly with families from the nearby towns.
Nadia O.
February 2025
The best waterfall swimming I have done in Costa Rica, and I have done a lot of them. The falls are wide rather than tall and the pool beneath them is large, shallow enough to stand in for most of it, and warm compared to the highland falls. We came with an 8-year-old and a 5-year-old and they spent three hours there. The approach is fifteen minutes on a dirt path. This is what a family waterfall day should look like.
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Hiking
Active mud pots, fumaroles, and howler monkeys in a single morning hike
Swimming
A beach made entirely of crushed shells — no sand, only conchitas
Swimming
One of Costa Rica’s most beautiful Caribbean national parks
Hidden Gems
Impossibly blue river deep in Tenorio Volcano
Waterfalls
Three-tier waterfall at the end of a jungle trail twenty minutes from the village
Living traditions near this place
🪡 Artisan Traditions
One of the last surviving links to an Indigenous civilization that shaped much of Guanacaste's cultural identity
🫘 Harvest Life
Purple corn ground on a volcanic stone, fermented three days in open clay — older than the word corn
🪡 Artisan Traditions
The gourd vessel that predates pottery in the region — still carved with achiote and charcoal pigments
🥘 Markets & Food
The cattle arrive on foot every Saturday — this is what a working livestock market looks like