La Fortuna & Arenal
One of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica, the imposing Arenal Volcano is one of the country's most well known landmarks. The classical conical shape stands tall within the protected Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal but this area has so much more to offer than a volcano alone. The nearby tourist town of La Fortuna draws in wildlife watchers, adrenaline seekers and foodies alike, as well as being the main gateway to the volcano - which, by the way, is still technically active!
If you plan on visiting Costa Rica then, no doubt, a trip to La Fortuna and Arenal is likely at the forefront of your itinerary but does this tourist attraction really live up to the hype? The first thing you are going to want to know is the difference between La Fortuna and Arenal. The latter is the name given to the National Park, a huge area of land that surrounds the iconic Arenal volcano. La Fortuna is the tourist town that borders the national park, making it an ideal base for exploring all the attractions that can be found nearby.
The whole area is one of the most visited sites within Costa Rica and you can expect to find herds of tourists here throughout the year. It is conveniently close to the capital San Jose, with the international airport, making it a preferred start or end destination for those traveling around the country. That being said, like anywhere that attracts a lot of tourists, there is a good reason for doing so as La Fortuna and Arenal are home to excellent wildlife watching, stunning natural scenery and one of the most impressive waterfalls we have seen on our travels.
Things To Do
1. Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal
The stunning Arenal volcano can be seen from almost anywhere in La Fortuna town and the stratovolcano, which is still active, dominates the skyline. Geologically, Arenal is considered a young volcano and it is estimated to be less than 7,500 years old. The volcano was dormant for hundreds of years and exhibited two craters at its summit, with minor fumaroles activity, covered by dense vegetation. In 1968 it erupted unexpectedly, destroying the small town of Tabacón, and remained actively erupting for years after. Due to the eruption three more craters were created on the western flanks but only one of them exists today. Arenal's eruption from 1968 to 2010 is the tenth longest duration volcanic eruption on Earth since 1750.
Whilst it is not possible to climb or hike the volcano itself, there are a number of excellent walking trails that can be accessed to gain beautiful views of this iconic natural feature. Unfortunately, like most things in Costa Rica, these walking trails are all found on privately owned land and so there is quite a hefty charge to access them. Whilst this is the norm in the country the fact that you pay a private landowner, not a government-led organisation, does sometimes come as a surprise to those who think of Costa Rica as an eco-driven, conservation entity. That being said, the land owners are constantly competing for visitors and so they maintain walking trails, signage and carparks to a very good standard - making you feel like you are at least getting your money's worth.
The most famous walking trail to see the volcano is the Arenal 1968 Volcano: Forest Trail, found here on Alltrails. It costs $25USD per person (£19pp) to access, takes around 1.5 hours to complete and, by all accounts, is a fairly easy trail that you could walk with the family. We actually gave this one a miss as we stayed at an accommodation within the national park itself, the Arenal Observatory Lodge, which offers walking trails to see the volcano. You can visit here as a day guest and access the walking routes for $18USD per person (£14pp) but, if you stay as a hotel guest, you get access to these as part of your accommodation rate. The main trail can be found here on Alltrails and includes a climb up to a 92 feet observation tower, The Nest, where it is possible to see monkeys swinging through the treetops.
If you are going to visit this region it is well worth scheduling a day to see the volcano. Just be aware that it is very common for the dome to be totally shrouded in cloud so it is worth checking the weather forecast before making the trip. If you do not feel like dedicating time, or a considerable financial cost, to a walking trail I would not worry since the volcano is visible from almost anywhere in La Fortuna and simply walking or driving through the town can reward you with a spectacular view on a clear day
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Opening Times:
Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal: MON-SUN (8:00-16:00)
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Cost:
$15-$25 USD per person (£11-19pp)*
* cost is dependant on where you park/enter the National Park
2. Fortuna Waterfall
This waterfall is probably the most famous one found in Costa Rica and is situated a short drive from town. The waterfall itself is 75 metres high and a truly impressive natural feature. The fall is located on private land, with a company that runs the access to the trail and viewing platform. Entry costs a fairly steep $20USD per person (£15pp) and we genuinely considered not visiting this attraction given the high cost. In the end, we were pleased we did as the falls were truly breathtaking, a great place for photographic opportunities and a unique setting to take a swim.
It is worth noting that the walk down to the falls is reasonably hard work with 530 steps taking you down to the plunge pool at the base of the waterfall. The hardest part is getting back up after you have been for a dip in the, often cool, plunge pool. Another thing to consider is that the falls are one of the most visited sites in the country and are a part of almost all of the tour companies itineraries. This means it can get extremely busy and so knowing the best time of day to visit is vitally important in maximising your enjoyment - that and everything else that you need to know about the La Fortuna waterfall can be found in my specific guide here.
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Opening Times:
Fortuna Waterfall: MON-SUN (7:00-17:00)
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Cost:
$20 USD per person (£15pp) for entrance into the waterfall complex
3. Butterfly Garden
There are a number of butterfly gardens found within La Fortuna and all are home to a variety of local butterfly species that guests can often walk amongst. We opted to visit the La Fortuna Butterfly Garden having read some very good reviews on Google and since it seemed like a smaller, low-key establishment run by a local family. We were super happy with this decision as the tour guide was extremely passionate about her interest. The tour began with a walk through the small, yet densely packed butterfly garden. There were a huge amount of locally found species flying around and our tour guide told us loads of interesting facts as well as showing us eggs, caterpillars and pupae that we would not have found on our own. Having seen butterflies all over the country during our travels it was really nice to see some up close and learn about their life cycles.
Having toured through the butterfly setup we were then walked through a small outdoor garden where our guide showed us various native flora and fruit plants/trees. It was a very interesting insight to see some of the plants up close having taken a liking to the local fruits whilst traversing the country - especially the soursop!
The tour finished with a freshly squeezed drink (local dragonfruit) at the outdoor bar area before we eventually said our goodbyes. It was a super interesting few hours and it felt good to be giving something back to a member of the local community who was clearly passionate about her work. Well worth a visit if in the area and not as expensive as some of the similar, more commercial establishments
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Opening Times:
La Fortuna Butterfly Garden: MON-SUN (8:00-16:00)
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Cost:
$15 USD per person (£12pp)
4. Waterfalls
We had planned to spend some time in Uvita visiting the waterfalls that can be found in the surrounding hills but, honestly, we had so much fun at the beach we returned there instead.
If you want to visit the waterfalls, which get good reviews and are listed in most guidebooks, you will need a car or a taxi as they are not found within walking distance from town. There are a few available options but Catarata Uvita is probably the most popular - just be warned that its ownership is currently being disputed by two landowners and so it can be accessed from two sites, one of which is reportedly much safer (as it has an easy walkway) than the other (requires a scramble up some rocks). Just be warned that the waterfalls here can get very busy at certain times of the day as they are on the tour group itineraries.
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Opening Times:
Catarata Uvita: MON-SUN (7:00-18:30)
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Cost:
Entry to Catarata Uvita is 2000 colones per person (£3pp)
5. Corcovado National Park & Caño Island
As mentioned before in my Drake Bay guide here, these two attractions are absolutely must sees when in this region of Costa Rica. Both are definitely best visited from Drake Bay, since it is geographically closer, but it is absolutely feasible to visit from Uvita. You will see plenty of tour companies advertising trips to both Corcovado and Caño Island whilst walking though Uvita and if you do not plan venturing any further south on your holiday then I highly recommend you consider taking a tour from here.
Check out my full guides for Corcovado National Park here and Cano Island here.​
Where To Stay
Uvita is a fairly large town. It essentially extends from the main highway down to the National Park on the coast. You can stay on the northern side of the highway, where the waterfalls are found, but this area is definitely a little more isolated and will require transport to get down into town for groceries, restaurants and tours - on the positive side it is where you will find some of the higher end accommodations. The mountains here are filled with, often foreign owned, boutique holiday homes that have caused some controversy amongst locals given that the land is being rapidly developed for tourists. There is no denying some of the accommodations up here are beautiful and you will be rewarded with a real sense of tranquility staying amongst dense Costa Rican forest but I would opt to stay closer to the coast.
I would recommend staying as close to the beach front as possible especially, if like u, you are only in town for a few days. The walk from the main highway to the primary National Park entrance (where the whale watching tours depart from) is roughly thirty minutes and so anywhere in between the highway and here is a reasonable choice but the closer to the beach you are the less you'll have to walk. There are a number of private owned parking establishments near the beach entrances in Uvita and so you could easily stay a little further afield and travel if you had a hire car - just be warned there's a reasonable daily cost for parking.
We stayed within a three minute walk of the main National Park entrance, at Bungalows Ballena, and could not have been happier with our choice. The location was absolutely spot on; we were able to walk to the main and secondary entrances of the National Park, had supermarkets and restaurants right on our doorstep and the resort had a super fun little swimming pool which was a perfect way to cool off in the Uvita heat. The resort itself consists of five villas which all had two bedrooms, their own cooking facilities, private outdoor seating areas and shared communal spaces. We were very impressed with the villa itself and it exceeded our expectations from the pictures found of it online. The staff were incredibly friendly and the swimming pool was a huge added bonus. Uvita can get extremely hot and so having a space to cool off was very much welcomed. Again, this pool was so much better than we imagined it would be and the small water slide gave us endless amounts of fun. An added bonus was the 'free' laundry service provided - payment was the completion of a TripAdvisor review.
If Bungalows Ballena does not fit your requirements then there are endless other accommodation options to be found here but, as mentioned before, I would try to get one close to the beach entrances unless you have access to a hire car and do not mind paying parking costs.
Location Tips to Consider
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Stay within walking distance of the main beach - it is where all the whale watching boats depart from and will save you from paying the high parking charges.
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The mountain region behind town is home to some stunning accommodations but be prepared to pay slightly more than down at the coast. You will likely also need a car to access your property and then have to pay for the private car parks if you visit the coast.
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I would only recommend staying up in the hills if you plan on staying in Uvita for an extended period. The town is very walkable and you can take advantage of this fact by staying in the town itself - anywhere in the shaded zone will mean you can walk to the National Park entrances easily.
Where To Eat
Uvita was one of the few places where we did not eat out that much and instead found ourselves taking advantage of the local mini mart and our self-catering facilities within our villa. That being said, Uvita has a number of restaurant options for an extremely wide variety of budgets.
There are a whole host of eateries in town, most of which have regular opening hours. Uvita is a nice level of busy in that you likely will not be the only patrons in a restaurants but you probably will not have to make a reservation beforehand. We found some of the best places to get food were actually smaller cafes or bars as opposed to the bigger restaurants.
BEST FOR A MEAL
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Que Tuanis Cafe
Easily our favourite spot in Uvita and within walking distance of our accommodation. We actually went here for a snack the first time but quickly realised the portions are definitely on the larger side and so left feeling pretty full. From the outside it looks very basic and the menu is definitely not complex. It has a western theme but it was all incredibly tasty and so cheap in comparison to some of the other Uvita establishments. They serve some of the best milkshakes in Costa Rica, the Oreo one was a particular highlight for us!
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Opening Times: MON-SUN (07:00-19:00)
Cost: £8pp (main plus milkshake)
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Kinsu Restaurante
Situated enroute to the secondary entrance of the National Park (the best one for swimming) this eatery has some odd opening hours but gets very good reviews. It seems to specialise in vegetarian food, although there was everything available, and boasts a very cosy outdoor dining space. A superb option if going to or from the beach but one that is at the pricey end of the spectrum.​
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Opening Times: FRI-WEDS (07:00-21:00)
Cost: £10pp (main plus non-alcoholic drink)
BEST FOR A SNACK
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Falafel Uvita
Just around the corner from Bungalows Ballena is this small falafel restaurant. It gets exceptional reviews and is a nod to the expat community that have made Uvita their home. If this is the sort of food you like then it is well worth stopping in for a small bite. Just be warned, the prices are not so much snack sized...
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Opening Times: FRI-WEDS (11:00-21:00)
Cost: £10pp (main plus a non-alcoholic drink)
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Best Time to Visit
In terms of cost, just like the rest of Costa Rica, you will find accommodation and tour costs hit their peaks during the main tourist season (December-February). This time of year also coincides with the dry season on the Atlantic coast which brings with it the most favourable weather conditions. If you are visiting Uvita you are likely here for some beach time and so opting to arrive during the dry season would seem like the best option.
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It is worth noting that, regardless of when you decide to visit Uvita, you will experience sunshine. The average monthly temperature throughout the year hovers around the 30C mark but the dry season itself begins in December. The seasonal rains come to a close and through January, February and March you will find the lowest chance of rainfall, with an average of just 1-4 days of rain per month in this period. April sees the rains begin to return, initially in the form of short showers but these intensify as the year progresses, turning into thunderstorms that often arrive on the coast in the afternoon and evening. The heaviest, most prolonged periods of rain are found in September and October, with these being the only two months I would maybe advise against traveling to Uvita.
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We traveled to Uvita in January and, unsurprisingly, had amazing weather. We were only there for three days but we did not see a droplet of rain and experienced cloudless skies throughout the day. It was warm, but not as humid as Drake Bay, with temperatures that were perfect for an afternoon at the beach.
Currency
Colones and US Dollars are widely accepted throughout Uvita but almost everywhere we visited accepted card, even some of the smaller local restaurants and minimarts. There are plenty of ATMs here as well as two banks. Payments for tours can usually be made beforehand by online transfers or on the day by card or in cash. In summary, this was a very easy destinations to make payments and access money - you will have no problems here.
Language
Uvita is a tourist focused town with a number of expats within the community and because of that it is fairly common for people to speak English here. You will find almost all companies offer English-speaking tours and most hotel staff or restaurant workers will have some understanding of English. That being said, Spanish is the primary language here and we found we needed some speaking skills in the local minimarts and that the locals always really appreciated it when we tried to converse in their native tongue.
Safety
Uvita has developed a reputation recently for not being as safe as it once was but we personally had no problems at all during our visit. Whilst we walked everywhere we did stay very close to the beach front region and so cannot say for certain whether all of Uvita is as tranquil for walking.
The one thing we were a bit concerned about was the beach. We had read online about people having their belongings stolen whilst on the beach and the main entrance to the National Park actually had a sign warning about this when we entered. There is a walking path through the jungle which backs right onto the beach and it appears that, if belongings are left unattended in the shady spots found here, then people can easily snatch them before disappearing amongst the trees.
We were a little nervous about visiting the beach for swimming and leaving our stuff but, at the secondary entrance, we found locals, tourists and surf schools (safety in numbers) and no warning signs about belongings going missing. There were plenty of people around to watch over our belongings whilst we played in the waves and it is another reason why I highly recommend visiting this entrance for an afternoon at the beach in my Whale's Tail & Playa Colonia guide, found here.
Public Transport
Despite being a bigger town there is no Uber to be found in Uvita. Taxis are readily available and you will require one if you wish to venture up into the waterfalls or if you are staying out of walking distance of the national park. They can be found on the street, although they are not that regular, so it is probably best to get your hotel to arrange one. Agree a price before starting the journey as there are no meters or set tariffs found here.
If you choose your accommodation in Uvita wisely, you'll be able to walk almost anywhere you need for a stay lasting a few days and avoid the fairly high taxi fees.
How To Get There
Uvita is not as well visited as it might be mainly because of its location. From San Jose you have to travel past Manuel Antonio to get there and so most people do not take the time to do so.
Uvita is fairly well connected however and most of the larger coaches run by Tracopa (the nationwide company with a terrible website) pass through the town on their way to or from San Jose. Whilst it appears you can book coach tickets online we found the company's website to be very tricky to navigate (most of the time it was down) and we were told the best way to catch a coach is to go to the bus terminal and wait for one to arrive. The difficulty with this is that the schedule, whilst existing, does seem to see most coaches traveling very early in the morning and so there is no guarantee you will get a seat on a bus later in the day. Whilst it is therefore possible to get a coach to Uvita for a standalone holiday or as the destination to start your Costa Rica adventure I personally think Uvita should be used as a perfect stopping place for a few days between some of the bigger, more touristy locations.
We traveled from Drake Bay, first via river taxi and then by private transfer, to Uvita and this worked out perfectly. The river taxi was very reasonably priced and our Drake Bay hotel was able to put us in contact with some of the locals in Sierpe willing to drive us to Uvita (about an hour trip), again for a very reasonable price.
The final option for getting to Uvita is to drive yourself. Given its location on the main highway this is an extremely feasible method to take and it is easily accessed from San Jose (4 hours) or from Manuel Antonio (1.5 hours). The road is in extremely good condition and so you should have no worries driving here if that's what you would like to do. I would just recommend making sure your accommodation has parking as the privately owned establishments for leaving a car within Uvita are not cheap.
Where To Next?
As I have mentioned above, I would recommend Uvita as a destination to incorporate for a few days within a bigger tour around Costa Rica. There are a number of respective options for where to go next but your decision will likely be decided by the method of transport you use to depart.
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Drake Bay, COSTA RICA
It would be extremely feasible to do our itinerary in reverse and head from Uvita to Drake Bay. As mentioned in my Drake Bay post, getting to this remote part of the country is an adventure in itself - but one I would highly recommend taking. From Uvita you would need to get to the river town of Sierpe and the easiest way to do this would be to take a private transfer. The one hour drive would likely cost you around £25 per person but it would mean you could arrive at the dock in perfect timing for the river taxi.
The other option would be to take a bus to Palmar Norte, a large town further down the highway. The big coach company, Tracopa, as well as local buses all travel here but the schedule is a little fluid. From here you would need to get a taxi to Sierpe before then collecting your river taxi transfer into Drake Bay.
The first option is definitely a little easier, although a tad more expensive and remember to be ready for a wet landing when you get to Drake Bay.
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Manuel Antonio, COSTA RICA
Slightly further up from Uvita along the Pacific coast, about a one and a half hour drive, is the Quepos region where you can find one of the country's most famous attractions, Manuel Antonio National Park. This area of Costa Rica has some exceptional beaches, swathes of restaurants and some of the country's highest end hotels. The national park itself is one of the most visited tourist attractions and can feel very busy.
We did visit here but right at the end of our month-long tour. Stopping here after Uvita makes logical sense in terms of travel direction however and you can take a shared or private shuttle transfer from Uvita to here. This is a fairly common route for tourists to take and so there are a number of shuttle companies running between these two sites. Again, you could take a bus, but it would drop you near the town of Quepos and require you to then get a taxi to your accommodation on the peninsula - not the most time efficient route.
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San Jose, COSTA RICA
If you do not fancy a stop in Manuel Antonio you could head all the way back to San Jose, the capital. This is quite a long journey (around 4 hours) but is actually what we did because we then picked up a hire car and went on to explore the northern half of the country. The capital itself has been long undervalued as a tourist stop but we actually did not spend any time here at all. There are lots of good things to be read online about this city and it would be easy to spend a few days here seeing the main attractions. We, like most others however, used the city as a stopover for the odd night before heading further afield - almost all major roads in Costa Rica lead back to San Jose and so it acts as a connection for the whole country. Coming here would also allow you to catch an internal flight to somewhere else in the country, or an international one, taking you back home or onto another country to continue your adventures.
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Bejuco, COSTA RICA
Another option along the Pacific coast is the tiny village of Bejuco. This coastal settlement is home to one of the nicest beaches in Costa Rica and it is almost exclusively used by locals at the moment. If you fancy some quiet days on the beach then I would highly recommend some time in Bejuco. It is about two hours driving or in a private shuttle from Uvita to Bejuco.
Jaco is another, larger, option just up the road from Bejuco, but it gets very mixed reviews as a tourist destination online and we did not visit it.