My Perfect 5 Day Itinerary for La Fortuna, Costa Rica

heart and my hands don't fail me now
won't let the weight of my fear go and knock me down
only way's up, no going around

— The Mountain is You by Chance Peña (my take off song)

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve had a trip planned to La Fortuna, Costa Rica for over 5 years. It was put off for many reasons but mostly one that was fear based. I fear flying so intensely that I always let it stop me from booking my plane ticket. Along with fear, I also wanted to go to Costa Rica with someone and the timing just never aligned. I’ve done enough solo traveling the last few years that it feels okay to admit I wanted a travel partner, however, it’s not okay that I let fear take control. While this trip may not seem like that big of a deal to most, it was a very big deal to me as it was a way of taking my own power back.

After spending winter in California in my van, I felt called to seek out a new experience in a new country. California is beautiful but I’ve spent years exploring the west coast. I was tired of saying “I’d really love to…” so one random day, I called up my friend Carly and said, “do you want to go to Costa Rica with me?” She took a few days to figure out her schedule and in a couple weeks, there we were meeting just outside of the SJO airport. And now, I am excited to share this itinerary with you that was truly perfect for us. This 5 day trip is something that I feel is attainable for most people. It’s fairly inexpensive, accessible, and beautiful. There’s still a bit of comfort while immersing yourself in new experience and supporting the local people of La Fortuna.

When to Go…

Costa Rica has two seasons: the dry season (December-April) and the wet season (May-November). I would recommend the jungle in either season but the coastal areas in the dry season, especially if you’re trying to enjoy the beach. I just visited La Fortuna for the week of April 12th-18th. Prices of everything were a bit lower, the plane down there was practically empty, and we had a nice mix of sun and rain the entire week. As a photographer, I welcomed rainy conditions as it made the jungle feel and look that much more alive for photos. I recommend Skyscanner for airfare deals but Expedia for a package deal (stay, flight, + car).

How to Get There…

There are flights to La Fortuna that involve a layover or you can fly directly into SJO and either rent a car or take public transport to La Fortuna. It’s 2.5-3 hours by rental car depending on traffic. I rented a car because I like to have the freedom and option to go wherever whenever. If you plan to do more tours and things in town, it’ll be easy to without a rental car but if you want to venture off to other parts that aren’t as accessible with public transport, that’s when it would be good to have.

Driving in Costa Rica especially through the jungle is pretty crazy. If you know me, you know I’ve driven A LOT in many different states and on many different kinds of roads— winding mountain passes, skinny costal highways, the worst washboard roads, so I handled the driving pretty well but for an average person that’s used to paved roads in the U.S., I’d advise you to use public transport. However, I had a very pleasant experience renting with SIXTY. It was about $60 a day with insurance. Not too bad! I also flew direct with Jet Blue JFK to SJO. That was also a pleasant experience. My whole row and the row across from me was empty. I like to view these little things as sign of encouragement from the universe that I was doing the right thing.

Where to Stay…

Book Bromelias Bungalow for the week. Note: it was $450 for my trip but it could fluctuate depending on the time of year. This spot was close enough to everything town and all of the tours yet tucked away in the jungle where you really felt in tune with nature. The area was safe and quiet. It is surrounded by other homes but all you hear is the symphony of bugs. There was a back deck that overlooks the jungle where we saw a lot of wildlife— Coatimundis, Howler Monkeys, Kinkajous, and a variety of birds. The front has a spacious patio with a hammock and a pair of rocking chairs to relax in. The airbnb has 2 bedrooms, one bathroom, a basic kitchen and living room area. For the amount of time you’ll spend there, it’s absolutely perfect.

What to Bring…

Think Florida vacation but better. Pack layers for any type of weather but don’t forget the cute clothing! Light pants, skirts, dresses, tank tops, shorts, t-shirts. A casual shoe and a hiking shoe (although I went minimal and I just brought one pair of Birkenstocks). I honestly didn’t even pack a rain jacket but I would recommend if you’re doing more hiking. I knew I was in for a fairly chill week and when it’s a warm rain, I really don’t care if I get wet. If you want to treat yourself to some earthy, ethical outfits, browse my favorite online brand Indigo Luna (affiliate link with 10% off). As far as money, most places accept USD and card but it’s good to have colones for the local stops on the side of the road (for fruit and fresh coconut water of course!). It’s also useful for tipping in cash.

DAY 1: SJO → La Fortuna

Arrive in SJO, pick up your rental, and stop at a grocery store to get water jugs. The tap water is generally safe to drink but if you have a sensitive stomach like me, you might consider this extra step. We stopped at the Wal-Mart near the airport and stocked up on water and granola bars for the week.

After you’re stocked up, you’ll drive about 2.5 hours to La Fortuna. It’s about 30 minutes through busy towns and then it’s one single lane winding road. It can be busy with construction and there are patches of no cell service so be prepared. Speaking of service, I’d purchase an e-sim card through Airalo. It was about $5 a day. Check with your carrier through because some plans will cover Costa Rica.

Just before the airbnb, stop in town for fresh fruit at Frutas Y Verduras Hnos Lazo. There were no shortages of stands but this one was aesthetically pleasing for photos and priced fairly. So many yummy options— papaya, pineapple, guava, berries, soursop, passion fruit, mango, and more. Still dreaming of how flavorful everything was compared to the states.

Drive 5 minutes and you’ll arrive at the bungalow. Take in your surroundings and take a deep breath. You’ve made it! I love to spend the first day settling in, walking around the property, and taking some photos. Give yourself time to reset after the long travel day and you will have a better week.

DAY 2: Tabacon & Coffee/Chocolate Tour

Rise with the sun. Do a little yoga on the deck. Have some hot coffee and fresh local fruit in the rocking chair. Listen to the sounds of the jungle. And when you’re ready, buy a day pass at Tabacon’s Natural Hot Springs for $115 with access from 10am-10pm. A river flows from Arenal Volcano into 23 natural pools that range in size, temperature, and ambiance. There’s valet parking, lockers, showers, bathrooms, and the staff is so friendly. I won’t spoil what it is but they greet you with something delicious too! There’s a swim up bar but you can also dine at tables outside by the pools. The food is delicious, reasonably priced, and presented beautifully. There is a free hot natural hot springs nearby which I will also share but if you want to splurge, this day pass is worth every penny in my opinion.

Let your worries drift away from soaking in the pools all morning and have some lunch at the resort in the afternoon. Afterwards, immerse yourself in the best coffee and chocolate tour at North Fields. It’s 2 hours for about $46 per person. The guides are knowledgable and friendly plus the farm is beautiful! They walk you through the entire history and process of coffee and the cacao as well as provide a variety of tastings of each. It’s fascinating! After the tour, you can go back to Tabacon for a whole new experience of the pools at night. Take advantage of the swim up bar for a snack and have a drink or a fresh coconut water. Carly and I only planned to go for an hour or so but we lost track of time and ended up soaking until the pool lights were turned off. It was such a relaxing end to the night!

DAY 3: La Fortuna Waterfall & Wildlife Tour

For this iconic spot, you’ll want to get an early start. They open at 7am and a day pass is about $20 USD. It’s 500 steps down (and yes, back up) but so worth it. This is a very busy spot but there’s a lot of breathing room to explore the falls and find your own space. I still would recommend going early to beat the crowds from the tour buses. It’s also better earlier if you want to take photos. Pro tip: the weather doesn’t matter. We planned for 7am but it was pouring rain that morning so we pushed it until about 8am. It was starting to get busy when we parked and we had just enough quiet time at the falls to take pictures and enjoy before the mounds of people poured in. Had we known, we probably would’ve got there at 7am even though it was raining. When the falls begin to get busy, you can walk down a bit to find your own quiet spot by the river and it tends to be a little more sunny.

After exploring this area of the jungle at your own pace, book a wildlife tour with Bogarin Trail. It’s 2 hours and $45 per person. The guides are knowledgable and friendly. It was the quiet season so there weren’t any others that booked the time slot and we essentially had a private tour. We went in with a desire to see sloths and that we did but we also saw more wildlife than we were expecting. It was a really cool and I learned some things but if you want to skip one part of this itinerary, it could honestly be this tour. There are options to do a self-guided tour and there are other parts you can hike in for free. If you’re lucky, you might catch a sloth in the wild. We saw 2 from the side of the road. It just depends on how much time you have and if you want to be guaranteed wildlife. The sloths are very hard to spot!

DAY 4: Hang with the Locals

After a couple packed days of adventure, you might want to slow down and have a nice morning to yourself. Have your coffee and fruit outside while you listen to the sounds of the jungle and when you’re ready, go hang with the locals. We checked out a popular swimming hole with a rope swing, El Salto, as well as a natural hot spring, El Choyin. Like I mentioned before, it’s right near Tabacon and it’s free but someone helps you park and watches the cars or so they say. You’ll need to cough up a few bucks but as a tourist, don’t let them haggle you for too much money. After you park, you’ll go on a short hike down to the river. El Salto was a bit more of a local party vibe while El Choyin was a more relaxed local spot. Everyone was very nice though— just depends on the vibe you’re looking for.

When you’re done playing in the jungle, refresh at the bungalow and hit the town for the evening. Carly and I tried many different restaurants but we always ordered the same thing: a Costa Rican Casado (pictured below). It’s a traditional plate consisting of rice, beans, plantains, a protein, a corn tortilla, salad, and usually a fried egg. It’s a staple at the local restaurants or sodas and you absolutely can’t go wrong with them. It’s the perfect balance of everything you could want. We enjoyed getting a casado at different places to see how each chef put their own style on it.

After dinner, browse the beautiful shops in town and watch the sunset over the iconic Arenal Volcano. My favorite store was Cianikal (pictured below). It’s a locally owned gallery the features beautiful art, jewelry, and other local products like coffee and chocolate. I found a beautiful ring with a stone made from petrified wood.

Some people get tattoos from local artists on their travels, I buy rings from local artists. Right hand, 4th finger is the ring of petrified wood from Cianikal.

DAY 5: Horseback Riding Tour

If you book a red eye home on day 5, then you can most likely fit in one more tour as we did. We weren’t planning on it (I didn’t have the right pants or shoes) but I’m so glad we did. We booked a morning tour with Don Tobias for $80, initially because of the views and reviews but it definitely was the best ride I’ve done. Other tours I’ve been on were always more tamed and a single file line type of vibe. At Don Tobias, they let you and your horse roam a bit more freely and even gallop a few times. It was so fun! You’ll ride through the jungle on muddy trails and up the farm to a beautiful view of Arenal Volcano. The summit hides most of the time but if you’re lucky, the clouds will clear at the perfect moment like it did for us. After the tour, they provide water, refreshing drinks, a giant plate of delicious fruit, and a Costa Rican staple snack of a tortilla, local cheese, and avocado.

La Fortuna → San José

The morning tour ends around 11am and from there you’ll want to head back to SJO. The drive wasn’t too bad with traffic but it is mentally taxing since you’re not just cruising on the highway. My fight was 11:59pm and Carly’s was 8am the next day so we had plenty of time to get back. We arrived just by 3pm after stopping for gas to fill up the rental. She booked a night at The View in Alajuela and it exceeded our expectations. It’s about 25 minutes from the airport but you can easily get a taxi if needed. There were also places to eat within walking distance. We spent our last night together eating a casado plate of course and chatting on the balcony as the sun set over the city. It felt like a core memory and a little movie moment that we won’t ever forget.

If you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you reading and I hope something here can inspire your next trip or the journey to your highest self. If fear has been holding you back, take this as a gentle push to face it. This trip was beautiful for so many obvious reasons but mostly because I gained confidence and a new best friend. When you trust in yourself, the universe rewards you in more ways than you could ever expect. Pura Vida.

As always, all of the film shot for this blog was developed and digitally scanned by Negative Lab in Los Angeles. I have been sending my film here for 3 years now and I am always pleased with the quality and consistency of my scans. I cannot express the difference the lab makes! If you’re interested in giving them a try, use ‘WILD15’ for 15% off your first purchase. For transparency, I do not make any money when you use this code but I do receive a discount off my processing services by spreading the good word. Whether you’ve read this post, gave a like, purchased a print, or use my code, every little bit helps keep me doing what I love. I thank you so much for being here. For more work and easier updates, follow me on Instagram. Until next time. With love, stay wild ~ Jess.