Planning a Trip

Getting There & Departing

By Plane -- Nature Air (tel. 800/235-9272 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2299-6000; www.natureair.com) flies to Arenal/La Fortuna daily at 2:50pm from Tobías Bolaños International Airport in Pavas. The flight duration is 30 minutes. Return flights depart for San José at 8:50am. Nature Air also has a daily flight from Tamarindo to Arenal at 7:40am, stopping at Liberia en route, and making the return flight at 3:25pm. One-way fares are $79 (£40) between Arenal and San José, and $140 (£70) between Arenal and Tamarindo.

Sansa (tel. 877/767-2672 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2290-4100 in Costa Rica; www.flysansa.com) has one daily flight to Arenal La Fortuna from San José's Juan Santamaría International airport at 8am. The flight takes 30 minutes. The fare is $78 (£39) each way. The return flight leaves Arenal at 8:45am. Sansa also has one daily direct flight from Liberia to Arenal at 7:14am, returning at 8:45am.

Taxis are sometimes waiting for all arriving flights. If not, you can call one at tel. 2479-9605 or 2479-8522. The fare to La Fortuna runs around $20 (£10). Alternately, Nature Air can arrange to have a van waiting for you, for $48 (£24) for up to seven people.

By Car -- There are several routes to La Fortuna from San José. The most popular is to head west on the Interamerican Highway and then turn north at Naranjo, continuing north through Zarcero to Ciudad Quesada. From Ciudad Quesada, one route goes through Jabillos, while the other goes through Muelle. The former route is better marked, more popular, slightly shorter, and generally better maintained, but the severe weather and heavy traffic quickly take their toll, and the roads up here can be notoriously bad for long stretches. This route offers wonderful views of the San Carlos valley as you come down from Ciudad Quesada; and Zarcero, with its topiary gardens and quaint church, makes a good place to stop, stretch your legs, and snap a few photos.

You can also stay on the Interamerican Highway until San Ramón (west of Naranjo) and then head north through La Tigra. This route is also very scenic and passes the Villablanca Cloud Forest & Spa. The travel time on any of the above routes is between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 hours.

Finally, if you combine your visit here with a stop at the Poás Volcano and La Paz Waterfall, or if you stay at a lodge closer to Aguas Zarcas, you can go first to Alajuela or Heredia and then head north to Varablanca before continuing on to San Miguel, where you turn west toward Río Cuarto and Aguas Zarcas. From Aguas Zarcas, continue west through Muelle to the turnoff for La Fortuna. This is the longest route.

By Bus -- Buses (tel. 2255-0567) leave San José for La Fortuna roughly every 2 hours between 6am and 5:30pm from the Atlántico del Norte bus station at Avenida 9 and Calle 12. The trip lasts 4 hours; the fare is $3.40 (£1.65). The bus you take might be labeled TILARAN. Make sure it passes through Ciudad Quesada. If so, it passes through La Fortuna; if not, you'll end up in Tilarán via the Interamerican Highway, passing through the Guanacaste town of Cañas, a long way from La Fortuna.

Alternatively, you can take a bus from the same station to Ciudad Quesada and transfer there to another bus to La Fortuna. These buses depart roughly every 30 minutes between 5am and 7:30pm. The fare for the 2 1/2-hour trip is $2.80 (£1.40). Local buses between Ciudad Quesada and La Fortuna run regularly through the day, although the schedule changes frequently, depending on demand. The trip lasts 1 hour; the fare is $1.50 (75p).

Buses depart Monteverde/Santa Elena for Tilarán every day at 7am. This is a journey of only 35km (22 miles), but the trip lasts 2 1/2 hours because the road is in such horrendous condition. People with bad backs should think twice about making the trip, especially by bus. The return bus from Tilarán to Santa Elena leaves at 12:30pm. The fare is $2.20 (£1.10). Buses from Tilarán to La Fortuna depart daily at 8am and 4:30pm, and make the return trip at 8am and 2:30pm. The trip is 3 to 4 hours; the fare is $2.70 (£1.35).

Buses depart La Fortuna for San José roughly every 2 hours between 5am and 5:30pm; in some instances, you might have to transfer in Ciudad Quesada. From there, you can catch one of the frequent buses to San José.

Gray Line (tel. 2220-2126; www.graylinecostarica.com) has two daily buses from San José to La Fortuna at 9am and 4:45pm. The fare is $33 (£17). Interbus (tel. 2283-5573; www.interbusonline.com) also has two buses daily leaving San José for La Fortuna at 8:15am and 2:30pm. The fare is $35 (£18). Both companies will pick you up at most San José-area hotels. And both companies also run routes from La Fortuna with connections to most other major destinations in Costa Rica.

Boats, Horses & Taxis -- You can travel between La Fortuna and Monteverde by boat and taxi, or on a combination boat, horseback, and taxi trip. A 10- to 20-minute boat ride across Lake Arenal cuts out hours of driving around its shores. From La Fortuna to the put-in point is about a 25-minute taxi ride. It's about a 1 1/2-hour four-wheel-drive taxi ride between the Río Chiquito dock on the other side of Lake Arenal and Santa Elena. These trips can be arranged in either direction for between $25 and $45 (£13-£23) per person, all-inclusive.

You can also add on a horseback ride on the Santa Elena/Monteverde side of the lake. There are several routes and rides offered. The steepest heads up the mountains and through the forest to the town of San Gerardo, which is only a 30-minute car ride from Santa Elena. Other routes throw in shorter sections of horseback riding along the lakeside lowlands. With the horseback ride, this trip runs around $50 to $70 (£25-£35) per person.

Warning: The riding is often rainy, muddy, and steep. Many find it much more arduous than awe-inspiring. Moreover, I've received numerous complaints about the condition of the trails and the treatment of the horses, so be very careful and demanding before signing on for this trip. Find out what route you will be taking, as well as the condition of the horses if possible. Desafío Expeditions (tel. 2479-9464; www.desafiocostarica.com) is one of the more reputable operators. They will even drive your car around for you while you take the scenic (and sore) route.

Orientation & Fast Facts

As you enter La Fortuna, you'll see the massive volcano directly in front of you. La Fortuna is only a few streets wide, with almost all the hotels, restaurants, and shops clustered along the main road that leads out of town toward Tabacón and the volcano. There are several information and tour-booking offices and Internet cafes, as well as a couple of pharmacies, general stores, and laundromats on the streets that surround the small central park that fronts the Catholic church. There's a Banco de Costa Rica as you enter La Fortuna, just over the Río Burío bridge, and a Banco Nacional in the center of town, across the park from the church. Both have ATMs.

Getting Around

If you don't have a car, you'll need to either take a cab or go on an organized tour if you want to visit the hot springs or view the volcano eruption. There are tons of taxis in La Fortuna (you can flag one down practically anywhere), and there is always a line of them ready and waiting along the main road beside the central park. A taxi between La Fortuna and Tabacón should cost around $6 (£3). Another alternative is to rent a car when you get here. Alamo (tel. 2479-9090; www.alamocostarica.com) and Poás (tel. 2479-8027; www.carentals.com) both have offices in La Fortuna.

There are also several places to rent scooters and ATVs around town. Provided it's not raining too heavily, this is a good way to get around. Rates run around $35 to $45 (£18-£23) per day for a scooter, and $40 to $70 (£20-£35) for an ATV.