Rio de La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Yesterday was kind of a slow going day here in La Fortuna, Costa Rica, pretty much rained most of the day so the day was kind of a hang out day in town, as we were making our rounds to all the small shops in La Fortuna we stopped to taste some local coffee at Down to Earth, after sampling we had to take a bag home to try, we chose the “Dota Select” and for desert a bag of chocolate covered coffee beans.

While sampling the Down to Earth coffee at the coffee store we did run into Michael of Travel Costa Rica Now website. Talked a little about Costa Rica, La Fortuna and his web site. I was able to check out the Travel Costa Rica Now website later that night, I found a lot of good in-depth  information on traveling around Costa Rica and a great selection of Youtube Videos that Michael and his website partner D’ Angelo have made on everything you need to know about traveling in Costa Rica. It would be well worth a visit to the Travel Costa Rica Now website for up to date information on your next adventure to Costa Rica

We decided to hold off on doing the Arenal Volcano tour until the next day, in hope that the rain would stop and would be able to get a good view of the volcano.

View from the bridge at Rio de La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Today, waking up from another afternoon and night of rain we decided today we would venture out to Rio de La Fortuna, yesterday when we were in town we had heard that there was this great watering hole that the locals as well as a few adventure seekers would trek too on the outskirts of town..

So we headed into town, then took the road leading from La Fortuna to Ramon, we had been told the river was located just passed the other entrance to Catarata  de La Fortuna, at the third bridge from town. The walk was a very comfortable 20 minute walk from La Fortuna on a flat surface.

Passing the entrance to Catarata de La Fortuna we found the third bridge maybe another 100 meters around the corner. The bridge crosses over the Rio de La Fortuna which is down stream of the major water fall of Catarata de La Fortuna, from the top of the bridge you are given a great view of the small waterfalls spilling in to the watering hole. There at the watering hole were about 20 people swinging on a rope from the nearby bank dropping about 30 feet into the swirling water below.

I had to try the rope swing at least once, the problem is that I am not as young as I think I am and one time was about all I could handle. At 50 years old, thinking I am a 20 year old I could feel the strain in my upper back as I swung out over the water hole and dropped the 30 feet into the cold water below. Well worth it, yet once was enough for me. My son and his friend spent the next hour and half swinging from the rope or jumping from the rocks into the base of the waterfall. A 15 year old could handle this all day long and not get tired.

All in all we spent about 2 ½ hours with the walk to and from La Fortuna and swimming and jumping at Rio de La Fortuna. The morning was very well worth the trek out to the watering hole. The great thing was also that it was free, kind of interesting that this was not on any of the tours that they try to sell you back in La Fortuna.

Word of caution, even though we felt very safe here, a mixture of locals as well as travelers, we did hear of the typical stories, so just leave your valuables back at the hotel and enjoy the rope swing.