Monteverde was my second stop in Costa Rica. I chose to visit it as Monteverde has a Cloud Forest, which is the only one in Costa Rica but also one of the few Cloud Forests in the world, as they only represent 1% of the global woodland. A cloud forest is a forest which is constantly covered in clouds at the canopy level and is very, very moist. When I began doing research about Monteverde I found that it is very small, but also that there are a lot of things to do!

A Bit of History

Monteverde’s story starts with a community of American Quakers who settled here and founded the Monteverde cheese factory in 1953, partly to escape the Korean War draft. It became one of the biggest employers in the area outside tourism, and the dairy brand is still on supermarket shelves in town today, even though the factory was sold to an international company in 2014 and the tours stopped. Those same Quakers later worked with scientists to protect the surrounding forest, and in 1972 the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve was created, starting at just 810 acres and now covering around 35,800. It helped shape Costa Rica’s reputation for conservation and eco-tourism, which is a big part of why this small mountain town is on almost every first-timer’s itinerary.

MONTEVERDE ESSENTIALS

🚗 Getting There & Around / The easiest and fastest way to get to Monteverde is by car, but the roads getting there are not paved and are in a pretty rough state, so you’ll need a 4×4. Compare rental cars on DiscoverCars, I found them to have the cheapest rates with full insurance included. If you’d rather not drive, this site covers buses and private transfers.

🎟️ Tours / Only a guide really has their eyes trained for spotting wildlife here, so a tour genuinely makes a difference. The best ones to book in advance:
Kinkajou Forest Night Walking Tour
Cloud Forest Guided Hike
Selvatura Gold Experience

🏨 Stay / Skip the endless scrolling, these are the ones I’d point a friend toward (full picks in Where to Stay below):
Budget: OutBox Inn
Mid-range: Fondavela Hotel
Splurge: Monteverde Lodge & Gardens by Böëna

📱 Connect / Stay connected from the moment you land with an eSIM. I use Holafly, which gives you unlimited data, plus 1GB of free global backup data with its Always On feature, handy if your plans change. Get yours with my link and use code TRAVELWITHPAU for 5% off.

🛡️ Get Insured / Things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for over 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

La Fortuna was my very first stop in Costa Rica, and it set the bar impossibly high for everything that followed. Nestled beneath the brooding cone of Arenal Volcano, this small town is one of those rare places where you can genuinely do as much or as little as you like, soak in a hot spring and call it a day, or pack your schedule so full of things to do in La Fortuna Arenal that you collapse into bed each night absolutely buzzing with it all.

I stayed at Rancho Margot, a self-sustainable ranch near Lake Arenal that turned out to be one of the most memorable stays of my entire trip. But I’ll get to that. First, here’s everything you need to know to plan your own Arenal adventure.

ARENAL / LA FORTUNA ESSENTIALS

✈️ Getting There / Fly into San José (SJO) from the UK, flights take around 11 to 12 hours, typically with one stop (most commonly via the US or Madrid). From San José, La Fortuna is roughly a 3.5-hour drive northwest. Book a private airport transfer with WelcomePickups for a stress-free arrival. Search flights on Skyscanner.

🚗 Getting Around / The roads around Arenal and La Fortuna are largely paved and manageable, but a 4×4 is still recommended if you want to access more remote waterfalls and trails. Compare rental cars on DiscoverCars, they consistently had the best rates with full insurance included when I booked mine. Shared shuttles (Interbus, Comfortable Costa Rica) also connect La Fortuna to San José and other destinations like Monteverde.

🎟️ Tours / Book your activities in advance, the best spots sell out fast. The best ones to book:
La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano Hike and Hot Springs Combo
White Water Rafting on the Balsa River
White-Water Rafting, Canyoning and Tarzan Swing
Arenal Volcano Raft and ATV Tour Adventure‘

🏨 Stay / See the full picks below in Where to Stay:
Budget: Socialtel La Fortuna (formerly Selina)
Mid-range: Rancho Margot
Splurge: Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

📱 Connect / Stay connected the moment you land. I use Holafly, use code TRAVELWITHPAU for 5% off.

🛡️ Get Insured / This is not one to skip. La Fortuna is an adventure-activity hub, rafting, canyoneering, zip-lining, and most standard travel policies won’t cover any of it. World Nomads covers 150+ adventure activities, medical emergencies, trip cancellation, and lost luggage. Sort it before you fly.

Things to Do in Arenal / La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio National Park is my favorite national park in Costa Rica. There are some things I recommend you know before visiting to ensure you have a good time. See them below.

Manuel Antonio was my last stop in Costa Rica, and probably one of the places I was most intrigued about due to its popularity amongst travelers. I had a great time there both exploring the area as well as staying in Tico Tico Villas. Below the best things to do in Manuel Antonio, a review of my accommodation as well as recommendations on where to eat and how to get there.

Things to do in Manuel Antonio