Costa Rica - La Fortuna Waterfall and Volcano Arenal

After five hours of driving to La Fortuna, we were more than happy to learn that for 40$ we could spend the night sipping cocktails in hot water at the Baldi Hot Springs (dinner included). Baldi Hot Springs has 25 thermal water pools, a few bars, a sauna and a waterslide. It was pouring rain when we went but we didn't mind having a few drops of cold water on our heads when the rest of our bodies were soaking away in hot waters with a tasty cocktail in our hands (they have a wide variety of cocktails too). We could have probably found something cheaper (there are plenty of hot springs resorts in La Fortuna), but we were tired and exhausted when we arrived and did not feel like doing too much research.

The next morning we woke up early and decided to do two hikes: one to La Fortuna Waterfall and one to the Arenal Volcano. La Fortuna Waterfall has an entrance fee of $14, and be ready to hike over 400 steps down (but more importantly, back up afterwards). The view from on top is breathtaking, and I don't think I could ever get used to the abundance of wilderness that Costa Rica has to offer. After 400+ steps down (not sure how my legs survived that long), we finally arrived at the bottom of the waterfall. Here, you can relax, take pictures, and even swim in the river.

After a painful hike back up, we ate lunch and off we were to hike the Arenal Volcano. The volcano happens to be one of the 10 most active volcanoes in the world, and is home to a variety of wildlife. During the hike, we passed through the tropical rainforest and hiked up old lava rock to get a better view of the volcano (see below). The entrance fee for the park is $15, and there are two main trails that lead up to the main viewpoint (keep in mind, you are not allowed to go on top of the crater). I love hiking, so it was definitely worth it but i wouldn't recommend paying the entrance fee to the park if your main goal is to see a crater.