20 Hostels in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

About La Fortuna

The small mountain town of La Fortuna in Costa Rica is famed for one giant attraction – its huge volcano. And on the days when this towering mass is hidden by cloud, you'll probably hear it rumbling! Full of fantastically authentic places to eat, La Fortuna is a friendly place and a popular base to set out on tours. No wonder, as the surrounding area is packed with lush forest, hot springs and vast nature reserves.

Many hostels in La Fortuna are near natural beauty spots. Stay in a laid-back hostel with vibrant tropical gardens and hammocks, as well as a free shuttle to the local jungle hot springs. Or, pick a peaceful hostel resort with panoramic views of the Arenal Volcano and private rooms. There's even a La Fortuna hostel with magical tent options – think woven exteriors, proper beds and twinkling night lights. Taking luxury to the max, it also has a hot tub and a swimming pool. Most La Fortuna hostels have free Wi-Fi, as well as female-only dorms and en-suite bathrooms.

A popular area in La Fortuna is the Arenal Volcano National Park. You can take a trail through a cooled lava field and spot native tree frogs. Southwest of the town you'll find Catarata Fortuna, a dazzling waterfall at the base of the dormant Chato volcano. There are also lots of areas with hot springs for bathing. Pop into downtown La Fortuna for shops and restaurants and a taste of the local nightlife.

You'll find lots of natural attractions in La Fortuna. Ecocentro Danaus is a nature reserve filled with sloths, turtles and howler monkeys (bring your camera to capture their antics!). Butterfly fans can head to Mirador El Silencio to spot huge blue morpho butterflies in 22 hectares of lush forest. Lovers of chocolate can visit ChocoMuseo, a free museum where you can learn all about the cacao bean. They also put on chocolate-making workshops and trips to cocoa plantations.

If you're coming to La Fortuna from San José, you can fly to the privately run domestic airport La Fortuna Arenal Airport. Getting to La Fortuna by bus from San José takes around 4 hours 30 minutes. From Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos), it's between 60-90 minutes. Travelling from Monteverde-Santa Elena? If you take the scenic 'taxi-boat-taxi' option (the taxi is actually a minivan), the journey takes roughly four hours. Cycling is a good option once you're in the town.