Boat Tours in La Fortuna

With the Peñas Blancas River and scenic Lake Arenal, on its doorstep, La Fortuna is ideally set up for a variety of delightful boat tours.

Cruise to Caño Negro on a boat tour from La Fortuna and explore its remarkable wetlands with its wide variety of wildlife. Or take a sunset cruise on lovely Lake Arenal while enjoying snacks and sipping local favorite guaro.

Here's all you need to know about boat tours, one of the most exhilarating outdoor activities from La Fortuna.

What are the most popular boat tours in La Fortuna?

Moonshine sunset cruise on Lake Arenal

Join this Lake Arenal sunset cruise from La Fortuna to experience some of Costa Rica’s greatest views, at the same time avoiding big crowds.

Take a leisurely cruise on the country’s most well-known lake and marvel at the sights of the towering Arenal Volcano and the region’s indigenous wildlife.

Your tour includes pickup from your hotel in La Fortuna and you will be transported to the departure base on Lake Arenal. Your knowledgeable guide is most familiar with the forests and knows the likely areas to find the local wildlife.

For your convenience, you will have WiFi onboard and alcoholic beverages will be available during your 1-hour lake cruise.

You can relax as you sail while savoring tasty snacks and sipping on “Costa Rican moonshine” – guaro mixed with fresh fruit juice, soda water, etc.

Then enjoy the grand Costa Rican sunset and the great views of the lake, the Arenal Volcano and the surrounding mountains.

Day trip to Caño Negro from La Fortuna

This allround tour from La Fortuna to Caño Negro is the perfect excursion for outdoor lovers to discover the best of Costa Rica's natural beauty. The Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge is nationally regarded as one of Costa Rica’s biologically most diverse areas.

Your tour driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive you in an air-conditioned vehicle to Los Chiles, about 1.5 hours drive away.

The village is only three kilometers from the border with Nicaragua and is the take-off point for your 2.5-hour Rio Frio (Cold River) tour.

Your floating safari is led by a professional guide who will show you colorful bird species, monkeys, sloths, lizards and other unique wildlife.

After observing a great variety of rainforest creatures, you can enjoy your traditional lunch including fruit, natural juices and coffee at a local restaurant. At the end of your tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel in La Fortuna again.

How much do boat tours in La Fortuna cost?

The Lake Arenal moonshine sunset cruise costs US$65 per person and the day trip to Caño Negro from La Fortuna US$90 per person.

Which places are seen?

Los Chiles

The small town of 11,000 people is located in the province of Alajuela. The inhabitants cultivate cacao, corn and beans and you can experience daily life in rural Costa Rica while enjoying the scenery.

Los Chiles lies 3 kilometers from the Costa Rica/Nicaragua border and offers great views of the Río Frío. From here you can also explore the nearby Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge with its pristine wilderness and wildlife.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve

This 26,000-acre rainforest covers eight biological zones and accommodates thousands of animal and plant species. With more than 500 bird species in the reserve, birdwatchers, especially, will have a marvelous time here.

Some of the most notable bird species are the blue-throated toucan, the colorful quetzal and the three-wattled bellbird. The latter is known for having one of the loudest bird calls on earth.

The reserve is also the habitat of large predators such as the jaguar and puma, along with other tropical animals.

El Trapiche

El Trapiche in Monteverde is an educational farm where visitors can learn about two of Costa Rica’s most important products, sugarcane and coffee.

You will also discover the traditional methods of cultivating bananas, arracache, avocado and macadamia nuts, amongst others.

During the tour, you will collect coffee, take the coffee beans to the grinding machines and see how Monteverde coffee is produced.

Traditional Costa Rican ox carts will transport you to the sugarcane fields where you will learn how brown sugar and other products are processed. You will also learn how guaro, the popular Costa Rican alcoholic drink, is extracted from sugarcane.

Arenal Volcano

The volcano stands 1,657 meters high over the lush hillsides around its base. It is currently dormant but has remained Costa Rica’s most active volcano for the past 43 years.

Arenal was created some 7,000 years ago from the adjacent Chato Volcano. Its most recent eruptions began in 1968 when three small villages were buried and 87 people died.

Since 2010, the volcano’s seismic activity and lava flows have decreased markedly, but Arenal is just dormant for now.

Visitors can nevertheless still explore the forests and wildlife through a variety of activities, including forest hikes, rafting, kayaking and several others.

How long does a boat trip last?

The typical duration of the boat tours from La Fortuna is about 2.5 to 4 hours, but for a day trip to Caño Negro, for instance, about 8 hours.

Where do boat tours leave from?

For boat tours from La Fortuna, round-trip hotel transport is included in the tours. Participants are transported to the Rio Frio or Lake Arenal departure base.

When is the best time for a boat trip in La Fortuna?

December to April is a good time to visit La Fortuna for outdoor activities, but this is also the busiest period, implying higher prices. In the wet season from mid-April to November La Fortuna gets fewer visitors.

Mornings or late afternoons are both good if you want to see La Fortuna’s wildlife, though mornings are usually quieter with better weather.

Which other water activities can be done in La Fortuna?

• Canyoning
• Abseiling
• Stand up paddleboarding
• Canoeing
• Wakeboarding

Travel tips

• Make sure to book your boat trip from La Fortuna in advance.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring sun lotion and mosquito repellent.