La Fortuna Waterfall, 70-meter waterfall in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna Waterfall drops approximately 70 meters into a natural pool framed by dense tropical forest. The site features marked trails and several vantage points to view the cascading water from different angles.

The waterfall lies at the base of the dormant Chato volcano, about 5.5 km from the town of La Fortuna, near Arenal Volcano. It is fed by the Fortuna River, which crosses the rainforest of the Arenal mountain range before dropping over the cliff. The site sits within Arenal Volcano National Park in Alajuela Province.

The name "La Fortuna" means "the fortune" in Spanish, and the falls are also called Catarata Fortuna. The site sits in Arenal Volcano National Park, and the stream below the falls is used for swimming, with a lifeguard on duty.

The descent follows a staircase of over 500 steps carved into the hillside, taking about 10 minutes down and 20 back up, with seats to rest on. Facilities including restrooms, showers, a restaurant and a gift shop stand atop the cliff. A lifeguard is on duty at the stream and small rapids below the falls.

The river that forms the falls is called the Fortuna in English sources and the Tenorio in Spanish ones, a discrepancy visitors rarely notice. The pool below is watched by a lifeguard, and the facilities, restaurant and gift shop sit on the cliff top rather than at the water.