If you are planning your trip to Costa Rica and can’t decided if you should you go La Fortuna, Monteverde Cloud Forest or Rincón de la Vieja then this is the article for you.
As a local this answer is pretty simple but can also depend on how much time you have on your trip.
If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica I always recommend ideally two weeks but at least 10 days so you can do 4-5 days in the mountains and 4-5 at the beach.
I live in a small beach town called Samara but if you are visiting you need to do so much more than the beach in this stunning country.
Your first stops should be Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna, of which you can read more about via this link here with my articles on top 10 things to do in each place.
Costa Rica is packed with adventures, waterfalls, hikes, stunning landscapes, animals, biodiversity and beauty for days.
With that said, you are probably stressing out with where to go so let me make it simple.
Should You Go To Monteverde Cloud Forest Or La Fortuna?
First thing is first, do not go to Monteverde if you haven’t been to La Fortuna yet.
I like Monteverde but it does not even hold a candle to La Fortuna.
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La Fortuna has the few things Monteverde offers and then about 600% more all while having the volcano overlooking the entire area. Monteverde is also, as the name implies, a cloud forest, so be prepared for it to be a white-out when you are there with a good chance for limited visibility.
Monteverde is very nice and has its charm, however you absolutely must do La Fortuna first.
Should You Go To La Fortuna or Rincón de la Vieja?
Again, the easy answer is La Fortuna, unless you are short on time and flying out of the Liberia airport.
If you flew in via Liberia’s airport, are keeping to the Northwest side of Costa Rica and just want a quick jungle adventure than Rincón de la Vieja is a great option. This is mostly because La Fortuna is three hours from the airport where you are within an hour at most hotels in Rincón de la Vieja.
Three hours doesn’t seem like a lot but in Costa Rica you never know how traffic will be and less than an hour to an airport is always great for peace of mind.
Don’t let me sway you from La Fortuna, however if you are in the NW and only have 2-4 days, I would highly think about Rincón de la Vieja.
There are a couple of the best resorts in the country you should stay at as well if you do decide to go this route. These adventure resorts are so great you don’t even need to leave the resort to experience wildlife, adventures, mud baths, hot springs, hiking trails and waterfalls!
I NEVER suggest to stay in a resort but this one is different. It is so good I wrote an entire article about it here!
At this resort, which is as affordable or better than La Fortuna, you can do almost everything you would want to do in La Fortuna but in the comfort of the massive resort and grounds that go on for miles.
You will absolutely need a rental car if you go to La Fortuna, where if you go to the resort option you can take a shuttle and not have to leave again until you head to the airport or your next stop.
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I would absolutely go to Rincon instead and stay at Borinquen Thermal Resort.
In the end, La Fortuna is best, Rincon would be second and Monteverde third. If you are short on time then Borinquen Thermal Resort is an amazing to get 2-4 days of the jungle without attributing too much time away from your beach or other activities.
