Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [124]
Expediciones (Map; 2479-9101; cnr Av Central & Calle 1; per hr ₡450; 7am-10pm Mon-Sat) Most tour operators in town also provide internet access, but if you’re not interested in hearing a sales pitch, there are no hassles here.
LAUNDRY
Lavandería Alice (Map; 2479-7111; Av Volcán; per kg ₡1800; 7am-10pm Mon-Sat) Here you get the full fluff-and-fold treatment, 100m north of Parque Central.
Lavandería La Fortuna (Map; 2479-9547; Calle 4; per 4kg ₡4100; 8am-9pm Mon-Sat) Friendly staff will wash, dry and fold while you surf the internet for free.
MEDICAL SERVICES
In addition to the listed clinics, there are dozens of private doctors, dentists and pharmacies scattered around town.
Centro Médico Arenal Vital (Map; 2479-7027; Calle 1; 24hr) Located in the Hotel Las Colinas building, this private clinic is open 24/7 and has English-speaking staff.
Clínica Fortuna (Map; 2479-9461; Calle 3 btwn Avs Volcán & Fort; 7am-10pm Mon-Thu, 7am-8pm Fri-Sun) Look for the hidden bust of US President John F Kennedy, unceremoniously propped next to a generator.
MONEY
Note that banks listed below have 24-hour ATMs.
BAC San José (Map; 2295-9797; cnr Av Fort & Calle 3) Can change traveler’s checks.
Banco de Costa Rica (Map; 2479-9113; Av Central)
Banco Nacional (Map; 2479-9355; cnr Calle 1 & Av Fort)
Banco Popular (Map; cnr Av Central & Calle 5)
POST
Correos de Costa Rica (Map; Av Fort; 8am-5:30pm Mon-Fri, 7:30am-noon Sat) Mail your volcano postcards and packages from here.
TOURIST INFORMATION
There is no independent tourist information center in La Fortuna, though any tour operator or hotel front desk will be happy to give you information out of enlightened self-interest. However, we highly recommend Diego and the staff at Arenal Backpackers, and Pete of Gringo Pete’s for honest, candid information on local sights and attractions. They also offer some of the best rates for activities and attractions. If you find cheaper prices, it’s probably too good to be true (see boxed text, below).
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Sights
HOT SPRINGS
What’s the consolation prize if you can’t actually see the volcano? Why, hot springs, of course, and you’ll be glad to know La Fortuna has some doozies.
SCAMS
If you’re taking the bus to La Fortuna, scammers start before you even get there, boarding a few kilometers out of town, then working the crowd: ‘That hotel is overpriced, but I have a friend…’ You know this scam, right? But it gets worse.
In addition to steering travelers to poor hotels, we’ve heard of some people in La Fortuna who’ll also book you on ‘half-price tours.’ Usually you’ll just show up for your tour and learn that your receipt is invalid, though we’ve also heard about people taken to pricey hot springs, then abandoned without transportation or their entry fees paid as promised. Or to save admission fees on lava-viewing tours, these scammers will just take you to the public roadside bridge rather than to the better observation points in the private reserves. We’ve even heard of touts selling vouchers for phony tours in such far-flung locales as Monteverde and Caño Negro. In a disturbing recent development, these scam artists have set up several professional-looking ‘information booths’ around town.
After milking a batch of tourists, the scammers trade off between La Fortuna, Monteverde and other hot spots for a couple of weeks; it’s worked hassle-free for years. Why hasn’t anything been done about this? That’s a good question, but basically it comes down to the fact that no one wants to wait around for months to bring these people to trial.
It’s worth going through a reputable agency or hotel to book your tours around here. You may pay twice as much, but at least you’ll get to go. On the bright side, the recent upswing in tourism in the La Fortuna area has brought promises from the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) that there will be a crackdown on touts, though it remains to be seen if this situation will improve soon.
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