The small town of La Fortuna was never designed as a tourist destination, but its fate was decided for it after the nearby Arenal volcano erupted in 1968, forever changing La Fortuna’s destiny. Arenal had not erupted in 400 years, and upon the explosion of this imposing yet impossibly picturesque mountain, the three local towns of Tabacón, Pueblo Nuevo and San Luís were buried in their entirety by the flow of lava and ash, which didn’t abate for three days. It was after the dust settled that the discovery was made that a town called El Borio on the eastern side of the volcano had survived the eruption. This town was renamed La Fortuna (or The Fortunate), and is now one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, with tourists coming from far and wide to marvel at the unnervingly placid sight of the Arenal volcano. It has erupted many more times since 1968 but has been dormant since 2010, although this does not mean that another eruption could not happen at any moment. The dominating presence of the Arenal is not the only reason that visitors come to La Fortuna; they also come to explore the natural beauty of the region, which is teeming with wildlife, adventure sports and once in a lifetime experiences.
Arenal & La Fortuna
Travel Guide
