District · San Carlos Canton
# La Fortuna

La Fortuna is a district of Costa Rica in San Carlos Canton, Alajuela Province. It had an estimated 19,297 people in 2021 on 230 km² (about 84 per km²). 34 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 543 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.
- 19,297 people (2021)
- 230 km²
- 543 mapped services
- 164 m typical elevation

## How many people live in La Fortuna?

La Fortuna had an estimated 19,297 people in 2021 — 9.5% of San Carlos Canton, 82nd of 472 districts. There are 960 women for every 1,000 men (close to the San Carlos Canton figure of 957). Spread over 230 km², that is about 84 people per km², 278th of 472 districts.

24.0% of people are children under 15 and 6.8% are 65 or older; the median age is about 29 years (it is 29 across San Carlos Canton). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 45 children and older people.
- 0–4 1,563
- 5–9 1,516
- 10–14 1,551
- 15–19 1,603
- 20–24 1,841
- 25–29 1,965
- 30–34 1,739
- 35–39 1,495
- 40–44 1,221
- 45–49 1,033
- 50–54 937
- 55–59 843
- 60–64 673
- 65–69 512
- 70–74 335
- 75+ 470

Source: Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, population 2021 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO).

## Where is La Fortuna?

La Fortuna lies in San Carlos Canton, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. It borders 8 other districts: Arenal, Cutris, Florencia, Monterrey, Peñas Blancas, Tilarán, Tronadora and Venado. By area it is the 66th largest of 492 districts in Costa Rica. It covers 6.8% of San Carlos Canton. The centre of La Fortuna is about 89 km in a straight line from San José, the capital. The centre point is at 10.4498° N, 84.7103° W.

Source: Costa Rica National Statistics Office (NSO) via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO).

## Things to see in and around La Fortuna

OpenStreetMap lists 46 named sights in La Fortuna: 28 attractions; 9 viewpoints; 3 waterfalls; 2 volcanos; 2 hot springs; 1 national park; 1 museum.
- Museum and Coffee Bar · museum
- Cascada y pozas · waterfall
- El Salto · waterfall
- Waterfall Río Fortuna · waterfall
- Arenal Volcano National Park · national park
- Entrada al sendero el Ceibo · viewpoint
- Mirador Colada · viewpoint
- Mirador El Silencio · viewpoint
- Mirador Volcán · viewpoint
- Observation deck de Volcán Arenal · viewpoint
- Observation deck de Volcán Arenal · viewpoint
- Observatory Deck · viewpoint
- Rio Fortuna Waterfall viewpoint · viewpoint
- las casonas · viewpoint
- Areal 1968 Volcano trails and MTB paths · attraction
- Arenal Ecologic Park · attraction
- Arenal Natura Ecological Park · attraction
- Blue Pass - Lago Arenal (Boat Tours) · attraction
- Bogarin Trail · attraction
- Don Olivo Chocolate Tour · attraction
- Down To Earth Coffee Farm Tour · attraction
- Kalambu Waterpark · attraction
- La Fortuna Hikes and Trails · attraction
- Meeting Spot · attraction
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park · attraction
- Mono Carablanca · attraction
- North Fields Coffee and Chocolate Tour · attraction
- Papa's Place · attraction
- Plaforma 2 cannopy · attraction
- Plataforma#1 cannopy Arbol Ceiba 90 años · attraction

…and 16 more.

### Nearby, outside La Fortuna
- Butterfly Conservatory · zoo, Peñas Blancas 5.5 km
- Viewpoint (especially good at sunset) · viewpoint, Peñas Blancas 6.2 km
- Plataforma #2 Lost Cañoning 40 metros · attraction, Peñas Blancas 7.6 km
- Casa Cañón Desafío Adventures Cañoning Rapelling · attraction, Peñas Blancas 7.7 km
- Cañoning Desafio House · attraction, Peñas Blancas 7.7 km
- Mirador el Nido del Arenal · viewpoint, Peñas Blancas 7.7 km
- Catarata · waterfall, Peñas Blancas 7.9 km
- Finca Paraíso Orgánico · attraction, Peñas Blancas 8.0 km
- El Canto Waterfall · waterfall, Peñas Blancas 8.8 km
- Granja Eco Turistica Victoria · attraction, Peñas Blancas 8.9 km
- El Bosque de Tío Victor · attraction, Peñas Blancas 11 km
- Plataforma Shanti Peace Paz · attraction, Peñas Blancas 11 km

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: La Fortuna
- Time zone UTC−6, no daylight saving · America/Costa_Rica
- Currency Colon (CRC)
- Country calling code +506
- Languages Spanish, English
- Plug types Type A, B · 120 V
- Driving side Right
- Postcode format 5 digits (#####)

### Nearest airports
- La Fortuna Arenal Airport (FON) · La Fortuna 15 km
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) · San José (Alajuela) 75 km

### Nearest railway station

Rondorama (Arenal), about 13 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Jun (about 12.7 hours, sunrise around 05:16) and shortest in Dec (about 11.5 hours, sunrise around 05:48, sunset around 17:19).

Source: GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03; OurAirports (public domain).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Villages and localities in La Fortuna

Open gazetteers list 34 villages, towns and localities in La Fortuna. The largest with a recorded population: La Fortuna (3,010). Settlements here lie between about 76 m and 681 m above sea level (median 164 m).
- Agua Azul
- Asentamiento La Perla
- Bajo Tabacón
- Dora
- El Campo (Guayabal)
- El Tanque
- Guayabal
- Jilguero
- La Catarata
- La Fortuna
- La Guaria
- La Palma
- La Perla
- Los Olivos
- Los Ángeles
- Manolo
- Margarita
- National Park Arenal
- Orquídea
- Palma
- Pastoral
- Pilo
- Pito
- Platanillo
- Pueblo Nuevo
- San Isidro
- San Jorge
- Santa Cecilia
- Santa Lucía
- Sinaí
- Sonafluca
- Tres Esquinas
- Zeta 13
- Zona Fluca

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features; © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

## Landscape and landmarks of La Fortuna

Named natural and historic features inside La Fortuna, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

31 rivers and streams; 1 dam.
- Caño del Burro
- Presa Sangregado
- Quebrada Agua Azul
- Quebrada Caimito
- Quebrada Cajón
- Quebrada Cedral
- Quebrada Chorros
- Quebrada Corinto
- Quebrada Costalazo
- Quebrada Cristalina
- Quebrada Danta
- Quebrada Danta
- Quebrada Flor
- Quebrada Flores
- Quebrada Guillermina
- Quebrada Habana
- Quebrada Honda
- Quebrada Juncal
- Quebrada Lorenza
- Quebrada Naranjo
- Quebrada Pajuila
- Quebrada Pipiapio
- Quebrada Platanillo
- Quebrada Sangregado

…and 8 more.

### Forests and nature

1 nature reserve.
- Arenal Volcano National Park

### Getting around

1 airport.
- La Fortuna Arenal Airport

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features.

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in La Fortuna and the best time to visit

Using the climate of San Carlos Canton, the warmest month is Apr (average 25 °C) and the coolest is Jan (22 °C). About 1,604 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Oct (283 mm) and the driest Feb (22 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are December to April.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
| Month | Average °C | Rain mm |
| Jan | 22 | 34 |
| Feb | 23 | 22 |
| Mar | 24 | 26 |
| Apr | 25 | 60 |
| May | 25 | 195 |
| Jun | 24 | 183 |
| Jul | 24 | 153 |
| Aug | 24 | 177 |
| Sep | 24 | 233 |
| Oct | 23 | 283 |
| Nov | 23 | 178 |
| Dec | 23 | 60 |

Source: NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29.

## Nearest hospital, bank and fuel from La Fortuna
| Need | Nearest mapped | Distance | |
| Hospital | CM Sanar Fortuna · La Fortuna | 7.8 km | Map |
| Bank | Banco Nacional · La Fortuna | 7.6 km | Map |
| ATM | ATM Banco Costa Rica · La Fortuna | 8.0 km | Map |
| Petrol pump | La Fortuna Gas Station · La Fortuna | 7.7 km | Map |
| Hotel | Arenal Observatory Lodge · La Fortuna | 1.3 km | Map |
| Mall | Centro Comercial La Fortuna · La Fortuna | 7.1 km | Map |
| School | Escuela El Castillo · Peñas Blancas | 5.0 km | Map |
| College | Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje La Fortuna · La Fortuna | 7.9 km | Map |
| Police station | Policía Turística · La Fortuna | 4.5 km | Map |

Source: Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Straight-line distance from the centre of the division, within 40 km.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in La Fortuna

Places mapped inside La Fortuna in open map data, by type.
- Hospitals 2
- Banks 5
- ATMs 1
- Petrol pumps 5
- Hotels 255
- Shopping malls 5
- Schools 19
- Colleges and universities 2
- Pharmacies 5
- Restaurants 231
- Police stations 8
- Dental clinics 5

Source: Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Other districts in San Carlos Canton
- Aguas Zarcas
- Buenavista
- Cutris
- Florencia
- La Palmera
- La Tigra
- Monterrey
- Pital
- Pocosol
- Quesada
- Venado
- Venecia

## Quick answers
- Where is La Fortuna? In San Carlos Canton, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
- What is the population of La Fortuna? 19,297 (2021 estimate)
- What is the median age in La Fortuna? About 29 years (2021 estimate)
- What is the population density of La Fortuna? About 84 people per km²
- What borders La Fortuna? Arenal, Cutris, Florencia, Monterrey, Peñas Blancas, Tilarán, Tronadora and Venado
- What is there to see in La Fortuna? Areal 1968 Volcano trails and MTB paths, Arenal Ecologic Park, Arenal Natura Ecological Park, Arenal Volcano
- What time zone is La Fortuna in? UTC−6
- What currency is used in La Fortuna? Colon (CRC)
- What language is spoken in La Fortuna? Spanish, English (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in La Fortuna? 34 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of La Fortuna? Settlements lie between 76 m and 681 m
- What is the best time to visit La Fortuna? December to April
- Where is the nearest hospital to La Fortuna? CM Sanar Fortuna, about 7.8 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest bank to La Fortuna? Banco Nacional, about 7.6 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest ATM to La Fortuna? ATM Banco Costa Rica, about 8.0 km from the centre
- Where is the nearest petrol pump to La Fortuna? La Fortuna Gas Station, about 7.7 km from the centre
- How many hospitals are in La Fortuna? 2 mapped
- How many banks are in La Fortuna? 5 mapped
- How many ATMs are in La Fortuna? 1 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in La Fortuna? 5 mapped
- What is the P-code of La Fortuna? CR21007 (OCHA common operational dataset)

At a glance
- Type: District
- Area: 229.6 km²
- P-code: CR21007
- Canton: San Carlos Canton

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Canonical: https://wherepedia.org/costa-rica/alajuela/san-carlos/la-fortuna/ · Updated 2026-11-03 · Data: national censuses and statistics offices (sources named in each section); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); Overture Maps; GeoNames; NASA POWER.