El Chollín Free Hot River (Río Tabacón)

Tip

Bring water shoes and a headlamp. Weekday mornings or the hour before dark are calmest; weekends get packed. The fenced section next door is a separate paid business.

Be careful

No lifeguards and no lights; rocks are sharp and slippery. You park on the shoulder of a busy road, so step out carefully and leave nothing in the car.

Places nearby

• Tabacón Thermal Resort & SpaDay Passes & Hot SpringsHot springs resort at the foot of Arenal Volcano, built around a natural thermal river with waterfalls and pools.
• Mirador El SilencioParks & WildlifePrivate reserve 1 km east of Tabacón on Route 142 with a long forest-and-lava hike, a green lagoon and open views of Arenal Volcano; booking ahead is recommended.
• Nayara Resorts Arenal (Nayara Gardens, Nayara Springs, Nayara Tented Camp)StaysThree small luxury properties side by side near Arenal Volcano: family-friendly Gardens, adults-only Springs with private hot-spring plunge pools, and a clifftop Tented Camp.
• Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges ParkParks & Wildlife · from $1Mistico is a family-owned private reserve of mature rainforest on the Lake Arenal road, 25–30 minutes west of La Fortuna, and the busiest hanging-bridges park around Arenal.
• Sloffee Coffee StationFood & CoffeeCoffee station with a small farm setting near Hotel Arenal Paraíso that pairs Costa Rican Arabica with home-baked pies and croissants, with birdwatching and wildlife sightings around the grounds.
• Natura Eco ParkParks & Wildlife · from $41.99Private eco park with rainforest trails and bridges, a frog garden, butterfly garden and animals such as snakes and crocodiles; guided and night walks start from fixed times.