Man relaxing next to a waterfall

Getty Images/Moment Open

Llanos de Cortés

Northwestern Costa Rica


If you're pressed for time and in search of a quick, easy waterfall visit, Llanos de Cortés will do nicely. From the entrance, which is now guarded, you'll scramble down a steep trail to reach the spectacular 28m-high, 12m-wide waterfall, which you’ll hear before you see. The falls drop into a tranquil pond with a white sandy beach that’s good for swimming and sunbathing. It was once possible to swim under the fall and hike behind it, but new rules now prohibit this.

Apart from a portable toilet, there are no services here.

The waterfall is located about 5km north of Bagaces; head northwest on the Interamericana and go about 7km past the town, then exit the highway after the pedestrian bridge and turn around at the roundabout (the highway dividers make the former left turn impossible). Continue about 2km and turn right on the dirt road just before the Río Piedras bridge, and follow the newly smooth road for about 1km. Turn right at the guarded gate. Continue down the dirt road about 300m to the parking area. Although the lot is guarded, it’s not wise to leave valuables exposed in your car.

If you don’t have a car, any bus traveling this part of the Interamericana can drop you at the turnoff, but you’ll have to hike the 1.5km to the falls. On weekends this is a popular Tico picnic spot, but on weekdays you’ll often have the waterfall to yourself.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Northwestern Costa Rica attractions

1. Reserva Biológica Lomas de Barbudal

6.24 MILES

Forming a cohesive unit with Palo Verde, the 26 sq m Lomas de Barbudal is an option for more off-the-beaten-track independent hiking. You can explore the…

2. Ponderosa Adventure Park

8.16 MILES

Wildebeests, zebras, giraffes and other African animals are right at home in the dry Guanacaste heat, as you can see at this private wildlife reserve. The…

3. Parque Nacional Palo Verde

8.64 MILES

At the head of the Golfo de Nicoya, the 198 sq km Parque Nacional Palo Verde is a wetland sanctuary in Costa Rica’s driest province. The park’s shallow,…

4. Las Pumas

11.8 MILES

This wild-animal shelter was started in the 1960s by the late Lilly Hagnauer, a Swiss environmentalist. It’s one of the largest shelters of its kind in…

5. La Agonía

12.86 MILES

With whitewashed walls and twin pillars flanking the front door, La Agonía typifies the Spanish colonial architecture that earned Liberia its 'White City'…

6. La Gobernación

12.99 MILES

This old municipal building is little more than a landmark in the center of town, but it occasionally hosts interesting exhibitions or live music…

8. Parque Central

13.03 MILES

The somewhat shady but not particularly picturesque Parque Central frames Iglesia Inmaculada Concepción de María. The park is also the seasonal hangout of…