High in the cloud forest, this wondrous backpacker community is a short and steep hike rewarded with yawning mountain panoramas. There are four dorms (with eight to 16 bunks) and basic private rooms. Shared bathroom stalls are numerous and well maintained. The Canadian owners have plotted every detail, from fun treasure hunts to coffee tours and a viewing tower.
The kitchen is stocked with basic provisions for sale, and you can also order tasty homestyle meals (breakfast US$4 to US$8, lunch US$5 to US$6, dinner US$6 to US$8). There's a mini-pub, a lounge and a movie-room loft, set well away from sleepers.
Activities are varied and well priced, and as many as three excursions depart each day. There's an eight-hour maze of trails through La Fortuna Forest Reserve that go as high as 2200m. Hikers can visit an impressive waterfall and visit an indigenous community. You can also tour the trails on horseback (US$40) and visit a local coffee producer (US$25). The hostel's mascot is Rocky, a resident kinkajou that cannot be released into the wild.
Given the isolation, it’s necessary to call or email reservations 24 hours in advance. To reach here take the bus from David (US$4, one hour) and ask to be dropped off at Km42 near the large Lost & Found billboard. Follow the trail to the right of the provisions shop upward for about 20 minutes. You can also take a bus from Bocas del Toro Province, starting in Changuinola or Almirante (around US$7).
