Our Costa Rica agenda was funny. We started in Osa, the most off-the-beaten-path corner of the country – accessible only by boat or small plane (unless you wanted to drive probably ten hours over bumpy dirt roads) and sought out generally by the most hardcore of nature lovers. Then we moved up to Monteverde, which was definitely more populated and more visited by tourists, but relatively relaxed all the same. And we finished our trip in Arenal, based in the bustling town of La Fortuna, which – thanks to an abundance of hot springs – is probably the most touristy part of the entire country. But all the same, we were not planning to seek out the biggest tourist attraction in La Fortuna – Catarata Rio Fortuna. Instead, we had designs on renting kayaks on Lake Arenal, and taking in the imposing view of Arenal from the water. Arenal had other plans, though: it kicked up a massive rainstorm that sent us fleeing inside from the restaurant deck while we were eating a pre-paddle lunch, and scrambling to find another activity for the afternoon (because even after the rain stopped, the wind and waves continued).

Enter the Rio Fortuna waterfall.

Steve suggested it as an alternative; I agreed without any idea of what the activity was all about – I hadn’t even researched it past hearing it was a big tourist attraction and deciding to skip it (since we’d already seen the incredible Catarata Rio Celeste). My first indication that it was something different came at the Disney-esque ticket booths just off the parking lot, and the lines of bikini-clad tourists. This doesn’t seem to be an ordinary hike to a waterfall? Suspicions were confirmed as we walked along the manicured path past a snack restaurant and a large gift shop – all of which we passed before catching our first glimpse of the waterfall.

The only ones dressed for hiking, not swimming – ready to walk 500 steps down to the waterfall.

We climbed down the stairs – I’m not kidding about there being 500, that’s exactly how many there were, and with each step down I worried more about the climb back up – and picked our way over the rocks and around the swimmers to check out the waterfall. (Hiking boots do come in handy, folks.) Going by the grimaces on the faces of the few people who had actually gotten in the water, I gathered it was very cold.

We sat on the rocks and took in the view for awhile – touristy, yes, but darn spectacular all the same. The water cascaded down in a thinner stream than Catarata Rio Celeste, and the pool below was a deeper green-blue: just stunning. After a few minutes of sitting and gazing, though, I started to get a bit of an itch. A little voice in my head started to whisper…

It would be a shame to come all this way and not jump in.

You’ll probably never come back here. This is probably your only chance.

It’s an adventure.

Wet clothes will feel nice walking up all those stairs.

Well, I’m not one to turn down an adventure. I took off my boots and socks and waded onto the first layer of submerged rocks, then jumped forward. The water was frigid and the waves kicking back from the waterfall kept slapping me in the face so that I could barely see anything but water.

I think I had a giant grin on my face the entire time.

I think I stayed in for about ten minutes? I don’t really know – it was cold, and time seemed to slow down. I did manage to tread water while several couples hopped in and then out, shivering, so I felt pretty bad@$$ for that.

Jumping into Catarata Rio Fortuna with all of my clothes on definitely wasn’t the plan for the afternoon – but it was an experience I won’t forget.

Next week: wrapping up our time in Costa Rica with an encounter with one of its most iconic wildlife species.