El Salto (Rope Swing) — Attraction in La Fortuna

This rope swing spot is an absolute hidden gem. The water is amazing—clear, cool, and refreshing, and the whole area is super clean, which makes it an awesome place to spend the day.

That said, please do your part to keep it that way:

Throw your trash away

Don’t bring glass

Be respectful of the land and others

Now for some very important safety info:

A local told me that four to five people die here every year—this isn’t just a fun swimming hole, it can be dangerous if you're not careful.

Alcohol is strongly discouraged. The rocks are extremely slippery and difficult to navigate, even sober.

Petty theft is common. Locals are sometimes seen just watching from above without swimming—keep an eye on your belongings and don’t leave valuables out.

Stick to the center of the water, where it’s deepest.

You can jump off the two waterfalls, but only do so if you’re a very strong swimmer and know what you're doing.

If you have mobility issues, climbing down the river path is not recommended—it’s rough and unstable.

Now, about the rope swing— It might look more intimidating than it actually is. The swing itself is fun and safe if you do it right. The most important thing to remember is: you have to let go. If you hold on too long, you can swing back and hit the rocks, which can seriously injure you. Time your release and aim for the center of the water for a safe, thrilling experience.

Lastly, go on a weekday morning if you can. It fills up fast and can get crowded quickly.

This is a beautiful spot that can be an amazing time—if you're respectful, cautious, and aware. Be safe out...

Our favorite "free" activity in La Fortuna!! We heard about this rope swing and headed that way (family with 2 adults, 2 kids ages 10 and 8). My one concern was parking - both the availability and the UNOFFICIAL "attendants" that are roadside. When we arrived around 11am, there was plenty of parking. While we did see some attendants, we were lucky enough to have parked at the end of the street / parallel parking area and no one bothered us about payment. One of them even pointed the way for us to cross the bridge and descend down to the rope swing.

We spent about 1 - 1.5 hours there and spent $0! The water was the perfect temperature—cool enough to be refreshing but not too cold. Everyone around the rope swing was helpful and respectful. It was busy but not too busy (during rainy season - July - but it was a sunny morning). Some folks (locals?) were even doing some incredible tricks off the cliffs and the rope. My kids immediately braved the rope swing no problem!! I will say, my kids are very strong swimmers for their ages, and I still make sure I was situated down stream to grab them. The current is quite strong and some sort of water-specific footwear is an absolute MUST as the shallow areas are full of uneven rocks.

This was the perfect activity to get our kids (and ourselves) hungry for a late lunch, which we had right down the street at El Chante Verde...

This is a great spot to swim for a bit. Few things to note and why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars..

Parking is a hassle in front of the bridge. I was lucky enough to find front row parking in front of the bridge. If you're not, go over the bridge and there is more parking on the side.

I went in the afternoon on a weekday. A Wednesday at about 1pm. It was not packed at all, had a handful of people.

The water is cold but you get used to it after a quick dip. Its deep and there is a rope swing to jump in. I didn't as I was scared but all of the local kids were using it. It was crazy to watch. I suggest wearing water shoes as its very rocky at the bottom to walk in and out of the water. Its a high point so if you're alone, I would bring a dry bag to bring to the bottom with you to watch your belongings.

I took away a star because of the situation on getting in and out. Going in, you can use the rope and jump or take the crazy and narrow path down. I took the path down. Its as good as it will get but you walk across mud and narrow rocks that you can fall from if you're not careful. Going up and down was a workout for me for my previous injuries so take that into consideration. Its doable but proceed with caution.

The best...