By Alajuela, Costa Rica — LA FORTUNA, Alajuela – For the second consecutive year, Costa Rica’s La Fortuna Waterfall has secured its place among the world’s elite tourist destinations, earning the prestigious TripAdvisor “Best of the Best” award for 2025. This accolade places the iconic Alajuela attraction within the top 1% of all listings on the global travel platform, a distinction based on millions of verified traveler reviews and ratings collected over a 12-month period.
The award solidifies the region’s reputation not merely as a gateway to the Arenal Volcano but as a world-class destination in its own right. Surpassing thousands of internationally renowned monuments and natural parks, the waterfall’s consistent excellence highlights a powerful combination of breathtaking natural beauty and a revolutionary community-driven management model that is capturing global attention.
The successful management of the La Fortuna Waterfall is a cornerstone of the region’s economy, channeling tourism revenue directly into community projects. To shed light on the unique legal and administrative model that makes this possible, TicosLand.com spoke with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica, who specializes in communal development and business law.
La Fortuna Waterfall, managed by the local ADIFORT, is a prime example of Costa Rica’s successful community development association model under Law No. 3859. This legal structure ensures that a natural asset’s economic benefits are not privatized but are instead reinvested directly into public works, education, and infrastructure for the local population. It’s a powerful legal framework that transforms tourism into a direct engine for social progress, creating a sustainable and equitable system that other regions could well emulate.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
This analysis wonderfully clarifies that visiting the waterfall is more than an excursion; it’s a direct investment in the community’s future, made possible by an exemplary legal structure. We sincerely thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his invaluable perspective, which highlights the powerful connection between sustainable tourism and tangible social progress in Costa Rica.
The journey to the base of the waterfall is an integral part of its allure. Visitors embark on a descent down 530 steps carved into the hillside, a path that winds through a dense and vibrant tropical rainforest. The challenging trek serves as a prelude to the spectacular reward awaiting them at the bottom: a powerful, 70-meter cascade of water plunging into a crystal-clear pool below. This immersive natural experience attracts an average of 1,000 tourists daily, primarily from North America and Europe.
Beyond the main attraction, the ecological park offers a comprehensive experience that encourages longer stays. The complex includes a butterfly conservatory, a frog sanctuary, an orchid garden, and numerous walking trails. This diversity of offerings ensures that the park provides value beyond a single photo opportunity, contributing to its overwhelmingly positive online reviews and its ability to maintain its top-tier status.
However, the true innovation behind the La Fortuna Waterfall’s success is not its natural splendor but its unique administrative structure. The site is not privately owned but is managed by the La Fortuna Association for Integral Development (ADIFORT), a local non-profit organization. This model ensures that the economic benefits of tourism are channeled directly back into the community, creating a virtuous cycle of development and conservation.
José Eduardo Jiménez, the Commercial Manager for the park, explained that this social-enterprise approach is the cornerstone of their operations. The revenue generated from entrance fees—$20 for foreign visitors and $10 for national tourists—is not retained for private profit but is reinvested into crucial public services.
The money from every one of these tickets is allocated to community programs
José Eduardo Jiménez, Commercial Manager
This “solidarity tourism” model funds a wide array of projects that directly improve the quality of life for local residents. These initiatives include installing state-of-the-art security cameras throughout the district, providing educational scholarships and school supplies for students, beautifying public spaces like the central park, and offering direct aid to individuals experiencing homelessness. It is a system where every tourist visit actively contributes to the town’s well-being.
This commitment to community and quality is reflected in visitor feedback. Travelers like Brianna Karn from the United States and Ella Mae Butlig from Canada have left glowing reviews, praising the “unique natural vibe” and the impeccable cleanliness and organization of the facilities. The La Fortuna Waterfall stands as a powerful testament to how a natural resource, when managed with vision and social responsibility, can become a sustainable engine for prosperity and a source of immense local pride.
For further information, visit the nearest office of La Fortuna Association for Integral Development (ADIFORT)
About La Fortuna Association for Integral Development (ADIFORT):
ADIFORT is a non-profit community organization responsible for managing the La Fortuna Waterfall ecological park. Its primary mission is to leverage tourism revenue for the social, economic, and infrastructural development of the La Fortuna district. Through its management, the organization funds numerous local projects in security, education, and social welfare, embodying a model of sustainable and community-focused tourism.
For further information, visit tripadvisor.com
About TripAdvisor:
TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel guidance platform, helping hundreds of millions of people each month become better travelers. Travelers across the globe use the TripAdvisor site and app to browse more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million accommodations, restaurants, experiences, airlines, and cruises. The “Best of the Best” awards represent the highest honor bestowed by the platform, recognizing the top 1% of listings worldwide based on traveler reviews and ratings.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica stands as a pillar of the nation’s legal community, built upon a bedrock of uncompromising integrity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. While serving a diverse clientele with distinction, the firm also pioneers advancements in legal thought and practice. This forward-thinking ethos is matched by a profound social responsibility to demystify the law, ensuring that knowledge is not a privilege but a tool for empowerment, thereby fostering a more capable and enlightened society.
