rio celeste

The park was crowded but still worth the visit. The blue of the river was unbelievable. The waterfall was gorgeous.

You must see this incredible place where the rivers mix and change colors. Be sure to rent the available muck boots at the park's entrance. You will be glad you did.

The hike to the Falls was great! The water is the most beautiful color. It was truly an amazing site and well worth the hike.

Who dropped the paint in the water? Incredible how nature can still surprise us every time . loved the trail. I had a drive around the area and it is very beautiful.

The treck to the falls was a good trail and not to far. The water wasn't as blue as it could have been since it rained the night before but still absolutely beautiful. Nature in all its glory! If you walk farther down the trail it gets kinda muddy and hilly but well worth the walk. You see where the rivers come together and the reaction from chemicals at that point turns the water so blue it is amazing. I would highly recomend this if you are in the area. By the way if you don't have appropriate shoes to wear they rent rubber boots at the beginning. We had high walking boots and they worked great.

You are offered Wellingtons (gum boots) at the bottom. It was very muddy but if you wear shoes or hiking sandles (like Keen's) that you can wash and bring clean shoes to wear back to your hotel, you don't necessarily need them. The hike can be difficult but is very worthwhile. The waterfall is gorgeous, falling in to an aqua blue pool. Further up you find a blue lagoon and finally, at the last stop you see the two rivers mixing to create the amazing blue colour. Try to go on a sunny day (the water is more stunning) and in the dry season I would think it is easier hiking!

This is a unique place with cataratas that ends in a special light blue lake.It's a rough way to go, but it is posible to do it by taxi

One reviewer wrote:'The waterfall and river are both spectacular, but, the new wave of "safe/Disney" tourist has affected this attraction. Sterile, synthetic railings, ergonomic path, and waterfall lookout platform, take away from what it used to be'I never saw it before, but the synthetic railings and waterfall access no closer than the lookout platform were indeed quite disappointing. But... it is all very beautiful and this paved path with railings cover just a tiny fraction of the total hike, which is mostly rugged, rocky, and, on a very rainy day like when we visited, very very muddy. Deep mud (not a complaint, just a fact).At entrance a vendor rents gumshoes, which we took advantage of. A useful plan.Note that when rainfall is high, the river's blue color can get quite diluted. It still was beautiful and unusual and fun, but color nowhere as deep blue as usual in photos I've seen that obviously were taken when rainfall is less.The hike all the way to where river color starts is a few miles (times 2, since you need to get back) -- the waterfall is about halfway. So, allocate several hours.

This place is magical, you must go there when you are in Costa Rica, I would say the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Even better than what you see in pictures. I went there on a package I bought thru a Tour company Adrenaline In Costa Rica, and it was just amazing, once I was there I even felt sorry I was not with my family, my kids would have loved it, but I was on business so I was not able to have the family, but I will bring them next time so they can see this beauty. It is a long hike, be aware, about 1 hour drive from La Fortuna where I was staying. Then it is about 1.5 hours hiking, really nice though. Then you get to the MAGIC. Please do not leave without seeing this place.

Getting there will take around 4.5 to 5 hours drive from San Jose. It may be 2 hours from Fortuna. Last 6 miles are unpaved. Walk will be a bit tiring, but river landscapes are astonishing. There are only two restaurants nearby. The food was good, included in the one day package we bought. However, the tour operator (Geografía de Costa Rica) was awful, disorganized and lacked of customer service. Avoid them.

It was raining on this hike, but not a bothersome rain just a mist. The bad thing was that the trail was slick because of the rain. We did get to see the blue river and the clear to blue water divide was very evident despite the rainy morning. Three of us went down to the waterfall, it was amazing despite the number of steps required to get down to the base. It was interesting to see the volcanic gases bubbling up through the river. The lunch afterwards was awesome, the owner even played for us and enlisted my sisters help. We had a mostly enjoyable day, that being said our guide was very young and didn't seem to comprehend that 60 ish people do not trot along like her twenty something fitness. Although I asked her 3 times to slow down, it wasn't until my brother in law fell the second time and injured his ankle and knee that she finally got it. The trail was very slick and she was prone to talking ahead while we were behind her so to hear you had to keep up and his feet went out from under him. Even after the first fall and another request to slow down she kept up a quick pace. I need to mention that there were just the 4 of us on this tour. His ankle was injured to the point that he was unable to go to see the waterfall. Also after lunch she told us to take a nap, sat next to the driver and didn't respond to questions about what we were passing on the road. It was like her job was over. The driver did a great job of spotting wildlife and pulled over for us to see sloth and birds along the way. She knew about certain things but lacked knowledge on a lot of things we asked her, I'm sure that she will continue to learn this but at this point she was not a great guide. This was our least favorite tour of the three we took while at La Fortuna. This one required the longest transport time of the three, and it seemed longer when she just sat and conversed with the driver on the way back.

We did this hike and driver with a guide since we heard the road was a bit rough. In retrospect we probably would have been fine with a 4x4 vehicle. We were staying outside of La Fortuna, in Santa Clara, so the drive was about 2 hrs each way, making it a long day. The hike is beautiful and well-marked and takes 2-3 hours depending on how often you stop to look at wildlife and scenery. It was at the end of the rainy season so parts were a bit muddy but not too bad. Beautiful jungle views and waterfalls. We weren't aware that you couldn't swim in the falls because a recent injury and lawsuit. It would have been refreshing to jump in, but still a great day.

The waterfall and river are both spectacular, but, the new wave of "safe/Disney" tourist has affected this attraction. Sterile, synthetic railings, ergonomic path, and waterfall lookout platform, take away from what it used to be...which was a rustic, hike through the jungle, plus a swim in the pool of celestial water below the falls. I gave it 4 stars bc it's still nice for photos, but the sense of adventure is waning...which perhaps is an issue with Costa Rica as a whole, not just Rio Celeste

What a jewel in the middle of the rain forest. A beautiful design in perfect harmony with the beautiful natural environment, and caring for every detail, create a very pleasant and romantic ambiance. It is luxurious but warm, wild but comfortable. Perfect for a honeymoon!!

A 3-hr hike, not too strenuous. Great views along the way. We hired a guide who was waiting at the trail entrance ($25 total for two people) and he had good knowledge about the flora and fauna. This hike is well-marked and can certainly be done on your own. I highly recommend to do the waterfall at the end on your way back (save the best for last and it consumes energy). Keep and eye out for wildlife and enjoy the blue river !! Highly recommended