Updated February 27, 2021

Costa Rica has some pretty epic scenery. From Costa Rican waterfalls to mountains to beaches, it’s pretty amazing. It’s a tropical country, after all. It’s kind of hard for it not to be amazing.

Of course, it’s the beaches that usually get all the attention. And the beaches are spectacular, there’s no disputing that. Anyone who’s ever seen the sunset over Manuel Antonio Beach knows how spectacular they are.

But I tend to be a bigger fan of the rivers than the ocean. The ocean leaves you all sticky and itchy and the sand here sticks to your skin like glue because of the humidity. The rivers, on the other hand, offer pristine, cool water that is oh-so-refreshing.

There also tends to be fewer people. I’ll be honest, when you live in a tourist town on the ocean you start to get tired of droves of sunburned tourists.

Today we’re going to talk about a special place in the mountains to the south of Quepos. Eco Chontales, one of the many breathtaking Costa Rican waterfalls.

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Eco Chontales

A delightful Costa Rican family owns the property where Eco Chontales is located. Their house is located right at the entrance to the waterfall. They have bathrooms there that you can use and a parking area for your vehicle.

You pay the entrance fee there,  which when we went was 3000 Colones per person. They will also ask you if you want lunch, which they serve at a rancho down at the base of the falls.

Lunch is a basic Costa Rican casado,  but it was delicious. It’s nice to not have to worry about bringing your own food.

From there you can hike down to the waterfall. It’s not far, but it is steep and a bit slippery. Be sure to bring sturdy hiking shoes with solid grip. I’d recommend sandals rather than boots because you will probably get wet. I’ve used Keen’s and Vibram’s and I recommend them both.

That goes for all your clothing, actually. Depending on the time of year, the spray from the waterfall as you walk past it is enough to soak you. If you’re bringing expensive camera gear like I did, make sure you bring something to keep it dry.  

November is right smack dab after the height of the rainy season, so the waterfall was huge when we visited. If you go in the summer, you might not get quite so wet.

Getting There

Getting to Eco Chontales is a bit of an adventure in itself. To be honest, that’s kind of how it is for any destination in Costa Rica.    

You’ll find the turnoff along Route 243, the road between Dominical and San Isidro del General. San Isidro is also called Perez Zeledon by the locals. If you’re coming from Dominical it’s on the left near an area called Platanillo.

The family has placed a sign by the entrance so it isn’t too difficult to find. But from that entrance, you’ll spend the next 12 km bouncing along a dirt road. And you also have to cross a couple sketchy looking hanging bridges. But you were looking for adventure, right?

The scenery is beautiful along this drive. It’s more mountain than jungle which means there’s a lot more open space here. You’ll see cows grazing in verdant pastures and some striking vistas.

Waterfalls in Costa Rica

Eco Chontales is just one of many spectacular waterfalls in Costa Rica. Feel free to reach out to me to learn more about other waterfalls in Costa Rica. If you’re looking for a vacation spot where you can connect with nature, Costa Rica is it.

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What do you think? Would you be interested to visit this amazing waterfall in Costa Rica? It’s an adventure that’s for sure, but absolutely well worth the trek.  Let me know in the comments below what else you’d like to learn about in Costa Rica.