Getting to Monteverde from La Fortuna by Boat
Why I chose the Taxi-Boat-Taxi Option to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde
La Fortuna and Monteverde, Costa Rica, are only 14 miles apart as the crow flies. The problem is that to take that route, you would have to go over the mountains. By road, it is about a four-hour drive which consists of 75 miles over rough terrain. It was driving me crazy that I would be in a car for three hours to literally only gain 14 miles. Thankfully, I found a better option. The company Anywhere.com offers a taxi-boat-taxi option that will allow you to get to Monteverde from La Fortuna by boat. At $26, the taxi-boat-taxi option takes around 4 hours. But rather than being stuck in a car, driving over a bumpy road, you will spend much of your time on a boat cruising beautiful Lake Arenal.
I took this option because I often got sick on bumpy roads and preferred to spend my time on a boat rather than in a car. The company, Anywhere.com, provided spectacular service. If you need to reach Anywhere.com’s support, you can do so on Facebook Messenger. Harold, the owner, responded within minutes, confirming that my driver was on the way.
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Getting to Monteverde from La Fortuna by Boat - Table of Contents
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Getting to the Boat
The taxi-boat-taxi option provides transfer service from La Fortuna to the marina either by car, van, or bus. The ride from my hotel took approximately 20 minutes. Unfortunately, my driver was late for my 8:15 am pickup time. Around 8:45 am, I contacted Anywhere.com’s Facebook Messenger account. Harold, the owner, assured me that the bus was on its way and was running late because a group of passengers was not ready for pick-up. Sure enough, the driver arrived around 8:50 am and quickly loaded my bags into the back of the bus.
When you get on the bus, the driver will give you a number. I was assigned number nine. The number tells you which bus to get on when you arrive in Monteverde.
Around 9:10 am, we arrived at the marina. To get to the marina, we had to walk down a muddy path carrying out suitcases. I highly recommend wearing shoes that can get muddy.
The Boat Ride
The boat was already full of passengers and was waiting for our bus to arrive. There was still plenty of room on the boat. The captain helped me stack my luggage in the designated area near the front of the boat. I chose a seat in the back and had an entire row to myself.
Within five minutes of boarding, we were on our way to Monteverde. As we departed, it began to rain. The captain suggested that we all roll down the plastic flaps to keep the rain out of the boat.
The ride took around 45 minutes from La Fortuna to Monteverde. About 20 minutes in, it stopped raining, and the plastic flaps were rolled up. Throughout the journey, I was able to photograph the beautiful scenery of Lake Arenal.
Monteverde, Costa Rica, is famous for its cloud forest. As we approached the Monteverde Marina, I began to see clouds above the rainforest.
Getting to My Hotel in Monteverde
When we arrived in Monteverde, the captain offered to help passengers take their luggage off the boat. Every passenger was assigned a van to get to their hotel in Monteverde. This was the second “taxi” portion of the boat-taxi-boat trip. My van was van number nine and was sitting near the front of the parking area.
Each van had a number on the back. Van number 9 was blue, and the driver helped me put my bag in the back of the van. I sat in the front seat, at the encouragement of the driver, because he said I was “muy alto,” which means “very tall.”
The drive from the Monteverde Marina to my hotel took around 80 minutes. The first 45 minutes was on a very rough road with many potholes. I doubt we went over a speed of 30 MPH the entire time we were on the rough road. Eventually, the road became paved and flattened out. If you are prone to motion sickness, see if you can sit in the front next to the driver. That definitely helped me feel better.
At the halfway point to Monteverde, we made a stop at a restaurant. The restaurant had a lobby with small gifts and a restroom. I had a few empanadas that were stuffed with sweet fruit. My favorite part of this stop was the dog that greeted every single passenger. He was so happy to bring us his stick and have us throw it for him to fetch. My driver explained in Spanish that this dog waits around all day for the busses to arrive. Obviously, it is the highlight of his day.
From the restaurant, it was another 40 minutes or so to my hotel. I was the fourth stop out of six total. I highly recommend this taxi-boat-taxi option as it is the most practical and comfortable way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde.
When it came time to leave Monteverde, my shuttle to Manuel Antonio was canceled. I contacted Harold, the owner of Anywhere.com, and booked a return to La Fortuna. Harold made sure that the driver could get me to La Fortuna Airport in time for my 1:00 pm flight. I really appreciated the wonderful customer service that Harold and Anywhere.com provided.
Other Options to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde
Here are some other options to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde. Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you purchase using my link. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
A More Expensive Taxi-Boat-Taxi Option
 One-Way Transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde through Arenal Lake - $56.67 You will be picked up at your hotel and taken to the other side of the Arenal Lake. From there, you will be transferred by land, to your hotel in Monteverde. Sit back and enjoy the stunning scenery of Arenal Lake and beautiful Arenal Volcano! |
 Arenal lake boat transfer from to Monteverde from La Fortuna - $59.67 You will be picked up at your hotel and taken to the other side of the Arenal Lake. From there, you will be transferred by land, to your hotel in Monteverde. Sit back and enjoy the stunning scenery of Arenal Lake and beautiful Arenal Volcano! |
Private Van Transfer
 Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Monteverde From 1 to 6 passengers - $210.13 Private Transfer From La Fortuna To Monteverde From 1 to 6 passengers |
Transportation to/from La Fortuna/Monteverde with Bookaway
For those looking for other transportation options, I would like to introduce you to a new company that I have partnered with. Bookaway was founded by travelers for travelers and offers an easy way to book ground transportation that takes the stress out of traveling. I have linked their transportation options to and from La Fortuna/Monteverde below.
Please note that I am an affiliate of Bookaway. If you purchase transportation using one of their links, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
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