A Guide to Rio Celeste in Costa Rica
Hidden in Tenorio Volcano National Park, Rio Celeste, and the waterfall was for long Costa Rica's best-kept secret. Nowadays, it's one of the top attractions in Guanacaste Province. Our Rio Celeste travel guide includes tips on how to get there, how much things cost, what to pack, and when to go. Simply put, here is everything you should know before visiting Rio Celeste.
Have you ever seen water that is bluer than blue? We have quite a lot to compare to, but to be honest, when someone asks us what was the most beautiful watercolor we could see on the road, Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica, always come up first in our minds.
When we saw a photo of Rio Celeste for the very first time, we thought that someone messed up with the adjustment sliders in Photoshop. But the more we read about the river and its blue color, the more we believed that this place is really special.
This is why we decided that this is a destination we must visit when in Costa Rica, and even missing public transport did not put us off from including the waterfall in our Costa Rica travel itinerary.
This natural wonder will take your breath away, and it is even hard to believe that travelers have discovered this attraction not that long time ago, but once the word (or rather photos) has spread out, the number of visitors skyrocketed.
Still, Rio Celeste is one of the more laidback sites in the otherwise touristy country, and in our opinion, the unparalleled beauty combined with fewer crowds and abundant wildlife was the main reason why we gave this area a chance.
We believe that Tenorio National Park will soon be on the level of other Costa Rica's famous national parks such as Manuel Antonio National Park or Arenal Volcano National Park, but until then, you still can enjoy a piece of relatively unspoiled paradise.
If you are an independent traveler like we are, you might be wondering how to get to Rio Celeste as public transport is really poor in this part of Costa Rica, and we believe you do not want to stretch your travel budget unnecessarily.
That and much more you'll find in our Rio Celeste travel guide.
Visiting this top Costa Rican natural attraction is definitely not that hard as it could seem at first sight, and we are excited to show you this more closely.
So get inspired and enjoy a stress-free visit to Rio Celeste.
ENTRANCE FEE TO RIO CELESTE
The entrance fee for international visitors is $12. Costa Rican residents pay only a fraction of this price. If you travel by car, parking in Tenorio National Park costs $2.
Furthermore, it is necessary to know that Rio Celeste is a fragile ecosystem; therefore, only 400 people can be within the park simultaneously, and when the quota is full, you need to wait until someone leaves the park.
Rules like this are now common in Costa Rica, and you will find similar restrictions in other places, like Monteverde Cloud Forest as well.
When you are on a strict schedule, this might seem stressful, but with a bit of planning, we do not think you should have a problem with this quota, plus nature will thank you later.
The total number of visitors throughout the day is 1200. The last visitors are allowed to enter the park before 2 PM, so it pays out to get there early.
We visited the park in late March when the high season in Costa Rica is in full swing, and we did not have a feeling that it was crowded.
HOW MUCH TIME YOU NEED
Tenorio National Park deserves more than a few hours, but if you plan on visiting only Rio Celeste, the good news is that you can make it during the morning, although it's definitely better to stay longer and not rush.
It is enough to spend two to three hours within the park if you plan to visit the waterfall and then walk down to see a place where two rivers meet and create this unique color.
It is no longer possible to walk the loop in the park, so you have to walk the same way back to the parking lot, and it is also no longer possible to swim within the park because of over-tourism and not respecting the rules, so visiting Rio Celeste is a half-day thing.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT RIO CELESTE
Costa Rica has two distinct seasons - wet and dry. The dry season lasts from December to April, while the wet season, when you can expect more rain, especially in the afternoons, is from May to November.
The rules are a bit different in Tenorio Volcano National Park, though, and it can rain any time of the year because of the settings in Costa Rican's hills and rainforest.
Sure, the rainy season receives a lot of rainfall, but we cannot say that visiting the area in the dry season is a safe bet.
It is essential to mention that Rio Celeste has unworldly blue water only when it does not rain. When it rains a lot, all the mud from the jungle goes into the water, and the amazingly blue color turns into a dark brownish one, which can cause disappointment as it is not picturesque anymore.
Generally, all the bad reviews we read were written by people who visited Rio Celeste when the torrential rain occurred.
It doesn't mean that visiting Rio Celeste in the wet season is off-topic. Not at all. You only must make sure that it did not rain hard for several days in a row and there was some dry period as well.
We visited the waterfalls, and it rained for four straight hours, but the river still had the desired blue color.
HOW TO GET TO RIO CELESTE
Tenorio National Park became popular not that long ago. The main reason to visit is not the Tenorio Volcano, which is often hidden in the clouds, but the turquoise blue waters of Rio Celeste.
Maybe because Rio Celeste is not known for that long, the tourist infrastructure has not yet been fully established, and when you don't have a car, it can be a bit complicated to visit it, but our guide will cover all possibilities of how to get there.
There were two entrances to Tenorio National Park, but nowadays, there is only one official in Bijagua.
Here we've put together the best alternatives on how to get to Rio Celeste.
BY CAR
Costa Rica is one of those countries in Central America where most visitors opt to rent a car for many reasons.
When you have a car, drive to Bijagua village, and from there, you will see signs leading you to Rio Celeste waterfall. There is a safe parking lot (take your valuables anyway) by the entrance where you can leave your car.
Traveling to Rio Celeste by car is definitely the most time-efficient and easiest way how to reach the trailhead.
BY TAXI
If you don't have your own car and do not fancy walk, there is an option to take a taxi from Bijagua village.
The standard rate is $40 per car, and the driver will wait for you by the entrance for two hours.
You can also ask at your accommodation, the owner of our hostel offered us to take us there for $30 (Cabinas Las Nubes), but we decided to walk instead.
ON FOOT
Although it probably doesn't sound appealing, we decided to walk to Tenorio National Park.
From Bijagua, it is approximately 11 kilometers one way (it depends on where you are staying in the village), and the path leads on the asphalted road, mostly uphill when heading to the park and downhill when walking back.
It is perfectly doable the road is safe with many houses around, but do not forget you must add at least 6 kilometers you will walk within the park.
Walking is the most budget-friendly option, and we recommend it only to fit travelers on a loose schedule, as only this way will you enjoy the trip.
HITCHHIKING
Least reliable option you can rely on is hitchhiking. Locals often travel in cars forth and back but usually do not have a free seat, and tourists normally do not want to take hitchhikers in their rental cars, but you can surely give it a try!
GUIDED TOURS
Rio Celeste is relatively close to La Fortuna, a base for visiting Volcano Arenal National Park, and you can easily book a Rio Celeste Tour without having to move from La Fortuna.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN RIO CELESTE
Rio Celeste is a great place that offers many hiking trails. Some of them lead to the viewpoints, but then there's the main one that will take you to the waterfall and river confluence and if you are short on time, take this one.
Trails are well-marked. We recommend exploring as many trails as possible, depending on your schedule.
This is, in short, what you can see in the Rio Celeste area and where the trails will take you.
RIO CELESTE WATERFALL
For many, the main attraction in the park is the waterfall. It is an amazing natural wonder when the waterfalls plunge into a crystal clear and incredibly blue pool below.
To get to the best view of the waterfall, you need to walk down steep stairs. It is quite difficult (and slippery) to go down and even more challenging to climb up, but nothing an averagely fit traveler could not do.
THE VIEWPOINT
The only viewpoint along the trail called in Spanish Mirador is approximately 20 minutes walk from the intersection.
There is a wooden platform from where you can overlook rain forest, but we had cloudy weather and could not fully appreciate views from this place.
LAGUNA AZUL
When you walk down from the viewpoint, soon you will reach Laguna Azul alias Blue Lake. Here you will probably stand for a while in awe as you will need some time to take in how blue the water can actually get.
On the right side, you will see tributary brown water mixing with the blue one.
BORBOLLONES
Only a couple of meters away from Laguna Azul, you will start smelling sulfur. It indicates one thing - you are getting nearer to borbollones, a section on the river where the water boils and creates small bubbles.
TENIDEROS
You will cross two bridges, and after crossing the second bridge, you will reach a place called tenideros.
It is a place where two differently colored rivers meet and create the fantastic final color of Rio Celeste which in translation fittingly means river of light blue color.
IS THE RIO CELESTE HIKE DIFFICULT?
In our opinion, it is not difficult to hike to Rio Celeste, even if you decide to see both the waterfall and the blue river.
The main Rio Celeste trail is 6 kilometers round trip, with a 150 meters elevation gain.
Conditions can get more difficult when it rains a lot and the trail becomes too muddy. The first section to the waterfall leads on a paved trail. To get to the waterfall, you must descend several steps, so it can be a bit more difficult for people with knee problems, but it is doable.
The rest of the trail leads on a regular forest trail with some roots and muddy parts, but we saw many elderly and families with kids doing this hike without any troubles.
When venturing on uneven terrain, you might want to wear hiking boots and use trekking poles for more stability and balance.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
DO YOU NEED A GUIDE?
In short, no. The trail is well-signposted, and it is impossible to get lost in the park. This is another reason to visit Rio Celeste and also why hiking in Tenorio National Park is among the best things in Costa Rica.
You might consider hiring a guide if you would like to know more about flora and fauna within the park.
In that case, the guide is essential as you must venture further into the park as there is not that much to see along the trail because of many people passing by.
We saw a few toucans close to the entrance, but that was it.
CAN YOU SWIM IN TENORIO NATIONAL PARK
At the moment, it is prohibited to swim in Rio Celeste, at least in the national park's controlled area, near the confluence and waterfall. The rule is quite understandable because the dynamic of the place would have quickly changed for the worse.
Rio Celeste river, of course, doesn't stop flowing, and it continues behind the borders of Tenorio Volcano National Park, so you can still take a dip in the river there.
You can drive along an approximately 14 kilometers long stretch of water and jump into the water wherever you wish - many locals do the same.
The water of Rio Celeste has a high level of Cooper Sulfate, which can irritate sensitive skin when staying in the water for too long, so it should be a quick photo opportunity rather than a swimming session.
FROM WHERE RIO CELESTE GETS ITS COLOR
So why is the Celeste River blue? The explanation is quite boring, but everything starts in a place called El Tenidor (The Dyer), where meets, until this point, two transparent rivers, Rio Buenavista and Quebrada Agria.
Generally, what we can see as a result is an optical phenomenon. The pH change in the mixing point and increases the particle size of a mineral present in the Buenavista River.
To be precise, aluminosilicate is the mineral responsible for reflecting the blue color in sunlight. Aluminosilicate increases its size from 184 nanometers to 570 nanometers.
A fraction of this mineral reaches the bottom of the river, and it can be seen as white sediment, whereas the majority of the mineral remains suspended along the river.
The mineral that remains in suspension explains the turquoise blue color - the specific size of aluminosilicate particles causes that only the bluish tones of white light are dispersed; therefore, we can observe the characteristic color of Rio Celeste.
WHERE TO STAY
Bijagua is the closest village to the entrance to Rio Celeste, and it is also a place where we decided to stay, but you can search for accommodation elsewhere, if you have a car, as well. Bijagua does not have that many hotel options as it is a small town, so our main focus was to stay close to the main road where the bus stops and where we could find a few cheap restaurants.
Budget | Cabinas Las Nubes - Very friendly hotel with large rooms for the price. The owner provides his guests with free fruits and offers transport to Rio Celeste if they don't have their own car.
Mid-range | Finca Amistad Cacao Lodge - Do you want to sleep on a cacao farm with unbeatable views of mountains around? This lodging set between Tenorio National Park and Bijagua offers just that.
Luxury | Origins Lodge - An upscale resort offers complete privacy and the best service far and wide. It is a bit pricey, but all meals are included.
WHAT TO WEAR
It is hot and humid in the park throughout the year, with average temperatures between 20 - 28°C.
You should wear a short-sleeved t-shirt, shorts, or leggings, and do not forget a rain poncho.
Also, sturdy trail runners are recommended as the trail can get muddy very quickly.
When it is after rain, you can rent rubber shoes for $5 at the entrance. Costa Rica is one of the few countries in the region with drinkable water, so it is enough to travel only with a reusable water bottle.
If you are not sure about water quality, use SteriPen or a water bottle with a filter.
If you plan on visiting the place on the river outside the national park where it is possible to swim, bring a swimsuit.
Do not forget a comfortable daypack where you can fit extra layers, a travel camera, and a snack.
HOW TO GET TO BIJAGUA
It depends on in which direction you are traveling to Tenorio National Park, but there are two major cities from where you can catch a bus to Bijagua.
If you have just crossed borders between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, you will need to get to Liberia and, from Liberia, take a bus to Bijagua. You might need to spend a night in Liberia as public transport does not run that often.
Another way how to get to Bijagua is after visiting Arenal Volcano National Park, close to La Fortuna.
From La Fortuna, take a bus to Upala, walk ten minutes to another bus station and from here take a bus to Bijagua.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
