Blue waterfall
A turquoise pool.
Asequeir at English Wikipedia — Public domain · MongeNajera — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Julián Monge-Nájera — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Julián Monge-Nájera — CC BY-SA 4.0
A river of astonishing sky blue deep in dense rainforest on the slopes of Tenorio volcano, its water looking dyed. Local legend says God washed his brushes here after painting the sky; scientists explain the colour by fine mineral particles carried by two rivers that meet here, which scatter blue light. Visitors walk a forest trail of about six kilometres there and back to the blue Río Celeste waterfall in a turquoise pool, then to the Blue Lagoon, the Borbollones, where gas bubbles rise from the riverbed, and finally the Teñideros, the meeting point of the two rivers where their clear water turns blue before your eyes. Swimming in the river is banned inside the park. The trail is muddy and steep, especially the stairs to the waterfall, so wear proper shoes. The blue fades after heavy rain, when mud clouds the water. It is usually a day trip from La Fortuna or the nearby town of Bijagua. Rain is heavy most of the year in the rainforest, so bring a waterproof jacket and shoes.
A turquoise pool.
Where rivers meet.
Gas bubbles.
Tenorio Volcano National Park, near Bijagua, about an hour and a half from La Fortuna
Fine mineral particles carried by two rivers meeting at Los Teñideros scatter blue light; the colour fades after heavy rain.