What to bring
- Swimwear and a towel
- Water
- Comfortable shoes
- A waterproof bag for your phone and camera
Private waterfall stop · Bagaces, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Llanos de Cortés Waterfall with its own sandy beach
A wide curtain of water, a calm pool to swim in and a stretch of pale sand at its base. We stop here for about an hour inside our private rainforest day — early, before it fills up.
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Quick answer
Llanos de Cortés is a wide waterfall in Bagaces, Guanacaste, with a calm swimming pool and a small sandy beach at its base. The walk down takes about five minutes on concrete steps. We visit it as a one-hour stop inside the private Sloth & Waterfall Rainforest Combo, or add it to the Miravalles day from $70 per group of 2 — best early in the morning, year-round except the October–November storms.
1-hour stopSwim + sandy beach5-min walk downInside the Rainforest Combo
Last verified September 2026 by Miller Contreras, naturalist guide
Duration
1 hour
Style
Private
Guide
Naturalist
Level
Moderate
Type
Add-on
Walk down
5 min
Waterfall · Guanacaste, Costa Rica
A Private Swim at Llanos de Cortés, Costa Rica
Llanos de Cortés is the rare waterfall where you can swim under the falls and then dry off on a beach. Its wide curtain of water drops into a clear, calm pool, and at the base there's a stretch of pale, soft sand — a hidden little cove tucked into the transitional forest. You can float in the pool, cool off under the spray, or just sit on the sand with the sound of falling water all around you.
The relaxing sound of the water as it falls, the breeze that carries fine droplets onto your face, the softness of the sand under your feet — it adds up to something that feels like therapy for the spirit. Come as early as you can: it's a popular and fairly small spot, so it fills up quickly, and the early hours are when you'll have it most to yourselves. It's good year-round, with the one exception of storm season in October and November.
One honest note on access — it's a moderate walk, about five minutes down a set of steps, worth keeping in mind if you have serious knee or heart trouble; it isn't wheelchair accessible. Admission ticket included, and you'll have your private bilingual guide throughout.
Part of a private day
See the day →
See the day →
Where does it fit in your day?
Llanos de Cortés isn't sold on its own — it's a one-hour stop inside one of our private days. Always included in the Rainforest Combo.
Sloth & Waterfall Rainforest Combo
The full private rainforest day — the sloth walk in the morning, then a swim here.
Always included
See the day →
Miravalles Hot Springs & Mud Bath
Add a waterfall swim to your volcanic hot-springs day.
+ from $70 / group of 2
See the day →
“Group” means a minimum, not a cap — each extra guest pays a reduced rate. Taxes included. We confirm the exact quote for your group on WhatsApp.
Real photographs from our days
Photos from the falls
Llanos de Cortés, Bagaces, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Drag to explore.
The natural poolCalm water at the foot of the falls
In the dry forestThe waterfall and pool surrounded by forest
The wide cascadeUnder a blue Guanacaste sky
The curtainA close look at the falling water
Framed by forestTropical dry forest around the falls
The swimIn the pool below the falls
Why book with us
Book direct with the operator
- We run these tours ourselves. No middleman, no reseller.
- Private from two people on most experiences — no strangers in your van.
- The price you see is the price you pay: taxes and door-to-door pickup included.
At the falls
What is Llanos de Cortés like?
Four things make this stop different from any other waterfall in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
The falls
Wide curtain
A broad curtain of water drops into a clear, calm pool.
The pool
Swim
Float in the pool or cool off in the spray beneath the falls.
The beach
Soft sand
A stretch of pale sand at the base — a hidden little cove.
The forest
Dry forest
Transitional forest around the falls, alive with birds and butterflies.
At the falls
- Swim in the wide natural pool at the foot of one of Guanacaste's most beautiful waterfalls
- Cool off in the spray beneath a broad curtain of falling water
- Relax on the small sandy beach at the base — a rare feature for a forest waterfall
- Walk a short, gentle path of concrete steps down through dry-tropical forest alive with birds and butterflies
- Go early and private, before the tour buses, so the falls feel like your own
Before you go
What should you know before you go?
Duration
About 1 hour
Difficulty
Moderate
Style
Private
Type
Add-on
Swim
Yes
The walk down
The walk down is a short flight of concrete steps — not steep or slippery, though the steps mean it isn't wheelchair accessible.
Best time
Best in the early morning for calm water, soft light, and the fewest people. Good year-round, except storm season in October and November.
Included
Admission ticket, and your private bilingual guide throughout.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Yes. A wide, calm natural pool sits at the base of the falls, with a small sandy beach beside it — one of the best waterfalls in Guanacaste for a swim.
A short walk down a flight of concrete steps — not steep or slippery, about 5 minutes each way. The steps are why it's rated moderate and isn't wheelchair accessible; most visitors handle it comfortably.
Around 1 hour at the falls. It's built as an add-on to a larger private day, like our Rainforest Combo or Miravalles tour.
Swimwear, a towel, water, comfortable shoes, and a waterproof bag for your phone and camera.
Early morning, when the water is calm, the light is soft, and you'll often have the falls nearly to yourself.
Twenty-four hours before your tour begins, counted from the start time and not the day. Cancel before that and you get a full refund.
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By the Guanadreams team
Led by Miller Contreras — naturalist guide, born and raised in Guanacaste, Costa Rica · 30+ years in tourism and 20+ years guiding
Led by Miller Contreras — naturalist guide, born and raised in Guanacaste, Costa Rica · 30+ years in tourism and 20+ years guiding