Kalambú Hot Springs Review
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Kalambú Hot Springs near La Fortuna, Costa Rica is the perfect destination for families wanting to have fun and enjoy the health benefits of volcanic hot springs. The property has stunning volcano views, lush grounds full of flowers, water slides, and a great restaurant, making it great for families of all ages.
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Ever since I first set foot in La Fortuna, I have loved it. The town has maintained such a local feel and flavor, despite being one of the most visited tourist areas in the world. Every time we visit La Fortuna we eat in one of our top five favorite restaurants, and we never miss visiting the various hot springs.
And of course, spending a lot of time looking at the volcano. Now that we have two young children, we definitely look for hot springs that are family-friendly. That for us means that there are a variety of shallow pools and also ones with varied temperatures- too hot is not good for littles!

So when we had the opportunity to visit the new Kalambú Hot Springs we found the perfect place for your family! Here’s everything you need to know!

How To Get To Kalambú Hot Springs
Kalambú is located just off the main highway leading out of La Fortuna and towards the Arenal Volcano. The turnoff is on the righthand side, is just in front of the Baldí Hot Springs Hotel and Spa (another one of our favorite destinations in La Fortuna!). There is plenty of free parking with volcano views right near the entrance.

Join me over at my favorite place- Instagram.
When To Visit Hot Springs in La Fortuna
Honestly- we love to go to the hot springs either during the rain, or during late afternoon/sunset. During full Costa Rican sun, the hot springs feel HOT, and so we love to go when the weather is cloudy and/or cool. And going during cooler/cloudier weather mitigates the risk of sunburn so much. Plus, after dark, it is sometimes possible to see a bit of lava action from the Arenal volcano.

Pricing at Kalambú Hot Springs
Pricing varies depending on high or low season and if you are a Costa Rican national or visiting foreigner, but are about $35 for adults and $20 for children, with lunch included. When we bought tickets we weren’t sure if we wanted to buy the package that included lunch or dinner so we just bought our entrance tickets. I think by the time we ate our meal at the hot springs, we would have saved almost $10 per person by buying the package, so I would recommend doing that in the future.
What To Take When Visiting Hot Springs in Costa Rica
There are lockers and towels available for rent- and the rental fee is refundable. The lockers cost $3.00 and the towel rental is $7.00, both of which are returned to you when you return the key or towel. Which is awesome- because packing towels is no fun! We did take our own towels because we didn’t know that they were available. We also took our bathing suits, sunscreen and fun water toys and floaties- swim diapers are not required. Food and drink are not allowed at the hot springs, but we did have a one year old and they let us bring in her juice and snacks. The changing rooms are spacious and clean- we loved being greeted by Frida Kahlo and Cantinflas in the men’s and women’s restrooms. Also there was a hilarious sign about the rules for in shower urination….

Pools and Water Slides at Kalambú Hot Springs
The grounds at Kalambú Hot Springs are gorgeous- everything is lush and green. I could not stop taking photos of all the flowers on the paths around the pools. And the views of the volcano- amazing! There is a main kids’ pool with slides and other water features, and it is the perfect temperature for even infants. We spent a lot of time in that area- the waterfalls were the perfect back massage for grandma and the zero entry pools meant littles could splash independently.

There is also a fun pool up past the restaurant that includes a wet bar, and you can order appetizers (we ordered salchipapas) from the bar and eat them while sitting on the partially submerged bar stools. That was also a fun part of the trip for our girls- especially since the bar had an awesome soundtrack and the kids danced on the submerged bar stools. That pool had lots of fun cocktails too- each at just under $7.

There are several water slides which are good for all ages- we didn’t go on them because we were pretty committed to the kids pool. There is also a huge relaxation pool with beach chairs all around and another swim up bar.

Available Food and Drink at Hot Springs
Apart from the swim up bar, there is a nice restaurant that has typical Costa Rican casados- gallo pinto, meat in red sauce, white rice and black beans, picadillos, all the delicious Costa Rican fare. There was also fast food cuisine like chicken tenders, french fries, and Costa Rican tacos.

The food at the main restaurant (which is called Besa Mi Burro- or kiss my donkey) was excellent, and the portions were huge. I was sorry that I didn’t get a photo of the food- we devoured it super fast because we were so hungry. The ordering is fast/casual style (like a Chipotle,) so you see the food to order and it is put on your plate and you pay at the end. The restaurant had tons of seating and high chairs, which was excellent.

The Bottom Line
Kalambú Hot Springs is the perfect place for families of all ages- there are lots of options of both big and little kids, great places to eat and drink, and pools of varying temperatures. We will definitely return and I would highly recommend the place for its great prices, excellent food, and phenomenal grounds. If you want a typical Costa Rican hot springs experience for the whole family, Kalambú is your place!
Visit their website for even more information, and make sure to share your photos by tagging them on social media!
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Christa Jimenez
Welcome! I’m Christa, a former high school teacher married to a handsome Costa Rican and mother of two bilingual daughters. I love all things Spanish and bi-cultural, (especially travel and food!) and you’ll find my observations on life here. Thanks for stopping by