Balsa River Rafting, Class III with Lunch, 30 Minutes from La Fortuna

The Balsa carries a good level of water all year, which is what makes it dependable: the run works in the dry months as well as the wet ones. Class III suits both ends of the scale. A first-timer can do it with no previous experience, and someone who rafts regularly will still be working, because the rapids come with waves that need reading and the occasional manoeuvre that has to be right. The northern zone of Costa Rica has the rivers for this, and the surroundings on the Balsa are part of what people come back for. The put-in is 30 minutes from the hotels in La Fortuna, so the day does not disappear into transfers. Lunch is included.