there are two entrances to access Bijagual Falls. One goes to the middle of the falls and one to the bottom. The routes are both on private property and have entry fees, though no guide is required. Distance: 5.6km return Elevation gain: 320m Difficulty: Moderate, but a rough trail

We want to be completely up front straight away and say that this hiking trail is not particularly well maintained. The path is pretty steep going down and there’s a decent amount of loose soil, which can be slippery if you’re not surefooted (like me!). There are roped handrails in place at points, but not everywhere you might want them to be.

The track also passes evidence of many landslides. These have been cleaned up, but it would make me hesitant to walk this track in the rainy season. We did hike after a fair amount of rain, but nothing like the rainy season would be.

The entrance to the waterfall is located around 24km and a 35 minute drive from Jaco. The last 4.5km of the road is unpaved and uphill. It’s passable in a small car in the dry season (we did it in a small car), but it’s potholed and was a touch skiddy going uphill in our car after rain, so a SUV would be preferable.

The road used to be paved and in good condition, but fell into disrepair after a particularly bad rainy season. it may be fixed in time and then you’d have no trouble in any car.

Note that on Google maps the lower entrance for the waterfall is known as Manantial de Agua Viva, not Bijagual Falls. USD $20 per person, open 8 am to 3 pm