El Paraíso - San Miguel de Grecia

Just a short bus ride north from the bustling hub of Grecia in the province of Alajuela lies this pristine, double-cascade waterfall that is aptly named "El Paraíso." Spanish for "Paradise," this particular waterfall is found at the end of a pleasant descent from the main entrance along the mountain road . A rocky terrain and short but frequent steep stretches make for an enjoyable approach into the river valley where El Paraíso is found.

Paradise, indeed.

On this particular trip, my fellow regional leader James joined me, and we ended up having a nice time up in the hills of Alajuela. Communicating with Karolina, one of the proprietors, was easy, and she was very helpful in guiding us from the main bus stop in Grecia to the main gate up in the small community of San Miguel. She can be reached at +506-8588-4337. At 3000 CRC per person, it's certainly worth the entry fee. Beneath the waterfall is a nice, shallow pool with plenty of space to get in - something James and I were very much so looking forward to on a hot, sunny day. In addition to that main pool, there's a small table with cement bench spots just up the riverbank as well as a recreational area up the hill, just off the path, with a pool, a wide open green space, and a series of additional trails that take you to other spots along the riverbed.

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As waterfall hikes go, this one is certainly one of the easier hikes, but the lack of difficulty does not in any way take away from the beauty of this unique spectacle. The dual-cascade falls makes it possible to stand directly beneath the falls and enjoy the refreshing water with no concern for injury whatsoever.

Up close and personal with a little slice of Paradise

Unfortunately, I hadn't gotten ahold of my GoPro back when we made this trip, but I did have James take some pretty great slow-mo of my best impression of a Baywatch clip:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06abee_c85638608dec4cc8b799c6db6ca1ad77/360p/mp4/file.mp4

Paraíso Waterfall Info

Difficulty: Easy

Location: San Miguel de Grecia, Alajuela, CR

GPS Coordinates: 10.141549, -84.282346

Height: approx. 65 meters / 215 feet

Nearest bus fare: Grecia to San Miguel, 545 CRC

Entry fee: 3000 CRC/person