Arenal is the name of a volcano, a national park and a lake, and together they make one of Costa Rica's most popular regions for nature and adventure.
AT A GLANCE
Best time
December to April for drier weather; clouds can hide the summit any month.
How long
Three to four days, more if you add Río Celeste or Caño Negro.
Getting there
About three hours by road from San José or Liberia airports.
Why visit Arenal
For centuries Arenal was thought to be an ordinary forested mountain. Then, in July 1968, it erupted violently, killing dozens of people and burying the villages of Tabacón, Pueblo Nuevo and San Luis on its western flank.
The region sits between the Caribbean lowlands and the mountains of the Tilarán range, which gives it a remarkable variety of habitats. Arenal Volcano National Park protects many of Costa Rica's life zones, and the area is excellent for birds, including toucans, motmots and oropendolas, as well as sloths, howler and white-faced capuchin monkeys, coatis and colorful frogs.
The volcano and its forests
Arenal Volcano National Park
The national park sector most visitors use is on the volcano's western side, off the road toward El Castillo. Its short, mostly gentle trails lead through secondary forest and across lava flows from past eruptions, with viewpoints toward the summit and Lake Arenal.
Next to the park, the privately run Arenal 1968 reserve has trails over the lava flow from the 1968 eruption, with fine views of both the volcano and the lake. Allow two hours if you want to combine it with the national park in the same morning.
La Fortuna Waterfall
A few kilometres south of town, the Río Fortuna drops about seventy metres into a pool surrounded by rainforest. A long stairway of several hundred steps leads down to the base, where you can swim in the cool river downstream of the falls when conditions are safe.
Hanging bridges
Several private reserves around Arenal have trails of suspension bridges that carry you through the forest canopy.
Night walks and sloth tours
After dark, the rainforest comes alive with frogs, insects, snakes and night birds. Guided night walks run from several private reserves around La Fortuna, including trails on the edge of town such as the Bogarín Trail, a small reserve known for sloths.
Hot springs, the lake and El Castillo
Hot springs
Rainwater filtering into the volcano emerges as hot rivers and springs along the road west of La Fortuna. Several resorts have built landscaped pools and thermal rivers with day passes, often with restaurants and sometimes with spa services.
Lake Arenal
West of the volcano, Lake Arenal was greatly enlarged by a dam completed in the late 1970s and is now the largest lake in Costa Rica and a major source of hydroelectric power.
El Castillo
On the south side of the lake, the small hillside village of El Castillo is quieter than La Fortuna and has some of the finest views of the volcano rising above the water. It is home to a butterfly conservatory with gardens and frog exhibits, and several small farms and nature reserves.
Cerro Chato
Arenal's older neighbor, Cerro Chato, is a dormant volcano with a green lagoon in its crater. The hike is long, steep and very muddy, and official access has changed over the years, with some routes crossing private land.
Day trips beyond Arenal
Río Celeste and Tenorio Volcano National Park
About two hours northwest by road, Tenorio Volcano National Park protects the Río Celeste, a river colored a vivid sky blue by a natural chemical reaction where two streams meet.
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge
Near the Nicaraguan border, about two hours north, Caño Negro is a seasonal wetland of lagoons and channels and an important area for waterbirds.
Adventure activities
La Fortuna is also a hub for adventure. Options include whitewater rafting on rivers such as the Toro and Balsa, waterfall rappelling or canyoning, ziplining over the forest, horseback riding and tours of the Venado caves.
Planning a trip to Arenal?Compare hotels, flights and vacation rentals for Arenal on Expedia.Book nowFood and local flavors
Costa Rican food is simple, fresh and filling. The everyday lunch is the casado, a plate of rice and black beans with salad, fried sweet plantains and a choice of chicken, beef, pork or fish.
The small, family-run restaurants called sodas, found throughout La Fortuna, offer the best value and most local experience.
Popular dishes to try in Arenal
Where to stay
La Fortuna town is the most convenient base, with hostels, mid-range hotels, restaurants and tour agencies within walking distance of the central park and church.
The road west toward the lake is lined with lodges and resorts with volcano views and their own hot springs.
El Castillo suits travelers who prefer quiet, lake views and early-morning birding, though it is reached on a partly unpaved road.
Where to stay in Arenal
Best time to visit
Arenal lies on the wetter, Caribbean-influenced side of Costa Rica, so rain is possible in any month and the volcano's summit is often wrapped in cloud.
The best views of the volcano are usually early in the morning, so plan sunrise or breakfast with a view and save hot springs and indoor activities for cloudy afternoons.
Getting there and getting around
Most visitors fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport near San José or Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia.
A rental car gives the most freedom for reaching the park, waterfall and lake; a four-wheel-drive vehicle helps on some unpaved roads such as the route to El Castillo.
A suggested itinerary
First day
Hike Arenal Volcano National Park or the Arenal 1968 trails in the morning, have lunch at a soda in La Fortuna, and spend the late afternoon and evening at the hot springs.
Second day
Start with La Fortuna Waterfall at opening, then walk the hanging bridges in the afternoon with a guide.
Third day
Drive around Lake Arenal, stopping at the dam viewpoints, go kayaking, and continue to El Castillo for the butterfly conservatory and sunset over the lake.
Fourth day
Take a full-day trip to Río Celeste, or choose rafting, canyoning or a Caño Negro boat tour.
Practical tips
- Pack a light rain jacket, quick-drying clothes and shoes with good grip for muddy trails.
- Bring a swimsuit and water shoes for the waterfall, rivers and hot springs.
- Hire a certified naturalist guide for at least one hike to spot far more wildlife.
- Do not feed monkeys, coatis or other animals, and keep your distance from snakes.
- Book popular tours and accommodation ahead in high season and over holidays.
- Carry some local currency for sodas and small shops, though cards are widely accepted in town.
