Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Arenal Volcano is one of the seven wonders of Costa Rica and it is the most active of all the volcanoes in Costa Rica and one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world.
Although minor eruptions occur almost continually, no major eruption has occurred since 1968, which destroyed the small town of Tabacón.
Arenal boasts a perfect statovocano cone. On clear nights it makes a spectacular sight. Check with the locals when you come for the best viewing of the night eruptions. However, it can be difficult at times to see the top of the Volcano. Fortunately, there is plenty to do in the Arenal area to keep you busy for a while until you spot the top of the volcano.
Arenal is located in 80 miles north of the capital of San Jose. Buses run regularly from San Jose to La Fortuna, the tourist base for the Arenal Volcano. Tours around the area abound. Driving is also fairly easy. The park offers a visitor’s center, an auditorium, an exhibition hall, a souvenir store, and restrooms. There are marked hiking trails that lead to various points of interest and scenic overlooks.
Arenal National Park is primary covered by cloud and rain forest. The area boasts multiple life zones, many rivers, waterfalls, plants, and animal life.
The park is next to the country’s largest hydroelectric project, the Arenal Dam, which has created the beautiful Lake Arenal. Here you can fish, take a boat ride, go wind surfing, kite boarding or wake boarding. Kayak or go white-water rafting on one of the many surrounding rivers. Horseback ride in the area or explore on an ATV. You can fly through the air on a zip line or hike the hanging bridges. There is a butterfly garden and an organic farm nearby to explore. Plus there are a wide variety of tourist shops and restaurants.
Bird watching here is popular. The park offers the Los Tucanes trail where you have good chances of seeing one of the five species of toucan that has been spotted here. These include: the chestnut-billed and keel-billed toucans, the yellow-eared and emerald toucanet, and the collared araçari. Hummingbirds are also plentiful also on the volcano’s slope.
Another top favorite in the Arenal area are the hot springs. There is a wide variety of hot springs from which to choose. See “ Best Hot Springs near the Arenal Volcano.” You can soak in the thermal waters, wander through the magnificent gardens or visit the spas.