Personal Travel Companion

Enjoy a flaming volcano while sitting in a beautiful jungle hot spring.   No, not a the fun drink with tiny umbrellas (though you can probably order one), I'm talking about the real deal.  Arenal in Costa Rica is an active volcano surrounded by pefect jungles, hot springs, quaint towns and all this is ready and waiting for you to enjoy.

As this cute little map shows,  Arenal Volcano is just outside the town of La Fortuna.  The town itself is small and pleasant.  You can walk end to end with ease and there are plenty of sodas to eat at.  In my opinion the town has lost too much of it's original culture in an effort to turn a buck off the tourists.. but hey, that's going to happen anywhere that you have big cool volcano to bring in in the tourists.   It's still a nice place regardless.

The real attractions however are not in the town, but of course surround the big mountain itself.   Arenal looms over the area and is easily seen from locations in all directions.  In fact it is possible to see smoke and occasional lava flames from town, but to get the real view you will need to head West toward Arenal Lake.  The road is lined with hotels and lodges and resorts which allow you to watch the volcano from your balcony or pool.  (hotel map).

The Volcano: Arenal is the most active volcano in Costa Rica and one of the most active in the world.   Viewing the volcano is easy as it is by far the tallest object in the area; however, viewing it clearly is another issue.   The Arenal area is surrounded by what is known as "Cloud Forests".  Deep fog and low clouds are the norm and can make seeing the top of the volcano difficult.   It is suggested that you make

time to view Arenal at night time or at least as the morning sun rises (before the clouds make their daily march on the area).  Night time is going to supply you with the most visually spectacular viewing of the lava and fire, but if the volcano is not being active during your visit then early dawn is going to be your next best option.  Why not just do both?

One of the best ways to enjoy Arenal Volcano is to take a jungle hike along it's base.  While hikes to the rim were outlawed due to excessive injuries, many trails at it's base are still available.   You can hike them on your own (not hard to do as they are well marked) or you can take a tour, which gives you the benefit of a knowledgeable guide (plus transportation from town or your hotel). Usually I'm the first person to snub my nose at the standard tourist guided tour.  Waddling along a three mile hike with dozens of out-of-shape Westerners is not my idea of fun.  However, during my visit I actually did just that, and was glad I did.  The guide taught us a great deal about the volcano during the hike and was useful in finding the sweet spots to view from.

The Hot Springs: The Arenal / La Fortuna area has two major jungle hot springs to enjoy.

Baldi is without a doubt a perfect choice of Hot Springs for families. Offering 16 different pools differing in temperature from 35 degrees Celsius to 65 degrees Celsius. While enjoying your mineral bath you will also enjoy a great view of the Arenal Volcano. On a clear night you can witness impressive Lava Flows. The pools are also handicap friendly.

The establishment offers 2 wet bars, an impressive restaurant, spa and changing facilities. In addition they have a Pyramid offering a most remarkable view of the entire Northern Zone.

Tabacón offers thermal hot springs heated directly from the Areanl Volcano. Explore the beautiful Rain forest that surround the hot springs, and emerge yourself in the mineral waters surrounded by waterfalls and lush tropical gardens.  These springs are attached to a very upscale resort with prices to match.   You do not have to stay at the resort however, to enjoy the springs,  for a price about 3 times that of Baldi you can spend the day playing in the springs (including lunch or dinner).   Swim up bars are available in several of the springs which range from small ponds that accommodate five or six people to full sized pools.   The springs are scattered within the jungle which gets an incredible cool fog filling the air as the evening temperatures drop.  It's all very surreal.   Even though the Tabacon resort sits directly beside the Volcano's base, views of the Volcano really are not available due to the thick jungle vegetation.

Arenal Volcano National Park:

The National Park is part of a biologic corridor between the Caribbean and Pacific sectors. The combination of forests and life zones provide a habitat for many different animals, including endangered ones, and make this a very unique place. More than 15 species of amphibians have been identified, including the green and black frog (Atelopus varius) and the glass frog. There are also different species of snakes, as well poisonous, like the Fer-de-lance, as non-poisonous, like the Boa constrictor.

The park is a place where it is still possible to see great curassows, great anteaters, jaguarondis, pacas, tapirs, coatis, sloth, jaguars and deer. Large groups of howler monkeys, kinkajous, margays and pumas are also present. At least 20 species of birds can be found, such as crimson-fronted parakeet, the white-bellied mountain-gem and the black-faced solitaire.

Other Activities in the area:

• Jungle tours
• Horseback ridding
• Jungle Zip Lines
• Lake Activities
• Cultural Experiences

Google Map of Arenal Volcano area

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