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Costa Rica Area Info: Northern Zone: Arenal Volcano National Park / La Fortuna

Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica's Northern Zone, borders a region of cloud and rainforests, and the volcano's cone is often covered by clouds or fog. Many people come to the Arenal Volcano area and never get to see the exposed cone. Moreover, the volcano does go through periods when it is relatively quiet.

Arenal Volcano

The second thing you should know is that you can't climb Arenal Volcano; it's not safe due to the constant activity. Several foolish people who have ignored this warning have lost their lives, and others have been severely injured. The most recent fatalities occurred in August 2000.

Still, waiting for and watching Arenal's regular eruptions is the main activity in La Fortuna and is best done at night when the orange lava glows against the starry sky. Though it's possible simply to look up from the middle of town and see Arenal erupting, the view is best from the north and west sides of the volcano along the road to Tabacon and toward this Costa Rica National Park entrance. If you have a car, you can drive along this road, but if you've arrived by bus, you will need to take a taxi or tour.

Arenal National Park constitutes an area of more than 2,880 hectares (7,200 acres), which includes the viewing and parking areas closest to the volcano. The park is open from 8am to 10pm daily and charges $6 admission per person. The trails through forest and over old lava flows inside the national park are gorgeous and fun. (Be careful climbing on those volcanic boulders.) However, at night, the view from inside this Costa Rica national park is no better than on the roads just outside it.

If you don't have a car and are staying in La Fortuna, every hotel in town and several tour offices offer night tours to the volcano. (They don't actually enter the park; rather, they stop on the road that runs between the park entrance and the Arenal Observatory Lodge.) These tours generally cost between $7 to $15 per person. Often these volcano viewing tours include a stop at one of the local hot springs, and the price goes up accordingly.

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