Arenal Volcano

Arenal was dormant for 400 years before it erupted without warning in 1968, killing 87 people in the villages below – and it is technically in a resting phase again since 2010

Arenal Volcano dominates northwestern Costa Rica at 1,633 metres and spent the period from 1968 to 2010 in almost continuous activity – minor lava flows, regular ash eruptions, the occasional larger event. The 1968 eruption was the violent reawakening after four centuries of quiet, and it destroyed three villages on the western slope. Since 2010, Arenal has returned to what volcanologists call a resting phase. The lava flows stopped. The eruption columns ceased. Volcanologists are clear that this does not mean the volcano is finished; it means it is currently quiet. The local tourism industry, which built entirely around the activity, has adapted to selling the landscape, wildlife, and thermal springs rather than the eruptions.

The base town is La Fortuna, 5.5 kilometres from the volcano, which is compact, well-organised for visitors, and refreshingly honest about what it is: a tourist town built to service the national park. Eat, sleep, and arrange tours here. The charm is functional rather than historic.

Arenal Volcano National Park

The park encompasses over 2,880 hectares and has trail systems connecting lava fields from the 1968 and 1992 eruptions. The Lava Sendero trail crosses a section of cooled 1992 lava with clear views of the volcano’s cone. The national park requires a guide for certain areas; the visitor centre can connect you with licensed options. Early morning is the practical choice – the volcano generates its own cloud cover through the afternoon and clear views of the summit are more likely before 10am.

La Fortuna Waterfall, 5 kilometres from town, is a 70-metre cascade dropping into a natural pool in the rainforest. 150 steps descend to the base; the pool is swimmable with caution (currents are strong). Visit early morning to avoid the midday volume.

Hot Springs

Arenal’s geothermal activity heats water that surfaces in multiple spring systems around the volcano’s base. The commercial hot spring complexes range from resort-level facilities with multiple pools, temperature gradients, and water features to simpler natural pools. Most visitors find the commercial options (Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa being the upscale benchmark) to be worth the price for the evening soaking experience under jungle vegetation. Free natural thermal pools exist along the Tabacon River for those who prefer to skip the entry fees.

Wildlife

The rainforest around Arenal is genuinely biodiverse: over 400 bird species, resplendent quetzals occasionally visible in the highland sections, howler and capuchin monkeys common, three-toed sloths reliable on guided walks, and the misfortune of having arrived at a position where even the worst guides can usually find something interesting. Early morning and late afternoon are the best windows. Night walks reveal frogs, kinkajous, and the specific category of insects that make Costa Rica useful for entomologists.

Hanging bridge systems above Arenal Lake offer canopy-level wildlife perspectives at 12-50 metres above the forest floor. The walk takes 2-3 hours and is the most reliable way to see the layers of the forest functioning simultaneously.

Practical Notes

The Springs Resort is the high-end option with private thermal pools and volcano views. Arenal Observatory Lodge is on the national park boundary with excellent volcano sightlines. Don Rufino restaurant in La Fortuna is the reliable dinner choice for local and international cooking. The rainy season (May through November) brings heavier cloud cover but lower prices and fewer visitors; the dry season (December through April) gives clearer skies.