Best Things To Do In Arenal

The main natural feature in the area is of course the Arenal Volcano which dominates the lush landscape, you will often find yourself gazing in awe at this near perfect conical volcano just as we did. The volcano is set within the Arenal National Park (around 30,000 acres of land) and the area surrounding the volcano is rich in bio diversity, flora and fauna and is fantastic for trekking and hiking.

We spent 3 nights in Arenal, it was one of our favourite places in Costa Rica. Neither one of us were big on long walks or hiking before we came here, but just the thought of seeing a toucan, howler monkey or some rare species of insect or frog and we soon clocked up the walking miles! The jungles are all teeming with life and you only had to stand for a moment and listen, to the rustling leaves, creaking branches and exotic sounds, flooding your senses from all directions! I guess part of the fun was not knowing what was around the corner or what you were going to see next.

Here are our recommendations of the best things to do in Arenal

Visit Arenal Lake

The lake is the largest in Costa Rica, at around 33 square miles, it runs around the base of the volcano and there are some great activities to partake in such as fishing, boating, kayaking and paddle boarding. Windsurfing is also popular due to some strong winds and warm waters.

There is ample opportunity to spot some of the areas incredible wildlife around the lake along with some great hiking trails, mountain biking and horseback riding. Over on the northeast side of the lake lies a hidden gem which is definitely worth checking out — the small town of Nuevo Arenal, the town has a number of local shops, restaurants, a bank, gas station and a German bakery, there are also some great B&B’s on the towns outskirts.

The area around the town is situated on higher ground and offers up some spectacular views across the lake. 2.5 miles (4 km) east of Nuevo Arenal lies the butterfly farm and the Arenal Botanical Gardens, here you will find a large variety of butterflies and birds along with over 1200 species of tropical plants.

La Fortuna

This small charming town acts as a great base for exploring the local area and national park without loosing its authenticity. The town itself is relatively small but is a great place for walking, browsing the small shops, sampling local fayre and watching the locals go about the their daily lives. There is a colourful park in the centre of town that’s surrounded by local shops, restaurants and an old steeple church, there are also some local tour agent shops here that can arrange various tours and day trips.

Take a Dip!

No trip to the area would be complete without a relaxing soak in one of the many natural thermal pools and what better way to soothe those muscles after a strenuous day of hiking. The natural hot springs around the area are fed by the thermal energy of the volcano and are known to have many healing and health benefits.

There is also a variety of hot springs, some offer the most basic experience whilst others offer more luxurious options such as spa treatments, volcanic mud wraps and body massages along with a larger variety of pools. Don’t worry if you’re not staying at a resort or are only in the area for a day as most offer guest day passes which can be purchased for a fee.

Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa is at the more luxurious end offering a number of pools and thermal rivers around its resort as well as a whole host of spa treatments on offer.  A day pass with a meal, either lunch or dinner, will cost $85–$93 for an adult or $30–$33 for a child.

Eco Thermales offers a similar experience at a smaller fee of around $57 per adult. This resort also limits the number of daily guests making it a more private sanctuary, ideal for those seeking peace and quiet.

Rio Chollin – if you’re on a shoestring budget or seeking a more authentic experience this hot spring is for you, it’s free and popular with the locals. It is located next to the Tabacon Resort.

Zipline

Soar above the tree top canopies as you get an adrenaline fueled perspective of the jungle below. This is a hugely popular activity in the Arenal area so there are many zip line adventure tours to choose from that cater to both kids and adults alike.

Sky Adventures offers their Sky Trek tour that has 7 ziplines with the longest one being 760 metres (2,483 ft) long, the whole tour souring through the rainforest takes 2.5 hours and costs $81 for adults and $56 for children. The trek is available to book at various times throughout the day, with the first trek being at 8:00 am and the last being at 3:00 pm.

Arenal Mundo Aventura offer their Big AMA tour that takes you over the La Fortuna Waterfall on a zipline that is 980 metres (3,215 ft) long. The whole tour takes 3.5 hours and costs $69 for adults and $52 for children. The tour is available to book at three different time slots — 8:00 am, 10:30 am and 1:30 pm.

This is one of the best things to do in Arenal if you’re looking for an adrenaline rush!

Get a bird’s-eye view

One of the best things to do in Arenal is to visit The Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. It is a beautiful park to explore and is made up of 2 miles (3.2 km) of trails which cross over several suspended and hanging bridges with some offering up fantastic views of the volcano. The bridges also give you the opportunity to see some of the vegetation, flowers and birds up close in the tree-tops.

You can explore the trails by yourself or as part of several tours — we highly recommend doing the tour or hiring a guide as they will only enhance your experience. The guides carry telescopes and are experts at spotting local wildlife and they will also make your trip more informative teaching you about the areas biodiversity and local flora and fauna.

Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park opening hours are 7:30 am–4:30 pm 7 days a week.

Self-guided entry fee – Adults $26 USD, adolescents aged 11–18 $16 and children aged 6–10 free.

Ecocentro Danaus Ecological Reserve

This private reserve has many trails that allow you observe a huge array of wildlife and plants in their natural habitat. You can explore the reserve free of charge, but we highly recommend hiring one of the informative and passionate guides. Our guide was able to show us so much wildlife that we just wouldn’t have spotted on our own, he knew the sounds of the animals to help him locate where they were, including the tiny Blue Jeans Poison Dart Frog. We really wanted to see the striking Red Eyed Tree Frog, but they are very hard to find in the day as they usually camouflage themselves while sleeping under green leaves, but our guide managed to find one and we were even able to hold it!

The only type of enclosure in the reserve is the butterfly farm, where they breed a huge number of different types of beautiful butterflies. You are able to see the caterpillars, cocoons and the colourful butterflies flying around the enclosed area. At the entrance they have areas where they leave food for the birds and if you sit there for just 5 minutes you will see plenty of exotic species of birds.

Below is a picture of a butterfly that has cleverly adapted its camouflage to mimic the appearance of a snakes head. It does this to ward off any predators and when it’s disturbed it will drop to the ground and writhe around completing the illusion. 

The reserve is open from 7:30 am till 5:00 pm everyday and tours can be booked upon arrival. You can also pre-book onto a 2 hour night tour starting at 5:45 pm.

La Fortuna Waterfall

A short distance from the town of La Fortuna, nestled in lush tropical forest lies this incredible waterfall. There is an entrance fee to the park of $15 with all proceeds being put back into local conservation efforts.

Once you’re inside the park there is a 15 minute descent through lush jungle paths and down wooden stairways, when you reach the bottom there is an emerald, fresh water pool so make sure you pack some swimwear! This impressive waterfall is situated 3.5 miles (6 km) outside of La Fortuna and you can visit between 7:30 am till 4:00 pm. Before heading down to the waterfall make sure you go to the viewing platform at the top to get fantastic views of the waterfall disappearing into the dense, green forest.

Go Spelunking at Venado Caves 

Explore this underground network of limestone caves, the caverns are believed to be between 15–20 million years old and extend around 2,700 meters below the earths surface. You’ll see underground streams, bats, various rock formations, fossils, insects and some rather large spiders! Some of the passages are quiet tight so if your claustrophobic this isn’t for you.

We recommend wearing old clothing as chances are they will get wet, stained or possibly ripped. Water shoes or rubber boots are ideal and don’t forget a waterproof torch or headlamp. There are various different tour operators offering tours here and most will include transportation to and from the caves.

Visit Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge

Cano Negro is a little out the way but definitely worth the trip! The park is made up of over 24,000 acres of protected wetlands and is home to a remarkable variety of wildlife, there’s sloths, monkeys, caimans, iguanas, snakes and many different species of birds. Once you arrive at Los Chiles you will have to transfer onto motorboat which will take you on a tour up the Rio Frio towards the Lago Cano Negro.

Getting There

The park is around a 2 hour drive from La Fortuna/Arenal region and is situated near the Nicaragua Border. There are tours that operate out of La Fortuna or you can get there independently by car.

Los Chiles entrance: From San Jose, take Rt. 1 northwest to Naranjo. Turn right on Rt. 141 north and follow to Florencia.  Turn right on Rt. 35 and follow all the way to Los Chiles.  Once in Los Chiles, turn left on the main road and follow to the boat dock.

Cano Negro entrance: From San Jose, take Rt. 1 northwest to Naranjo. Turn right on Rt. 141 north and follow to Florencia.  Turn right on Rt. 35 and follow to Muelle.  Turn left on Rt. 4 northwest and follow to Colonia Puntarenas.  Turn right on Rt. 138 and follow all the way to Cano Negro village.  The last 12 miles (20 km) are unpaved on a poorly maintained road.

Where To Stay Around Arenal

There are lots of accommodation options in Arenal and La Fortuna from budget hostels, mid-range hotels and luxury resorts. Here are just some of the accommodations to choose from.

Volcano Lodge & Springs – This is where we stayed and it is a fantastic hotel that seamlessly blends the accommodation within the natural surroundings, even the walk to breakfast was great, as you walk from your room through tropical forest style gardens. The natural springs are great and there are views of the volcano from one of the springs, the restaurant and outside some of the rooms.

Arenal Observatory Lodge – This is the closest hotel to Arenal Volcano and is situated 1.7 miles (2.7 km) from the south side of the volcano. Although due to the sheer size of the volcano and that it can be seen from so many different areas around the hotel, it seems even closer. As if the incredible views weren’t enough there are also 7 miles (11 km) of trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking through rainforests and past waterfalls within the huge hotel grounds. There is a variety of different types of room options many with views of the volcano.

Hotel Rancho Cerro Azul – This hotel is located a mile (1.5 km) outside the town of La Fortuna, on the way to La Fortuna Waterfall. It is in a peaceful, natural location and is run by the Aragon family who wanted to create a place for visitors to stay and become familiar with the Costa Rican way of life. There are volcano views and trails that run along the Fortuna River.

Hotel El Silercio Del Campo – This hotel is a 6 minute drive from La Fortuna town and has colourful gardens and views of the Arenal Volcano. It is a small, but cosy complex and has a spa, hot springs and a pool.

Casa Luna Hotel & Spa – A hotel and spa situated just outside the main part of La Fortuna that cares about its Green Philosophy. The hotel was constructed using reforested wood, contaminate free paint and an energy saving electrical system is used throughout. There are creative, peaceful gardens that incorporate native plant species and and a spa that offers various treatments.

Hotel Lomas Del Volcán – A rustic style hotel with cabin-style rooms, situated on top of a hill in a lush, peaceful location with views of Arenal Volcano. There is a swimming pool, jacuzzi and a 1 mile (1.5 km) nature trail within the grounds. It is about 2 miles (3.5 km) from the town of La Fortuna.

The Springs Resort And Spa – This a luxury hotel resort that is one of the biggest in the area. It is situated on a lush, mountain ridge with hot and cold springs, five restaurants, five bars, a full service spa and great views of Arenal Volcano. If you would like to visit the hot springs, but aren’t staying at the resort they offer a 2 day pass for $60 per person which includes the hot springs tour and full access to all their bars and restaurants. There is also a stretch of the Arenal River below the main resort where Club Rio Outdoor Centre is located, which offers adventure activities for an extra fee.

Transport

Getting around Arenal

Arenal covers an area stretching from La Fortuna, around the volcano and around the Lake Arenal. Renting a car is probably the best way to explore the area as most attractions are a 15–20 minute drive from town. If you don’t have a car rental you’re better off staying in the town of La Fortuna, which is close to public transport, shops, restaurants and tour operators. Most of the tour companies will pick you up and drop you back to your hotel when you book a tour with them.

By car

Renting a car is the most convenient way to get around Arenal, there are a few car rental companies in La Fortuna with prices comparable to San Jose. Most car rental services will drop off the car at your hotel.

Buses

There is a public bus service to and from La Fortuna however it’s infrequent and not the best option for sightseeing. The buses leave twice daily from the La Fortuna bus station (8:00 am & 2:00 pm) and head on the highway around Lake Arenal with a fare costing $5. The buses can drop you off at the areas many hot springs, as well as the Arenal Volcano National Park.

Taxi

There are many taxis around the town and they are an easy way to get around, perhaps not the cheapest though. All taxis are metered so for longer trips it’s best to negotiate a fare up front.

Here’s a list of some sample fares from La Fortuna town to nearby attractions:

• Arenal Volcano National Park $25–$30
• Arenal Lake, around $25
• Tobacon Hot Springs $16
• Nuevo Arenal $45

Getting to Arenal

By car

The town of La Fortuna is about a 3.5 hour journey from both San Jose and Liberia, which are where the two International Airports are located in Costa Rica. Although Montervede looks closer to La Fortuna on a map, due to Lake Arenal and the Arenal Volcano National Park being situated between the two this drive also takes 3.5 hours.

By Bus

There are public buses from San José that leave at 6:30 am, 8:40 am, 11:30 am and it takes around 4 hours. They depart from the bus station at Avenida 7 and 9 and Calle 12 and the fare is around $4.50. There are no direct buses from Liberia so you will need to make a change in Canas and then Tilaran before heading to La Fortuna.

By Shuttle

There are both private and shared shuttles to hire to take you to La Fortuna from various places around Costa Rica. The cost for a private shuttle is around $170–$200 from San José, Liberia and Monteverde for 1–6 people. There are also shared shuttles available that cost around $50 per person from the same locations.

If you’re heading to Costa Rica check out our guide to Monteverde here!