April 17th, 2008
Arenal Volcano - Costa Rica
Location
Some History and Facts:
- 1,624 meters (5,328 feet)
- Approximately 4,000 years old
- Dormant until July 29, 1968 when an eruption claimed the lives of over 100 people and has been constantly active ever since.
- Last major eruption: 1998
- You can get close to but cannot actually hike on the volcano (unfortunately).
Getting There:
Whether you are coming from Liberia or San Jose, Arenal is a bit of a hike, but well worth it.
Buses leave from San Jose to La Fortuna (the town at the base) roughly every 2 hours between 6am and 5:30pm from the Atlantio del Norte bus station at Avenida 9 and Calle 12. The cost is about $4 USD one way. The trip takes about 4.5 hours and only makes one rest stop, where you can get off for 15 min, so unless you have a good bladder I’d suggest watching what you drink before and during the trip.
Nature Air flies to La Fortuna daily from the Tobias Bolanos International Airport in Pavas. The flight takes about 35 min and costs about $70 each way.
The Trip
Unfortunately we only had two nights in the area, so we had to keep it short and sweet. We definitely packed in quite a bit though considering we only had one full day.
We stayed at a mid-range hotel called the La Cangreja Lodge. It is located 8km from the town of La Fortuna which is something you need to keep in mind if you are not driving. Once at the hotel you will need to call a taxi from La Fortuna which will cost you about $8 USD before it even gets there. When the sky is clear you will have a wonderful view of the volcano. The lava is currently flowing in the direction of La Cangreja so you will be entertained at night if the weather cooperates and the night is clear. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. The price was approximately $75 per night for both of us.
Here are a few pictures of the Hotel so you can get a feel for it.
We were not fortunate enough to have a clear night and see any lava flows from the hotel.
We set off on foot the day after we arrived to see what we could see. We were searching for a restaurant that was “supposedly” right down the road. After several kilometers in the 90F tropical heat, we finally ducked into the only place that looked like it would have food. It turned out to be the Lost Iguana Resort, one of the most upscale places in the area.
We were quite a sweaty site once we finished walking up the 2km driveway that took us up about 200 vertical meters. Despite our appearance we were greeted graciously and seated at a table in the restaurant which had a perfect view of the volcano. I snapped this picture from the railing beside our table.
After an incredible meal (and a serious dent in our budget) we were beginning our walk back down when we were stopped by the owner of the Resort. We recounted our misadventure and he offered to give us a nice, air-conditioned ride back to our hotel. We thankfully accepted!
After a quick shower we called up a taxi and rode up to the Arenal Hanging Bridges. This is a wondering short hike through the rain forest that takes you over 15 suspension bridges, some well over 100 meters above the ground! The cost is a reasonable $22 USD, but more if you want a guided tour. I tend to avoid anything that will put me into a group because I like to move at my own pace and look at what I want to look at, not what someone else tells me I should look at.
After the bridges we took the taxi back to our hotel and walked about 5km over to the hot springs. Depending on what you are looking for, Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort may or may not be what you want. If you want to be pampered and experience the water from the springs in a controlled and sterilized environment, and pay for it, then Tabacon is your place. Mabel and I however like to experience nature in its natural state, so Tabacon was not for us. We simply walked about 200 feet farther down the road where a small trail on the right hand side leads you directly to the hot river from which the Tabacon and other concrete pools are filled.
Here you can wade around in the hot water not only for free, but also in my opinion a much more beautiful setting. A picture from the river is below…..and yes, that is me.
We couldn’t explore too much of the river however as we needed to get back to La Fortuna to see the La Fortuna Waterfall! We asked one of the local tourist information centers how to get there and they informed us it was only 3km out of town, so we decided to walk. It turned out to be more than 6km away and the last 3 of those 6 were almost straight up, so I suggest taking a taxi from La Fortuna which shouldn’t cost more than a few dollars.
TRAVELERS TIP: Always try and use local currency in Costa Rica, while USD are accepted in many places, you are likely to pay more for items and services!
The waterfall is a MUST SEE in my option, but the climb down and back up from the base of the Fall is treacherous and should not be attempted by the elderly or otherwise infirmed. You can see the waterfall from a lookout however if you are unable to make the climb down.
Swimming is allowed in and around the Fall, but be careful and don’t get too close to the Fall or quite frankly you will likely die. The Fall is approximately 125 meters tall and will pull you under quickly. Here is a picture from the base, unfortunately there was no way to get the whole Fall in one picture.
Budget:
Starting from San Jose the trip cost approximately $200 per person. That included bus tickets to and from La Fortuna, taxis during our stay, 2 nights hotel, food, and entry fees for the Bridges and Waterfall. For the price it is tough to beat!