Things to do
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Arenal Volcano
Arenal rose out of quiet farmland in 1968 and erupted almost continuously for four decades before falling silent in 2010. Lava no longer glows at night, which surprises arrivals expecting fireworks. What remains is a near symmetrical cone, at its clearest at dawn before cloud builds, with trails across the old flows running from the national park gates.
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Arenal Volcano National Park
Protected forest on the volcano's western flank carries short trails over hardened lava from the 1992 flow, with a lookout facing the cone and, in clear weather, Lake Arenal below. Rangers open the gates early, and morning brings steadier conditions and more bird activity. Allow a couple of hours for the Coladas and Tucanes loops together.
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Cerro Chato
A dormant cone immediately south of Arenal holds a green crater lake in its summit bowl, and the steep scramble up to it was once a standard day out from town. Access closed in 2018 after erosion and disputes between landowners, and the routes remain shut. The cone still frames the waterfall trail and shapes the weather rolling over the valley.
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La Fortuna Waterfall
A staircase of some five hundred concrete steps drops through forest to a single plume falling into a green pool below Cerro Chato. Swimming is allowed where the current slackens downstream, and the climb back out is the hard part. Gates open early, and the midday shuttles from town fill the viewing deck.
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Lake
Lake Arenal
Costa Rica's largest lake was enlarged by a dam in 1979, flooding two villages and creating a reservoir that still supplies a good share of national hydroelectric power. Steady wind at the western end draws kitesurfers from November to April. A boat and shuttle transfer across the water is the quickest link between La Fortuna and Monteverde.
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Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges
Sixteen bridges, six of them suspended in the canopy, carry a loop of roughly three kilometres through primary forest on the volcano's northern side. Guides spot sloths, eyelash vipers and toucans that solo walkers tend to miss. Early starts are quieter and cooler, and afternoon rain makes the metal decking slick underfoot.
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Tabacón Hot Springs
Thermal water heated inside Arenal runs through a landscaped stretch of rainforest here, splitting into falls, terraces and pools at different temperatures. Day passes and evening slots are booked ahead in high season, and numbers are capped, which keeps it calmer than the public springs along the same road. Night visits trade volcano views for steam and lit forest.