The Arenal Volcano, with 5,479 feet of high and an area of 12.4 square miles is located in the province of Alajuela, Canton of San Carlos and District of La Fortuna, to the northeast of Costa Rica, about 56 miles to the northwest of San Jose, the capital of the country.
The active volcano is the main attraction of the Arenal Volcano National Park, it is considered geologically one of the youngest volcanoes of Costa Rica, with regular eruptions since June 1968; it has an amazing and almost perfect volcanic cone of 5,357 feet enveloped by tropical rainforest that embellishes the zone.
3 Reasons to visit Arenal Volcano
Ecological Walks: Undoubtedly the most common activity to do when visiting the Arenal Volcano is trekking through one of its three walking trails with wonderful hanging bridges along the way; some of them reach up to 196 feet in height and 320 feet longitude, which makes the excursion more interesting and adventurous, allowing the tourists to have a view and take pictures of the rainforest and its waterfalls from every angle; relaxing sounds from insects and birds are listening during the walks and an exuberant fauna and beautiful flora can be seen.
Flora and Fauna: The Arenal Volcano has a varied biodiversity, due the presence of tropical wet forest, montane rain forest and montane wet forest that covers most of the area; different kinds of palms trees, laurel, guava bushes, ferns, orchids, and bromeliads are the most seen species during the visit to the volcano.
The volcano is the home of more than 30 species of fishes, 135 species of reptiles and mammals, including turtles, jaguars, deer, red and white face monkeys, tapirs, agoutis, coati and numerous snakes; the number of butterflies and birds in the zone is impressive, which make it an extraordinary paradise for birds watching lovers.
The Arenal Lake: the stunning lake with a surface of 33 square miles can be contemplated in the opposite direction of the Arenal Volcano offering mesmerizing and colorful landscapes while walking through the paths; in order to visit the lake it is necessary to take a car and drive about 11 miles to the west of La Fortuna, once in the place, travelers can rent a boat, take a guided fishing tour or simply admire the magnificent view.
The Arenal Volcano is clearly a marvelous destination in Costa Rica to live an ecotourism adventure and to fill the soul with positive vibes.
