Arenal: Just 1 ½ to 2 hours from Bosque de Paz (depending on the route you take), you will find the adventure hotspot of Costa Rica, where you can enjoy activities such as waterfall rappeling, white water rafting, canopy zip lining, and volcano hikes, or if you’re less of a thrill seeker, you can go for other options like hanging bridges, safari float, eco centers, chocolate or coffee tours, bird watching and more.
The main attraction of the area is of course the Arenal Volcano, with its nearly perfect cone shape. It was constantly active from 1968 to 2012, but today still thrills tourists with occasional rumbles and fumaroles and incredible majestic beauty. This volcano heats several underground rivers, creating natural hot springs which are the ideal place to relax after a long day of adventure and exploration.
Some places to visit in Arenal/La Fortuna include:
- Paradise Hot Springs – a relaxing retreat at comfortable prices.
- Danaus Eco Center – where you can discover beautiful butterflies and flowers along maintained nature trails.
- Arenal Vida Campesina – A Costa Rican traditional restaurant using organic ingredients grown on their own farm, in addition to farm tours, sugar cane and coffee tours.
- Demex Souvenir and Craft shop – where you can design your own souvenir, or purchase any of the 100% Costa Rican handicrafts, to take home special memories of your vacation to Costa Rica.
- Arenal Lake – home of the hydroelectric dam that supplies electricity to the surrounding areas as well as a great place for fishing, kayaking, boat tours, and a means of transportation to Monteverde.
