Attractions

While in the town of La Fortuna, be sure to spend some time simply people-watching from a bench or grassy spot on the central plaza. It's also worth a quick visit to tour the town's Catholic church. This modern church was designed by famous Costa Rican artist Teodorico Quirós, and features an interesting soaring front steeple and clock tower of concrete. In town, you'll find the tiny Los Abuelos Museum (tel. 479-7306), a very modest collection of old currency, tools, clothing, and household items, collected over several generations by a local family. Admission is $8 (£4), which I think is just a bit ridiculous.

Experiencing the Volcano

The first thing you should know is that Arenal Volcano borders a region of cloud forests and rainforests, and the volcano's cone is often socked in by clouds and fog. Many people come to Arenal and never get to see the exposed cone. Moreover, the volcano does go through periods when it is relatively quiet.

The second thing you should know is that you can't climb Arenal Volcano -- it's not safe due to the constant activity. Several foolish people who have ignored this warning have lost their lives, and others have been severely injured. The most recent fatalities occurred in August 2000.

Still, waiting for and watching Arenal's regular eruptions is the main activity in La Fortuna and is best done at night when the orange lava glows against the starry sky. Although it's possible simply to look up from the middle of town and see Arenal erupting, the view is best from the north and west sides of the volcano along the road to Tabacón and toward the national park entrance. If you have a car, you can drive along this road, but if you've arrived by bus, you will need to take a taxi or tour.

Arenal National Park constitutes an area of more than 2,880 hectares (7,114 acres), which includes the viewing and parking areas closest to the volcano. The park is open daily from 8am to 10pm and charges $6 (£3) admission per person. The trails through forest and over old lava flows inside the park are gorgeous and fun. (Be careful climbing on those volcanic boulders.) However, at night the view from inside the park is no better than on the roads just outside it.

If you don't have a car and are staying in La Fortuna, every hotel in town and several tour offices offer night tours to the volcano. (They don't actually enter the park; they stop on the road that runs between the park entrance and the Arenal Observatory Lodge.) These tours generally cost between $10 and $20 (£5-£10) per person. Often these volcano-viewing tours include a stop at one of the local hot springs, and the price goes up accordingly.

Note: Although it's counterintuitive, the rainy season is often a better time to see the exposed cone of Arenal Volcano, especially at night. I don't know why this is, but I've had excellent volcano-viewing sessions at various points during the rainy season; during the dry season the volcano can often be socked in solid for days at a time. The bottom line is that catching a glimpse of the volcano's cone is never a sure thing.

Taking a Soothing Soak in Hot Springs

Arenal Volcano has bestowed a terrific fringe benefit on the area around it: several naturally heated thermal springs. Located at the site of the former village that was destroyed by the 1968 eruption, Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort (tel. 519-1900; www.tabacon.com) is the most extensive, luxurious, and expensive spot to soak your tired bones. A series of variously sized pools, fed by natural springs, are spread out among lush gardens. At the center is a large, warm, spring-fed swimming pool with a slide, a swim-up bar, and a perfect view of the volcano. One of the stronger streams flows over a sculpted waterfall, with a rock ledge underneath that provides a perfect place to sit and receive a free hydraulic shoulder massage. The resort also has an excellent spa on the grounds offering professional massages, mud masks, and other treatments, as well as yoga classes (appointments required.) The spa here even has several permanent sweat lodges, based on a Native American traditional design.

In addition to the poolside swim-up bar, you'll find a restaurant and separate snack bar and grill here. You can sign a credit card voucher when you enter and charge your food and drinks throughout your stay. This sure beats pulling soggy bills from your bathing suit.

Entrance fees are $55 (£28) for adults and $20 (£10) for children under 12. The hot springs are open daily from noon to 10pm (spa treatments can actually be scheduled as early as 8am, and hotel guests can enter at 10am). Packages can be purchased with meals and/or treatments. There's a slight discount for entering after 6pm. Management enforces a policy of limiting visitors, so reservations (which can be made online or by phone) are recommended.

Baldi Hot Springs (tel. 479-9651), next to the Volcano Look Disco, are the first hot springs you'll come to as you drive from La Fortuna toward Tabacón. This place has grown substantially over the years, with many different pools and lush gardens, similar to those found at Tabacón. However, their prices have also gone up accordingly, and I find this place far less attractive than either of the other two options mentioned here. Planned for 2008 were a couple of massive water slides. Admission is $25 (£13).

Just across the street from Baldi Termae is the unmarked entrance of a new hot spring option, Eco Termales (tel. 479-8484). Smaller and more intimate than Tabacón, this series of pools set amid lush forest and gardens is almost as picturesque and luxurious, although the spa services are much less extensive and there is no view of the volcano. Reservations are absolutely necessary here. Admission is $16 (£8).