Fishing -- Ask at your hotel if you want to try your hand at fishing for guapote. A half-day fishing trip should cost around $150 (£75) per boat, and a full day goes for around $250 to $350 (£125-£175). The boats used will usually accommodate up to three people fishing. If you can't arrange this through your hotel, check in with the Puerto San Luis Yacht Club (tel. 2695-5750; www.puertosanluiscr.com).
Horseback Riding -- Any of the hotels in the area can hook you up with a horseback-riding tour for around $10 to $15 (£5-£7.50) per hour.
Mountain Biking -- This is a great area to explore on a mountain bike. You can rent bikes from the Hotel Tilawa.
Swimming & Hiking -- Up above Lake Arenal on the far side of the lake from Tilarán, you'll find the beautiful little heart-shape Lake Coter. This lake is surrounded by forest and has good swimming. (UFO watchers also claim that this is a popular pit stop for extraterrestrials.) A taxi to Lake Coter costs around $10 (£5).
If you feel like strapping on your boots, there are some hiking trails on the far side of Lake Arenal, near the smaller Lake Coter.
Windsurfing & Kiteboarding -- If you want to try windsurfing, Tilawa Windsurfing Center (tel. 2695-5050; www.windsurfcostarica.com) rents equipment at its facilities on one of the lake's few accessible beaches, about 8km (5 miles) from Tilarán on the road along the west end of the lake. Boards rent for around $55 (£27) per day, and lessons are available. These folks also offer classes and rentals for the new high-octane sport of kiteboarding. Another option that is especially popular with serious sail- and kiteboarders is Tico Wind (tel. 2692-2002; www.ticowind.com), which sets up shop on the shores of the lake each year from December 1 to the end of April, when the winds blow. Rates run around $75 (£38) per day, including lunch, with multiday packages available. If you can't reach them via the phone or website, the folks at Mystica can hook you up.
