Arenal is the most active volcano in Costa Rica and one of the most active in the world. The area where it is located remained virtually unexplored until way into the XX century. The first documented expedition to its summit was accomplished in 1937.

The earliest known eruptions of Arenal occurred about 7,000 years ago. Since then, periodic explosive eruptions at several-hundred-year intervals alternated with periods of lava effusion, have built the 1,657 mts high perfectly cone shaped mountain.

Its huge explosive eruption of July 1968 marked the beginning of the actual eruptive period. That day the explosion blew a huge hole out the west side of the mountain . The Volcano killed 87 people and buried the villages of Tabacón and Pueblo Nuevo. Eruptions continued for several days and completely covered over 15 square kilometers with rocks, lava and ash.

After the 68 eruption Arenal gained international fame and soon became the main site for studying volcanoes in Costa Rica. Thanks to the research carried on during the last 30 years we know that Arenal has had at least 22 important eruptions (some similar in magnitude to those of Mount Vesuvius in the year 79 DC or Mount Saint Hellens in 1980) and dozens of other smaller ones like the one in 1968.

Continuous daily activity with slow lava effusion and occasional pyroclastic flows (avalanche of hot gases, ashes and small rocks) and explosive eruptions persist to this day and visitors can enjoy the amazing sight of one of the most active volcanoes in the world.

Costa Rica Arenal Volcano

The national park Arenal has an expansion of 5,208 hectares and encloses the area around the Arenal lack and Arenal volcano . This as a protection zone too typical national park accommodates an unbelievable huge number of different animals and plants, under it many important kinds. La Fortuna is the nearest place; it is often overcrowded in the main season with tourists because of the active Arenal volcano.

Especially at Christmas as well as Easter. In this area there are a huge number of Cabins lodgings, very clean and always with warm water and shower. Besides that there are also hotels well equipped as well as a lot of comfort . You can find a huge number of restaurants and offices in which you can book tours to the most popular destinations of the excursion of the surroundings,

as for example a whole day tour to the Cano Negro reserve (river journey), excursions in the Monteverde national park, riding tours to the waterfall La Fortuna or to the 'Cerro Chato', a gone out volcano, to the limestone cave of Venado as well as to the hot springs of Tabacon.

You can take a horse tour down to the waterfall La Fortuna, that will costs about 30 USD per person. You leave La Fortuna on a little driven street and ride past Papaya plantations up to a country lane which branches off to the waterfall. From out there you still ride about one hour up to the cash small house where you pay the entry at the rate of approx. 3.5 USD per person. Then you go above an invested footpath precipitously downhill in the gulch of the waterfall. you should bring at all costs a steady footwear. The descent is rather dangerous partly and nothing for "strollers". Become you are recompensed for it of a breathtaking sight. Roaring the water from big height falls in a washbasin in which you can take a chill bath.

If you leave La Fortuna in the direction of volcano and Arenal lack, you come past a new disco with volcano look to the hot springs of Tabacon. Here you find on the left side a luxury arrangement with restaurant and hotel as well as a tropical garden with several swimming pools, the water has a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius and is warmed up directly by the volcano.