Costa Rica » Arenal Volcano Guide

Arenal Volcano rises in a symmetrical cone above the town of La Fortuna and the surrounding lowlands.

The volcano is caused by the Cocos Plate being driven under the Caribbean plate at a rate of 9cm a year it is one of the most active volcanoes in the world.

The volcano sends out almost daily outpourings of incandescent lava, mushroom clouds of gas and steam, and ejecting hot boulders which bounce down the slopes – all of which helps to ease the build up of pressure deep inside the volcano.

Arenal Volcano is most impressive on a clear night when the red-hot lava can often be seen flowing from the south-western side of the crater.

In the daytime, ash clouds can be seen billowing up from the crater, and there are rumblings from deep within. The volcano can be almost totally obscured in poor weather, which is frustratingly common.

However, the area offers plenty of other attractions when the volcano is hidden.

A boat trip across Lake Arenal provides some stunning views of the surrounding hillsides, as does a visit to the Hanging Bridges, a series of suspended pathways through the forest canopy.

The forests can be explored at your own pace without a guide, but if you want to hike in the forest near the volcano a guided tour is a must for your own safety.

There is also a number of hot springs to be found locally, where you can relax in the thermal waters with the deep rumblings of the volcano as a soundtrack.

If you plan to stay here it is worth having your own hire car, as the activities are not all within walking distance of each other and local taxis often charge a premium.

For your personal safety never venture beyond the permitted areas and do not attempt to hike near the crater. Although the volcano is not dangerous at a distance there is a very real danger in the off-limits areas. Poisonous gas emissions, ash columns and incandescent avalanches are all regular occurrences; they can appear or change direction without warning, and do claim lives.