Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

The conical peak of Arenal Volcano framed by red ginger flowers during a golden sunset.

Arenal is a conical volcano near La Fortuna, best seen from a distance, with rainforest trails and wildlife around its base.

The place

Arenal Volcano is a cone-shaped volcano in north-western Costa Rica, in Alajuela Province, rising to about 1,670 metres. Geologists regard it as young, probably less than 7,500 years old, and it is built from andesite, a stiff lava that tends to pile up into steep cones like this one. Locals and older maps also use names such as Pan de Azúcar and Guatusos Peak, but most people simply say Arenal.

For centuries the mountain looked quiet. Its summit held two craters, a few wisps of steam and a cover of dense forest. That changed in 1968, when it erupted without much warning and destroyed the small town of Tabacón. The eruption opened three more craters on the western flanks, though only one of them remains today. Activity carried on from 1968 until 2010, and the volcano has been dormant since then, though it still gives off steam and the occasional rumble.

Most visitors now see the cone from below rather than from the rim. The town of La Fortuna sits at its foot and has grown into the main base for trips here, with viewpoints, lodges and tour operators. The land around the mountain is a patchwork of pasture, regrowing forest and protected woodland. Lake Arenal sits nearby and appears in the classic view from the Arenal Observatory Lodge. The summit can disappear into cloud, so keep a second plan for the day.

Its story

The story of Arenal Volcano begins with a mountain that people in the surrounding valley had long taken for granted. Its forested cone had two craters at the summit and wisps of gas from its vents, and nothing about it suggested it was about to change the region. In 1968 that changed. The volcano erupted unexpectedly and the small town of Tabacón was destroyed, leaving families to abandon homes that had stood in its shadow.

The eruption was not a single event but the start of a long episode. New craters opened on the western flanks, three in all, and lava moved down the slopes over the following decades. Because activity lasted from 1968 until 2010, scientists have had decades of observations to work from. The old lava from 1968 still lies across parts of the western side, and walking over it shows how recently the land was remade.

For the communities around the mountain, the change brought new work. Visitors arrived in growing numbers, and La Fortuna developed into a base for trips to the volcano, the lake and the surrounding forest. Lodges, tour operators and small restaurants followed, and the local economy shifted towards tourism while still relying on farming and the land.

Today the volcano no longer erupts, but it is not dead in the way an extinct cone would be. Its steady rumbles and occasional steam remind people that the ground beneath it is still active. Many people come for the view, but the story they take home is often about the mountain that woke up in 1968 and has been watched carefully ever since.

What to see

Culture

Around Arenal Volcano, you will mostly meet Ticos, the name Costa Ricans use for themselves. They are friendly and easygoing, and the national ideal of being bien educado, or well-mannered, shows in daily life. Shopkeepers and staff expect a greeting when you enter, so say "buenos días" or "buenas" and wait for the reply before asking for anything. Small courtesies count: "disculpe" when you brush past someone, and "quisiera" or "¿me podría dar…, por favor?" instead of a blunt demand. Time moves more slowly than many visitors are used to, and the phrase pura vida captures that attitude. Getting irritated over a late bus or a slow bill rarely helps and is more likely to bring a smile than faster service. Greet people you pass on the trail, keep your voice down near wildlife, and never feed or touch the animals you come across.

What to wear

Traditional dress around Arenal Volcano follows the wider Costa Rican pattern, where the classic outfits appear mostly at festivals, school celebrations and national holidays rather than in everyday life. The typical women's dress is a full, gathered skirt with a fitted blouse, often in bright cotton with printed or patterned fabric, and it is more likely to be seen in towns and at folk events than on the volcano's trails. Today people in La Fortuna dress much as people do in any warm town: jeans or shorts, T-shirts, sandals or sneakers, and practical work clothing for farms and tour companies.

Visitors should dress for heat, humidity and sudden rain. Light, quick-drying layers suit the damp lowland air, and a waterproof jacket is worth packing because showers can arrive quickly. Closed shoes with good grip matter on muddy, rooty forest paths, and sandals are fine for town walks and lodges. Long sleeves and a hat cut sun exposure on open viewpoints. Swimwear suits pools and lodge grounds, but cover up when you walk into a town or a restaurant. Pack one warm layer for cool evenings and early mornings at the lookouts.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Plan around the drier months from December to April, when trails are firmer and views are more often clear. May to November is the rainy season, with heavy showers and muddier paths, though the landscape is lush and the crowds are often smaller.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly into San José's international airport, then travel by road to La Fortuna, the town at the foot of the volcano. The road journey is the long final leg, so arrange a shuttle or hire a car in advance.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources