Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna by Car: What to See, Hot Springs and the Road to Monteverde

Until July 1968, Arenal passed for a simple forested hill. The eruption that began that year devastated the villages on its western flank and killed dozens of people, before opening four decades of near-continuous activity: explosions, lava flows and ash plumes made the volcano famous among travellers worldwide. Since around 2010, Arenal has been dormant — no more glowing lava at night, but a cone that clears far more often than it did in the days of permanent plumes.

This eruptive history is one of the best documented in Central America: the work of Costa Rican volcanologists Guillermo Alvarado and Gerardo Soto, published notably in Bulletin of Volcanology in 2002, analysed the pyroclastic flows generated by the collapse of crater walls and the overflowing of Arenal's lava lake (research available on Google Scholar: scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Alvarado+Soto+Arenal+volcano+pyroclastic+Bulletin+Volcanology). That past explains the site's absolute rule: climbing to the crater is forbidden, without exception. You admire Arenal from its flanks and its designated viewpoints, never from its summit.

The national park protects the volcano's flanks and offers well-maintained trails across the 1968 lava flows: you literally walk over the dark blocks ejected during the eruption, now colonised by surprisingly vigorous pioneer vegetation. Viewpoints over the cone punctuate the trails — when the volcano deigns to show itself, since it spends a good part of the day wrapped in cloud.

The tip that changes everything: come early in the morning. Your best chances of seeing the cone clear are at park opening, before the day's humidity rebuilds the crown of clouds. If the volcano stays hidden, don't leave disappointed: the lava flows, the forest and the birdwatching justify the visit on their own, and the cone sometimes reappears in late afternoon. By car, access from La Fortuna takes about twenty minutes on a road in good condition.

A few kilometres from the town centre, La Fortuna waterfall plunges in a single drop into an emerald pool ringed by forest. Access is via a long built staircase — several hundred steps — descending to the bottom of the gorge: the way down is easy, the climb back up considerably less so, especially in the humid midday heat. Bring proper shoes, water and a swimsuit: swimming is possible at the foot of the falls, in fresh, lively water.

As with the volcano, early morning is the best time: softer light, a quieter staircase, the pool almost to yourself. In the green season the waterfall runs at full flow — spectacular, but the current at the base means sticking to the designated swimming areas.

This is the volcano's other gift: groundwater heated by Arenal feeds a constellation of hot springs around La Fortuna. The offering ranges from high-end spa resorts to a simple free stretch of riverbank, and the choice mostly comes down to the atmosphere you're after — manicured tropical gardens and a cocktail in the water on one side, rustic bathing among the rocks on the other.

The paid establishments (Tabacón, Baldi, Eco Termales, among others) offer terraced pools, lush vegetation and dinner packages; prices vary widely from one to the next, so check directly with each before booking. Alongside them, free spots on the riverbank let you enjoy the warm water without spending a colón: the experience is more basic, with no changing rooms or supervision — leave nothing visible in the car and avoid bringing valuables.

Around Arenal, several private parks — Místico is the best known — have strung suspension bridges above the canopy. You walk at treetop height, at the level where most of the rainforest's wildlife actually lives: birds, monkeys, sloths when luck cooperates, with the volcano's cone as a backdrop on clear days.

It's the ideal activity for overcast days: the forest couldn't care less about clouds, and the mist even lends the walkways a particular atmosphere. Allow half a day including the drive, and here again, favour early morning for animal activity.

At the volcano's western foot lies Lake Arenal, Costa Rica's largest lake — a hydroelectric reservoir whose waters feed a significant share of the country's electricity production. Route 142 loops around its northern shore to Tilarán: one of the prettiest roads in the country, threading between pastures, glimpses of the lake and small villages, but winding from end to end — allow generous margins on driving times.

By car, this lake loop is to be savoured rather than rushed: photo stops, cafés and restaurants with a view around Nuevo Arenal, and a steady wind near Tilarán that has made the area a renowned windsurfing spot. It is also, quite simply, the road you take to reach Monteverde.

As the crow flies, Monteverde is close to La Fortuna; by road, it's another story. No road cuts straight across: you have to skirt Lake Arenal via Tilarán, then tackle the final kilometres of gravel tracks climbing towards Santa Elena. Allow around 3 to 4 hours in total, more in the rain. In the rainy season, a 4x4 or a high-clearance SUV is strongly advisable for the final section — our article on choosing a vehicle in Costa Rica covers this in detail.

Travellers without a car know the famous alternative: the «jeep-boat-jeep» combination, which crosses the lake by water taxi between two road shuttles. With a rental car, you keep to the overland route — and take it as it comes: the gravel is part of the journey, and arriving in Monteverde's cloud forest more than rewards the bumps.

From San José, allow about three hours' drive to reach La Fortuna — a natural first road-trip stage before continuing to Monteverde and then the Pacific coast. Two to three nights on site let you cover the national park, the waterfall, an evening at the hot springs and a canopy activity without rushing.

As for seasons: the dry season (December-April) offers the best chances of a clear cone and firmer tracks towards Monteverde. The green season has its arguments — waterfalls at full flow, dazzling vegetation, thinner crowds — with rain concentrated in the afternoon: schedule visits for the morning and the hot springs for the end of the day, when rain becomes one more pleasure in water that feels like 38 degrees. To plan the full circuit, our country guide brings together itineraries, driving advice and vehicle choice.