Lake Arenal, Costa Rica

Arenal Region Draws Eco-Tourists and Luxury Travelers Searching for World-Class Recreation

By William Burr

There will come a time when we will travel again and visit the places dreamt of during the pandemic. If you’re anything like me, you’ve formed a mental bucket list of faraway destinations that have become more appealing than ever. Some of us have spent these long stay-at-home hours planning a different kind of vacation, a retirement abroad, or a change of lifestyle by scouring websites, blogs, and country information venues.

A well-planned search follows a reasoned approach. Is this location safe? Is the country stable? Is the cost of living affordable? Does it have the medical and infrastructure facilities needed? Does it satisfy my needs for entertainment, shopping, and transportation? Most articles on a specific country or city will answer these issues or direct a reader to a solution. Volumes have been written on the internet. Like never before, the world is literally at your fingertips.

It’s more difficult, but sometimes more exciting, to find those lesser-known jewels bypassed by travelers, unnoticed, or rarely reported on. These locations can often be more interesting, less expensive, and have the additional advantage of being unspoiled. If a spot like this is of interest, take a look at a little gem tucked in the hinterlands of Costa Rica called the Lake Arenal region.

Most of us are familiar with the advantages that Costa Rica offers, all those mentioned above plus a tropical paradise with the world’s most diverse ecology. As a country, Costa Rica leads the world in eco-friendly resorts, hotels, national parks, and sustainable community developments.

Lake Arenal, in Costa Rica’s mountainous interior, is located a short two-hour drive from the international airport in Liberia and only about three hours northwest of San José, the nation’s capital. For decades, the Arenal region has been drawing eco-minded travelers in search of wildlife watching and hiking in the jungle, as well as other outdoor activities like world-class windsurfing, sailboarding, fishing, kayaking, and more with each making for a spectacular experience.

Arenal Lake, situated in the northern highlands, is the largest lake in Costa Rica with an area of 33 square miles. Deep and clear, its depth varies between 100 and 200 feet depending on the season. Most importantly, the lake is pristine. The shoreline is mostly undeveloped. In fact, regulations severely restrict any building or development on the water’s edge. As a result, the views are unspoiled with no shore-side condo buildings, big resorts, or busy marinas.

Hidden away on a remote area of the shoreline, Lake Arenal’s hydroelectric power generator produces approximately 70 percent of the country’s electricity and was a driving force in Costa Rica’s green energy strategy. One hundred twenty mammals, including the jaguar and tapir, and almost 300 bird species rely on its constant supply of water.

The fishing is superb. Rainbow bass, a member of the Cichlid family, are especially prolific in the lake’s deep and warm waters. Their tasty white meat and feisty nature make them a challenge and a delight to catch.

Looming above the landscape at the east end of the lake is the magnificent Arenal Volcano that towers among rolling hills and forested slopes. At 5,479-feet, Volcan Arenal is active but not dangerous.

Visible from almost anywhere in the area, the Arenal Volcano is a symmetrical cone-shaped volcano that dominates everything. Until recently, it was the country’s most active volcano with an average of 41 eruptions per day. Currently the volcano is in a resting phase. But for 42 years, Arenal Volcano was flowing lava and pyrotechnic surges that blasted huge rocks and cauliflower-shaped ash clouds into the air. Explosions were often accompanied by loud rumblings, which would wake tourists up at night.

Today, the volcano is closely monitored for the safety of local residents and visitors. Towns, hotels, and public trails are located at safe distances. But, no matter where you stand, the massive cone is still fascinating. It seems so close that you could reach out and touch it with your hand.

While visitors cannot climb up the volcano itself, hiking through Arenal Volcano National Park with a bilingual naturalist guide will reward you with old lava flows and exotic wildlife. Each change in altitude offers a unique micro-climate and changing ecosystems to expose a vast array of flora and fauna.

Arenal is also home to several hot springs that are formed when water is heated underground and bubbles to the surface. Costa Rica’s mineral waters have been used as therapeutic baths to treat rheumatism and other ailments for more than 200 years.

For a sedate change of pace, just outside La Fortuna is the La Fortuna Waterfall, considered to be one of the most scenic waterfalls in Costa Rica. The waterfall features a spectacular drop of around 245 feet. Adventurous visitors can swim in the natural pool located below the falls.

In recent years, the Lake Arenal region has become much more than a tourist destination by attracting an increasing number of expats interested in making permanent homes there.

Upscale property owners have begun to see the hidden treasure that the Lake Arenal area offers. Most expats are concentrated around Nuevo Arenal, a small village on the northern shore of the lake at about the midway point. In this small town, almost everything needed for daily life is available, including a pharmacy, medical clinic, bank, gas station, grocery stores, and restaurants. There are a few favorite watering holes, but most expats gather in friend’s homes for informal get-togethers, book clubs, card games, and other activities. It’s the type of community where everybody knows everybody and newcomers are openly welcomed.

Also near La Fortuna, you’ll find the luxury resort community of Arenal Hills (arenalhills.com) in the shadow of Volcan Arenal if you are searching to make the “pura vida” a permanent one. Each home is designed and handcrafted by a skilled architect/ builder team that has created world-famous resorts and luxury properties. Purchasing at Arenal Hills also offers residents access to the Springs Resort and Spa, a world-renowned five-star resort.

Practically everyone agrees that life is easy with temperate year-round weather of around 78 degrees. Far away from the bustle of the big city and the burdensome heat of the beach, the lake area offers something delightfully different.

With access to the rainforest, waterfalls, a volcano, the country’s largest lake, and a diverse selection of hotels, it’s no wonder Arenal has become the adventure capital of Costa Rica and one of its best-kept secrets. Lake Arenal waits to be discovered by those who want to explore something undeveloped and different. So, while you are waiting out the pandemic, it’s a perfect place to add to your list of dreams.