Arenal Volcano National Park Visitor Center — Attraction in La Fortuna

This National park has two parts: The crater/mountain and the peninsula.

The volcano section has plenty of parking included in the cost of entry. There are two lots. The first one has toilets. The second one is much bigger and is closer to the start of the hike. The hike was a gentle incline until the very end up to the viewing platform. You’ll need to climb steps and over some larger rocks. But it’s not really strenuous.

There are some beautiful views of Arenal from the platform at the end. If you take the longer El Ciebo trail back, you’ll find it very peaceful as most people go straight back to the lot on the direct trail. We found a lot more animals on this trail. The google location for the tree is not correct. But you can’t miss it is as it’s right on the trail. It looks like it was killed or damaged from a storm though as the top is resting next to the tree. The base is still impressively large.

Our two guidebooks say to save the drive to the viewpoint for after the hike. Trail Number 6 on the map. The road is blocked to vehicles now. The maps have not been updated. The peninsula section of the park accessed via a very rough road – the worst I have ever driven on. I think I could have walked faster in fear of damaging our car. We had a 4x4 and it is a must to access this park. There are 3 parking spaces plus along the side of the road. When we arrived, we were told by people leaving all the observation bridges and towers were closed. They said there was nothing to see on the trail. I recommend asking at the Volcano entrance if that’s still the case before you drive to the peninsula entrance.

Your entry ticket works for both parks. I agree with other reviewers that this park is overpriced. It includes the peninsula section but everything is closed there. You get the same view from “Shailee’s Arenal Volcano View Point” down the street, but without the wildlife. Other reviews complained about potholes at the volcano section. They fixed the roads the day we were there. It was a terrible drive in but smooth on the way out! The road to the peninsular section is so rough, allow close to an hour just for the drive in and out. If I had known about the road condition and closures, I would have...

A Disappointment The Arenal Volcano is one of Costa Rica's most popular tourist attractions. With its imposing conical silhouette, the volcano is a symbol of the country and draws visitors from around the world.

However, my experience at the Arenal Volcano was a disappointment. The volcano was inactive during my visit, which meant there were no eruptions or lava to see. Additionally, the area around the volcano was crowded with tourists, making it difficult to appreciate the natural beauty of the place.

Here are some reasons why I wouldn't return to visit the Arenal Volcano: The volcano was inactive: The primary reason for my visit to the Arenal Volcano was to witness an eruption. However, the volcano was inactive during my visit, which left me very disappointed. The area was crowded with tourists: The area around the Arenal Volcano was teeming with tourists. This made it difficult to appreciate the natural beauty of the location and take photos without people in the way. Activities were expensive: The activities offered at the Arenal Volcano were costly. For example, a boat tour on Lake Arenal cost around $50.

In summary, my experience at the Arenal Volcano was a letdown. If you're looking for a unique and memorable natural attraction, I recommend visiting another place.

Here are some suggestions for natural attractions in Costa Rica worth visiting: Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja is The best -Tortuguero National Park: This park is home to one of the world's largest populations of sea turtles. Corcovado National Park: This park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including jaguars, tapirs,...

The day we visited, there was one agent working at the booth at the entrance, doubling as info center. He sold tickets, admitting cars to the park, and acted as the info center to answer whatever questions everyone had. It took on average about 5 min to process a car. In the meantime, there were visitors who got dropped off at the gate and walked into the park on foot and he had to take care of them. There was a long line of cars stuck in the middle of a busy road causing traffic jam. Once we finally got inside, there was a rocky path leading to the top of a hill where you get a view of the volcano. There were not a lot of plants in this section of the park. The tickets also allow you to visit the Peninsula Section of the park, about a couple of kilometers away. You get a view of the volcano from a different angle and the lake. The path in that section is very rocky. All the cars we saw were driving very slowly and some of them stopped to take a break. After driving through the rocky path we got to the entrance of the peninsula section. There was one agent checking tickets. There is a paved path leading to the lake.

The entrance fee for adult foreign nationals is US$15 + 13% tax. We paid...