Its principal tourist activity is the eco-tourism. It offers a wide variety of options such as: hiking, bird watching and horse back riding. But if your goal is to relax, then it is the perfect alternative for mental healing and to unwind, thanks to a number of hot springs and natural mud "pans".
La Fortuna de San Carlos
For those who love adventure, this beautiful region offers endless possibilities like: canopy, rappelling, mountain hiking, and mountain biking among others.
At 5300ft above sea level Arena/ volcano without a doubt is the main attraction. This nature colossal is still active and you can easily be amazed by its frequent lava and mud eruptions. It is located in the town of La Fortuna, where tourism has become the main economical income.
It offers a variety of shopping stores, good restaurants, and also a vivid night life with discotheques and bars. Close to town you will find Arenal lagoon and dam, currently the most important hydroelectric source in the country. Most people enjoy the beautiful views by driving around it, and it is popular among those who practice fishing and windsurfing, the continuous winds makes it one of the perfect spots in the world to practice this extreme sport.
If you are looking for the ideal place to unwind La Fortuna is where you want to be, there are endless options to choose from like hotels that specialize in providing spa services combined with hot water springs. In the Northern Plains region there is another important town called Sorapiquí, which is a two and a half hour drive from San Jose.
Ecotourism is also their main attraction, on, you may find world renowned rivers levels II and III for rafting and kayaking, and a novelty among tours: the boat Safari during this ride it is possible to observe crocodiles, snakes, monkeys, turtles, and tropical birds. Other exciting activities are rappelling, horse back riding, and trail walks.
In one of the roads leading to Sarapiquí, tourist will take advantage of the beautiful landscapes as they pass along Braulio Carrillo National Park.
Climate
Temperature: The average year round temperature wavers between 21 C (69.8 F) and 27.5 C (81.5 F).
Rainfall:A yearly average between 3500mm and 5000mm.
Rainy season: From May to January. Dry Season: From February to April.
Tourist Attractions
Arenal Volcano National Park
This marvelous and impressive giant of nature is considered a "living" laboratory, due to its geological richness and extraordinary biological growth. At the base of the volcano there is a view point as well as Chato mount, Arenal water reserve, trails, gift shops, on auditorioum, and on exhibition hall.
Celeste River
This magnificent present of mother nature was given its name because it is actually a "light blue color river" almost like the color of the sky, when the particles inside the river reflect with the sunlight. Celeste river is considered a natural phenomenon. Three options that tourists cannot leave behind in this unique trip are Los Teñideros, the hot water springs and the waterfall.
The waterfall can be reached by a four hour long walk, if there is any chance you may get tired it will be compensated by all the beauty and colors of the waters and the vast plantlife that surrounds it. Los Teñideros (english for fabric dyers) is within short distance, this is where the river flow actually becomes "sky blue".
Adding to this already unforgettable experience, you will appreciate different animal species like: tapirs, wild pigs, monkeys (howler. white-faced copuchin, and red howling), felines (margays and wild cats), bell birds, horned guans, falcons and tayras. There is also a wide range of plantlife such as: oak, wild avocado, medlar, plantain, donto, and a variety of palm trees, ferns, bromelias, orchids, and heliconias.
Caño Negro
It is currently under the category of National Wildlife Refuge and shelters more than 24,500 acres of humid tropical forest, providing protection to a great number of migrating species in extinction and species of commercial importance. The visit through this refuge is done by canoe or boat.
The Caño Negro lagoon has on extension of 800 hectares and it is a shallow sweet water lagoon. Caño Negro is a favorite area for those who enjoy sport fishing, bird watching and boat rides.
Moreover it is a paradise for people passionate about bird watching, here you will find a wide selection, including the migrating birds from the North. The marine life is very active, offering sorts of fish for human consumption. In few places in the world you will be able to find the needle fish or gaspar fish considered a living fossil. There are also tapirs, wild cats, howler monkeys, land turtles, caymans and others.
Venado Caverns
Located on hour drive away from Lo Fortuna, the Venado Caverns provide an extraordinary experience if you are interested in taking o journey several meters underground to observe dark living creatures like spiders, crickets and bats; rock formations like stalactites and stalagmites, in an environment that has existed, according to scientist, for more than 10 or 15 millions of years.
Maleku Indian Reservoir
Descendants of the Chibchas, the Maleku tribe, also known as "Guatusos", has on approximate population of 600 people, distributed in the stockades of El Sol, Maragarita, and Tonjibe in the plains of Los Guatusos. In the Tonjibe stockade the Malekus give visitors the opportunity to share and learn about their food and traditions.
Maleku Indians
They also offer beautiful craft, where they get their income in order to benefit the community. Those who visit the reservoir, will take advantage in traveling through natural trails immersed in the richness of the rain forest through the eyes of a tribe member, and acquire valuable information regarding medicinal plants.
To take this experience to a new level the tour is narrated in maleku dialect (maleku jaica), and translated into Spanish, which gives the tourist a feeling of deep contact with nature and Costa Rican roots.
The Maleku tribe is considered of highly cultural value for Costa Rica, due to their efforts in keeping the traditions, but also for their kindness and desire to share with the tourists all this great knowledge represented in the native tongue, spiritual prayers and beliefs to their god Tokú through dances, rituals, stories, songs and customs.
Hotel Services
Due to the uneven territory and some restrictions proper of a preservation area, hotels are small properties in the style of cabins, hostels, lodges or small resorts. They are ground floor buildings, but with good room accommodations. Most of them offer: private bathroom, cable TV., scheduled restaurants, and accessibility to hot water springs, natural spas, and mud baths.
Some hotels don't have air conditioning system but there are
fans instead. Many of these properties suggest the natural environment of the area and offer amenities for those who want to indulge in what this region has to give. Take pleasure in the
natural surroundings to go hiking, bird watching or horse back riding.
Transportation
They are relatively short distances through a well cared road system, this allows the tourist to easily travel the area or take one day tours from the hotel. It is also a nice transit stop for people going to the Guanacaste beaches, departing from Tilarán and Cañas after boarding the Arenal lagoon.
