Whilst there’s no shortage of activities in and around La Fortuna, one thing will inevitably be in short supply: your time. Most of ours was spent at Arenal Observatory Lodge, as we had set aside just one day for another outdoorsy activity in the area. We narrowed our options down fairly quickly, and ultimately chose Mirador El Silencio over Arenal 1968.
After paying our entry fee, we were given an overview of the best route to take – another opportunity to put my Spanish skills to the test. (Side note: Spanish speakers seem much more receptive to visitors attempting to communicate in their language than French speakers, at least in my experience.) If you don’t speak Spanish, fear not: they do supply paper maps of the trails.
We followed their suggestion, more or less, and set off on Path 3. We hadn’t been going long before we heard – then spotted – howler monkeys above us, including one with a baby.
This was one of my all-time favourite moments from our trip to Costa Rica. (We’ve earmarked a photo of this little duo to frame and put on the wall once we’ve finished redecorating!)
A little further along the path, a butterfly stayed still just long enough for me to snap a photo:
Mirador El Silencio has a couple of lookout points with views across to Arenal Volcano. When we visited, the summit was shrouded in thick cloud.
We spotted colourful flowers and birds on our way up to the Sendero de Lava (Lava Trail).
The Lava Trail is roughly 1.2km long, and (as its name suggests!) follows the lava left behind after Arenal Volcano’s dramatic eruption in 1968. It’s pretty neat.
I found it was a little narrower and more uneven in places than some of the other trails, but as long as you’re wearing suitable footwear it shouldn’t cause any issues. (I wore my walking boots, but trainers/trail shoes with decent grip would be fine.) Plants had reclaimed the fertile land either side of the charcoal-coloured trail.
Eventually, we reached a rocky outcrop with views towards Arenal Volcano (to the south-east) and a green lagoon (to the north, below).
You can follow a trail which stops just above the lagoon, but if you’re short on time I’d just admire it from the Lava Trail. We hiked down to it, but weren’t totally convinced it was worth the detour.
We stopped at a picnic bench to enjoy some snacks (and befriend a cat), and then descended on Paths 2, 1 and 4 to reach the exit. We didn’t see so much wildlife on our way back down, and this tallied with our experiences on other trails across Costa Rica in the early afternoon. Put simply: to maximise your chances of seeing some of the local wildlife, get out and about as early as you can. Costa Rica’s furry residents don’t want to sweat and swelter in the midday sun anymore than you or I do.
We had a few hours to fill before our Ecotermales slot, so we decided to venture into La Fortuna. We picked up some snacks and a sugary drink to keep us going, but were glad our visit was short and sweet. La Fortuna’s overpriced souvenir shops and busy streets just weren’t for us.
- Getting to Mirador El Silencio | You’ll need your own wheels or a taxi/Uber to reach Mirador El Silencio. In July 2023, an Uber cost 3,650₡ (approx. £5.44) from Arenal Observatory Lodge to Mirador El Silencio in the morning, and 4,050₡ (approx. £6.03) from Mirador El Silencio to La Fortuna in the afternoon.
- Distance | 8.75km / 5.4 miles; 374m elevation gain. This took us around four hours – mostly due to all the photo stops!
- Entry | An adult ticket cost 5,000₡ (approx. £7.45) in July 2023. At the time of our visit, they also accepted payment in USD. Mirador El Silencio is open daily, from 8am to 5pm.
Ecotermales was the perfect antidote. There are dozens of hot springs in the foothills of Arenal Volcano, each offering a slightly different experience. It pays to do your research and choose the right hot spring for you, rather than pitch up and go to the first one you stumble upon. This is what tipped the scales in Ecotermales’ favour for us:
- They don’t admit children. (We wanted a chilled, peaceful experience at the hot springs… and water slides and children did not feature in that!)
- They limit the number of guests per session, so it doesn’t feel overcrowded. You can choose between 10am to 4pm, or 5pm to 10pm. We went for the evening slot, as this enabled us to spend the daylight hours hiking and then chill in the evening.
We opted for the package that included a meal, as we figured we’d need to eat at some point so we might as well do so there. We spent an hour or so soaking before tea, working our way down from the hottest pool (which the sign said was 41°C, and it felt it!) to the coolest pool at the bottom (a mere 37°C). There were also some colder plunge pools, and a couple of free-flowing waterfalls.
I didn’t take any photos – as I stowed all my belongings in a locker and didn’t want to test the extent to which my phone was waterproof – but picture a series of pools on different levels with water flowing down them and greenery all around, and you won’t be far off the mark.
After tea – a buffet, with an array of sweet and savoury dishes to try, and, for Brits, that all-important cup of tea to round off your meal – we returned to the pools. It was complete and utter bliss, and I would go again in a heartbeat. (And no, I haven’t been paid to write that.)
- Getting to Ecotermales | Again, you’ll need a set of wheels. We managed to catch an Uber to Ecotermales from La Fortuna for 2,100₡ (approx. £3.13). Getting back to Arenal Observatory Lodge is pretty expensive if you haven’t got your own car: understandably, no Uber driver was interested in driving out that way late in the evening with little prospect of picking up a passenger returning in the direction of La Fortuna, so in the end we asked Ecotermales to book us a taxi (USD$40).
- Entry | We paid USD$73 per person (for their ‘Hot Springs Entrance Fee Plus Lunch or Dinner’ package) in July 2023. Advance booking is recommended; we booked three weeks before our visit.
- Misc. | Lockers (which were big enough to accommodate our bulky hiking rucksacks and boots) and towels are included in the price.