Arenal Volcano - Costa Rica's Most Explosive Attraction

At 7:00 AM on July 29, 1968 Cerro Arenal (or, Arenal Mountain) became the Arenal Volcano, and it has been that way ever since. The disaster that began that fateful morning claimed the lives of 89 Costa Ricans. Communities close to the volcano, like Pueblo Nuevo and Río Chiquito, were completely destroyed. The eruption basically destroyed everything within several kilometers of the cone. In the days leading up to the eruption, there were clues in the form of 200 small quakes and heat that left residents feeling dehydrated. But nevertheless no one really suspected what took place next. At 7:00 AM the west side of the mountain gave way to the intense pressure of the lava rising to the surface. The eruption created three craters, one at 1,000 meters in altitude and the others at 1,200 and 1,400. The latter is what is still active today and has now risen to over 1,600 meters and is still growing! However, the constant activity of the volcano has transformed the area, which was once inhabited by campesino farmers and ranchers. Many of those same farmers and ranchers, as well as their offspring, now have transformed their fincas into hotels and tourist attractions.

The Arenal Volcano, in Spanish Volcán Arenal, is an active andesitic stratovolcano in north-western Costa Rica (10.5N, 84.7W), around 90 km north-west of San José, in the province of Alajuela, canton of San Carlos, and district of La Fortuna. It is the most active volcano in Costa Rica. A stratovolcano, sometimes called a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano with many layers (strata) of hardened lava, tephra, and volcanic ash. Stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions. Arenal rises 1657 metres above sea level and overlooks Lake Arenal; both are part of Arenal Volcano National Park. The country's most active volcano, Arenal's eruptions are strombolian in type, being frequent but moderate and can be viewed without danger as long as the viewers are behind the safety perimeter. Strombolian eruptions are relatively low-level volcanic eruptions, named after the Italian volcano named Stromboli, where such eruptions consist of ejection of incandescent cinder, lapilli and lava bombs to altitudes of tens to hundreds of meters. They are small to medium in volume, with sporadic violence. They are defined as mildly explosive at discrete but fairly regular intervals of seconds to minutes. This constant activity and minimal endangerment makes Arenal a popular tourist destination, especially at night, because the lava and incandescent rocks make a spectacular sight. The last major eruption of Arenal occurred on August 23, 2000. Most of the time, the volcano is surrounded by clouds near the tip, and it is touted as good luck to see the whole volcano without clouds. The volcano heats several hot springs nearby, including Tabacon, a popular tourist destination.

The above was borrowed from Wikipedia (since I am not a Geologist, but just an entrepreneur).

History of Eruptive Activity

From COCORI.com

Estimated to be less than 3,000 years old, Arenal is a geologically young volcano. During the various cycles of its life activity has been characterized by an alternating of an explosive, effusive phase with one of weak, explosive activity. Major events in recent history begin with the 1968 killer eruption.

July 29, 1968

At 7:20 AM "Cerro" Arenal--as it was called by local residents--began explosive activity that literally blew the west side off the volcano. Two villages at the foot of the volcano-- Pueblo Nuevo and Tabacón--were completely destroyed and 87 people died. Between July 29 and 31 three new craters were formed on the western flank of the volcano and a fifteen-square kilometer area (5.8 square miles) was devastated.

June, 1975

During this month a period of explosive activity resulted in four strong explosions that blew large amounts of ash into the sky. The ash was carried as far away as Tilarán, 26 kilometers (16 miles) distant. There were also several burning avalanches originating in the top crater that were channeled by the valley of the Tabacón River on the northwestern flank of the volcano.

June, 1984

After a period of high effusive activity of intermittent lava flows, a new explosive phase began with 3 to 20 explosions per day of low to moderate magnitude. These explosions of steam, water, gases, and ash reached altitudes of up to 5 kilometers where winds again carried the material across the Arenal reservoir (Lake Arenal) and over the town of Tilarán.

August, 1993

This month saw expulsions of pyroclastic flows (ash and rock of no more than one centimeter that appear when the rock breaks apart). Some 500 of the larger, one-centimeter size fell near the thermal pools of Tabacón Resort.

March, 1996

Since this month the volcano has produced regular lava flows, accompanied by intermittent explosions of gases. Until May 5, 1998 this was the regular activity of the volcano.

May 5, 1998

(This information is based on reports in the Costa Rica daily La Nación after the Tuesday eruption) Arenal Volcano experienced a series of large eruptions on Tuesday afternoon, May 5, 1998. The first was recorded at 1:05 PM local time (US Central Standard Time). In that explosion. part of the northwest wall of the crater fell away. Large amounts of lava, rock and ash issued from the volcano in this explosion. Another eruption took place at 2:20 PM local time with material falling from the same area of the volcano.

A specialist with the Costa Rica Volcanic and Seismic Observatory explained that what occurred Tuesday is relatively frequent with this volcano. On this occasion the amount of lava within the crater was great and therefore more material left the crater. Also, this time there was a landslide (avalanche) as part of the crater wall fell away on the northwest side. This volcano produces similar phenomena periodically, although this time it was much larger than usual.

As a normal precaution, authorities declared a red alert, closed the road between La Fortuna and Tilarán which runs around the north side of the volcano, and evacuated approximately 450 people (mostly tourists) from the immediate area which includes several hotels and tourism oriented businesses. There were no reports of injuries from the volcanic activity.

At 5:20 PM on Tuesday the volcano was still discharging material, but activity had decreased significantly.

May 7 update

Tuesday's eruptions damaged two square kilometers and burned a 400 by 100- meter area of green forest on the side of Arenal. A fissure in the wall of the crater 500 meters long by 10 meters deep was also opened up. All this material slid down the side of the volcano. Experts say there is currently a risk of avalanches of this loose, accumulated material, especially when the heavy rains begin.

During Tuesday's episode there were a total of 23 eruptions between 1:05 PM and 7 PM local time, after which the volcano returned to its normal state. During this time there were only two major eruptions of gases.

The area around Arenal Volcano is a high-risk zone--this volcano has been active for the past 30 years with regular eruptions providing tourists excellent displays of nature's awesome power. The volcano has become an important tourist attraction for Costa Rica. Several hotels, restaurants and other tourist-oriented ventures have sprung up very close to Arenal in recent years.

Referring to this explosion of tourism infrastructure, volcanologist Jorge Barquero of the Costa Rica Volcanic and Seismic Observatory stated that Arenal's activity on Tuesday is normal in an active volcano like this one, but what is not normal is that man has developed construction in such a high-risk zone. Barquero also commented that in this incident the volcano was telling us that just like this eruption, there could be others of greater magnitude at any moment, possibly with regrettable consequences.

May 31 addendum

After the eruption of May 5, Arenal returned to its typical occasional rumblings. Authorities reported no unusual behavior and the national park was reopened the same week. Local volcanologists continue to keep a close watch on the volcano and park rangers continue to vigorously enforce the safety perimeter.

In the Economical Category.....

Arenal Paraiso Resort

Located in the northern region of Costa Rica and only two and a half hours from San José, the Arenal Paraíso Hotel is a great option to enjoy the most impressive view of the Arenal Volcano in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

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Cangreja Lodge

Located at only 1 kilometer east of the Tabacon Resort, 8 km west from the town of La Fortuna, the hotel offers a wonderful view to the active side of the Arenal Volcano.

Cangreja Lodge Photo Slideshow

In the Mid-Range Category.....

Casa Luna

Located in La Fortuna area, with an impressive view of the Arenal Volcano, as well as a breathtaking view of the Cerro Chato and Cerro Perdidos. Hotel guests are always surrounded by a wonderful mountain range and the rich vegetation of its tropical gardens.

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Montaña de Fuego

Its spacious and comfortable rooms offer you all the facilities to rest and relax. You will find yourself surrounded by a diverse natural environment and a spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano.

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In the Luxury Category.....

The Springs Resort and Spa

With a spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano, natural hot and cold springs, four unique dining experiences, and an impressive full service Spa, The Springs Resort and Spa at Arenal promises to overwhelm you in every aspect of quality, service and design.

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Arenal Kioro

Want to enjoy the amazing views of Arenal Volcano and Lake at Arenal's at a 5 star luxury hotel? ...then come and at the Arenal Kioro! The hotel and restaurant offer a fabulous natural view to the Arenal Volcano.

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For those of you who really want to get "up close and personal" with Arenal, there is also the option of the Arenal Observatory Lodge , which is as close as you can get without getting "singed."

Visit Package Costa Rica's Costa Rica Hotels Page for more information on these and other Costa Rica Hotels.

The Canopy (or "zip-line") Tour

A visit to Costa Rica is not complete without the experience of a rain forest or cloud forest "zip-line" canopy tour. This is a zip line cable that extends from tree to tree. The platforms where you are attached to the cable can be as high as 200 feet, so it is not for those with fear of heights. Speeds reached on the cables can be as high as 60 mph.

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Horseback Riding

Costa Rica is a great place for the horse riding enthusiast. You can take a ride on the beach or through mountain trails with spectacular views. Most tours are guided.

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Volcanic Hot Springs

Costa Rica is famous for its hot springs. These are natural springs that are geothermally heated from the volcanic activity that abounds here. Most resorts featuring hot springs also offer full service restaurants, bars, lockers and changing rooms.

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White Water Rafting

Costa Rica has some of the best rafting rivers in the world. There are rafting experiences for the beginner all the way up to the experienced rafter. Rafting in Costa Rica also provides an opportunity to experience Costa Rica's natural beauty that otherwise stays hidden from the eye in super remote locations.

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Rappeling

Imagine taking a guided rappel down the side of one of Costa Rica's most magnificent waterfalls. This is adrenaline pumping excitement at its best.

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Birdwatching

Costa Rica has more species of birds than all of North America. There are many areas where the number of different species that can be viewed and/or photographed at one sitting is absolutely astonishing.

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A.T.V. Tours

Costa Rica is famous for many tours including this one that involves speeding through jungle or mountain roads on your personal all terrain vehicle (or you can ride tandem). These tours are guided and provide a thrill plus a great opportunity to view and learn of nature.

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The above are just some of the activities you can enjoy in the area of the Arenal volcano. Contact us at Package Costa Rica for more suggestions.

Here are your options....

By Land - You can either rent a car in San Jose and drive your self, or you can take a tourist van like Gray Line or Interbus. There is also the option of public transportation, but not highly recommended. Another more expensive option is a private transfer. This is where you contract with a private driver to take you there. The cost of a tourist van is around $40 per person, whereas the private transfer option will run you from $150 to $200 total. So it really depends on how many travelers as to which is the most economical.

Directions - While there are several routies you can go, the most traveled is the one that takes you from San Jose to San Ramon on the InterAmerican Highway and then up through the San Lorenzo cloud forest. It is a beautiful route, but with many hairpin turns and the higher altitudes can get very foggy. The trip will take around three hours.

By Air- Both Nature Air and Sansa are now flying to La Fortuna. Check their web sites for flight time options and prices.