Arenal Volcano National Park
The park surrounding Arenal Volcano protects the volcanic cone, its flanks, and the lava fields from the 1968 eruption — now colonized by secondary…
La Fortuna — Northern Plains. 5 min to La Fortuna town.
La Fortuna Arenal Airport (IATA: FON, ICAO: MRAF) serves the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos — the tourism capital of the northern lowlands and the base of operations for Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica's most iconic landscape. At 257 meters above sea level in the lowland jungle flanking Arenal Volcano's northern slopes, FON provides access to the full suite of experiences that have made Arenal one of the most visited destinations in Central America.
Arenal Volcano (1,670 meters) remained continuously active from 1968 until 2010, during which time it was one of the world's most active volcanoes — a constant column of smoke, periodic lava flows, and nightly glow visible from La Fortuna made it a pilgrimage for volcano enthusiasts worldwide. Since 2010, Arenal has entered a resting phase, but its conical silhouette — symmetrical, dramatic, and perpetually cloud-capped — remains one of the most recognizable and photographed landscapes in the Americas.
The hot springs ecosystem that surrounds Arenal's base — fed by geothermal heat from the volcanic system — is unparalleled in Central America. Thermal rivers, natural pools, and elaborately developed thermal resort complexes (Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort being the most celebrated) attract travelers specifically for the combination of volcanic geology, thermal bathing, and cloud forest setting. A private charter from San José to La Fortuna takes 25 minutes — vs. 3.5 hours by road.
The park surrounding Arenal Volcano protects the volcanic cone, its flanks, and the lava fields from the 1968 eruption — now colonized by secondary…
20 minutes from FON — the most celebrated thermal resort in Costa Rica. Multiple hot spring pools ranging from 29°C to 39°C cascade through a tropi…
3km from La Fortuna town — a spectacular waterfall dropping 75 meters into an emerald pool in the forest above the town. The trail descends 500 ste…
Lake Arenal — the largest lake in Costa Rica (86 km²) at the base of the volcano — is one of the world's premier windsurfing and kitesurfing destin…
20 minutes from La Fortuna — a 3-km trail through cloud forest connecting 16 suspension bridges at canopy height, providing bird's-eye views of the…
30–45 minutes from La Fortuna — the Río Toro (Class IV–V, expert) and Río Sarapiquí (Class III–IV, intermediate) offer Costa Rica's finest northern…
La Fortuna Arenal Airport (IATA: FON, ICAO: MRAF) is a regional airport serving La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area. 1,160m asphalt runway, 257m elevation, daylight operations. The primary air access to Costa Rica's most iconic volcano, hot springs, and adventure destination.
FON is 10 minutes from La Fortuna town, 15 minutes from the main Arenal Volcano viewpoints, and 20 minutes from the Tabacón thermal resort. All major La Fortuna hotels are within 25 minutes of the airport.
Private charter with AeroRide from San José takes 25 minutes — vs. 3.5 hours by road on the Braulio Carrillo or Interamerican highway routes. This is one of AeroRide's most requested domestic routes. Contact us via WhatsApp for scheduling and pricing.
Arenal entered a resting phase in 2010 after 42 years of near-continuous activity. The volcano is not currently producing lava flows or explosive eruptions, but it remains a potentially active geological system. The iconic conical silhouette, the thermal spring system, and the volcanic landscape are fully present regardless of current activity level.
La Fortuna Airport has a 1,160-meter asphalt runway at 257m elevation. Daylight operations. ICAO: MRAF. Accommodates Cessna Caravan and similar turboprops.
Nayara Springs (from $600/night) has appeared on Condé Nast Traveler's World's Best Hotels list multiple times and is consistently cited as the finest luxury accommodation in Costa Rica. The private thermal spring pool in each villa, the exceptional cuisine, and the volcano views justify the positioning for travelers for whom this category of experience is appropriate.
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