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Fast-forward to today and you’ll find that the town of La Fortuna is more popular than ever, no thanks to volcanic eruptions. Residents like Ricky and I bid adieu to those spectacles after the Arenal Volcano suddenly stopped erupting in 2010. If you were lucky enough to see the volcano while it was noticeably active, you witnessed a piece of history. Volcanologists don’t anticipate it will erupt again for several more years, possibly generations. Today, only a small amount of smoke can be seen escaping from the volcano’s crater, if any. This means you’ll need to find a different reason to warrant spending time and money in La Fortuna, especially if you plan to visit the Arenal Volcano National Park.
Though there’s no shortage of tourism in La Fortuna today, reasons to visit the town have shifted away from seeing an active volcano toward experiences that include ziplining, canyoning, touring hanging bridges, soaking in hot springs, among other activities. The Arenal Volcano National Park, which houses the Arenal Volcano, is still open for touring, but it’s important to realize that the chances are slim you’ll witness an eruption during your visit. If seeing an eruption is your main reason for visiting the Arenal Volcano National Park, perhaps this particular Costa Rica national park isn’t for you. If you’re curious to know why some visitors (and locals like us) choose to visit the Arenal Volcano National Park despite the Arenal Volcano not having the same appeal that it used to, continue reading below.
Arenal Volcano Facts:
The Arenal Volcano is the youngest in Costa Rica being less than 7,500 years old. It is classified as being a stratovolcano meaning that it forms the typical conical shape. For many years it had been considered as being a dormant volcano with no historical records of eruptions ever occurring. This sleeping giant however awoke from its slumbers abruptly on 29th July 1968 with a huge series of eruptions resulting in the destruction of nearby towns and the loss of 78 lives. For decades following the 1968 eruption, the volcanic activity continued with frequent smaller eruptions and lava flows. Since 2010 the activity has subsided and no new lava flows have occurred. It is however an undisputed fact that this is still an extremely active volcano likely to erupt violently at any time. The height of the volcano varies with activity but is currently around 1,633 m above sea level.
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