The water is starting to get a bit murky which is always good and the rivers are pushing muddy water into the lake and this is driving the fish wild and you can see them jumping around in the muddy water.  All you have to do here is throw in a lure and they will for sure hit it.  It appears that the best lures to use in Lake Arenal are White coloured lures with some yellow or blue on their belly.  Trying to catch a Tilapia however can sometimes be difficult as they are a lot smarter than the bass, however much better eating.

All in all it was good days fishing with over 20 fishing pulled and the largest being around 2.5 kilos.  As the months go on into the wet season the water colour will darken and rise and therefore fishing becomes terribly difficult.  The best months are always May/June.

The Hotsprings are more boutique with over 8 pools and hydro-massaging jets.  The pools vary very much in temperature and the higher the pools the warmer they are, typically ranging in temperature from 24-36 degrees celsius.  The total capacity of the Titoku Arenal Hot Springs is 80 people, however typically you would not find this amount of people in the pools.

On the property there is access to a snack bar, salon room, changing rooms with lockers and a beautiful view of the volcano.  Entrance into the hotsprings starts from $45 per person and it is open from 10am to 10pm.

For more information please ask at the hotel.

Arenal is right in the middle of the country and at an elevation of around 2,000 ft above sea level and receives a mixture of the Pacific and Caribbean weather.  But due to its location and also height sometimes it can be lucky in months such at September /October and receive little rain, where as the majority of the country receives above average rainfall.  There are days where there are light showers and heavy showers but it is not typical for it to rain heavy all day every day, usually it is in bouts.

The best months for Arenal is March and April and then rainfall is pretty much constant for the rest of the year.  If you are doing tours it is always better to do these in the morning just to be sure to miss the afternoon showers.

There are many tours available in Arenal and La Mansion Arenal Hotel offers a wide variety of these.

La Mansion Arenal this year has seen a huge rise in the Europeans flocking to its small private bungalows on lake Arenal.  Typically in previous years there have a been a healthy number of Europeans visiting the hotel, especially as the owner is from Belgium, however this year has seen a twist of % towards Europeans.

Typically European schools break in mid to early July and go back in mid September.  This means that most families are taking their holidays during this time and lost this year are flocking to Costa Rica, especially with direct flights from Madrid, London and Frankfurt Germany.

Other hotels in Arenal are seeing large bookings from Europeans and European Travel Agents and this is set to rise the closer things get to July/August.

The Costa Rican Electricity board harvests this wind and uses it to produce huge amounts of electricity however not many people know that you can use this strong wind that hits the lake to Kite Surf and Wind Surf in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is not known for wind surfing nor kite surfing, however be sure that the wind can sometimes reach speeds of up to 40 mph. The only Arenal Hotel that offers Kite Surfing and Windsurfing in Costa Rica is Hotel Tilawa.

People have been talking about the winds of Arenal for a long time however due to Costa Rica’s other attractions they have never been used strongly for kite and wind surfing. The Lake someday’s can also be like glass and would be great for Jet Skiing, however these sports have never been attracted to the Lake, whcih maybe a good thing based on the tranquility of the area.

La Mansion Arenal that sits on the shores of Arenal offers boat trips and canoing trips all over the Lake.

Eliécer Duarte, a Volcanologists at the Arenal Volcano stated that this was expected as there had been a large build up on the summit of the volcano and everyone had been alerted to the fact.  The Arenal Volcano is closely monitored 24 hours a day by Volcanologists.  There is a observation point at the Arenal Observatory where people can get see reading of the volcanoes activity.

There were 2 minor eruptuions this week that were similar with regards to the rocks falling in the same direction and the amazing fireworks display.

Duarte calmed people by saying that this activity was in normal parameters and that there was nothing to be worried about. Over the coming weeks there should be other minor eruptions leading to some great displays at night and during the day.

For more information on the Arenal Volcano please look at other postings in this news and information section.  You can also see Pilot Federico Chavarría Kopper aerial view of the volcano as he captures a minor eruption.

Arenal Hotels.

Costa Rica is well known as one of the best fishing destinations in the world for Marlin, Sailfish and Mahi Mahi however it is not known at all for its championship bass fishing. The biggest bass I have seen pulled from the Arenal lake is an 8lb bass however I have seen photos of 20+lb bass.

There is never anyone on Lake Arenal which is around 55 square miles, and if there is it is typically the Arenal to Monteverde van-boat transfer. You rarely see any fisherman and if you do they are fishing with sardines on a hand line and are about 60 years old and fishing for their dinner.

So when you are out on the lake you are the only ones there and if you catch it right you can catch around 20+ bass in a day with the best time of year being May/June when the lake is at its lowest. Other times of the year are good however expect between 10-20 bass.

The lure of choice is an all white lure as you will for sure catch Tiger and Rainbow bass on this as well as Tilapia. However for the big ones you will have to trowel around the lake.

For more information on fishing in Arenal please contact us or visit Arenal Hotels.

The volcano is the most active and youngest volcano in Costa Rica and is said to be the 3rd most active in the world and has been recorded active since the 19th century. You can easily see lava flowing and glowing on the Volcanoes western face. There are numerous hotels that make their income from the hotspirngs heated by the volcano and also the impressive views and lava flows.

The volcano was thought to be extinct until July 1968 it erupted due to an earthquake and 3 cones were produced at the top of the volcano. On average the volcano erupts every 48 minutes and if you are quiet you can hear the rumbling of the volcano.

The volcano is 1657m high and sits at the foot of Lake Arenal and is part of the Arenal National Park that surrounds the Arenal area. The Lake itself has not always been there as the dam was erected in 1979 by the Costa Rican Electricity Company ICE and it now produces 70% of Costa Rica’s electricity. Before there was a small lake there and the town of Viejo Arenal, which now sits under lake Arenal. Locals state that when the water gets very low you still see the spire of the old chruch.

The Arenal Volcano is Costa Rica is one of the major tourist attractions with millions of people seeing it each year.

However Oscar Arias has had a huge group of companies out repairing roads and especially as we are now entering the green season where we receive more rain than the dry season, this will be viatl.  Arenal itself has never been famed for terrible roads, but the road around Lake Arenal from La Fortuna to Tilaran can sometimes get quiet riddled.

In a recent journey to Arenal from San Jose, it is surprising to see that as soon as you pass the dam on lake Arenal the road becomes new with bright lines and reflectors in the middle and also on the outsides of the road.  For driving at night the road is perfect as the reflectors guide you and for crazy Costa Rican drivers it will help them.

The road to La Mansion Arenal is now perfect and there is no reason to not join us.

The most famous hot springs in the area is the Tabacon Hotsprings (that can booked through La Mansion Arenal Hotel). They are located at the foot of the volcano and there is also a world impressive spa there as well, it is rated the #1 in Central America.

Another popular Hotsprings is the Baldi Hotsprings that are located near the town of La Fortuna. These are by far the more touristy hotsprings as they are always full and it does have a rather Disney feel to it. However a great experience.

The best ones by far are the Ecotermales Hotsprings which are located in a private reserve just across the road from the Baldi Hotsprings. You can only go with a reservation and the property is owned by a Tico Family who limit the number of entrants into the springs. Typically you will never find more than 30 people in them.

It is said throughout Costa Rica that the pools have healing powers and many people have talked about being cured by the power of the hotsprings. A great tour to do in the area is the Arenal Volcano Hike with Hotsprings at night. This way you get to explore the volcano and afterwards relax in the hotsprings while watching the lava glow as it flows down the volcano.