Arenal Volcano questions
Jul 1st, 2005, 05:09 PM
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Arenal Volcano questions
Has anyone been to the arenal volcano lately. I know the lava has changed directions and was wondering which hotel has the best view to see the volcano at night.
Thanks
Thanks
Jul 2nd, 2005, 02:48 AM
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We were there early June of this year. The lava is flowing down the side away from Tabacon and away from the town of La Fortuna.
We were at the Lost Iguana, which is very nice, and could see the lava. Probably the best view is from the Arenal Obs Lodge....but other than driving past the driveway of that hotel, I am not sure if the view is good. You should make sure with some of the more expert people on this posting.
EK
We were at the Lost Iguana, which is very nice, and could see the lava. Probably the best view is from the Arenal Obs Lodge....but other than driving past the driveway of that hotel, I am not sure if the view is good. You should make sure with some of the more expert people on this posting.
EK
Jul 2nd, 2005, 09:30 AM
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Hi! Our family just came back from CR on a trip that included Corcovado, Manuel Antonio, Montezuma and Arenal. I hope I can dig up some time to do a trip report, but to tell you my Arenal experience...the flow has changed and is facing the Arenal Observatory Lodge side. We visited during the day and had lunch there -- the view was awesome! This would be a great place to stay if you can get in. They were full the 2 nights we were in the area, but we stayed at Cabinas El Castillo (www.cabinaselcastillo.com -- there are signs for it on the way to the Observatory Lodge) which had a direct view from their very pretty cabinas high on a ridge. My daughter and I stayed up and watched the lava flow down the volcano from our bedroom window (you're not right on top of the volcano like at the Lodge -- maybe 3 miles away?) This place is NO Lost Iguana from an amenities POV -- we were 4 people traveling for 17 days fairly economically. Think it was about $60/night for a room with a double and 2 singles. However, the cabina was spacious and quiet, and the view great. Bring a good pair of binoculars for even better viewing. A good resource to find info. on the lava flow is www.arenal.net . Have fun and happy traveling!
Jul 3rd, 2005, 12:30 AM
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We were just in arenal for 3 days in June (2005). Just got home from Costa Rica vacation a couple nights ago. Stayed at the Lost Iguana, ARenal, where you can now see the lava flow from your rooms and from their restaurant which has a roof and open-air sides.
The Observatory Lodge has the best and closest volcano view. But their restaurant has glass walls and at dinner-time since the lights are on inside it causes reflections on the glass and so you can't see the lava flow very well during dinner. But there's a balcony if you want to leave your dinner table and walk outside to see the lava, where you might encounter some mosquito bites. (I think the lights of the restaurant attract them.)
The observatory lodge has quite a variety of rooms, as I understand, I saw inside some which were very basic and didn't have a volcano view and weren't as nice as the rooms at the Lost Iguana. I heard people talking about other rooms at the Observatory lodge with better volcano views, but I didn't see those rooms.
The observatory lodge is closer to the volcano than the Lost Iguana. My husband and son found watching the lava from the observatory lodge to be intriguing as with binoculars you could see the boulders which the volcano spews out bouncing down the side of the volcano. We went to the observatory lodge for their dinner buffet and to see the volcano up closer.
However I preferred viewing the lava flow from the Lost Iguana, from the comfort of the chairs on our private patio on the first floor, where I could see the volcano framed in the tropical jungle-type greenery which surrounds our room. This is a very different view, I just preferred seeing it this way instead of up closer. We turned out all our room lights and sat in the moonlight viewing the volcano and the lava flow. We could see it all 3 nights from the Lost Iguana.
Of course the volcano lava flow direction can change any time! It can also hide behind the clouds any time.
The Observatory Lodge has the best and closest volcano view. But their restaurant has glass walls and at dinner-time since the lights are on inside it causes reflections on the glass and so you can't see the lava flow very well during dinner. But there's a balcony if you want to leave your dinner table and walk outside to see the lava, where you might encounter some mosquito bites. (I think the lights of the restaurant attract them.)
The observatory lodge has quite a variety of rooms, as I understand, I saw inside some which were very basic and didn't have a volcano view and weren't as nice as the rooms at the Lost Iguana. I heard people talking about other rooms at the Observatory lodge with better volcano views, but I didn't see those rooms.
The observatory lodge is closer to the volcano than the Lost Iguana. My husband and son found watching the lava from the observatory lodge to be intriguing as with binoculars you could see the boulders which the volcano spews out bouncing down the side of the volcano. We went to the observatory lodge for their dinner buffet and to see the volcano up closer.
However I preferred viewing the lava flow from the Lost Iguana, from the comfort of the chairs on our private patio on the first floor, where I could see the volcano framed in the tropical jungle-type greenery which surrounds our room. This is a very different view, I just preferred seeing it this way instead of up closer. We turned out all our room lights and sat in the moonlight viewing the volcano and the lava flow. We could see it all 3 nights from the Lost Iguana.
Of course the volcano lava flow direction can change any time! It can also hide behind the clouds any time.
Jul 5th, 2005, 01:32 PM
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Hi, just returned from Arenal and we stayed at the Arenal Lodge. I was able to lie in bed with my binoculars and watch and the steam and lava through the night. Our room also had a nice balcony to sit on with a hanging swing directly in front of the volcano. We loved it!
