cocofan123

Hi All,

I am planning my first trip to Costa Rica soon. I will be in Fortuna/Arenal for a few days. We expect to have one extra day for a trip outside the area. Which one would you recommend - Sarapiqui or Cano Negro?

We are already planning to go to MA, so I don't know if either location would offer similar scenary. If so, that would make the decision easier.

BTW, does anyone (locals?) know if the Arenal is active right now? I've read it was quiet earlier in the fall, so I am kind of bummed.

Thanks for any feedback.

qwovadis

www.desafiocostarica.com Cano Negro for me

Do the liquid lava or night hike always some activity.

www.ruralcostarica.com Rio Celeste my absolute fav..

Happy planning,

hsmithcr

Arenal has not been active recently. It is a real hit and miss situation. You might see clouds of smoke and that's all; you might hear rumbling or explosions; you might see lava flow or hot boulders bounding down the side -- or -- you might see nothing at all.

This doesn't mean you won't enjoy the Arenal area. There's so much to do and see and enjoy there. Anything to do with wild things and nature is not that predictable. Just like people who are trying to find a rare bird. When it happens, this makes it all the more special.

You might check here - www.arenal.net -- I think they have a section on the website where it is updated. If not, you can always email them.

hsmithcr

Oh, sorry, I forgot to add -- I think you can't go wrong whether you go to Cano Negro or Sarapiqui. Cano Negro is a little different - Caribbean lowlands and Sarapiqui is a little higher and more forested. But either one would be a great trip.

volcanogirl

We love Cano Negro and have done it a few times. Have seen monkeys, sloths, caimans, and water birds there. We rafted the Sarapiqui but didn't see any wildlife - were you thinking of hiking or rafting there? Everything I've read about Arenal lately says it's been pretty quiet.