ARENAL VOLCANO WATER PLAYGROUND
All right. I’ll admit it. Though you probably came here from the Arenal Volcano section of the site, this is a page about a lake. Lake Arenal is not a volcano but . . . it does lie just west of Arenal Volcano and there are simply so many things to do that the lake has to have own webpage.
But, you, intrepid explorer, can discover amazing adventures at the lake without buying anything. After all, this is your Costa Rica vacation. Where to start? I’d suggest Switzerland.
    The Switzerland of Arenal VolcanoYou’ve probably seen references to Costa Rica as the Switzerland of the Americas.What you might not know is that there REALLY IS a Swiss village, complete with a Swiss hotel, Swiss barns, a Swiss chapel (a great place to get married!), a Swiss train station and. . .yes. . .a Swiss train. Imagine when you travel Costa Rica taking a Swiss train! 
Just 20 minutes from Arenal volcano. I’m not kidding.See for yourself. It’s called Los Heroes. To reach the little hotel, go to Lake Arenal and take a train—yep, a Swiss train—for the two-mile voyage up a mountain. At the top, you’ll find the only restaurant in Costa Rica that rotates a full 360 degrees. This is bird-watching territory and you’re likely to see toucans, parrots, macaws as well as monkeys and coatamundis so bring your camera! And, when you get home and show off your photos, be sure to tell everybody you vacationed in a little Swiss village and looked over a Costa Rican volcano, all on the same day! World-Class Windsurfing and Kite-boarding
If windsurfing or kite-boarding is your thing, you’re going to love Arenal Lake. Warm temperatures and warm water year-round, dependable high winds every afternoon, all in the magnificence of Arenal volcano. Serious windsurfers rate this one of the top ten windsurfing places in the world and you can watch them zoom across the water or fly through the air. Or, you can join them. Don’t worry if you’re new at these sports. Lessons and equipment are waiting for you. Of course, if you're really a serious windsurfer, bring your own gear. Come on! You flew all the way here to have the Costa Rica vacation adventure of a lifetime, didn't you? Just Do It! Pura Vida! Ever Fish Alongside a Volcano?
I bet not. Lake Arenal contains several species of critters--some weighing up to 12-14 pounds. You don't need anything. Everything is here: boat, tackle, guide, and very hungry fish! Imagine Costa Rica fishing at the base of the grand Arenal volcano, watching and listening to the rumble of lava and boulders coming down its sides and catching something (delicious) like the fellow above has. But, you say, "I don’t want a stinky fish in my Costa Rica rental car!" They’ve thought of that, too. Simply let a nearby restaurant cook it for you. Or cook it yourself. On your houseboat. Yep, you can even rent one of those at Lake Arenal. Like Horses? You'll Love it Here!Arenal volcano offers many opportunities for horseback rides. This is a very, very popular adventure here. Lots of operators.And, if you’d like to combine Lake Arenal, Arenal volcano, and a beautiful trek to Monteverde, there’s even a horseback tour for that. One operator offers a boat-ride across the lake to your horse where you’ll take an easy ride through magnificent country. Travel Costa Rica by horse? Wow!
Kayaking: A Family AdventureFor a really fun family adventure, rent a kayak and either paddle around the lake or explore some of the nearby rivers.
Pura Vida!
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With verdant mountains, stunning scenery, and mild temperatures year-round, more and more Americans and Europeans are buying land around this area. There’s even a new yacht club on the lake! 
