The Arenal volcano national park, by the small city of La Fortuna, is very popular among tourists. Even if today, the Arenal volcano is considered as dormant, its activity suffices to warm up many hot springs in the area.

In the small town of Tabacón, many resorts for foreign tourists provide access to the warm waters. It is still possible to enjoy them in a completely natural setting, bathing in the warm Arenal river with locals and iguanas and birds in the treetops.

The warm river of the free natural Tabacon hotsprings, Costa Rica

Going up the river with our feet in the greater than 40°C water, we chose our very own natural pool formed by river rocks and soaked in, looking up to the fauna in the trees and surrounded by the beautiful flora of Costa Rica.

Claire

Travel tips:

• For more inspiring photographs of Costa Rica, take a visual tour!
• At time of writing, the last explosion of the Arenal volcano dates back to December 2010.  If you expect to see lava coming out of the crater, you will be disappointed. It remains a beautiful area to explore.
  
• Check out this interactive map for the specific details to help you plan your trip and more articles and photos (zoom out) about the area!