The Switzerland of Central America for $45,000

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Lake Arenal back dropped by Arenal Volcano

Dear Reader,

Arenal in north-central Costa Rica was a complete surprise to me. I’d seen the lush raw jungle in the Southern Zone and the cleared rolling landscape of Guanacaste, but neither prepared me for what was to come.

Arenal could be mistaken for Switzerland or the Italian lakes. The focal point, Lake Arenal, sits surrounded by sloping green hills and pasture land. Arenal Volcano’s pointed cone rises majestically on one side, dominating the landscape.

The volcano is live and without sounding too New Age, has an aura all its own. I stood on a hillside dipping gently down to the lake, with a direct volcano view, and was mesmerized. At night, you can see the lava flowing; the best viewings are by boat from the lake.

There is a Swiss mini-village, complete with church and chalets, perched on the hillside overlooking the lake. There is a German bakery in the town of Nuevo Arenal, and an Austrian restaurant, all adding to that middle-European feel.

It’s a tranquil, peaceful place…howler monkeys in the trees was the noisiest encounter that we had. Hiking, horseback-riding, bird-watching, swimming, fishing (mainly for rainbow bass), and boat trips are all possibilities. The lake is host to world-class windsurfing from November to April and the weather is moderate all year round.

The hot springs in La Fortuna are a major attraction. The thermal water has reputed healing powers, and the volcanic mud is great for deep cleansing. There are a number of hotels that offer a variety of treatments…or you can simply soak contentedly outdoors in the heated water and relax.

At the end of a day’s scouting, I sat down to a delicious meal at the Gingerbread Hotel. The food was the best I’ve had in Costa Rica. Finding gourmet cooking to this level in Arenal was a nice surprise.

Property prices here are as mesmerizing as the volcano. A six-bed, four-bath home on an acre was listed for $160,000. A fixer-upper was on offer for $45,000 and 38 acres of forest, pasture, rivers, and springs with volcano views was $139,000. How about 6.3 acres with an incredible view of the volcano for $125,000?

Arenal has much to offer if you’re looking for peaceful lakeside living—with a price tag much lower than you might expect.

Margaret Summerfield