Costa Rica 2019 Day 5 - La Fortuna: Arenal 1968

I drove from Monteverde to La Fortuna today.  Headed out around 8:30am and started by getting routed to a nonexistent gas station in Monteverde first.  Thanks inaccurate Google maps data.

Instead, I went to Tilaran for gas, which was around an hour away.  Again, Google Maps routed me an interesting way, cutting through some farmland on a small street instead of continuing on the highway.  It was an eventful and bumpy drive overall.  Really glad I had a higher clearance 4x4.

It took over four hours to reach La Fortuna.  I got held up by construction three separate times: 15 minutes on 606 and 15 and 25 minutes on 142.  After all the delays though, it was a pretty easy drive with some bends on the highway.  And smooth concrete.  Towards Lake Arenal there are a lot of flowers and greenery as you drive by.

I passed by a truck that was pulled over and saw a mass of moving animals by the passenger side.  Turns out it was like 20 coatis, being fed by someone. It was my first time seeing a coati, and that was obviously cool, but very unfortunate it was via people feeding it.

I checked into Regina Hotel, which is just west of the main La Fortuna downtown area. Just a couple minutes walk into the town. 

It was lunch time but I wasn't super hungry (maybe I shouldn't have munched on all those crackers on the drive...) and I wanted to do some walking after those hours of sitting. I backtracked and went to the Arenal 1968 trails. I liked that they were open until 6pm.

I started at 2:30pm, and arrived just as a couple Desafio tour buses did as well. Of the forest and lava trails, I chose the forest one.  Initially it didn't seem very forest-like and I was wondering if I should have done the other, but it ended up having sections where it did feel like jungle.  I only encountered a couple other groups on this trail.

Trail map at the entrance

Clearly labeled trailheads

Along the forest trail.  Clear and easy to follow.

Because of the lack of traffic, there were a couple wild turkeys in the middle of the trail. I also saw more monkeys!

Wild turkey sighting

Once at the lava flow trail area, the environment drastically changes.  No longer under tree canopy and greenery, but now surrounded by exposure to sunlight and volcanic-rocks.  Which looked really interesting.

Arenal volcano with volcanic rock in the foreground

I was really tired...combination of a lot of exertion and me still recovering from EBV.  Ugh. 

Finished at 4:30pm, and headed back to town for the dinner.  Walking through the town, it is obviously a touristy place.  I lost track of how many "book your tour here!" places I passed, and how many tourist shuttle buses drove by.  The town is only a few blocks wide and easily walkable.

I ate at Soda Viquez, which apparently everyone goes to because of TripAdvisor.  It was packed.  I noticed three separate tables of Americans.  I've been really enjoying the local Casada dishes here, so I ordered another: casada with fish.  WOW.  So delicious.  It included: fried fish, pork with carrots and green beans, bananas in spicy sauce, black beans, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, fried plantains, rice and a dessert.  All for less than $5.50!  It was quick too.  I loved the fish.  I'll have to go back again another time while I'm here.

Delicious Casada con Pescado at Soda Viquez

Long day of travel, so I'm looking forward to not having to drive much and having to focus on bumpy roads tomorrow.