El Castillo or La Fortuna

Having just spent a wonderful night in El Castillo in front of Volcan Arenal I have decided that if the adventurer is looking for the road less traveled and a more authentic Costa Rican experience then El Castillo is a nice change of pace from the more touristy La Fortuna/Arenal area.  We stayed at a great little place called Essence Arenal.  Nice people and the staff are very informative.   The owners and staff are genuine and enthusiastically share their Costa Rica with anyone.  Their energy is refreshing and is sometimes hard to find in Costa Rica.

El Castillo is a small village located on the lava side of the volcano approximately 40 minutes from the town of La Fortuna .  So, you get incredible views of the lava without having to pay for a tour.   The drawback is that unless you have a car it is difficult to get around and walking around town can be a strenuous workout.  The owners of Essence Arenal offer affordable transport to La Fortuna but if you have to take a taxi expect to pay about $20 one way.  This also means that when it comes to sitting in a hot spring it can be difficult without a car.  Again, many of the hotels in the area offer cheaper transport to the main attractions in the area and we were pleased to see the staff at Essence give options for free springs and hikes.  

It has been some time since I have visited the area and I was pleased to see that El Castillo has remained small and quaint.  You can see the beginning of development in the area but it is nothing compared to the over development and bustle of the La Fortuna/Arenal areas.   Possibly in the future the hotels in the El Castillo area will get together and offer some affordable transport options but maybe this will change the funky feeling of the town.  Transportation and paved roads certainly changed our little bit of heaven in Monteverde.   Keep up the good vibes and keep it weird. 

Ran