The Area
Tula Vida is nestled in the hills surrounding Lake Arenal, between the Arenal and Tenorio volcanos in Costa Rica.
Activities in the Arenal Volcano area
Trip Advisor ranks Costa as the top country in the world for travel experiences, with the Arenal / La Fortuna area taking first place in the destinations list!
The Climate
Due to its geographical diversity, Costa Rica has 12 climatic zones and numerous microclimates so the weather is very changeable so you will most likely see both sun and rain at various times during your trip. In our corner of Costa Rica, there is usually a nice, cool breeze and limited humidity so it does not get too hot.
Weather here is typically in the 70s-80s Fahrenheit / 20-30 Celsius (and sometimes in the 60s F / 15 C at night). The beaches are generally hotter (75-95 F / 25-35 C) with more humidity.
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Activities in the Arenal Volcano area
Arenal is known as the adventure center of Costa Rica and is one of the key destination stop-offs for most tourists visiting the country.
Known for its majestic active volcano with the stunning lake at its base and natural rainforest canopies all around, you can do a wide range of activities in this area.
Enjoy horse experiences, horseback riding, kayaking, paddle-boarding, zip-lining, whitewater rafting, canyoning, wildlife tours, nature and volcano hikes, river floats, bird-watching, canopy tours, “hanging” suspension bridges, cave explorations, natural hot springs and more.
Background on Costa Rica*
Demographics
Costa Rica is one of the oldest democracies in the Americas. It is a country proud of its heritage and traditions. Costa Rica abolished its military forces in 1949 and since then has devoted substantial resources to investment in health and education. It is a country that has placed a high priority in investing in public education, including the university system, as well as technical and vocational training. Its population of 4.9 million people enjoys a literacy rate of 96% and a life expectancy of 79.3 years.
The country has a strong legal system managed by the ‘Judicial Power’, which ensures law compliance and covers both nationals and foreigners within the country’s territory. The country is often cited as a model for conservation in harmony with community development and economic growth. All these changes have translated into important social achievements. In the last 20 years poverty was reduced from 40% to less than 20%. It is known as the “safest country in Central America” and where there is crime, petty theft is by far the most common threat for visitors. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country’s political stability and high education levels.
Costa Rica was considered the country with the highest rate of happiness in the world (Happy Planet Index 2019).
Beauty and Biodiversity
Costa Rica is blessed with impressive scenic beauty, a fact that is not lost on the millions of tourists that visit each year. Located in Central America in an area that covers 51.000 square kilometers (19.729 square miles), Costa Rica possesses approximately 6% of the world’s biodiversity. In 2015, the country was able to produce 99% of its electricity from renewable sources, and the government continues to invest in renewable energy generation in an effort to meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by in the next year.
Due to its small size, a diverse array of fabulous sites is within easy access. A trip to Costa Rica affords the opportunity to visit 12 different life zones, 20 national parks, 26 protected areas, nine forest reserves, eight biological reserves and seven wildlife sanctuaries. Costa Rica is the birthplace of ecotourism.
Ecotourism in Costa Rica
It is not surprising that tourism is Costa Rica’s main source of income and hard currency. Prior to Covid-19, earnings from tourism amount to more than $2.8 billion US dollars per year. 50% of the country's GDP comes from ecotourism and adventure activities, a figure that makes Costa Rica one of the most successful examples of the emerging model of sustainable tourism in the entire world. Tourism Minister Ventura called the tourism sector a “motor for development” in Costa Rica, providing jobs and growing the country’s international brand.
Ecotourism has become the fastest growing subsector of the tourism industry across the globe since the second half of the 1990s, maintaining an annual growth rate of 15% according to statistics from the World Tourism Organization. It is estimated that up to 80% of all visitors to Costa Rica come to do eco-tourism related activities, particularly in the Arenal Volcano, Manuel Antonio national park and Monteverde areas.
*Sources (March 2017): OECD; Washington DC’s Embassy of Costa Rica; the Happy Planet index; CentralAmericaData.com
What They Say
