Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Arenal travel guide

Arenal Tourism | Arenal Guide

You're Going to Love Arenal

Arenal is a must-see destination in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Arenal has to offer.

When to visit Arenal

Arenal in July
Estimated hotel price
$51
1 night at 3-star hotel
Arenal in July
Estimated hotel price
$51
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Arenal

Plane

Although Arenal doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Liberia (LIR), which is located 44 miles from Arenal. Liberia is the most popular, with regular flights from American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to Arenal from the United States departs from Orlando and takes around 3h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to Arenal is to pick up a car rental from San José, which is about 69 miles from Arenal. You’ll find branches of Priceless and U-Save, among others, in San José.

Plane

Although Arenal doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Liberia (LIR), which is located 44 miles from Arenal. Liberia is the most popular, with regular flights from American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to Arenal from the United States departs from Orlando and takes around 3h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to Arenal is to pick up a car rental from San José, which is about 69 miles from Arenal. You’ll find branches of Priceless and U-Save, among others, in San José.

Airports near Arenal

LIRLiberia
TNOTamarindo
SJOSan José Juan Santamaria Intl

Airlines serving Arenal

Lufthansa
Good (8,217 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,565 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,188 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,479 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,053 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,525 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,258 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,647 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,734 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,119 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,532 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (3,031 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (12,839 reviews)
SAUDIA
Good (691 reviews)
Avianca
Good (2,549 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,990 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,471 reviews)
Air Europa
Good (636 reviews)
Air China
Good (161 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (2,649 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Arenal

Most booked hotels in Arenal

See all
Lucky Bug B & B
3 stars
Excellent (9.5, 284 reviews)
$73+
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La Mansion Inn Arenal
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 614 reviews)
$126+
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Renting a car in Arenal

Expect to pay $5.87 per gallon in Arenal (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $70.41 and $93.88.

Expect to pay $5.87 per gallon in Arenal (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $70.41 and $93.88.