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The quaint mountain town of Zarcero is famous for
its sculptured bushes. The park in front of Zarcero's
church is full of shrubs that have been sculpted into
the shapes of arches, animals, people and even an oxcart
complete with oxen.
San
Carlos, or Ciudad Quesada as it is sometimes called, is
considered the capital of the country's Northern Zone. We
know a few North Americans who own ranches in this area. Almost
everything of importance is found within several blocks of
the town's main square.
Plaza San Carlos is a new mall with about 143 stores
including a supermarket, movie theaters, food court,
travel agencies and much more.
Northwest of San Carlos is the beautiful, 48-square-mile,
manmade Lake Arenal. This area is rapidly becoming
popular with foreign residents.
The lake was created to be a reservoir when engineers
flooded a large valley. It is surrounded by rolling
hills covered with pastures and patches of tropical
forest. The very active Arenal Volcano can often be
seen smoking in the distance.
There are many enjoyable things to do around Arenal.
The lake and surrounding area offer excellent fishing,
sailing, hiking, windsurfing, mountain biking, bird-watching
and other outdoor activities. Land around the lake
is readily available. Prices vary per square meter
depending on location and views.
Several interesting towns are found in this area. Nearby
Tilarán is home to a number of foreigners, as are Nuevo
Arenal and La Fortuna.The latter is a quiet town east of the
volcano and a good place to view its activity. The Catarata
La Fortuna is a spectacular waterfall that plummets some
100 feet into a deep pool surrounded by luxuriant foliage.
We have met a few foreigners who live in and around Fortuna.
At the Tabacón Resort you will find a hot spring
in a lush valley at the base of the picture-perfect
Arenal Volcano. This is the place to soak your tired
bones after a day of participating in one of the many
activities this area has to offer. |
