Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica Pictures

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Another volcano photo below

Arenal volcano spits lava on a regular basis and - on a clear night - puts on a terrific fireworks show for the lucky visitors and residents of la Fortuna.

Arenal is the most shapely and lively of Costa Rica's 300 volcanoes, acting as the centrepiece for La Fortuna's tourist trade.
The dry season offers your best chance of this rare sight. The volcano's base area is a fascinating mass of magma caves; the best route to the base is via a forested path from Tabacon Resort. There are hot springs and cold drinks not far away for pure hedonistic viewing.

Arenal is some way north of San José but two other active volcanoes are closer to the capital and can be visited on day trips - Irazu in the Central Valley and Poas on the Northern Plains with its iridescent crater lake. Both of these are possible to approach much closer than Arenal.
Other active volcanoes are Turrialba in the Central Valley and Rincon de la Vieja on the North Pacific coast, while another 60 are dormant. i.e. ready to blow at any time.