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Though Volcan Arenal is one of the most active volcanoes in the Americas, whether you will see any lava flow depends very much on the weather. In the rainy season the spectacular night flows are very elusive, hidden by shrouds of mist and cloud. However, if nothing else you'll certainly hear unearthly rumbling and sporadically feel the ground shake - especially at night. Volcan Arenal was afforded protected status in 1995, becoming part of the national parks system as the PARQUE NACIONAL VOLCAN ARENAL (daily 8am-4pm; US$6). The park has some good trails , some of them across lava fields, while the four-kilometre "Tucanes" trail takes you to the part of the forest which was flattened by an eruption in 1968; you may also see some wildlife - birds (including oropendolas and tanagers) and agoutis are particularly common. Although the park has a simple cafe, it's best to take a picnic lunch and plenty of water if you intend to spend some time walking. Hiking any distance up the volcano's sides has always been energetically discouraged, and fences now stop you doing so. If you arrive on a cloudy or rainy day (which is most of the year, unfortunately) and can't see the summit, the park's visitor's centre has video displays of the volcano's more spectacular activity. You can't stay in or visit the park after dark except by taking one of the night tours which leave Fortuna every evening at about 3-4pm. Most operators run them even when it's cloudy, in the hope that the cloud will lift or the opposite side of the volcano will be clear. None offers you a refund if you don't see anything, however, so you might want to wait for a clear evening before signing up. In addition, Aventuras Arenal run a sunset boat tour on which you can watch the action from Laguna de Arenal. The park entrance is 12km from Fortuna; look for the well-signed driveway off to the left. If you don't have your own vehicle, you can take a taxi from Fortuna to the west side of the volcano (around US$35 return per car, including waiting time of a few hours), but unless you're in a large group, it's cheaper - and less bother - to take a tour. The bus from Fortuna will drop you off at the entrance to the park and is much the cheapest option, though the return journey can be a bit tricky - unless you manage to connect with the bus coming from Tilaran or Arenal Town, your only option is to try to get a ride back with other park visitors.
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