Ricardo Ureña, coordinator of the ICT Social Tourism program, said Costa Rica is the first Central American country to implement more inclusive tourism.
The stratovolcano has remained dormant over the last decade, but for years, La Fortuna's 8,000 residents made their peace with the consistently active volcano to form a delicate harmony.
The Arenal real estate market is dominated by homes around the idyllic lake, and it's fueled primarily by expat retirees looking for a house under $300,000.
Arenal is the unofficial capital of adventure tourism in Costa Rica — whitewater rafting, ziplining, canyoning, mountain biking, horseback riding, all-terrain vehicles — and all of these adventures are served up with a few spoonfuls of fear.
With the iconic cone of its namesake volcano hovering in the background, Arenal is the adventure capital of Costa Rica. And its hot springs aren't bad, either.
Authorities warned that National Police or Tourism Police officers will charge those responsible for tours into restricted areas with disobedience of authority.
