The famous Arenal Lake is known for its beautiful location right in front of the Arenal volcano. It is the largest lake in Costa Rica and is actually a man-made reservoir that was built in 1979 by the Costa Rica Electricity Institute to generate hydroelectric power for homes around the country and provide water to communities in the dry Guanacaste region. Due to its ideal location, it has now become the ideal spot for water sports for tourists visiting the region.

There are many tour companies in the La Fortuna region that offer different activities on the lake such as boat rides, fishing, kayaking, and parasailing, among others. However, you also have the option to skip the expensive and crowded tours and rent kayaks from a friendly Costa Rican family who live right next to the lake in the town of El Castillo.

Cristian and his sister Jenny own a small restaurant called “Mini Super y Licorera Manotazo”, which is right in front of the lake where the boat launching area is. They will be happy to rent out kayaks for just $10/person for 2 hours and direct you to the launching area (also known as “El Fosforo”) that will give you direct access to the lake.

This is not a guided tour, but is a great option if you want to go on your own and explore the lake on kayaks at a cheap price.