Things to do in El Castillo

El Castillo is a small village on the south-western shore of Lake Arenal, reached from La Fortuna by roughly 45 minutes of driving, part of it on unpaved road that turns rough after heavy rain.

It works as a base for a scattered handful of attractions rather than one central sight: forest trails down to the lake, small farms and gardens, and the Butterfly Conservatory just outside the village. There is no strip of hotels or restaurants like in La Fortuna, so most visitors pass through for a few hours rather than staying overnight.

A 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle is worth having between May and November, when the loose sections turn to mud; in the dry season a standard car usually manages it, if slowly.