If you know the legend of Atlantis, the mythological city that disappeared into thin air and which scholars are still searching for today, know that there is another one whose coordinates are known very well.
The lost city is located in Costa Rica, under the lago Arenal, at the foot of the majestic volcano, one of the most active in the country, which last erupted not many years ago - in 1968 - after a silence of almost 400 years.
A postcard landscape that presents itself to the eye of the tourist who sees it for the first time. The volcano is magnetic and, when it is reflected in the lake, it is a real postcard.
The submerged Costa Rican city was not destroyed either by an earthquake or a tsunami, as perhaps happened to Atlantis. Here's what really happened.
Lake Arenal is an artificial lake. In 1973 the local electricity company (I.C.E.) decided to build a dam for a hydroelectric plant with the aim of producing clean energy for the states of Guanacaste (where Arenal is located), Puntarenas (to the west) and Limón (to the south). East, on the Caribbean Sea). In order to implement his project, however, he had to sacrifice the village of Arenal which was located right under the volcano. Even the small towns of La Tronadora, La Argentina and Pueblo Nuevo had to be invaded by water and submerged.
Approximately 2.500 inhabitants had to be relocated to the surrounding areas, resigning themselves to having to lose all their belongings. But it was for the common good. The reservoir works began in September 78 and were completed in December of the following year. What Costa Rica got was the largest artificial lake in Central America: 85 square kilometers of water.
The lake has a varying depth between 30 and 60 meters depending on the season. In Costa Rica there are only two seasons: the rainy season and the season when it rains less (which is why it is so green). But it can happen – very rarely – that it doesn't rain for a long time. Here then is that from the waters of Lake Arenal you can see the bell tower appearing of what was the small church of one of the submerged villages (like our Resia lake in Val Venosta, Alto Adige). If the drought is severe - as has sometimes happened in recent years - the remains of some houses and the small cemetery also appear.
Tourists who witness this more unique than rare spectacle should consider themselves very lucky. The alternative for everyone else is to settle for visiting the new town of Arenal (Nuevo Arenal), since the old one is underwater.
Some local tour operators organize dives under the lake to admire the submerged village.
Today Lake Arenal covers 70% of the country's electricity needs, so the sacrifice of the villagers was worth something. The lake is also a place of recreation for locals and tourists who come on vacation. In addition to sailing and fishing, on its waters you can canoe, kayak, stand up paddle and, when strong winds blow from November to April, even windsurf, so much so that it is one of the most loved spots by those who practice this sport.
The area ofArenal is a must-see tourist stop of which the Costa Rican tourism office is very proud. In this area, in addition to the lake and the volcano, there are splendid waterfalls, narrow gorges where you can go canyoning and rafting, dense forests where you can go canopying and zip-lining, and walks where you can go trekking or horse riding. It is also an area rich in fauna: lovers of wildlife come here birdwatching to admire some rare species, but also all the characteristic animals of Costa Rica, from the sloth to Agalychnis callidryas, the green frog with red eyes.
Due to the volcano's underground hot springs you can also simply relax in the swimming pools of the numerous spa centers open to all or in those of the hotels. The most famous are those of The Springs, a resort also frequented by celebrities, which has 28 outdoor swimming pools - it never gets cold here - at different temperatures.
