Tilaran - Costa Rica

Though Tilaran is not located directly on the edge of Lake Arenal, it is popular among surfers. Hotels in the Tilaran area rent wind surfboards and offer classes in wind and kite surfing.

Winds from the Caribbean are accelerated in a mountain space and make Lake Arenal into an absolute windsurfer's paradise.

The conditions are the best from November to April, when northeast winds blow with a speed of up to 120 kilometers per hour. The average wind speeds in these months is 40 kilometers per hour and the waves are up to one meter high. Water temperature ranges between 18 and 21 Celsius and this makes for one of the worlds best windsurfing spots. In the recent years more and more kitesurfers have discovered this beautiful perfect spot.

In1972 the national energy agency ICE began the construction of the dam on the Rio Arenal. In 1978 the area was flooded and Lake Arenal was created, the biggest lake in Cost Rica.

Windsurfing on Lake Arenal...

The turbines in the dam generated so much energy that Costa Rica exported electricity to Nicaragua and Honduras. In the recent years the consumption has increased with the tourist boom in Guanacaste. On the south-west side of the lake additional energy is generated by wind turbines.

Besides being an excellent windsurfing location, freshwater fishing is good on the lake, too. Fishing trips can be booked in Tilaran.

There are some hotels, restaurants and banks with automatic teller machines in this sleepy town. A highlight of Tilaran is the cattle market at the end of April with rodeos and bull fights.

Tilaran on the map

Tilaran on the map

Facts about Tilaran, Costa Rica

  • Tilaran is locate in the province of Guanacaste.

Driving times and distances

  • Distance from San Jose to Tilaran: 184.9 kilometers respectively 114.7 miles.
  • Travel time from San Jose to Tilaran: 3.38 hours.
  • Distance from Liberia to Tilaran: 70.6 kilometers respectively 43.8 miles.
  • Travel time from Liberia to Tilaran: 1.22 hours.