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SJO → FON
Which side of the plane to sit from Juan Santamaria International Airport (San Jose) to Arenal Airport (La Fortuna/San Carlos)?
Right Side of the Plane
While both sides offer spectacular views of the Central Mountain Range, the right side provides the most direct and dramatic angle of the Arenal Volcano's cone during the descent into La Fortuna.
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Central Valley Vista
A sweeping view of the San José metropolitan area and the surrounding Heredia mountains during takeoff.
Juan Castro Blanco Cloud Forest
Deep, mist-filled canyons and dense primary forest as you cross the continental divide.
Arenal Volcano Cone
The iconic, perfectly symmetrical volcano dominates the window view as the aircraft lines up for the FON landing strip.
The right side is the 'volcano side.' Keep your camera ready about 15 minutes into the flight for the reveal of the Arenal cone. Use a fast shutter speed to capture the dense forest textures below without blur from the propeller vibration.
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Alajuela Coffee Highlands
Lush green hillsides covered in coffee plantations immediately after departing SJO.
Poás Volcano
The massive crater of Poás can often be spotted to the north-west shortly after the climb out.
Lake Arenal (Distant)
The sparkling blue waters of Costa Rica's largest lake become visible on the horizon during the final approach.
Sit toward the front of the aircraft to avoid the wing if flying in a high-wing Cessna Caravan. For the best chance to see the Poás crater, book the earliest morning flight possible (7:00 AM - 9:00 AM) before the daily cloud cover forms around the peak.
Get eSIMs for Costa Rica
Get eSIMs for Costa RicaDistance: 71 km (44 miles)
Approximate Flight Time: 7 min
Departure: SJO (9.993860244750977, -84.20880126953125)
Arrival: FON (10.478, -84.634499)
Route Type: Domestic
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