Laguna de Cote

Tip

There are no services at all: bring water and snacks, and navigate with Waze for the back roads.

Be careful

Remote spot: leave nothing in the car, go in daylight and don't camp there.

Getting there

Gravel back roads from the Nuevo Arenal side; a high-clearance car is safer in the rainy season.

Places nearby

• Restaurante Caballo NegroFood & CoffeeFamily-run restaurant beside the Lucky Bug Gallery on Route 142 where chef Monika mixes local ingredients with German recipes, served with lake-valley views and hummingbirds in the garden.
• Los Platillos VoladoresFood & CoffeeAlien-themed Italian restaurant next to the Banco Nacional in Nuevo Arenal, with friendly owners, fresh pizza and pasta made with local ingredients; a little pricey but a crowd favorite.
• Soda La Parada (Nuevo Arenal)Sodas & Local FoodFamily soda at the Nuevo Arenal bus stop that surprises travelers with hearty casados, arroz con pollo and soups at very fair prices, open from 5 am on weekdays.
• Café Con AmorFood & CoffeeGourmet coffee shop and restaurant 200 m south of the gas station with Lake Arenal views from the patio, big sandwiches, Geisha coffee and local-liquor cocktails.
• Tom's Pan German BakeryFood & CoffeeThe classic coffee-and-pastry stop on the lake road in Nuevo Arenal, run by a German family for 25+ years: fresh bread, strudel, cinnamon rolls, bratwurst and schnitzel.
• Casa ItaliaFood & CoffeeA small Italian kitchen just outside the center of Nuevo Arenal run by a Sicilian owner: homemade pasta (carbonara, alla Norma, ragù), pizza and desserts finished in a wood-fired oven.