I definitely want to do some traveling in the area and will be sure to ask around.
I was thinking of going to lake arenal for kiting and traveling in the surrounding parks.

how is it compared to Nicaragua?

When we were there a couple of weeks ago the water levels were too high to kite safely at Lake Nicaragua. There were a few kiters who came down from Nicaragua to kite Bahia Salinas.

We decided on going to Nicaragua instead of Lake Arenal because we wanted to experience another country, we were tired from a few big days of kiting in a row at Bahia Salinas, and we also wanted to score some inexpensive pottery in San Juan Del Orient, Nicaragua.

If we were there for more time we would have gone to Arenal as well. We heard good things about that area. The kiting there is aparently a little gustier and punchier depending on who you talk to. Arenal also has rainforest near it which would have been cool to check out. Bahias Salinas is in the dry forest area.

You can ask Ulf about taking you to a foundation that promotes reforestation and has a nursery in the area that you will be staying. There's some cool plants in there and you will also get to see a part of the area a little off the beaten path.

The people that like Bahia Salinas probably never been to a good kite spots. Bahia Salinas is by far the worst kite spot I ever been to. And yes so thought my fellow kiters that also been to Carribean, Brazil, Peru and Venezuela... Save your money and go somewhere else.