Costa Rica has a lot of beauties. Here you will find the most beautiful waterfalls, beaches, jungle and lots of wildlife. But one of the things that cannot be missing from your journey through Costa Rica is climbing a volcano. And of course preferably the most beautiful volcano in Costa Rica. Read everything you need to know about this volcano here!
The Poás volcano
About 50 km northwest of the capital San José you will find Costa Rica's most beautiful volcano. In the Volcano Poás National Park lies a 2708 meter high active volcano. The Poás volcano is a stratovolcano with a crater more than 1 km wide. In this crater is a crater lake of 300 meters wide and 30 meters deep. This crater lake has a pH value of less than 1, which means that the water is extremely acidic. In addition, the water is about 85 degrees.
The Poás volcano is an active volcano that has erupted no less than 40 times since 1828. The last time, in 2017, there was an unexpected eruption. After this, the national park was closed for 17 months, including the area within a radius of 2.5 km around the park. This has had a huge impact on the park, but also on everyone living around it.
Since 2018, the national park has reopened with additional security measures. As a result, it is not allowed to be at the crater with more than 50 people at the same time. In addition, you are only allowed to stand at the crater rim for 20 to 25 minutes. This is because of the gases coming out of the crater, but also to make evacuation easier in case of an emergency. Furthermore, it is mandatory to wear a helmet and there are shelters around the crater, where you can take shelter if something happens. Finally, there is a traffic light that indicates whether it is safe enough to be at the crater.
The most beautiful volcano in Costa Rica
From the parking lot it is only a 5 minute walk to the entrance. Here you show your entrance ticket, which you bought online. Then you get a helmet and you have to take a seat in a small cinema room. Here you will see a short film about the volcano and its history. The safety measures are also explained. Then you walk with the whole group and a guide towards the crater. There are only a few short trails in the park that are easy to navigate. The path to the crater is very beautiful and you will undoubtedly see 'The umbrella of the old man', as the Costa Ricans call this huge plant.
After a short 10 minute walk, you will arrive at the viewpoint over the crater. If the weather is clear you will be able to admire the huge crater and the crater lake right away. In addition, you will most likely also be able to smell the sulfur gases. It will differ from day to day how many gases are hanging in the crater. If you have a good day, like we had, there will be no smoke or clouds in the crater and you can admire the most beautiful volcano in Costa Rica.
You should know this about the most beautiful volcano in Costa Rica
The park is only open from 07:00 to 14:00. Please note that the last group goes to the crater at 13:20. You must buy your ticket online in advance via www.sinac.go.cr. You can also reserve a time slot here, so make sure you're on time. A ticket costs about €16 per person.
The weather at the top of the crater can change constantly and is very different from the surrounding areas. It can be quite chilly; between 9 and 12 degrees. Because the weather is so unpredictable, it can change by the minute. So one moment you can't see anything through the clouds and 2 minutes later you can admire the beautiful Poás volcano again. That is why it is best to go early in the morning, then you have the least chance of clouds.
TIP: Go early in the morning, then you have the best chance of a clear view of the crater.
How do you get to the most beautiful volcano in Costa Rica?
The view on the way to and from the Poás volcano is also great. You drive up most of the way by car to the parking lot. Along this road are a number of restaurants where you can eat and enjoy this view.
NB: there is little to no coverage at the top of the volcano. Booking an uber at the parking lot is therefore not an option. So make sure you arrange something in advance for the way back.
From San José
From San José it is just over an hour's drive to the parking lot. You can drive your own car if you have rented it, otherwise you can take an uber that will take you to the park. You can also take the bus first to Alajuela and then take the bus directly to the park. Keep in mind that the bus to the National Park only goes twice a day. So you are stuck with those times to come back and forth.
From Sarchi
We ourselves slept in Sarchi and from here we visited both the Poás volcano and Bajos del Toro. From here it is also just over an hour's drive to the National Park. We took an uber for this, which was affordable.
From La Fortuna
It is also possible to visit the Poás volcano from La Fortuna From here it is about 2 hours and 15 minutes drive. This will be quite pricey with a taxi or uber. You can therefore choose to first go to Sarchi by bus and take an uber from there. From La Fortuna take the bus to Ciudad Quesada. Here you then transfer to the bus to Naranjo in Sarchi. From here you book an Uber that will take you to the parking lot.
With a tour
You can also choose to go with an organized tour from San José to the Poás volcano. This tour includes transportation but also visits various plantations in the area. Such a tour will cost you around €100. So if you only want to visit the Poás volcano, it is better to buy a ticket yourself and arrange transport.
Are you near Alajuela or La Fortuna then also visit the magnificent Bajos del Toro!
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