Costa Rica’s 7 Natural Wonders Part Two
Poas Volcano – Ranked #6
Located in the densely populated Central Valley region is Volcan Poas, a still-active force of nature, and our #6 spot on Costa Rica’s list of 7 Natural Wonders. OK, so we are obviously not posting these in the order they are actually ranked, but more in the order of our personal favorites we feel like sharing about first. Often shrouded in clouds, this 2,708 meter (8885 feet) stratovolcano sits quietly nestled within the Cordillera Central mountain range in its namesake Poas Volcano National Park, mostly being peaceful, and mostly not rumbling just spewing a bit of steam. Mostly! Actually Volcan Poas has erupted 39 times since 1828, and most recently in 2011. In 2014 a webcam even captured footage of one of the craters belching a dark cloud 200 meters into the air. Very much alive and well, this volcano!
Though a quick check on Trip Advisor will confirm that indeed visibility can sometimes be poor on or near the Poas Volcano due to cloud cover, it is also true that the weather in Costa Rica can (and often does) turn on a dime. Suddenly what was totally clouded over just a few minutes previous, is now a sunny and warm playground where adventure awaits! And the colors and landscapes revealed to you at the summit of Poas when the clouds do part? Breathtaking. Most definitely worth the hike! And the hiking here is considered easy to moderate. You can access the viewpoints of the crater on an easy stroll, and weather permitting the photos ops are spectacular!! Another thing we love about Poas is that if you are short on time, you can make it to the summit, take some great photos, and make it back down into San Jose in time for lunch on any of the half day tours.
There are two lakes near the summit of the Poas Volcano, one is known as Laguna Caliente and the other is Lago Botos. Caliente is one of the most acidic lakes in the entire world, sometimes reaching a pH of almost zero! It even has a layer of liquid sulphur lining the bottom, like mud, so as you can imagine there’s no real aquatic life in this crater lake. Botos is super cold and super clear and fills a crater which last erupted way back in 7500BC. Due to its unique environmental conditions Botos is even surrounded by a cloud forest. The trails surrounding Poas meander through the cloud forest making for a great nature hike. The lakes are almost polar opposites personality-wise, but both very much worth a visit!
Because Volcan Poas is so centrally located, there are a healthy number of Costa Rican nationals who visit on the weekends. To get the best chances for the best viewing of the crater, we suggest leaving as early as possible to get to the Poas Volcano National Park when it opens at 8am because the clouds can settle in as early as 10:00am. I have made the trek 3 times and only been blessed to view the crater on one occasion. Don’t let that scare you, combine your day with the La Paz Waterfall Gardens which are along the way and you will not be disappointed. This is a great place to get a taste for how and where the locals play, in addition to providing some respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. So if your travels bring you to the central valley, be sure to put the breathtaking Poas Volcano on your to-do list. You’ll be glad you did!