No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsTravel and TourismCosta Rica's Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park never fails to...

Costa Rica’s Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park never fails to impress

Costa Rica’s Río Celeste is one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, and one of the strangest. The color is straight out of a box of crayons: “Sky Blue,” it might be called, though in places it changes to a darker blue, or a brilliant aquamarine.

Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park "Blue Lagoon" lives up to its name.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times

It can also turn totally brown after a big storm in the rainy season, so it’s best visited between December and April to see the brilliant blues.

The centerpiece of Tenorio Volcano National Park, Río Celeste is viewed from a single, easy trail that can be hiked both ways in two or three hours. On the way you’ll see the stunning Celeste Waterfall, the inviting Blue Lagoon, the “Borbollones,” where volcanic gas makes the water bubble, and “Teñidores,” the “Dyer’s Shop,” where two colorless rivers collide and turn blue.

Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Par
Alberto Font/The Tico Times

Where the Buena Vista River and Agria Creek meet, a change in the acidity of the water increases the particle size of minerals in the Buena Vista called aluminosilicates (made of aluminum, silicon and oxygen). A fraction of these minerals reach the bottom of the river and can be seen as a white sediment, whereas the majority remain suspended in the water. The size and chemical properties of these particles are such that they reflect the spectrum of the sun in only blue.

Los Teñideros, where Río Buena Vista and Quebrada Agria meet to form Río Celeste.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times

Enjoy our photos of this magical place.

Borbollones, at Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park "the place where the water bubbles," is the result not of heat but of venting volcanic gases.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
An ant carries a small piece of vegetation up a tree near Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
Many butterflies converge upon the fertile grounds of Tenorio Volcano National Park.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
A creek in Costa Rica's Tenorio Volcano National Park.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
A spiderweb on the trails at Río Celeste.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
Deep forest along the Río Celeste trail.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times

Trending Now

Costa Rica Seeks New Air Routes Amid Decline in European Tourism

Costa Rica is working to increase the number of international flights entering the country, as it faces a concerning drop in tourist arrivals.  The...

Costa Rica Faces Economic Blow as Intel, Pfizer, and Qorvo Announce Restructuring

Intel announced that it will shut down its chip assembly and test plant in Costa Rica, part of a broader global restructuring aimed at...

Costa Rica Celebrates 201st Annexation Anniversary With New Nicoya Park

Nearly 200 people joined the Municipality of Nicoya this Sunday to inaugurate a new park at the Annexation Monument, an initiative that blends recreation,...

Costa Rica Court Sanctions Road Official Over Delayed Wildlife Crossings

Costa Rica’s wildlife faces perils, as authorities have continously failed to build wildlife crossings. Nonetheless, the Constitutional Court has taken a firm stance in...

Remittances to Central America Surge 20% Amid U.S. Deportation Fears

Family remittances in Central America grew by around 20% in the first half of 2025, according to official data—a rise that experts attribute to...

Why I Choose Real Life in Costa Rica Over the AI Hype

When it comes to AI, call me OG. Old school. I sometimes wish I could go back to a time before it existed. Artificial...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica