One of the most-visited volcanoes in Costa Rica is Poás, a 2,700-meter mountain located just north of Alajuela. At the end of long and winding roads, you’ll find an enormous crater with a smoking core, along with beautiful views of the surrounding highlands. The high altitude and strong sulfuric scent make Poás a (literally) breathtaking destination. You can also hike the surrounding trails and visit a tranquil crater lake.
A quick word of caution: Poás is still very active, and recently it’s been fairly explosive. Poás’ temperamental nature is part its charm, of course, and you may smile when the guáchiman asks you back into you parking space (to accelerate evacuation in the unlikely event of an eruption). Just keep abreast of updates, as no one knows exactly when the volcano will phreatically spill its guts. In the meantime, enjoy the panorama.
