The Poás Volcano, also known as the Volcán Poás, is a stratovolcano with one of the largest craters in the world, measured at approximately one mile across. Located 34 miles northwest of the capital city of San José, it includes two crater lakes near its 8,884-foot summit, the active Laguna Caliente to the north and the quiet Lake Botos to the south.
According to the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian Institute, Lake Botos is cold and clear and last erupted more than 7,500 years ago while Laguna Caliente is one of the world's most acidic natural lakes (with a pH of near zero) that has erupted more than 40 times since 1828. Its eruptions, in the form of geysers, release acid gas, rain and fog, which causes great damage to the surrounding landscape. It can also harm travelers in the area by making it difficult to breathe and irritating the eyes. As of December 2010, its most recent eruption was during the week of Oct. 6, 2010.
Today, the volcano is located within the 22-square mile Poás Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcán Poás), which preserves the volcano as well as the surrounding dense tropical forest that includes giant ferns with gigantic leaves up to three feet in diameter. It offers visitors an information center with a museum, cafe, gift shop and a slide show about the volcano. The surrounding trails are well marked and the overlook of Lake Botos is approximately a 15-minute hike from the parking area. As stated by Costa Rica Tourism, "The accessibility, spectacular views and craters make it one of the country's most popular national parks with more than 175,000 visitors each year." With its overall beauty and accessibility, the volcano and its national park is a must-see destination for anyone visiting central Costa Rica.
Hiking the Poás Volcano in Costa Rica
Much like the Irazú Volcano to the south, Poás is also an easy hike due to the fact that a paved road leads right up to the summit craters and a short trail takes you to the rim. This is the primary reason why visiting the volcano has become a popular day trip from San José.
According to Go Visit Costa Rica, hiking is allowed on the national park's three well-marked trails but the park is closed to visitors at the first sign of extreme danger. The three trails include:
- Crater Trail – It is a 2,460-foot paved trail that leads right to the main crater with a spectacular lookout point of the surroundings.
- Botos Lake Trail – Approximately half-a-mile in length, the trail crosses a beautiful cloud forest and ends at Lake Botos, the cold-water lake that fills a dormant crater.
- Escalonia Trail – Another 30-minute trail that begins at the picnic grounds and is the most quiet out of the three trails.
As with any high-altitude volcano hike, the best time to view the crater is early in the morning before the clouds begin to cover the crater. For the lucky ones, the clouds may part to provide unforgettable views of the surroundings.
Best Tours of the Poás Volcano in Costa Rica
Although the Poás Volcano and its National Park can be easily reached by car or bus, these tour companies provide a number of half- and full-day tours with visits to other exciting local attractions.
Paradise Tours
It offers a 15-hour Two Volcanoes Combination Day Tour which includes visits to the Poás Volcano National Park and the Arenal Volcano. Tours depart at 7:30 a.m. from San José and includes stops at the Poás Volcano and cloud forest, a nearby coffee farm, the steel church in the town of Grecia, the handicraft oxcarts in Sarchi, the topiary gardens in Zarcero, the Arenal Volcano and Lake with night views of the Arenal Volcano (hopefully with spectacular lava flows).
The tour also provides round trip bus transportation, lunch and refreshments, which includes bottled water, sodas and beer. According to its website, it also offers the same tour with an overnight stay in the town of La Fortuna with optional visits to the Tabacón Hot Springs Resort.
ABC Tours Costa Rica
It offers a Poás Volcano Half-Day Tour and a Poás Volcano, Grecia and Sarchi Day Tour. Both tours depart from San José and include round trip bus transportation. The half-day tour travels through the countryside near many coffee plantations and arrives at the national park. It provides ample time to walk to the main crater as well as Lake Botos. The day tour includes the same visit to the Poás Volcano, but includes additional stops at the steel church in Grecia and the arts and crafts markets in Sarchi. As stated on its website, lunch and the entrance fee to the national park are also included.
Cupo Tico
Based in San José, it provides an 11-hour Poás Volcano and Sarchi Tour that is available Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It includes roundt rip bus transportation from San José, lunch and a bilingual guide. It departs at 8 a.m. and travels past coffee and sugar plantations, through the cloud forest of the Poás Volcano National Park and provides enough time to visit the main crater as well as Lake Botos. After lunch, it will stop at the arts and crafts market in the town of Sarchi before returning to San José at approximately 8 p.m.
Costa Rica Uncovered
It offers an eight-hour Poás Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens Tour that includes a pick-up at your hotel, lunch, entrance fees, bilingual guide and round trip transportation from San José. It departs at 6 a.m. and travels towards the town of Alajuela and includes a stop at a coffee plantation before arriving at the volcano. After enough time to visit the main crater, Lake Botos and the information center, it continues to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, which includes the country's largest enclosed butterfly observatory as well as a hummingbird garden.
Each of these tour companies provide round trip bus transportation and safe, guided tours of the Poás Volcano. These tours are offered throughout the year (weather permitting and are some of the best in this spectacular location. For any visitor to Costa Rica, the Poás Volcano is one of three must-see volcano destinations that also include the Irazú and Arenal Volcanoes. By viewing these volcanoes, visitors can truly understand what nature can create in this beautiful area of the country.
James Nalley - James Nalley is a full-time travel journalist whose work has been published in more than 100 magazines, journals and websites.
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