Best Time  to Visit Poas Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

How do I make the best of my visit  Poas Volcano National Park located thirty five minutes north of the city of Alajuela in the Central Valley of Costa Rica?

You can drive to Poas Volcano National park in a rental vehicle.  You do not need a four wheel drive because the road is paved and in good condition.  The route is easy to follow going north from Alajuela.  Signs  along the road guide you to the correct road.  Driving time from Alajuela is approx thirty five minutes.

From San Jose, the capital city-it is  45 miles.  First drive to Alajuela from San Jose.   Very good roads all the way.

Try to arrive to the park by 8:30am  because early you have a better chance of seeing the crater which sometimes will cloud over as the morning progresses.  Although I have been at the park when it is covered with clouds and I wait fifteen minutes and winds will  clear the crater which is a spectacular sight!!  The crater is a one mile wide geyser which sprays hot water and sulphur steam into the air.

The Poas is 8,000 feet above sea level so the air is cool and often misty so you need a jacket and good walking shoes.  From the visitors center you need to walk about fifteen minutes to arrive to the crater.  There is a great hiking trail there at the crater which leads you to the old crater lake (takes approx twenty minutes up and twenty minutes down.  A good work out.

The visitors center has a good demonstration of the history of the Volcano with nice photos.  You can get a Good cup of Costa Rican coffee at the coffee shop adjacent to the visitors center.

The eco system at the Poas is very unusual.  There are large plants called Poor Man’s Umbrella all over the park and huge ferns, mosses, and bromeliads .   Yellow and white wild flowers line the paths to the crater.

I highly recommend a visit to the Poas Volcano National Park is you are going to be in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Weather patterns at the Poas:   Get there early in the morning because clouds often  hover over the crater by late morning.

Best time of the year to visit Poas?  Dry season is January thru April.   It rains less during these months.  Rainy season is May thru Nov.  The more Rainy months are Sept and Oct.   Lasts two weeks of July are good.  There is a lull in the rainfall.

What to wear?  Good walking shoes, a rain jacket and in rainy season an umbrella.  Weather is cool because it is 8,000 above sea level at Poas Volcano.

How long should I allocated to see all the Poas  Volcano

Poas Volcano

Poas Volcano Erupting

National Park  You can do it in one half day.

Contact Ann, The Costa Rica Expert” to help you plan your vacation to Costa Rica.

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