Poas Volcano National Park  One of  Top 10 vacation spots in Costa Rica
Poas Volcano National Park Costa Rica center piece is the beautiful and mysterious Poas Volcano, the largest active geyser in the world. It’s an easy day trip from the central valley of San Jose and Alajuela. It’s best to arrive early when the gate opens, around 8 a.m. if you want best shot to see the crater, because it stays overcast with clouds most of the time.
Bring your camera and wear a rain jacket, and very comfortable walking shoes. It’s 8,000 feet above sea level so the weather is very cool and rainy. You have to walk around 10 minutes from the parking lot to see the actual crater. It is a turquois-blue gurgling pool of hot, hot water with ocasional small eruptions of steam.
It is a must see, if you are staying in the central valley and want an exciting day trip. Also you can stop by the Doka Four Generations Coffee Tour where you learn first hand the history of coffee in Costa Rica, how it is grown, and how it is processed. An excellent tour.. well worth the stop..costs around $12 per person.
The drive up to the volcano is very picturesque with coffee fields, fern farms, small villages, and dairy farms. You can get a good idea of how rural Costa Ricans live. Altogether it all makes for a very enjoyable day’s outing.
Best time to visit: Dec.-mid April is dry season and best chance to see the crater..however tourist also come May-end of August, which is rainy season. Note: September and October are very rainy months and not the best time to visit.

Many tour operators in the central valley offer day trips to the volcano and the region. I highly recommend this tour. Cost around $85 per person. Usually includes a typical Costa Rican lunch.