We love volcanoes! So, in Costa Rica, just like anywhere else, there’s no way we could resist getting up close to these giants. Like all Central American countries, Costa Rica sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, with intense volcanic activity. In short, everything we love! Come along as we explore volcanoes of Costa Rica!

Sunday, July 2, 2023

Not only did we find a boa in the shower, but the water was freezing! To make up for it, we headed to the hot springs. There are plenty at the foot of Arenal Volcano, but most have been privatized by resorts that charge outrageous fees to access them. All of them? Nope! A small stretch of river still stands its ground against the resorts! Well, some clever folks have still found a way to make a few bucks—by charging for parking… or rather, for the roadside spot where people leave their cars! We grumble a bit because the place is clearly public, but in the end, we hand over 3,000 colones (€5). We walk upstream a few meters to get away from the road and settle into a natural pool. The water is hot, around 38°C—pure bliss! 😊

Next, we go exploring. Arenal Volcano has finally emerged from the clouds, a rare sight this time of year! We admire it from the town of La Fortuna and then from the small hillside village of El Castillo. Its perfect cone rises to 1,657 meters. Since 2010, Arenal has been dormant but remains active. Climbing it is strictly forbidden.

We grab yet another casado in La Fortuna before hitting the road at 1 p.m. A long afternoon of driving awaits us, though we don’t know it yet. We cover kilometers and check out two potential overnight spots, but neither feels right. So, we keep going, higher and higher into the mountains. The road is so narrow that hairpin turns can only be taken one car at a time, creating a multi-kilometer traffic jam. We’re stuck for 1.5 hours, passing the time by admiring the local wildlife and waterfalls along the way.

By 6 p.m., we really need to find a place for the night. Luckily, there’s a campground nearby. We take a steep road down into the valley. The descent is intense, the brakes are heating up. But when we arrive, we find the gate closed. ☹️ We have no choice but to drive all the way back up to the village. It’s 8 p.m., and night has fallen. We settle for a muddy roadside spot surrounded by thick forest—the kind of place we’d normally never consider, but tonight, it’ll have to do! It’s chilly, which is great because we can sleep inside. Though we still have to open the tent in the rain to grab our duvet and pillows… Who would’ve thought we’d be sleeping in the car in Costa Rica?!

Monday, July 3

The one upside to our less-than-ideal roadside spot? We’re in the perfect location to head straight to Poás Volcano in the morning! We booked our visit for 9 a.m. the night before, and we’re only five minutes from the park entrance. Poás is one of Costa Rica’s most active volcanoes, standing at 2,708 meters. Its crater holds one of the most acidic lakes in the world—up to 50 meters deep—reminding us of Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador! The walk to the viewpoint? Just ten minutes from the parking lot! The weather is perfect, and the view stretches across the entire valley. This place is simply incredible.

Poás’s last significant eruption was in April 2017. The volcano spewed ash and rocks for miles, forcing the national park to close for over a year. Today, yellow circles on the ground mark the impact points of that eruption. New shelters have been built for visitors in case of another event. The toxic gases emitted by the volcano are also closely monitored. A blue indicator means no harmful fumes; yellow and red indicate rising gas levels. When the winds shift, it suddenly becomes difficult to breathe, and an uncontrollable coughing fit takes over.

After an hour at Poás, we descend to a nearby village overlooking San José. The pastures are a striking shade of green, and we pass cows—real cows, like in France, not the buffalo-like ones we’ve seen elsewhere!

Here, strawberries seem to grow everywhere. Every house sells them. We buy a basket and also stop by a roadside stand for some local cheese and coffee, topped off with a delicious strawberry batido (milkshake)! A big breakfast, followed a few hours later by yet another hearty casado at a roadside eatery.

It’s time to leave Costa Rica’s volcanoes behind. The road slowly but surely leads us back to the Pacific coast, to warmer weather and beautiful beaches—where we might just run into some of Costa Rica’s more iconic creatures… the kind you wouldn’t want to meet while swimming! 😁

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