Vísta del Cráter del Volcán Poas

Main crater at volcán Poás, Costa Rica

Volcán Poás

Considered by most to be one of the most breathtaking sites in the entire country, the Poas Volcano sits high above 14,000 acres (5,666 ha) of various habitats and life zones which make up Poas Volcano National Park (Parque Nacional Volcan Poas). Rising up to 8,885 ft (2,708 m), Poas remains one of Costa Rica's largest and most active volcanoes. This fact alone is enough to attract thousands of visitors per year.

Except for the area around the main caldera, the park is full of dense vegetation and small wildlife. Sightings of the 79 species of birds that have been identified inside the protected zone including the quetzal, emerald toucanet, black guan, sparrow, hummingbird and robin are common. Few large mammals are found inside the park, however, smaller, less conspicuous critters such as marmots, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, snakes, frogs and a plethora of insects are present. The different zones inside the protected area mainly include cloud forest, mountain rain forest and very humid low mountain forest. Hiking along the Botos Trail you arrive at Botos Lake, a beautiful crater with a diameter of 1,312 ft (400 m) that has a beautiful jade color and is frequented by many of the bird species in the park.