Poas Volcano National Park Tours and Tickets

The vast volcanic crater and moody cloudy forest at Poas Volcano National Park make it a highly recommended destination for Costa Rican visitors. It's also popular because it's easy to reach from the capital, San Jose, allowing travelers to see these natural wonders without visiting the country's far-flung areas.

Yes, Poas Volcano is safe if you follow the national park's rules for visiting this active volcano. Safety rules include wearing the helmet provided and keeping to the viewpoint's 20-minute limit, which minimizes exposure to toxic gases vented from the crater.

Park staff monitor volcanic activity and may restrict certain areas. The park has also added several concrete shelters where visitors can take refuge in the case of an eruption. Finally, a siren will go off if gas levels increase too much.

When visiting Poás Volcano National Park, you must stay on the park’s trails, not consume or be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and avoid smoking and littering. It is also imperative to follow park guards' safety instructions, especially in emergencies.

At Poás Volcano National Park, visitors take an easy walk up from the entrance to a viewpoint overlooking the volcano’s main crater. The park does not allow visitors to walk into the crater. Fortunately, the viewpoint sits right on the crater's edge and puts you close enough to enjoy an excellent unobstructed view of Poas Volcano (on a clear day).

Facilities at the visitor center for Poás Volcano National Park include a gift shop, coffee shop, and restrooms. However, there aren’t any picnic areas due to the lack of clearings in the forest, the mountainous terrain, the altitude, and the fumes coming off the crater.

While the crater of Poas Volcano is the main attraction within Poas Volcano National Park, there are more things to see. Plus, you don’t want to spend more than 20 minutes breathing in the active crater’s toxic gases. These other main attractions include Laguna Botos, a lake filling another crater that is inactive.

Also, don’t miss the cloud forest that you walk through to see the craters. Keep your eyes peeled for entertaining, and elusive, wildlife. The park is home to kinkajous, armadillos, coyotes, and even puma. It also boasts a variety of birds, reptiles, and amphibians.