Close to Alajuela you can visit Finca de Mariposas, a large butterfly farm where you will have the chance to observe and photograph more than 40 species of butterflies. On the North of Alajuela a paved road leads you to the Volcán Poás crater which is 8,800 ft, passing through coffee fields, flower and fern farms and green pastures.

Poás National Park protects an epiphyte-laden cloud forest and elfin (small tree) forest, a blue crater lake (Laguna Botos) and the volcano´s active crater which is nearly 1 mile long and 1,000 ft deep (one of the largest active craters in the world). If you visit the park early in the morning or on a sunny day, you might be able to watch the stunning green turquoise crater and its smoky fumaroles. You can also walk to Laguna Botos, through a trail that crosses a forest of dwarf trees. Very close to Poás, Doka Estate, a working coffee plantation, offers a comprehensive tour that takes you through the fields and shows you how the fruit is processed. Here you can sample some of the best coffee in the country. To the East of Poás park you can visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens which encompasses 5 wonderful waterfalls surrounded by a gorgeous cloud forest and the country’s largest butterfly garden.

Northwest to Alajuela you can visit the towns of Grecia and Sarchí. It is worth the trip to stop by Grecia and admire its unusual church, a brick-red prefabricated iron church made from steel frames and imported from Belgium in the 1890´s. A few minutes away from Grecia is Sarchi which is one of Costa Ricas wood craft centers. Artisans work tropical hardwoods producing bowls, jewelry, boxes, toys and more. The most typical Costa Rican artifact is original from Sarchí, the colorful wooden oxcarts that were used to transport coffee.

There are other tours that can be arranged from that area or be done on their own. A visit to La Paz Waterfall Garden is also highly recommended!!

How to get there:
From San Jose
Take the Panamerican Highway # 1 north
towards the airport. After you have passed the toll booth and the first street light take the right exit to Alajuela just in front of the Airport and follow the road through Alajuela downtown and the signs to Poás. Once passing the town of Alajuela you will start to climb the mountains and the coffee plantations that will lead you to the Poas Volcano National Park.

If you want to visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens watch and follow the signs to Varablanca, Cariblanco, and
San Miguel. The road will also take you to the Arenal area.