Central Valley & Highlands

CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS 124 centers –Alajuela,Heredia, andTurrialba. Cartago and,surprisingly,rightunderthenoseofnation’scapital. heartland restaurant willdiscover thatunknownbeauty,culture andcharmare sittinginthecountry’s let youdown.Those whogive theregion more thanthestandardhalfhouratroadside winding roads,usingdistantvolcanopeaksasacompasswhenthelocalroadmapsinevitably the worldover, visitors. andshouldnotbemissedbyanythrill-seeking rapids outsideTurrialba, meanwhile,are topofthelistforwhite-water rafters andkayakers before moving ontothebeach,thusbypassingSanJosé’surbangrime. The cascading visitorshaveof Alajuela’sproximity beenoptingtostayinthetranquiltown totheairport, which you’llrarely have toshare withmore thanahandfulofothertourists. coffee fieldsoneitherside. You’llalsofindmistyrainforests andbroodingvolcanoeshere, and every journeyinvolves twistingandturning throughlushswoopingterrain withinfinite regions,area hasalwaysbeenfamousforbeingoneoftheglobe’smajorcoffee-growing during travelers’ pitstopsontheirwaytothecountry’smore establisheddestinations. The The rollingverdant midlandshave valleysofCostaRica’s traditionallyonlybeenwitnessed Highlands & Valley Central © LonelyPlanetPublications This chapter isarrangedinaroughlywest–eastsequenceofthefourmajorpopulation The area isfantasticforself-drive exploration.Rollthetopdownanddrive throughthe Only AlajuelaandTurrialba have really featured onthetourist radartodate. As aresult

HIGHLIGHTS

Not sleeping for a week at Costa Rica’s larg- NotsleepingforaweekatCosta Rica’s Goingback intimeatthecountry’smajor Drivingthrough thelushcoffee fields inthe Tentatively peeringintothemammoth ridingdowntheswooping White-knuckle Irazú ( p162) est fiestain Arqueológico archaeological site, Valle deOrosi craters ofthearea’s live volcanoes, and and divingrapidsofthe RíoPacuare (p151), Palmares Poás

(p152) Guayabo (p159) 19) and (p139) Monumento Nacional ( p137) (p160) Río Reventazón Turrialba Volcánes

Palmares Volcán Poás Volcán Irazú Volcán Turrialba Valle deOrosi Río Reventazón Arqueológico Monumento Guayabo Nacional Pacuare Río permanent settlement atGarcimuñoz,inpermanent settlement evidence fromthisperiod,saveevidence forthear- dominant. Butthere isvery littlehistorical ValleyCentral Indianswere Huetar themost thatthe Rica,itisthought Hispanic Costa Of the20orsotribesthatinhabited pre- lonelyplanet.com Los Jardines de la Catarata laPaz Los JardinesdelaCatarata Reserve Los AngelesCloudForest nificent national parks. Valley’sscapes insomeof theCentral mag- Watch wildlife andexplore volcanicland- Parks &Reserves hour of rain,sonothingto fret about. but thesunusuallypokes after through an afternoon shower, not uncommonforalight aproblem.FromJunetoDecember,it’s pose that mostof thecountryendures doesn’t tude and landlocked locationmeantheheat hovers around25°C/77°F. alti- Theelevated surprisingly mild.Year-round themercury Climate the rest of the country. do communityremains aheavy influenceon fied, buttheregion’s educated andwell-to- agriculture becomemorehas seen diversi- cently, thedecrease inthevalueof coffee powerful agrarianmiddleclass.More re- encouraged of thedevelopment alarge and riches tothelocalcommunity,and brought revenues. Theplantingof the‘goldenbean’ per, duetoitsenormouscoffee-growing century thatthearea really begantopros- all sprangupinthe 18th century. ments, andHeredia, SanJoséandAlajuela valleys ledtoincreasing numbers of settle- tion. Therich fertile landsof thevolcanic land andenslaving theindigenous popula- founded andtheSpanishbeganfarming was real colonizationgotunderway.Cartago Valley.the western Central Twoyears later, history. of of pre-Columbian Rica fromthepages Costa and ruthless colonizationhave most erased cheological site atGuayabo. Tropicalrains forest, with a hummingbird garden, serpentarium, frog forest, witha hummingbirdgarden, serpentarium, rain wildlife-filled trailsthrough rich 3.5km ofhiking trot throughthebranches onthe horseback trails. to whizthroughtheleaves onthezip-linecanopytouror offers thechance reserve activity-based from-the-crowds For thispartof the world,weatheris History It wasn’tuntilthebeginningof the19th In 1561theSpanishpitched theirfirst ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ( p141 ) Offers 17) hs away- This ( p137) coe down. close geysers sometimesgetsoaggressive thattheparkhasto of theprettiest volcanoesintheregion. Thesteaming thisone andsurroundingcloudforest make crater lake Alajuela is only3kmfromJuan Santamaría driverstrary towhatmost taxi will tell you, population of more than 185,000.And,con- largest,mention thecountry’s second witha Hermosa, it’sstillavery ‘pretty city,’ notto west of SanJosé.OriginallyknownasVilla ofcapital Alajuela liesabout18kmnorth- jungleparks, theprovincialfincas andtamed Cradled bythegentle undulations of coffee NORTH OFTHE VALLEY ALAJUELA &THE with gas costs. are risks(see p549 ), andalwaysoffer tohelp ing cars. Ifyoudothis,beware thatthere Planet author)occasionallywave downpass- pain. Locals(andtheoddgunghoLonely thembypublictransportcanbea between by regular from SanJosé,butgetting buses country. Allthetownsare wellconnected the hard-to-find corners of thispartof the tohire outall It makes acar toseek sense Getting There&Around in your car. leave parkingandnever valuables off-street larger townslike Alajuela. Tryandsecure reports of carbreak-ins, particularlyinthe very safe andwelcoming,there have been While thearea isgenerally considered tobe Dangers &Annoyances Parque NacionalVolcánPoás Parque NacionalVolcánIrazú Muerte Parque dela NacionalTapantí-Macizo Cerro villages willstillsparkyourinner Indiana Jones. outlineofforest-encompassed Guatemala, buttherickety or isn’t quiteasimpressive asanythingfoundinMexico ( p160 ) Thecountry’sonlysignificantarchaeologicalsite Guayabo Monumento NationalArqueológico enclosure. andtheworld’slargest exhibit, troutlake butterfly ocelots andtapirsare someofthemore exciting species. ofthecountry,soitisfulllife. Jaguars, any otherpart highest live volcano. and thePacific, Irazúalsolaysclaimtobeingthecountry’s thataffordsviewsofboththeCaribbean lookouts onearth ( p155 ) Thisparkreceives more rainfallthan ( p139 ) A shimmering shimmering A (p139) ( p151 ) Oneofthefew

125

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL 83º30'W 9º45'N CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS If you’ve got a long trip (or flight) ahead ofyou, stopbyand (orflight)ahead If you’vegot alongtrip Goodlight Books Clínica Norza BYTE and at theintersection of Central Calle Av 1. signed andeasytonavigate. Thecitycenter is Rica(see in Costa p537 ), Alajuela isfairlywell streetAlthough signs are aguarantee never of calles(streets) andavenidas (avenues). Alajuela isapedestrian-friendlyCentral grid it’s againstits archrival Saprissa!). team LigaAlajuelense isplaying(especiallyif ice cream ifthelocalfootball andgrab abeer beaming overhead. So,take astroll,eatsome center are attractive, especiallywhenthesunis the crumblingcolonialbuildingsincity cities inMexico, Guatemala orNicaragua, ies are nowhere nearasbeautifulhistoric Ricancit- of Costa thevalley.Andalthough on spendingafew daysexploringthenorth into oroutof thenearbyairport, orifyouplan it’saconvenient ifyou’rethough base flying as their football. banites whotake theirjobsalmostasseriously clean, modernandfullof hard-workingur- for nearbycoffee Alajuelaplantations. isalso city’s pastasacolonialadministrative center whitewashed cathedralisatestament tothe you’ll findintheprovinces, andthesoaring mango-tree-lined center isasrelaxed asany Its fromthecapital. that isvirtuallyabsent resonating withawarmandwelcomingvibe colonial history,Alajuela isanattractive place unwarranted. Inadditiontohaving arich thisdiminutive isperhapscity, though status Alajuela Rica’ssecond isknownasCosta ALAJUELA cycle of the harvest. campesinos the terraced hillsides,andthelives of many day of hasleftitsmarkon coffee exportation perspective onthearea. Thecolonialhey- into thenorthof thevalleywillchange your ashortdrivefast pacedandmodern,though andebbofthe pulse Alajuela hasalwaysbeen and entering the country. ing thepreferred for travelers base leaving international airport,andisrapidlybecom- 128 h US$0.75; Orientation &Information From coffee baronstoconglomerate banks, Alajuela isnota‘destination’fortourists, 24 hr)Basicmedicalservices. ( LJEA&TENRHO H VLE • Aaul OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ••Alajuela % h 2441 1142;cnrCalle3&Av 1,2ndfl;perhr Mon-Sat) Internet access. (farmers) stillrevolve aroundthe ( % ( % 2441 3572;Av 4btwnCalles2&4; 2430 4083;Av 3btwnCalles1&3) and providesinternetaccessuseful information. tourist to sellingusedandnewbooks,Larryalsorunsasmallcafé andalwayshelpfulowner,Larry.Inaddition visit thefriendly b cannons. by ofstatue thehero(see below ) inaction,flanked bare blocks eastof Parque Central. it wasbuiltin1941)isthe presidents are buried here. spacious andelegantratherthanornate; two ofsheets red Theinterior corrugated is metal. spherical cupolaisunusuallyconstructed of damage inanearthquake in1991.Thehemi- including the 19th-centurybuildings, rounded byseveral to relax beneaththemangotrees. Itissur- The shady Sights Scotiabank deTurismo Instituto Costarricense Hospital SanRafael cal artifacts thatare related tothe warwith maps,paintingsandhistori- now contains wasonce thetownjail,andit The museum diedafterinhisquest. Santamaría succeeding buster WilliamWalker inthewar of 1856. being defended by North Americanfili- volunteered totorch thebuildingthatwas ( was namedandto whomthissmall for whomthenearbyinternational airport place of nationalhero Juan Santamaría, Alajuela’s main claimtofameisasthebirth- MUSEO JUAN SANTAMARÍA directions asit’sdifficult to find. appointment only,andit’sbesttoget detailed apairofeach isby house macaws.Visitation for infantmacawsandhasthree aviaries that gardenisanearlyhome Frisius, thebotanical ing program.RunbyRichard andMargot successful green and scarlet macawbreed- de Alajuela is which hasanATM onthe Cirrus network. banks where youcanchange money,includingScotiabank, 8am-4pmSat)There are probablyadozen 5pm Mon-Fri, Central & 1) airport. hasadeskat office,butICT 1820) There’s notourist the 6pm Tue-Sun) % Santamaría wasthedrummer boywhoSantamaría Three kilometers southeastinRíoSegundo Two blockssouthof theparkisrather A more baroque-lookingchurch (though 2441 4775;cnrAv 3&Calle2;admissionfree; Parque JuanSantamaría ( is devoted. % Parque Central cathedral 2443 2168;cnrAv 3&Calle2; Flor de Mayo Flor deMayo ( % 2441 5011;Av 9btwnCalles , which suffered severe is a pleasant place isapleasant ( % Iglesia LaAgonía , where there isa lonelyplanet.com 2441 2658) (ICT; (ICT; % h h , avery museum 2442 8am- 10am- , six

lonelyplanet.com can take the San Antonio de Belén exit off exit off can take theSanAntonio deBelén a smallgymnasium. FromSanJosé,drivers There are game courtsand alsosnackstands, which thespringsare amajor supplyof water. before beingpipeddownto Puntarenas, for swimming poolsandanartificialboating lake gush outfromthespringeach minute, filling Alajuela. Approximately 20,000Lof water on weekends withfolksfromSanJoséand picturesque working-classresort that’spacked ( About 6km southof Alajuela are the OJO DEAGUA ances are occasionally staged. There isa small auditoriumwhere perform- Walker, artexhibition. aswellarotating To DragonflyInn(400m) %

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Santamaría. AfterSantamaría. William Walker andthe hometown of the battle’s younghero, Juan 11, isparticularly celebrated inAlajuela, the The anniversary of the details. more as boxed text ANaturalEducation, p148 , for Valley,Schools intheCentral p130 , aswell of boxed choices forschools. See text Spanish do aSpanish andthere course, are anumber Alajuela isalovely and yourself spottobase moreSlightly tranquilthanthecapital, Courses Antonio. San the Interamericana; OjodeAgua isjustpast Festivals &Events

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS for hanging outwith other travelers. free internet andplentyof communalspace lounge, dorms, acommunal kitchen, TV hostel isawinner–we’re cheap talking d US$25-30; mundos.com; Av 5btwnCalles2&4;dminclbreakfast US$10, the splurge –go on, treat yourself! looking Parque isworth Juan Santamaría) room (complete withahuge balconyover- but you’llprobably agree thatthebiggest different roomsizesfordifferent budgets, friendly management. There isavarietyof mellowedoutwithpasteltally paintsand of(House Peace) implies,thisplaceisto- 2 btwnAvs 2&4;dUS$15-45; tels inAlajuela. Allhotels have hot water. There are somegreat budget hotels andhos- BUDGET a small fee. hotels and B&Bscanarrange transfers for Since Alajuela totheairport,most issoclose Sleeping firecrackers. of andawholelot with aparade,civicevents iscommemorated Theevent stronghold. was shotandkilledafter torching Walker’s ofBattle Rivasclimaxed whenSantamaría themintoNicaragua.chased OnApril11the on March Ricanmilitia 20,1856,theCosta Filibusters were ousted Rosa fromSanta 130 Hostel Trotamundos Hostel Paz B&B Casa and your cultural experiences could include seeing traditional Costa Rican farmingtechniques. couldincludeseeingtraditionalCostaRican and yourculturalexperiences II), ANaturalEducation(Part farm –seeboxed text p153 mealsare thespecialty vegetarian –notfarfromCartago, Montaña Linda Intercultura Fundación Castillo Finca laFlordeParaíso Adventure EducationCenter week’s homestaywithalocalfamily.Allpricesincludebreakfast anddinner. Unless otherwise noted, pricesare given forfive four-hour with/withouta daysofinstruction, SPANISH SCHOOLSINTHECENTRALVALLEY sleeping inthehostelorcamping. Classesare onlythree hoursaday,insteadofthecustomaryfour. at thisOrosioutpost,alsoafinehostel(see p154 ). Therategivenisforhomestays,thoughyoucansavemoneyby where thiscoolschoolalsooffers coursestailored formedicalprofessionals. shouldheadtoTurrialba, rafting, US$415/315) FolkswhowanttocombineSpanishclassesand,say,white-water students getadiscountatlocalLatindanceschool. and afternoon, aroundtownevery andfieldtrips Thereoffers are coursesinbusinessSpanishforabitextra. activities cooking anddanceclassesincluded. cooking This Heredia schoolalsoarrangesvolunteerpositionsthroughoutthecountry,andyournewlanguagecomeswith LJEA&TENRHO H VLE • Aaul OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ••Alajuela pi (Map (Map p142 ; ( % ) Thisreader-recommended

( 2431 2691;[email protected];Calle % ( (Map (Map p129 ; % 2533 3640; www.montanalinda.com; with homestay US$155) All classes are one-on-one 2533 3640;www.montanalinda.com; withhomestayUS$155)Allclassesare one-on-one % pi 2430 5832;www.hosteltrota

( % 2260 8480,intheUSA800-5522051;www.spanish-intercultura.com; US$370/260) 2534 8003; www.la-flor-de-paraiso.org; withhomestayUS$370)Onanorganic 2534 8003;www.la-flor-de-paraiso.org; (Map (Map p158 ; % ) As thename 2440 8771;US$310/200)Afew blocksfromcentralAlajuela,thisschoolalso % 2556 4609,4614;www.adventurespanishschool.com; .com; Av 5btwnCalles2&4;sUS$27-50,dUS$28-50,allincl included. transfers ful ifyou’re theplane).Free justoff airport bookings tootherpartsof thecountry(use- charming familywhocanhelpwithonward packers’ abodeiscleanandrunbya US$12/25/30/40; hostel.com; Av 9btwnCallesCentral&2;dm/s/d/tr lounge space tostrike up a conversation. kitchen, plentyof hammocks andenough bare there’s andbasicrooms,though anice bathroom US$20/40) hotmail.com; Av 3 btwnCalles2&4;s/dUS$15/30,with chase at reception. Supper). Originalartisavailable forpur- kitchens (check outthemuralof theLast and there’s afinecommonarea andtwo are withpolished comfortable, woodfloors, theproperty. Homeyroomsthroughout real growingoutof vases cementwalls) his uniquework(we’re about sur- talking Rodríguez, isatalented artistwhodisplays & 4;s/d/trUS$15/30/45; bathrooms are available. some fresh pineapple. Shared andprivate is agreat spottohave amorningbrew and of information.Theoutdoorbreakfast nook welcoming totravelers andagreat source plustheownersand-span throughout, are breakfast; Mango Verde Hostel Mango Azul Cortéz Hotel Pacandé Hotel o pi Hostel Maleku Maleku Hostel pi ) Thispopularoptionisspick-

Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels Thispopularhostel has ( %

( % p ) This sweet littleback- Thissweet 2443 8481;www.hotelpacande

( % 2443 6145;Av 5btwnCalles2 ) Theowner,Eduardo ( % 2441 6330;mirafloresbb@ 2430 4304;www.maleku expeditions.com/hotel.htm; Av 2btwnCallesCentral&2;s/d alajuela.com; Av 9btwnCallesCentral&2;s/dUS$25/35, travelers andgive (orget) adviceonyourtrip. a ‘junglelounge,’ where youchat upother option, asattractive roomsare centered on with bathroomUS$30/40; Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels garden is perfect for getting somesun. There murals,andthebackyard is awashinbright restaurant, see Central p132 ). Theentire house owners alsoownthe recommended Jalapeños is thisColombian-American-run B&B (the tial neighborhood justnorthof downtown s/d inclbreakfast US$30/45; bination of private and shared bathrooms. pieces andhave hardwoodaccents andacom- Roomsareto please. furnishedwithperiod an intimate six-roomB&B,definitely aims convertedbished home,which hasbeen into incl breakfast US$30/45; patio forreading and relaxing. deciding. There’s alsoanicelittleplant-filled ing alookaroundthevariousroomsbefore at thefrontare alittledingy:it’sworthhav- rooms make upthishotel. Someof therooms 2 btwnAvs Central&2;dUS$30-45; B&Bs tochoose from. For afew dollars more, there are somelovely MIDRANGE people or more). breakfast andairporttransfer (ifthere are two full of nature-loving travelers. include Rates isnewlyconstructedand thehostel and itself alternativeJoaquín isapleasant toAlajuela, a placeof theirown.Thecolonialtownof San Hostel inSanJosé,andnowthey’ve finallygot ers spentyears managingthefamousToruma road toSanJoaquín.TheAmerican-Tico own- option isabout 5kmeastof theairporton .com; dm/dUS$14/35; lessons inthe bakery.in-house in free airportpick-upsandtortilla-making lovely couple,ArnoldandIleana,whothrow orange grove, theruralgetaway isrunbya from theairporttonature. inadelightful Set is agreat optionifyouwanttogostraight US$8/30/35/45; (US$10) andwi-fi internet. There’s acommunal kitchen, optionalair-con Pensión Alajuela Vida Tropical Vida Alajuela Hotel Welcome toCRB&B Arilapa Hotel LosVolcanes Hotel ( % pi

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( % pai % % pi 2443 9576; www.vidatropical.com; 2443 9576;www.vidatropical.com; Thissolidbackpacker 2441 0525;www.montezuma 2265 6563;www.welcometocr ) 2441 6251;www.pension pi Inaquietresiden- ) This1920srefur- ) ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ••Alajuela ) Anothergreat Fiftysimple ) US$50/65/75; .com; Calle2btwnAvs 5&7;s/dUS$45/55,s/d/trwithair-con inn.com; dUS$79-99,steUS$99-150,aptUS$140; both well known: the first for its gourmet both well known:thefirst foritsgourmet geodesic domes).Therestaurant andbarare varied suites are lavish (ourfavorites are the and are juststeps fromthepool,while the are decked outwithGuatemalan bedspreads rooms Spanish-colonial mansion.Standard the roadtoSanPedro dePoásisthisstately nas views. dizzying the expansive grounds andsoakupthe canwalkaround everyone and sizes,though equipped andcomeinavarietyof shapes more expensive rooms.Roomsare fully particularlyfromthebalconiesofnoes, the has panoramicviewsof thenearbyvolca- hotel and isperched on amountaintop this whitewashed Mediterranean-style 5km northof Alajuela ontheroadtoPoás, vistacr.com; dUS$75-130; BuenaVista Hotel TOP END hammocks. in afternoon on themanicured lawnandswingawaythe draw isthefloralgardenwhere guestslounge mattresses.white pillowsanddeep Themain town centre. Roomsare comfy, withplump ing andhomeyhotel, ontheoutskirtsof the bonita.com; Av 8,Calle 9;s/dUS$47/57; ported toa different era. and it’seasytofeel asifyou’ve trans- been Spanish-colonial-style hotel isbreathtaking, theinteriorthe same), of the101-year-old drivers taxi outside (and,indeed, willtell you in Alajuela. fromthe itlooksclosed Although hotel isinoneof themostbeautifulbuildings ing (orchecking your email). cony and‘businesscenter’ isperfect forrelax- of which hasaJacuzzi), andtheupstairs bal- home share twoimmaculate bathrooms(one airy roomsinthistwo-story,white colonial and couple namedDawnandMichael. Bright charming innisrunbyaNorthAmerican hood northwestof Parque Trinidad,this La of downtown,inaquietresidential neighbor- s/d inclbreakfast US$45/65; and thewarmcompanyof the owners. are alsoplentyof hammocks,comfycouches Las OrquídeasInn Bonita Villa Hotel o Dragonfly Inn ) Hotel 1915 Hotel pa About 5kmwestof Alajuela on (

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( % pnais ( % % pi 2442 8595;www.hotelbuena 2433 9346;www.orquideas 2441 0239;www.hotelvilla 2441 0495;www.1915hotel ) About 1kmwest pi Acharm- ) ) About

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS 3; mealsUS$2-5; tainly thecomfiestoptionwithinreachtainly of are hot and heavenly. hereyour appetite along,too,as the tamales the localblend,butit’sworthbringing sample US$2-5) pastries and cakes. of homemadebreads aswelleye-popping ing bakery, which isstocked withalltypes US$1-3) cheap, unassuming roadside stand. the localsdoandgrab abarstoolatthisdirt- Soda El Puntalito Eating meals. vegetarian met restaurant thatspecializesinlow-fat and pools, aJacuzzi and,thereal clincher, agour- cures plustwoswimming toexoticmassages, and fullspapackages, fromfacialsandpedi- the Xandarialsooffers visitors fitnessclasses and waterfalls them.But runningthrough postcard perfect, with3kmof private trails Rooms are predictably plush andviewsare bettereven chick tripthanaromanticholiday. laxed resort like itwouldmake seems foran Valley, about6kmnorthof Alajuela, thisre- overlookinga coffee plantation theCentral dvillaUS$192-280; .xandari.com; signedfrom Carizal, the Estadio. about 7kmnorthof Alajuela ontheroadto a spiritualoralternative-healing angle. It’s and organized outingsthatusuallyinclude indoorsuites,comfortable andoffers classes guests upinplush but zen‘tentalows’ ormore theretreatthat’s adestinationinitself, puts renowned yogaandalternative-health center first cluethatthisisavery different resort. A whichinclude twodailyyogaclasses, isyour perpersonUS$1465; 7-day package USA 888-7677375;www.puravidaspa.com; dUS$165-185, provided. transfers ing thelovely poolandgarden.Free airport the bestof which have balconiesoverlook- roomshavecotta-tiled beds, twoqueen-size ofthe airportlandingstrip.Each the20terra- .trappfam.com; dUS$110; paraphernalia. Monroe cuisine, andthe second 132 Xandari Resort Hotel &Spa Hotel Resort Xandari &Spa Retreat Pura Vida o Coffee Dreams Café Café Coffee Dreams La CocinadeAbuelita Panadería SantaClara LJEA&TENRHO H VLE • Aaul OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ••Alajuela Thisadorable caféisagreat placeto Follow your nose tothisoutstand- Followyournose Trapp Family Lodge h (cnr Calle4&Av 3;snacksUS$1-3) 11am-3pm) pis (Calle 1btwnAvs 1&3;dishes (Cnr Av Central,btwnCalles1& (Av 1btwnCalles6&8;items Areal locals’haunt, for itsfull-on

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( pns ( % % 8392 8099,inthe ) Thisiscer- 2443 2020;www 2431 0776;www ) Rates ) Doas Marilyn Set in Set all of yourfavorite fast-food chains are con- If you’re having alittlebitof culture shock, sodas 6 btwnAvs 1&Central; something specialfromthe wine list. and grilledmeatscanbecomplemented by looking thestreet dishes milieu.Fresh seafood wonderfully casualbalconyrestaurant over- Ricanfaretop placeintownforCosta isthis Central &2,2ndfl;mealsUS$4-9; of andfreshsearch heartycasados ters totourists,it’sstillpacked withlocals in this Though much spicein needed your life. New York,thisTex-Mex spotprovides the animated Colombian-American fromQueens, leave Alajuela withouteatinghere! Runbyan 3 &5;dishesUS$3-6; upbyboisterous served Peruvian waiters. inthearea,well-marinated seafood) which is town toget thebest worth thetrek tothenorthernoutskirtsof Alajuela; mealsUS$3-6; hearty andauthenticasa farmer’s cackle. It’sascheap,as porkstew andfriedplantains. of upabuffet such Ticothis placeserves treats strippers. Orheadto bar thatsometimes hasmaleandfemale Shot Monkey lodic monotonythat isreggaetón, check out ommend theGuaroCacique. Bottoms up! Rica,werec-If thisisyourfirst inCosta night bunch of drunken Ticos mumbling be onoffer after 10pm(there’s nothinglike a and there’s agoodchance thatkaraoke will brew or two. Mon-Sat) ( stopby can’t get seats, Ifyou on Sundaysduringsoccerseason. Morera Sotoatthenortheastendof town Liga,playattheEstadio Alajuela’s ownLa The perennial Ricansoccerchampions, Costa Entertainment Av 2&Calle 10; stock upongroceriesatthe can veniently located downtown.Self-caterers % If you’re lookingtoexperience theme- There’s noshortage of dive bars inAlajuela, Head totheenclosed La Mansarda La Baranda Central Jalepeños delRey Ceviche 2440 6893;cnrAv Central&Calle5; , produce stands andmuch,, producestands much more. andyoucancatch thegameover a h

(Av Central btwnCalles1&3;dishesUS$3-7) (Calle 4) soda ( 8am-8pm) % Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels h ( h % h (inexpensive eatery) ca- 2441 4390;CalleCentralbtwnAvs , ahuge indoor-outdoor ( % 11:20am-9pm Mon-Sat) 7am-6pm Mon-Sat) 2442 3977; Calle 2 north ofRío 2442 3977;Calle2north 11am-11pm) ceviche . Spectros Disco Spectros 2430 4027;Calle1btwnAvs Cugini Bar&Restaurant Cugini Mercado Central Central Mercado h Palí supermarket (uncooked but 11am-11pm) It’sdefinitely h noon-midnight forlotsof (Calle 2btwn

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originally openedasthefirst commercial the largest beingthe Avenidas 30minutesfrom5am Centraland2every to 10pm. 15minutesfrom5am terminal every to 11pm. Central. (US$3)totheairportfromParquetake ataxi see Juan Santamaría, p108 and p545 . Youcan For details of toAeropuerto flights Internacional Getting There&Away in the city. Avs 10& 12) Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels three times daily,more often when it’s busy. Spanish orFrenchin English,German, run ofthe importance butterflies innature. Tours stages of thecomplexbutterfly life cycle, and two-hour tour,where youcan learnaboutthe early. Yourentrancefee includesaguided particularly inthemorning,sotryto get there being packed for export. August, youcanwatchof thousands pupae on aMondayorThursday from March to collections aroundtheworld.If you visit andprivatefor gardens,schools, museums rate. Thisensures asteady supplyof pupae anastounding90%survival the farmboast toadulthood,whilebreederslars at survive it’s estimated thatlessthan2%of caterpil- America. Inthewild butterfly farminLatin adult/child 5-12yr/studentUS$15/7/10; Butterfly small ofsector thecountry’seconomy, Built in1983,backwhen tourism wasjusta BUTTERFLY FARM Sarchí San José Laguna deFraijanes 6am to 9pm. the cornerofCalle10andAvenida 30minutesfrom 2every Ave La Garita/Zoo Heredia Farm Butterfly Atenas destinations. other the international airport,VolcánPoásand (Calle 8btwnAvs Central&1) Alajuela busterminalat9am,1pm,4:15pmand 6:15pm. 9pm. to Calle 6andAvenida 30minutesfrom6am Centralevery Alajuela bus terminal every 10minutesfrom5am Alajuela busterminalevery to 11pm. ad 1pm. and corner ofCalle8andAvenida 2at6:20am,9am,11am The butterflies are busiestwhenit’ssunny, There are busstopsinAlajuela, several US$0.50, 30 minutes, depart fromCalle8between US$0.50,30minutes,depart US$0.50, 30 minutes, depart fromthecornerof US$0.50,30minutes,depart US$0.50, 30 minutes, depart fromAlajuelabus US$0.50,30minutes,depart (Tuasa) US$0.75, 45 minutes, depart from US$0.75,45minutes,depart (Tuasa)

Farm Farm , which hasthebiggest dancefloor US$0.50, 30 minutes, depart fromthe US$0.50,30minutes,depart

( % US$0.50, 30 minutes, depart from US$0.50,30minutes,depart 2438 0400; www.butterflyfarm.co.cr; 2438 0400;www.butterflyfarm.co.cr; US$0.50, 30 minutes, depart from US$0.50,30minutes,depart for buses toSanJosé, for buses Alajuela bus terminal Alajuela busterminal ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY Farm ••Butterfly h 8:30am-5pm)

and Central America can compromise here Americacancompromise and Central Vegas Las Couples whocan’tdecidebetween ary, anoutrageous spa,huge and pools,sauna Gourmet organic meals, abirdsanctu- Italian plete Rica’s mostelegantcasino.’ with‘Costa amid over-the-top, Roman-styleluxury,com- .com; dstandard/deluxe US$187/244; &Spa Resort Martino SLEEPING &EATING ence handling animals. ties here aswell,especiallyifyouhave experi- into thewild.There are opportuni- volunteer center that aimstoreintroduce native species the‘zoo’isactuallyabreedingon view,though species of monkey aswellothercritters are a great Rican stopforfamilies.AllfourCosta display inarelaxing parklike –thisis setting Rican speciesof birdsoncolorful,squawking has more Garita, just before than80Costa La US$9/1; est collectionof birdsin America. Central we couldn’tresist!), aswellvisitingthelarg- bite atanumber of ‘corny’restaurants (sorry, Alajuela. At youcanstopforaquick Garita La who really appreciate cornis11kmwestof This pilgrimage-worthy destinationforfolks La Garita enough to linger. fect climate andruralatmosphere are reasons remotely interested theper- incorn,though daytripforanyonewho’seven is apleasant The roadwestfromAlajuela toAtenas (25km) WEST TOATENAS take adirect busfromAlajuela (see left ). José hotels forUS$10perperson, oryoucan fromSan provides around-tripshuttle service signed ElClubCampestre LosReyes.Thefarm Guácima;it’salmostinfrontofof thewell- La heading 12kmsouthof Alajuela tothevillage trips. side Finca (see p144 ) andanynumberof other Britt the farm,plusaCoffee TourattheCafé from anySanJoséhotel, lunch andatourof US$63/48/53) thatincludetransportation one-day package tours (adult/child/student a traditional oxcart ride. and othertropicalspecies,youcantake orchids tobees, primarily gardensdevoted Zoo Ave Drivers canreach theButterfly Farm by The Butterfly Farm alsooffers several The complexalsohasotherattractions, h

8:30am-5pm) ( % 2433 8989; www.zooave.org; adult/child 2433 8989;www.zooave.org; ( % , 10km westof Alajuela, 2433 8382;www.hotelmartino pnais 133

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS seven different them seven wines.Youcansample which producessmallbatches Garita, ofLa your thing,visitthisvineyardontheedge of to Costa Rica’scornbreadbasketto Costa tostudy gazing across theentire Valley.Central ofselection beverages, drunkhotorcold while –asbeans orinanoutstanding Negrita La US$1-5; views. Theonsite café that allhave lotsof andgreat light country tive roomsthatvaryinsize andamenities,but attrac- trails towaterfalls), apoolandseveral coffee. There’s alarge garden (withtwoeasy thelocalspecialty –that’dbe by tosample where orsimplystop thenight youcanstay 5kmnorthofing coffee plantation Atenas, 5785; www.cafetal.com; s/dfromUS$80/90; in the air. springtimeisalways heavy though onsights, 1994 issue of climate intheworld,atleastaccordingtoa it’s bestknownashaving themostpleasant coffee beansasfarPuntarenas, though de carretas This smallvillage isonthehistoric Atenas to Zoo Ave. exit offtheInteramericana, thengo3kmeast half hour. Ifyou’re driving,take theAtenas viaZooAve, Garita, Alajuela andLa every (US$0.75,30minutes) runbetween Buses THERE&AWAYGETTING or American style. alongside therecommended steaks, Argentine h ipe toincludecorn.Iowa,eatyour heart out. and alsoadaptsjustabout possiblerec- every market, withitsrusticdiningroomand grill, h well asfried pork skins. for itswidevarietyof cornconcoctions,as h own investigation.tasty a numberof unusualrestaurants todotheir maize. Everyone comestodineatoneof else 15 minutes from the airport. Alajuela exitfromthe Interamericana, about full gymare alsoonoffer. It’s2kmnorthof the 134 La Casa delViñedo La Casa Delicias delMaíz La Fiesta delMaíz Scientists fromaroundtheworldcome Follow thesignsto 11am-11pm) 6am-9:30pm) 8am-9:30pm) LJEA&TENRHO H VLE • Nrhett ací OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY toSarchí ••Northwest h 7am-5pm) (oxcart trail)thatoncecarried Dare it–ifcornisnot wesay Thisunderstated spotisfamed National Geographic Deliciasisdecidedlymore up- sells itsownbrand of sells coffee,

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% ( ( % % El Cafetal InnB&B ElCafetal Mirador delCafetal Mirador 2433 7206;mainsUS$3-9; 2487 6086;mainsUS$4-15; 2487 7057;mainsUS$1-5; p . It’snottoo , asweep- ) (

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2446 Energy; isc collection. insect America’awardandanimpressivein Latin articles aboutGrecia’s ‘CleanestLittleTown ficial version, withSpanish-colonialartifacts, small with afairdashof Ricanfolklore. Costa The 1897, Grecia isamoderntownspicedup Ricain andshippedtoCosta up inBelgium metal Centered ontheincongruous,bright-red Grecia bushes andits arts-and-crafts capital. including thecountry’smostfamoustopiary subdued collectionof eccentricattractions, the region alsoboastsexcellentcoffee anda air. Inadditiontoitscharming atmosphere, ofin search floweringtrees andfresh country are popular romanticgetaways forjosefinos (52km),which Naranjo (35km)andZarcero towns of Grecia (22km),Sarchí (29km), to thenorthwestof Alajuela are thesmall Scattered across thecarefully cultivated hills NORTHWEST TOSARCHÍ and Alajuela. to anold mill, nearby). the ‘coffee mill’(therestaurant’s namerefers where theme at youcanoptforthecaffeine andisapopulartouriststop tic-style casados US$3-8) species in all)are displayed inlarge cages as breeding program. More than 150 snakes (40 well-run attraction withanendangered-snake 4pm) of Snakes of Historical Interest. In1994itwasdeclareddevil. aNationalSite haveand sometales itthat itwasbuiltbythe the onlyotherrockbridge like thisisinChina, Piedra andRincóndeSalas.Grecians that say of townconnectingthehamletsof Puente de Check outthe SIGHTS banks with24-hourATMs anda post office. simple town hasseveral formation about thesurroundingparks.The Theoretically, INFORMATION The premier is attraction,however, Frequent connectAtenas toSanJosé buses The , 1.5kmsoutheast of thetowncenter, a , 75m east of the gas station, serves rus- , 75meastof serves thegasstation, % Catedral delaMercedes Catedral Casa deCultura Casa Rancho TípicoLaTrilla Rancho

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lonelyplanet.com andbars, plus 2446 5637;mains has the of- has the hasin- h south World 8am- US$60/30) mission US$4; by picnic tables. It’sapopularspotforby picnictables. terfalls andaswimmingholesurrounded from Alajuela candropyouat the entrance. snakestain ifthere’s time. AnybustoGrecia Spanish mayincludethechance tohandlecer- Rica.’ Informative tours or inEnglish, German ‘Snakes of theWorld’or‘Snakes of Costa lonelyplanet.com a pooland Jacuzzi for soaking off the hike. massage therapy are available, andthere isalso atabout 800m.Horseback toursreserve and Zona Protectora RíoGrande, acloud-forest waterfallpast a90m-high intotheadjoining Trailslead SanJosécitylights. andeven noes that overlook theRíoGrande,variousvolca- garden havelandscaped botanical balconies cottages scattered theluxuriously throughout est junglelodges Rica. Elegant garden inCosta airport shuttle maywellbeoneof theswanki- parrot flies,thischoice propertywitharegular about 7kmsouthwestofRosario, Grecia asthe breakfast US$155-200; 0800; www.vistadelvalle.com; s/dUS$100/120,steincl northeast of thechurch onthe main road. massages andmacrobioticmeals.It’s800m loss opportunitieslike homeopathictherapies, gym andJacuzzi, weight- aswelllesstaxing guests have accesstotheon-site tennis court, shared bathrooms are great value considering if you’re lookingtoslimdown.Roomswith Tico resort isagreat citybreak, especially bettertrance lookslike days,this it’sseen crumbling, junglefacadeadorningtheen- breakfast US$45; Healthy DayCountryInnResort SLEEPING &EATING Grecia. for impending doomis2kmwestof theturnoff 75m bridge thatspanstheRíoColorado. Your Bungee doing itforyou?Live dangerously at Rica’ssafe andpeacefulimageIs Costa justnot ACTIVITIES couples. weekending areGertrudis, price. the tive plaques.Guidedtours are includedwith pretty butterfly garden withafew informa- 5pm) o About 5kmsouthof Grecia, toward Santa Mariposario Spirogyra Mariposario , 150mfromthechurch, isasmallbut

( , where the off you canhurlyourself % Vista delValle PlantationInn Vista 2290 5629;www.bungee.co.cr; 1st/2ndjump h pnais 8am-5pm) Las Cataratas deLosChorros Las Cataratas ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY toSarchí ••Northwest pns

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2450 8am- (ad- depart every 25minutesfrom4:45am every depart to 10pm. ht showers. hot well-kept andprivate roomshave cable TV the bestbudget option intown.Smallbut tothefireClose inSarchí station Norte is Mandy Cabinas SLEEPING &EATING h Theretaurants. isa cal twin-towered church, ahotel andsomeres- Norte you’llfindthemainplazawithtypi- main roadfromGrecia toNaranjo. InSarchí kilometers forseveral alongthestraggling Norte and Sarchí Sur,andisratherspread out, Sarchí isdividedbytheRíoTrojas intoSarchí own creation orarrange alesson or two. different custom-orderyour artists,andeven little bitindependentit’soften possibleto meet around thenearbycountryside,andifyou’re a there are more than200workshops peppered one withfree coffee. Butkeep inmindthat sion thatyou’ve landedinatouristtrap,albeit a tourbus)islikely togive youtheimpres- minute stop intown(especiallyifyou’re on coffee-growing valleys.Unfortunately, a45- surroundedbyundulatinggalow-size stalls, tradition. Thepretty townisajumbleof bun- ingrainedwoodworking the country’sdeeply mous craftscenter, where showcase artisans presents. want trekking mud.Nope,they waist-deep through spotted arare three-wattled bellbirdwhile friends andfamilywhowon’tcare thatyou end of yourtrip,andyou’ve gottofacejealous rain forests intheworld.Buthere itis,the ing yourvisittosomeof thelastuntouched wrong tobuyaplasticbaublecommemorat- the wholeecotourismthing–itjustseems Rica:lousysouvenirCosta shopping.Blame There’s just oneproblemwithvacationingin Sarchí toNaranjo Sarchí, connecting San José church, behindthe The busterminal isabout 400msouthof the THERE&AWAYGETTING eries andbasic from 5:30am to 10pm. ORIENTATION &INFORMATION Welcome toSarchí, Rica’smostfa- Costa There are afew well-stocked markets, bak- 8:30am-3pm Mon-Fri) US$0.50, one hour, depart every 30minutes every US$0.50,onehour,depart ( sodas % 2454 2397;s/dUS$10/15; for changing money. Banco Nacional mercado in town. US$0.25,onehour, (market). (

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS On aquietstreet eastof thesoccerfield,this and lots of produce. grab homemade snacks, palmettocheese behind Taller Alfaro,where youcan Lalo with localwoodwork. classics inanelegantdiningroomadorned upTico andlocalsalikefor tourbuses serves 9pm) are large and nicely furnished. andprivate hotshowers,have and cableTV moreis aslightly upmarket choice. Rooms 136 A great farmers market isheld onFridays Las Carretas DanielZamora Hotel patterns on oxcarts byhand. patterns onoxcarts aestheticsemblazonthoseincredible fromtheoldschooloftransportation This isagoodspotforwatchingartisans Taller Lalo Alfaro Plaza delaArtesanía Pidesa Souvenirs Los Rodríguez worker). thatareoxcarts theunofficialsouvenir (andofficialsymbolofthe Costa Rican ofCostaRica available forpurchaseis extensive, mosttravelers are interested in Elegantly polishedorbrightlypainted, Althoughtherangeofcrafts Sarchíworkisunmistakable. A SHOPPERSGUIDETOSARCHÍ oxcarts usingmachinerypowered byawaterwheel. oxcarts style, includingfull-sizemilkcans. key chains. key shopping mallwithmore fromtrulybeautifulfurniture than30souvenirstores tomass-produced sellingeverything Fábrica deCarretas JoaquínChaverri pays toshoparoundandenjoytheexperience. dollars. Belowisalisted ofrecommended spots,thoughwithover 200placestochoosefrom,it everyone happy. apprenticeship –talktodifferent askforafew pricesandworkoutadealthatmakes artisans, classesororganizing anThere woodworking inSarchífortaking are alsoplentyofopportunities to listen toyourideasaswelloffer suggestions, andpricesare generallyfairandreasonable. inquisitive travelers. Ifyou’re interested willbehappy incommissioningacustompiece,artisans families,manyofwhomare ofrenowned are very woodworking part artisans welcomingto inquire aboutapieceifyou’re feeling unsure. Most ofthehardwoodssculpted inSarchíare grownlocallyonplantations,thoughit’sbestto deforestation).you shouldthinktwiceaboutbuyingunlesswanttocontribute tofurther include gleamingwoodenbowlsandothertableware, fromrare somecarved hardwoods(which styleforshipping. items chairsthatcollapseIkea youwon’tfindelsewhere Other specifically rocking suitable forevery budgetandbackpack. have beencustomized asindoortables,sideboardsandminibars. tofunction Smallermodelsare rately), mostare scaled-downversions designedfordisplayingardens and homes,whileothers watching. Thoughis aprocesswellworth priciermodelsare ready fortheroad(oxen soldsepa- located along the main road, and specialize in rocking chairsand otherfurniture. located alongthemainroad,andspecializeinrocking Themostpopularrestaurant intown LJEA&TENRHO H VLE • Nrhett ací OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY toSarchí ••Northwest Painting theelaborate mandala Workshops are usuallyopenfrom8amto4pmdaily,andtheyacceptcredit cardsandUS SarchísomuchmoreWhat makes thananotherstoponthetouristcircuitisthat top In additionto ( % ( 2454 1636;mainsUS$5-10; % carretas, ( Two blocks north of the church is Sarchí’s oldest workshop, where they still make working working ofthechurchisSarchí’soldestworkshop,where theystillmake Twoblocksnorth % 2454 4097),

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2454 3430)and 4:05pm. from 6am to 11pm. minutes from6am to 11pm. San José Grecia Alajuela signs for the ‘Catarata.’ fall northof Bajos delToro. Lookforlocal attraction of thisroute isthebeautifulwater- northern lowlandsatRíoCuarto. Themain Colonia delTorototheand onthrough road northeastfromSarchí toBajos delToro If you’re driving,youcantake theunpaved THERE&AROUND GETTING US$0.50, 20 minutes, depart every 30minutes every US$0.50,20minutes,depart (Tuasa) US$0.75, 30 minutes, depart every 30 every US$0.75, 30 minutes,depart (Tuasa) US$2, 1½ hours, depart at6am,1pmand US$2,1½hours, depart El Artesano carretas, theelaborately painted ( % 2454 4304)Allare lonelyplanet.com and features carnivalrides,parades,a travaganza thattakes placeinmid-January Fiestas de Palmares Palmares’ claimtofameistheannual PALMARES Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels spires of the ash-gray history. impressive Rica andwell-done exhibitsonthearea’s life-size dioramasdepictingcolonial Costa see schedule to working aroundthemuseum’s Fri) 9851; admissionfree; town oratthe and more, canbefoundonplaquesaround ). right (see the entrancetoLosAngeles CloudForest tourist lodge afew kilometers tothenorthat ing ex-president whobuilt a RodrigoCarazo, office,includ- men tothecountry’shighest The ‘Cityof five Presidents hassent andPoets’ flower inthepageant of Ricanhistory. Costa The colonialtownof isnowall- San Ramón SAN RAMÓN 13km to reach Palmares. Naranjo, where itdivides–headsouthfor ing, theroadfromSarchí continueswestto Ticos torent private shuttles.Ifyou’re driv- festival, it’scommon forgroupsof though from SanJosétoPalmares the throughout inthearea.house runcontinuously Buses Palmares unlessyouknowsomeonewitha place on which days. aretival, whichwhatevents willdetail taking January, lookforposters advertising thefes- Ifyou’reyourself. traveling Ricain inCosta hard Ticos itfor canpartyuntilyou’ve seen how andyouwon’tbelieve day andnight, continuesunabated virtually period, thefiesta upwards of the10-day 10,000people. Over glass church inthe central plaza. tle life existsiscentered ontheornate stained- is abitof town,where atumbleweed whatlit- ered on national TV. gest inthecountry,andiswidelycov- events Unsurprisingly,it’soneof thebig- seen. ever proportionofhighest drunken Ticos you’ve tentsers, andthe friedfood,GuaroCacique name bands,small-nameexoticdanc- parade),fireworks,(horse discotheques,big- onthenorthsideof thepark.It’sworth Stories of theformerpresidents, pluspoets During festival time,crowdscanreach For theother355daysof theyear,Palmares At the center of San Ramón areAt thecenter of thetwin SanRamón Give upanyplansyouhave of in staying Museo deSanRamón Museo h , a10-daybeer-soaked ex- 8:30-11am Wed-Sat,1-5pmMon- Iglesia de SanRamón ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OFTHE & THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ••Palmares

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jiy steaks. juicy cializes inwoodoven–fired pizzasandthick, corner of thecentralpark,IlGiardinospe- riously plush roomscomplete withbeautiful to thisexecutive-worthy hotel, which hasse- comparatively untouristed, which meansyou atMonteverde, see serve p190 ) isthatit forest (which isactuallyadjacentto there- cloud-forest Theappealof vistas. this cloud that leadtotowering waterfalls andmisty boardwalk andlonger horse and foottrails 800 hectares of primaryforest have ashort owned byex-president RodrigoCarazo. Some on alodge anddairyranch thatwasonce about 20kmnorth iscenteredof SanRamón, This LOS ANGELESCLOUDFOREST RESERVE Avenidas 1 and 3. 16between Zarcero. departfromCalle Buses viaas frequent toCiudadQuesada buses There are toSan Joséaswell hourlybuses Getting There&Away Sunday. with smallermarkets onWednesday and make yourealize whatyou’ve missing! been rooms have steaming-hot showers thatwill Private bath- wooden furniture andhuge TVs. US$30/40) vate hot-water bathroomsand cable TV. that surroundacourtyardandcomewithpri- option, which rooms hascompletely standard blocks westof theparkisthisdecentbudget p138). (see nearby LosAngeles CloudForest Reserve in town,aswelltwoupscalelodges inthe There are afew inexpensive placestostay Sleeping &Eating gossiping. and area’s shopping oldwomendotheirweekly of cheeses andchorizo are ondisplayandthe farmersthe weekly market, whenallmanner found attheentrancetoaShinto shrine. lime-green nial buildingsandhasabizarre collectionof Central dignified air. Infrontof thechurch is abovewhich soar high thetownandgive ita The Saturdayfarmers market isabigone, Hotel laPosada Hotel Gran Hotel Il Giardino The besttimetocomeisonSaturdayfor private reserve private , which issurroundedbyafew colo- Spendtheextramoneyandupgrade torii, torii, (dishes US$4-8)

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rugs orhardwoodfloors andprivate balcony. which hashomeyroomswitheithershag Just northof thetownchurch isthishotel, .com; dwithout/withbathroomUS$28/33,trUS$35; DonBeto Hotel Sleeping Jacuzzi. a swimming poolbutalsothree hottubsand to Guadalupe,where there’s notonlyahuge 4pm Mon-Sat) Piscinas Apamar beneath theshadeof a Guanacaste tree. countryside andfindyourowngrassyspot your picnicbasket, explore thesurrounding fresh andbasil.Onceyou’ve packed tomatoes wellwith that hasadelicate taste andgoes out for stores picnicsupplies–beonthelook- selling are linedwithsmall The roadsaroundZarcero Activities picnic. afternoon aresurrounding mountains justperfect foran pesticide-free goodiesallover town,andthe movement. Youcanfindunusualvarietiesof a centerRica’sorganic-farming forCosta –thisis the onlythinggrowinginZarcero butspace-agetown’s topsight, trees aren’t important watershedsimportant inthe entire country. here aswell,makingthisone of themost headwaters forfive major rivers originate The (2267m) fromlogging. Volcán Porvenir the slopesof (2183m) and Volcán Platanar camping US$2) 143-sq-km This BLANCO PARQUE NACIONALJUANCASTRO Ramón. San There are fromAlajuela alsobuses and particularlyonweekends.reach Zarcero, maybefullbythetimetheysome buses though stopatZarcero, Ciudad Quesada travelingHourly buses SanJoséand between Getting There&Away Blanco. Castro andParqueForest NacionalJuan Reserve area, especially tonearbyLosAngeles Cloud source fororganizing the tripsthroughout were visiting family,andthey’re agreat re- The Tico owners treat asifthey everyone If you brought yourswimsuit,stopinto If youbrought the Today thetrippytopiaryiscertainly queso palmito, , 500mwestof theparkonroad wascreated in1992toprotect (

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though therethough isa there isalmostnoinfrastructure forvisitors, are technically opentothe traveler. As yet, already bythegovernment purchased been partsthathavetion families–onlythose but stillprivately ownedbyvariousplanta- lonelyplanet.com as early as possible or you won’t see much. as early possibleoryou won’tsee Even ifthedaylooksclear, get tothepark ataround10am. starting in thedryseason), almostdaily(even gatherstain arounditself for visitors isthe veil of cloudsthatthe moun- Feelin’ Hot, Hot!, p243 ). boxedsign of animpendingeruption(see text the pastdecade,which isamajor warning oflevel the lake hasdroppeddramaticallyin scientistsarethough stillworried – thewater noimminentthreat, Poáshasposed however, park intermittently in1995.Inrecent years, the activityclosed 1km intotheair,andlesser volcanicashspoutingmoreeruption sent than inMaywas brieflyclosed 1989after aminor tents withdifferent of levels danger. Thepark past. violent of asevidence thevolcano’s lake, thatserve two othercraters, oneof a which contains There1.3km acrossand300mdeep. are also andenormouscrater,the eerie which is formed its lastblowoutin1953.Thisevent of course, Volcán Poás(2704m),which had hiking upone. Thecenterpiece of theparkis, volcano –withoutthehardshipof actually the worldwhere intoanactive youcanpeer Rica. thereCosta However, are few placesin national park and scenicroadisthemostheavily trafficked Just 37km northof Alajuela byawinding PARQUE NACIONALVOLCÁNPOÁS arranged atanyof thehotels in the area. mended thatyouhire aguide,which canbe and few marked trailsinthe park,it’srecom- sincethere However, high. are nofacilities your chances of spottingrare wildlife are very infrastructure meansthat andtouristtraffic nearly alwaysabandoned. Also,thelackof thattheparkis accessmeans the difficult of thefive rivers isbrimmingwithtrout,and fees are rarely collected. and theoffice isusuallyclosed, However, use. where youcanpayfees forcampingorday El Sucre, entrance, nexttotheonlyofficial The parkisinlimbo,federally protected In themeantime,mostcommon hazard Poás continuestobeactive tovaryingex- The parkispopularamonganglers aseach

(admission US$7; ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ••Parque NacionalVolcánPoás Minae office Minae h

( % 8am-3:30pm) 2460 7600) in in highland specialties, includingthesooty robin, highland park. Whilehiking onthetrail,lookforother thanthe otherpartsof the cantly lesstraffic forest, taller it getsthrough though signifi- that hasfilledinoneof the extinct craters. ends at specialtyof Rica.high-altitude Thetrail Costa magnificent fiery-throated hummingbird, a the volcanicsoil.Birdsabound, especiallythe curiously shaped andtwisted trees growingin clingingtothe bromeliads, lichens andmosses tures. Here youcanwanderaboutlookingat product of acidicairandfreezing tempera- dwarfcloudforest,you through which isthe short, 30-minute round-triphike thattakes the left branch is out –totheright crater. the visitors are prohibited fromdescending into acid fumesthatare emitted fromthecauldron, of thetoxiccrater lookout.Because sulfuric- accessible paved road that leadsdirectly tothe From thevisitors center, there isawheelchair- Hiking rainfall each year. Dress accordingly. ing. Also,Poásreceives almost4000mmof cold duringtheday,particularlyinmorn- drop belowfreezing, anditmaybewindy is quickly blown away. the summit,andsometimesthickcloudcover the cauldronlater –windschange rapidlyon a hike totheothercraters andthenreturn to the summitiscloudedin,don’tdespair!Take clouds rollinandobscure the view.Even if son, especiallyearlyinthemorningbefore the There’s nocampingat the park. fers explanationsinbothSpanishandEnglish. of- hourly from9amto3pm.Asmallmuseum coffee shop,souvenirs andinformative videos lar isbestavoided. Thevisitors center hasa the country–visitingonweekends inparticu- making Poásthemostpacked nationalparkin Some 250,000peoplevisittheparkannually, Information into the air. mud andsteaming water hundred of meters tonishing, especiallywhenitbelches sulfurous bubbling andsteaming cauldronistrulyas- ofBut, crowdsandcloudsaside,thesight the Be advised thatovernight advised temperaturesBe can The besttimetovisitisduringthedrysea- Sendero Escalonia is a slightly longer Escaloniaisaslightly trail Sendero From thecrater, there are two trailsthat Laguna Botos Sendero Escalonia Sendero , apeculiarcold-water lake . Sendero Botosisa . Sendero Sendero Botos Sendero

139

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS may require a4WD– call ahead. youalong a steep 1kmdirtroadthat sends about2kmbeforeturnoff thepark entrance pare it–withsidedishes. Toget here, asigned restaurant (mainsUS$4toUS$10) willpre- out backwhere youcancatch dinner,andthe by goodhikingtrails.There’s alsoafish pond showers andheaters, andallare surrounded accommodate uptosixpeople,have hot-water arrival. Roomsandlarger cabinas, which can views andthewarmwelcomeyou’ll get on to thevolcanoisrecommended foritsstellar cabinas US$30-40; simple, the groundsthatserves typical food. is asmallrestaurant (dishes US$3toUS$8)on usually letyoucampforafew dollars. There heaters and hotwater, andtheowners will budget optionascabinasare allequippedwith ‘Whatever YouWantLodge.’ Thisisagood entrance, thenameof thisplacetranslates to US$19/25/30; Lo QueTu Lodge Quieres ON THEROAD TOPOÁS Sleeping themselves. drive for twopeopletorent acarforthedayand from SanJosé,andit’sdefinitely cheaper cano quite easilyusingpublictransportation remember that it’spossibletovisitthevol- naturalist guidesandlunch. just However, tours feature smallergroupsizes,bilingual time atthecrater. Themore expensive parkentranceandlimitedtransportation, tours are large-group providing affairs only thecheaperand askquestions.Generally, venir stores onthe way back. tobetimeforstoppingatafew sou- seems there thecrater,rushed off though always in. Also,readers complainthatthey’re often rolling whenthecloudsstart 10am –right that youusuallyarrive atthevolcanoaround they costUS$40toUS$100,andthekicker is that they’re anoverpriced affair. Typically, the volcano,butreaders frequently complain Numerous companiesoffer dailytours to Tours squirrel are present. in thepark,coyotes andtheendemicmontane mammalsareAlthough infrequently sighted quetzal (especiallyfromFebruary toApril). black guans,screech theodd owlsandeven 140 Lagunillas Lodge As toshop around always,it’simportant ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OFTHE &THENORTH ALAJUELA VALLEY ••Parque NacionalVolcánPoás p p ) About 5kmbefore thepark The closest accommodation Theclosest )

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( % 2265 0643;www.water h 8:30am- vdo stores. video cafés, cellphone shops, andmusic and sity districtisfull of copyplaces,internet are readily available. Theuniver-services there’sThough mostother notourist office, Information attractions of the province. a convenient forexploring the diverse base as From atouristperspective, thecityserves that isoverlooked bythestockycathedral. the country,withalovely, leafymainsquare historic center isoneof themostattractive in young folkidlingawayafternoons. Heredia’s University, localbars are whose abuzzwith bohemian stylings radiate fromtheNational American headquarters here, whilemore tech corporationsthathave theirCentral comes courtesy of themultinationalhigh- bustle grime of Thecosmopolitan thecapital. Heredia isaworldawayfromthegritand government. federal Heredia considered of waseven fortheseat Following theindependenceof Rica, Costa charming eleganceandsmall-cityfeel. and prominence,itmanaged toretain its Herediaand although grew inbothsize attractive colonialcityonanorderlygrid, theyears, theSpanishblend. Over builtan Rica’spremiumfortunes byexportingCosta to theSpanisharistocracy,whomadetheir Flores (the Cityof theFlowers) washome During itscolonialheyday,laCiudaddelas HEREDIA (p146). Carrillo swaths of rainforest, Parque NacionalBraulio area isalso hometooneof Rica’slargest Costa the cafésandbars atallhours of the day.The edge of town,where studentslounge around young vibe,particularlyaroundthewestern Britt Finca( p144 hasavery). Thetownitself the mostfamousroaster inthecountry,Café it’spossibletovisittheheadquartersindeed of its heritage asacoffee-production center, and TheHerediaits well-to-docapital. area retains Ever. coding. programmers have tostop littleexcuse duces someof theworld’sstrongest brews, ing thatthehistoriccoffee center alsopro- educated nation’stech heads,andconsider- ties make Heredia amagnetforthishighly opportuni- export.Career most important But there’s much more tothisprovince than Although itisonly11kmfromSanJosé, Although

141

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) h fresh groceries. US$80/93/107; .co.cr; cnrCalle7&Av 7;s/dinclcontinentalbreakfast Stay aware, however: Heredia aware,Stay however: canget dodgy 2) the vory barsnacks), the partyreally at kicksoff popular student spots. deFofo El Rancho btwn Calles7&9) like you wouldn’tbelieve). of (Ticonights theweek students live itup student tofillyouinon the scene. on, lookforfliers nearthecampusoraska the oddhappening.Forinfoonwhat’sgoing shortage of live and music, culturalevents With athrivingstudentbody,there’s no Drinking &Entertainment 6pm) the ble aswell. aremust. Buttheheartysalads worthanib- is thefocalpoint,makingitameat-lovers’ of intown.As beef thetitlesuggests, steak upthebestcuts all-wood shackthatserves US$4-9; stomach (andyourkarma)will thank you. for cheap andhealthyvegetarian fare –your mous SanJoséchain isthetopspotintown US$3-5; candy, cookies and snacks! Feeling indecisive? icecream, Italsosells ravioli, hamburgers, chicken tacos, andfries. folks, yourone-stopshopping forburritos, imaginable. outlet to mentiononebranch of fast-food every pizza slicesandcheap vegetarian grub,not worldwide, Heredia offers plentyof spotsfor In thegrandtraditionof university towns Eating solarium. top-floor Jacuzziadded comforts,namelyasauna, and It’s agoodchoice ifyou’re lookingforafew primarily todiscerningbusinesstravelers. hotelat themostestablished intowncaters , onthesouthernedge of theParque Central. The university districtishopping most You canfillupforafew hundred colonesat Cowboy Steakhouse Verde Mango Vishnu Valladolid Hotel After afew rounds of beers and El Testy 8:30am-9pm) Mercado Municipal Mercado Miraflores Discotechque Discotechque Miraflores , with h h

9am-6pm Mon-Sat) (Cnr Calle2&Av 2;dishesUS$1-5) 5-11pm Mon-Sat) sodas pa , has else. everything El Bulevar (Av CentralbtwnCalles5&7)

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143 and (sa- 6am-

HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS 1 &3) t 11:30pm. to between Avenidas 30minutesfrom5:15am 1 and 3every from 5:15am to 11:30pm. Avenida 10 to30minutes 6 betweenCalles6and8every Santa Bárbara 4:40am to 11pm. 20to30minutesfrom between CallesCentral and 1every San José deSarapiquí Viejo Puerto Barva Alajuela destinations. other 4. Ask aroundthemarket forinformationon leave fromAvenida 2and Calles 8between inParque NacionalBraulioCarrillo, Barva Sacramento, withconnectionstoVolcán from near leaveand market areas. forBarva Buses leave frombusstopsnearParque Central There isnocentralbusterminal, andbuses Getting There&Away presence. police there though at nighttime, isanestablished 144 t 10pm. to Avenida 15minutesfrom6am CentralandCalle9every 1:30pm and 3pm. from thecornerofAvenida CentralandCalle9at11am, years ahead oftherest ofCentralyears ahead America intechnological infrastructure, butwehave rested would have beenlefteatingthedustofourcompetitorcountries. Intheearly‘90swewere light lagging behind. and itwillfinallyallowustocompete intheglobalcall-center inwhichwehave market, been toimprove greatly.quality ofservice This willbenefitthecountryinevery angleofcommerce, coststochangedramaticallyundertheinfluxofforeignexpect the competitors,Idoexpect telecommunications.because theyhadthemajormonopolyforallofCostaRica’s WhileIdon’t forwaytoolong. ICEwasatthecenterhas beenrunninganinefficientservice ofthedebate institutions. The bestexampleofthisisthenationaltelecommunications company,ICE,which hadbecomemonopolized ofthemarket For toolong,majorsections bygovernment-backed Also, internally, there isonemajorreason weneededtoapprove theTLC, andthat’scompetition. overpolitical actions theyears,wecan’taffordnottobeaffiliated withthem.We’re toosmall. Juande Catarini: Si give ustheopposingarguments: where theagreement totwopoliticsstudentsfromHeredia Wespoke hasthemostimpact. to of thecountry sensitive nottobebrought up lightly,especiallyinthisindustriouspart subject 2007.Thein October wholecountrywasdivideddownthemiddleonissue. Andit’sstilla the free tradeagreement, DR- Cafta (knownasTLC whichwasnarrowlypassed inCostaRica), No doubtyou’llseethegraffitisign‘NoTLC’ onalmostevery corner. This isinreference to ‘NO TLC’ . Buses to San José de la Montaña and toSanJosédelaMontaña . Buses EEI RA • av ••Barva HEREDIA AREA If wehadopted outofTLC, ourformerlyleading,butnowslow-paced,technology industry US$0.50, 20 minutes, depart fromCalleCentral US$0.50,20minutes,depart US$0.75, 20 minutes, depart fromcornerof US$0.75, 20minutes,depart US$0.50, 20 minutes, depart fromAvenidaUS$0.50, 20minutes,depart 4 Cruz Roja US$0.50, 20 minutes, depart from US$0.50, 20minutes,depart Whether we like itornot,weneedfree Whetherwelike tradewiththeUS.Regardless oftheir

(Red Cross; Calle CentralbtwnAvs(Red US$2, 3½ hours, depart US$2,3½hours,depart Just 2.5kmnorthof Heredia isthehistoric BARVA José (US$5)ortheairport (US$8). Taxis are plentifulandcantake youtoSan you through the plantation andtheprocess- theplantation you through For 90minutes, bilingualguides willwalk recommendedit comeshighly byreaders. thetourisabitpricey, Although of Barva. high season) student US$27/18; adultwith/withoutlunchUS$30/20, .com, www.cafébritt.com; Rica, The mostfamouscoffee roaster inCosta Sights hotels are justoutside of town. luxury any lodgings,sometrulyspectacular have properdoesn’t Barva stroll, andalthough here. Thetownisperfect foralazyafternoon twice president tolive of Rica,used Costa RicaneliteCosta –CletoGonzálezVíquez, the townisapopularresidence amongthe locationandcolonialambience, mountainside towering 18th-century buildings,andiscentered onthe The towncenter ispacked with17th-and declaredhas been anationalmonument. town of which dates from1561and Barva, Finca Britt Café isheadquartered just1kmsouth Iglesia SanBartolomé h tours 11amyear-round,9am&3pmin

( % 2277 1600;www.coffeetour lonelyplanet.com . Withitsscenic US$2-5; .html; adult/child/student US$15/8/12; Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels catalog thebiological diversitycatalog of Rica Costa research center thatwasformedin1989to National Biodiversity Institute), isaprivate the ElInstitutoNacional deBioversidad (the anytimeatthe can purchase ovens tomake typicalTico foods,which you thebeehive-shape period costumesmayuse ingenious tools.Ifyou’re lucky,docentsin restoredfarmhouse, withperiod pieces and recreates Ricainacentury-old colonialCosta Popular the 1.5km southeastof Barva, Heredia and Barva. take thebus,youcan’tmiss thesignsbetween Ifyoudrive or José –callforareservation. daily shuttlethatwillpickyouupfromSan Brittoperates a Café coffee-bean harvesting. where you canlearnaboutthewonders of hour triptothe US$5, youcancombineyourtourwithaone- there are plentyof free Foranextra samples. Rica.duction inCosta Anddon’tworry– aswellthehistoryofprocesses, coffee pro- regularbetween andorganic coffee-growing ing center where youcanlearnthedifference INBio about Located LucíadeBarva, in Santa unions, thatthisheated debate hasinflicted onourcountry. doorstep? Nowwehave tohealthebitter bytheold-fashioned wounds,causedinlarge part rising worldleaderssuchasChinaandIndiaifwecan’tdothesamewithstates onourown business tothem. any longer. The momentumiswithourprogressive neighbors,andwedon’t wanttoloseour can’taffordtostayinourdreamyon ourlaurels elevated sincethenandwecertainly bubble involve ourselves withthehyper-capitalism thatTLC willencourage. or measured byprofitmargins, butbyrespect and trust.These valueswillbeforgotten ifwe wayofgoingaboutbusiness. wehavethe US.InCostaRica Itisn’talwaysmotivated acertain and becomeanotherpawnstate tothepoliticalandeconomicalagendaof thatwillbesubject are proving thatit’spossibletoprosperwithoutfavorableUStrade. Wewillloseoursovereignty these treaties. Whilewedon’twanttogotheirpoliticalextremes, bothVenezuela andCuba America, andthisisbecausehistoricallywehave maintainedanindependentpositionandrejected constantly involved ininternational tribunalsagainst,theUS. the USdoesn’tbenefitCentral Americancountries. Even Canada isatloggerheadswith,and the increasing unemploymentinElSalvador,NicaraguaandMexicotoseethatfree tradewith pay anypricetoprotect them.Granted, that’stheirprerogative, butallyouhave todoislookat contemporary international politicsoflate, itisthattheUSlooksafter itsowninterests and will Carlos Angulo: No We alsohave tolookbeyondourneighbors. Howcanwehopetotradeandcompete with As anationwehave created apositionofbeingthemostsociallydeveloped countryinCentral h

( % 11am-2pm) ( % 2260 1619;admissionUS$2; 2507 8107;www.inbio.ac.cr/en/default2 Ifthere’s thathascometolight from historicaland oneglaringlyobviousfact benefico . (processingplant), HEREDIA AREA ••Barva HEREDIAAREA garden h Museo de Cultura deCultura Museo 7:30am-4pm) h

café 9am-4pm) (dishes

bureau.com/hotels/tirol.htm; dchaletUS$80; cloud-forest enclave isrustic-chic, with comfy Rican president Alfredo GonzálezFlores. The try hotel, formerlytheresidence of Costa estre you’llfind thisquaintcoun- ElCastillo, Monte delaCruzand Club Camp- Between recommended. of thefollowingluxuryhotels comeshighly found innearbyHeredia ( p143 ), buteach More accommodationscanbe affordable Sleeping motif, isheavy onthe classical music. Festival ( below ) isthesite of the Julyand Each August, theHotel ChaletTirol Festivals &Events there are great volunteer opportunities here. and ifyouhave anappropriate background, marily asabiodiversity management center, thecentersugar mill.However, functionspri- a workingfarm,medicinalplantgardenand abutterflying stations, garden,anaquarium, ing biodiversity exhibitionhalls,wildlife-view- collectionofhigh-quality attractions,includ- the center spendtheirtimeat Visitorsand promoteuse. to itssustainable Hotel ChaletTirolHotel , which, true tothehotel’s Austrian

( % 2267 6222;www.costarica International Music Music International INBioparque ps 145

) , a

HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS unique compromise between conservation- between unique compromise lands stretching towardthe Sea. Caribbean tothelush, humid50mlow- Volcán Barva 2906m cloud-forest camp sites atop massive rangeto thesteep of altitudes,fromthemisty has anextraordinarybiodiversity attributable underexplored nationalpark.BraulioCarrillo of SanJoséwhenyou’re walkingaroundthis thatyouareto believe only30minutes north rivers canyons–itwillbedifficult anddeep Thick virgin forest, countlesswaterfalls, swift CARRILLO PARQUE NACIONALBRAULIO front of the church. (US$0.75,20minutes), andpickupin Barva travel buses HerediaHalf-hourly between and Getting There&Around dinner. romantic sculpted gardenpoolandhottub,orhave a ficial waterfall, dipinthe take amoonlight from asingletree trunk.Shower inanarti- made view, reached byawindingstaircase pointed; onetopsatowerwith360-degree rain forest are individuallyandlavishly ap- Rica. Roomswithbalconiesoverlooking the as oneof themostexclusive hotels inCosta that shade trailsandcascadingrivers, ranks suites,ally outstanding cloaked infruittrees tion of gorgeous gardenvillasandarchitectur- Bárbara,thishoneymoon-readySanta confec- blanca.com; dUS$250-350; to downtown San José. wonderland comeswithfree hourlyshuttles ofen route all,thisrural tothehills.Best swimming pool,restaurant andtennis courts the jungleandfruitorchards, passingthe private trails windthrough San José.Several ortheflickering ofnearby mountains lights dramatic balconiesthatoverlook eitherthe ers. Wood-accented roomsandsuites have fincas, old-growth trees andstunningflow- property issituated amongstately coffee Herediabetween andSanJosé,thisluxury of SantoDomingodeHeredia, ontheroad s/d/tr/ste US$102/110/122/133; music festival in the summertime. by. Thehotel playshosttoaninternational where youcanrelax andwatch themistdrift air commonspaces,includingapizzaparlor Austrian-style chalets arranged aroundopen- 146 Finca RosaBlanca Bougainvillea Hotel The park’screation wasthe result of a EEI RA • aqeNcoa rui arlo ••ParqueHEREDIA AREA NacionalBraulio Carrillo

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% ( pis % 2269 9392;www.fincarosa pis 2244 1414;www.hb.co.cr; ) Justoutside Inthetown ) 4pm) h o Sacramento. of tain rainforest.tain About 75%of Ricawas Costa the 1950s–rollinghillscloaked inmoun- idea of Ricalooked whatCosta like priorto as a single unit). areas it’sstilladministered (though preserved fectively cuttingtheparkintotwosmaller which wascompletedhighway, in1987,ef- joiced inthecreation of theSanJosé–Guápiles for SanJosé.Government andindustryre- primary forest, andprotected thewatershed of Island!)thatwascomprised of 85% Rhode hectare nationalpark(we’re thesize talking rejoiced inthecreation of anearly48,000- it.Conservationists major tobisect highway beyondasingle todevelopment off-limits tivation of in1978, wasestablished coffee) Rica’s thirdpresident, whoconceived thecul- (named after Costa Nacional BraulioCarrillo vationists were not happy campers. which was stillvirgin rainforest –conser- andVolcánIrazú, VolcánBarva between only feasible alowpass route wasthrough port.Butthe toitsmostimportant capital wasrequiredern highway tolinkthenation’s ment andindustryagreed mod- thatasleek govern-rural road.Inthe1970s,however, limited tothecrumblingrailwayandaslow San José’sonlylinktoPuertoLimónwas ists anddevelopers. Formore thanacentury, the park, and annual rainfall can be as high as the park, andannualrainfall canbeashigh corner of the park. and Magasay, intheextremeCeibo northwest rangerstation Sector Barva a daytriporcampovernight canstopbythe parking lot,toiletsand well-marked trails. past theZurquítunnel.There isaguarded González rangerstation 19km northeastof SanJosé, while station the southernendof theparkis the At fromtheSanJosé–Guápiles highway. cessed The twomostpopularhikingareas canbeac- Orientation &Information cover. vegetative one quarter of thecountryretains itsnatural rain forest inthe1940s,whiletodaylessthan Temperatures canfluctuate drasticallyin There are alsotworemote outposts,El on People whowanttoclimbVolcánBarva wassimple–ParqueThe compromise Driving through theparkwillgiveDriving through youan 7am-4pm) , inthesouthwestof thepark,3kmnorth

( % isatthenortheastcorner,22km 2257 0992;admissionUS$6; Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels

( % 2233 4533;admissionUS$6;

( % 2261 2619; h Zurquí ranger Zurquí 7am-4pm) Quebrada h 7am- , good hiking boots. clothing, appropriate wet-weathergear and but itisliable torainthen,too. Bringwarm (fromDecembertoApril), edly ‘dry’season 8000mm. Thebesttimetogoisthesuppos- lonelyplanet.com summit, and several spurtrailslead towater-summit, and several andCopey–atthevolcano’s Barva Danta, any timeof the year. muddy, andyoushould beprepared forrain summit ataleisurely pace. Trailsare often From there thesignedtrackclimbsto Sacramento entrance,northof Heredia. onthewestern sideof theparkat Begin you cancommunewiththevolcano solo. tive inaccessibility,there isagood chance of itsrela- trail. Because well-maintained five-hour round-tripadventure alonga Climbing isagoodfour- toVolcán Barva Climbing VolcánBarva umbrella). folks’ the plant’snickname son fromasuddentropicaldownpour–hence rain forest. Thelarge leaves canprotect aper- partsof steep andnewlyexposed themontane leafed Gunneraplants,which quicklycolonize facilities. no are permitted there tocamp,although are this area, includingafew placeswhere you eral otherunmarked trailsthatleadthrough waterfalls intoPatria There Canyon. are sev- the 2.8km waters carry volcanic minerals. with theRíoSucio(DirtyRiver), yellow whose point RíoHonduratoitsmeeting crystal-clear follow the trail thatleadstoaviewpoint.Youcanalso From Zurqui,there isashort 1km butsteep Hiking are present but rare. are Pumas,jaguarandocelots frequently seen. monkeys andtepezcuintle (thepark’smascot) lushness of pacas, thevegetation, deer, though include eaglesand umbrella birds. Otherrare elevations. butsighted higher birds quetzalsatcans, hummingbirdsandeven monly speciesincludeparrots,tou- sighted Birding intheparkisexcellent,andcom- Wildlife-Watching Mammals duetothe are tosee difficult The trackleadsto three lagoons–Lagos Keep aneyeoutfor thedistinctive huge- From QuebradaGonzález,youcanfollow Sendero Histórico Sendero Sendero LaBotella Sendero HEREDIA AREA ••Parque HEREDIAAREA NacionalBraulio Carrillo sombrilla delpobresombrilla , which follows the past a series of pastaseries (poor lowing thedecent paved road north from te entrance. the 3km-long, 4WD-only trailleadsnorthto toSacramento,whereMontaña asigned, andSan JosédelaHeredia Barva through will bedangerous and difficult. entrance, butpick-uponthemajor freeway 2kmfrom the Puerto Viejocandropyouoff SanJoséandeither Guápilesor between Buses are SanJoséand Guápiles. onHwy32between Both ZurquiandQuebradaGonzález stations Getting There&Away tobringyourown need drinking water. youwill impossibly scenic summit,though basic isallowedatthe below freezing. Camping time temperatures degrees candroptoseveral clear andtheafternoons cloudy.Thenight- early aspossiblethemorningstend tobe map and compass. atopographical itandable touse to roughing bushwhacking adventure used onlyforthose ported that ittookhimfourdays,andisa Virgen ( p511 ). ATico whohasdoneitre- ( Selva theparktoLa through p519 ) andLa (overgrown alltheway andunmaintained) sible, regardless, tofollownorthbound ‘trails’ are unmarked andnotasobvious.Itispos- the lowlands,youwillfindthattrails northinto you wish tocontinuefromBarva falls andotherscenicspotsalongtheway.If Barva station canbereached station byfol- Barva If you’re visitingonadaytrip,get there as is usuallyarrangedinSanJosé. ofatour,which also visittheparkaspart a guidethroughanyofthestations. Youcan withaparkrangerorarrangeforeither hike When possible,it’salsoadvisedthatyou at astationbefore settingoutonahike. As ageneralrule,youshouldalwaysregister anywhereparked alongthemainhighway. gerous area. Don’tleave yourcar Stayalert. havehikers reported beingtolditisadan- hearing shotsfired onthetrails,andhitch- along thehighway.Readershave reported onthetrailsorwalking ing touristshiking Carrillo, aswellarmedrobbersaccost- to sometrailsin Parque NacionalBraulio atentrances oftheftsfromcarsparked ports thereUnfortunately, have beenmanyre- WARNING campsites (per personUS$2)

nearthechilly but

147

HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS cloud forest inan airborne gondola. recommended splurge of totheheights the tram.com; adult/student&childUS$50/27.50) rough roads from La Virgen roadsfromLa rough ( p511 ). about 3kmtothetram-loadingpoint,where edly lackingin air support). Ricaisdecid- pacifistCosta tosay, (needless by helicopter bytheNicaraguanAirForce supporting thetramthatwere in brought erosion, withtheexceptionof the12towers ried inonfootorbyacablesystem toavoid 250,000kg of constructionmaterial wascar- narrow footpathfollowsthetram,andall boxedsee Fighting, text Canopy p178 ). A tour operators couldlearnathingortwo; most noimpactontherainforest (canopy whole project wasconstructed withal- and birdingopportunities.Amazingly,the the rainforest andunusualplant-spotting utes auniqueviewof each way,affording ing animals difficult. densityofsheer thevegetation makes observ- theareaAlthough isrich withwildlife, the ous withParque NacionalBraulioCarrillo. contigu- hike the400-hectare through reserve, miss,andwhoalsoleadsthe(optional) wise thingsyou’dother-the smallandimportant includes atrainedguidewhocanpointoutall Tram Aerial Rainforest ofpioneer rainforest canopyresearch, the The brainchild of biologistDonPerry, a RAINFOREST AERIALTRAM 148 The 2.6kmaerialtramridetakes 40min- The priceyentrancefee isworthwhile,asit andMagasay via canbeaccessed El Ceibo From theparkinglotatrucktakes you refuge [email protected]. Braulio Carrillo. Formore informationon theprogramsoffered, visitthe website the orcontact advance asspaceis often limited. able forstudents,teachers andresearchers. 30daysin reservations Itisadvisedthatyoumake Basic rates are quoted onindividualbases,withorwithoutmeals,while specialrates are avail- gered-species environmentalprotection, rain forest preservation, ecologyand globalwarming. long-term visitorsare welcome. runs avarietyofeducationalprograms aimedatstudents,teachers andresearchers. Dayand tion. Inadditiontoprotecting rare fauna,includingjaguars,tapirsandquetzal,Cerro Dantas facility thatworkswithscientists,teachers andstudentstopromote environmentalconserva- The A NATURAL EDUCATION EEI RA • anoetAra rm Tram Aerial ••Rainforest HEREDIA AREA Cerro of thelarge Dantasisheadquartered inMonte Parque delaCruz,andisapart Nacional Programs are varied,buttheemphasisisonvariousfacetsofecosystem, includingendan- Cerro DantasWildlife Refuge ( % 2257 5961; www.rainforest is a highly isahighly

(www.cerrodantas.co.cr) crafts, includingleather,ceramics,jewelry as afamousproductioncenter forhandi- Moraviathough remains inthespotlight America. North Europeandshipped tocafésthroughout being milledanddried,thebeanswere then and transported tonearby where thebeanswere packed onoxcarts red fruitdownhillsidesandintothetown, coffee fincas. Workers of hauledsacks ruby- centerRica’swas animportant forCosta Just 6kmnortheastof SanJosé, Moravia a return bus. teleferico 7pm, andaskthedriver toletyououtatthe 1¼ hours), departinghourlyfrom6:30amto for GuápilesfromTerminal (US$1.50, Caribe public transportfromSanJosé,take thebus Togetpark entrance,onyourright. here by tothetramisjustpastnational- turnoff sides are opento the elements. thecarsthough have roofs, tarpaulin the riders shouldbeprepared forrain–al- foraslongyouwant.Tram you canuse video, andthere are shorthikingtrailsthat gift shop.Here anorientation youcansee there isasmallexhibitarea, restaurant and saddle shops but now sell avarietyof shops butnowsell saddle leather are stores. several Central as Somestarted souvenirs before heading home. from SanJosé,andperfect forfillingupon and wood.Avisithere isapopulardaytrip MORAVIA Around andnearbythespaciousParque moved industryhassadly The coffee on, Driving fromSanJosé,thewell-signed is aresearch center andeducation . Tram staff willhelpyouflagdown . Tramstaff beneficos lonelyplanet.com . After After . and cleantoilets.It’s100msouth75m plex withartsandcraftsstores, afew LasGarzas deArtesanías Mercado ple of slope,andthepleasant theCaribbean and othergoods.Lookfor lonelyplanet.com light eachlight yearonAugust 2,whenpilgrims tribulations. and religiously rebuilt after each of thecity’strials Rica andhasbeenholiest shrineinCosta story edifices.Itisconsidered tobethe abovecapped mountain theplaneof one- part of outlike thecityandstands asnow- de losÁngeles, which isvisiblefromany white deNuestraSeñora the bright Basílica ily reinforced sortof way.Oneexceptionis it isanattractive modern city,inaheav- to itsformerquaintspecifications–though ered torebuild (population127,000) Cartago After therubblewascleared, nobodyboth- CARTAGO in the country. to retain religious themostimportant site commercialhubandcontinuesan important ismerely aprovincialCartago itis capital, its markonthelandscape,andalthough trade. Today thistraditioncontinuestoleave flourished duringthedaysof thecoffee rounding area, particularlytheOrosiValley, was moved toSanJoséin1823,thesur- of government whentheseat water status care of byearthquakes in1841and1910. Volcán Irazú,withremaining landmarkstaken was destroyedduringthe1723eruptionof things tend Rica,Cartago tohappeninCosta Spanish colonialarchitecture. as However, endowed thecitywithcountry’sfinest in1563,andCoronado’ssuccessorscapital Rica’sfirst wasfoundedas Costa Cartago amore seen beautifulvalley.’ he had‘never that Juan VásquezdeCoronado,whosaid washandpicked bySpanish GovernorCartago The stunningriverbank of setting thecityof CARTAGO AREA 3 Calles and 5. depart SanJoséfromAvenida 3between east of the workmadebytheBribrípeo- which sells The cityisthrown brieflyintothespot- toSanVincente deMoraviaLocal buses Although thecitywasrelegatedAlthough toback- municipio CARTAGO ••Cartago AREA (town hall). Artesanía Bribrí Artesanía , afestive com- sodas ,

Iglesia delConvento, wasbuiltin1575asa 1 & 3) Offers emergencyhealth 1 &3)Offers care. torical artifacts, whilethe h of Ethnography worthvisiting. The seums Columbian cultures, there are twolocalmu- spot forpicnicking and people-watching. church remain, but‘theRuins’are apopular quake. Today onlytheouter wallsof the and thendestroyedagaininthe1910 earth- the 1841earthquake, rebuilt afew years later shrine toStJames theApostle,destroyedby experiencing theauraof Negrita. La holy days,butit’stheperfect atmosphere for is absolutely jammedduringpilgrimages and withprecious beset stones.Thebasilica altar andshe intact, continuestositonagolden Virgin’ hasmiraculouslyremained statue) (afamedholy‘Black Negrita since 1635,La outer walls have crumblednumeroustimes struction inthe1910earthquake. the Though makeover thatfolloweditsnear-total de- This latest version istheresult of a 1926 glass windowsandapolished-wood interior. and anairyspaciousness,withfinestained- & Calle16) delosÁngeles BasílicadeNuestraSeñora isthe site inCartago The mostimportant hr US$1; AltaVelocidad Internet Peralta Hospital Max Banco Nacional tourist office in Cartago. thatasyourbearing.Thereand use isno in doubt,lookfortheever-present cathedral are infrequent andsometimes inaccurate. If American gridsystem. As always,street signs Latin aroundthestandard The cityisbased Orientation &Information edge off modern life. helpstotake thesurrounding mountains residential center, thebeautyof though the exists mainlyasabustlingcommercialand prayers. Theremainder of theyear,Cartago theirmostseriouson thebasilicatosay corneroffrom every thecountry descend of Las Ruinas. downtown changemoney,includingBanco Nacional. Sights For an insight into Costa Rica’spre- intoCosta For aninsight Las RuinasdelaParroquia 7am-2pm Mon-Fri) h , which has a formal Byzantine grace , which hasaformalByzantinegrace 9am-9pm) Checkyouremailhere, 50meast (cnrAv banks 4&Calle5)Several

( % hasafew displaysof his- 2551 0895;Calle3btwn Avs 3&5; ( % (Calle1btwnAvs 1&3;per 2550 1999;Av 5btwnCalles

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS history documentation. through inTobosi, emphasizes southwest of Cartago bathroom US$13/16) tractive diningroomandgoodvarietyof the basilicaisa goodchoice foritsat- coe-oodr dishes. cooked-to-order US$3-6; owners. cheerful and abigbreakfast madetoorderby the rooms, hot spacious andcomfortable showers outwith thiscomfyB&Bstands la Basílica, With itsbalconiesoverlooking thePlazade btwn Calles14&16;s/dinclfullbreakfast US$30/35; walls and aging rooms. hot-water bathroomsbalanceoutthethin can befound. and 4downtown,where bet forfoodistostrollalongAvenidas 2 Lodging optionsare limited andyourbest Sleeping &Eating Museum 150 (23km) To SanJosé 1 3 2 CARTAGO La Puerta delSol La Puerta Los ÁngelesLodge Hotel Dinastía Hotel ATG RA • atg CARTAGO ••Cartago AREA h 1

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% Calle 5 8am-midnight) AC 2573 7113;

Calle 3 5 ( 2 The cheap priceandprivate % Mercado Central

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2551 7057;Calle3;dwithout/with ( 7 13 % Ca h lle 1 Central Parque This 3 6 2551 0957,25914169;Av 4 10am-4pm Mon-Fri)

sodas Calle 2 6 soda 11 andbakeries Calle 4 History Museum(6km) 10 9 opposite B SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION nee...... D2 Angeles...... Basílica deNuestraSeñoralos Las RuinasdelaParroquia...... Elias LeivaMuseumofEthnography... Internet AltaVelocidad...... Hospital MaxPeralta...... Banco Nacional...... To KirietiIndian Church Capuchinos Padres

Calle 6

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231 6 the turnoff. Fromthere, walk750mto the entrance. todropyouoffat 10pm) Forthegardens,askdriver the cornerofCalle4andAvenida 1hourlyfrom7amto Saturday) Thebuswillstop infrontofthe Orosi Mirador. Calle 4andAvenida 1hourlyfrom8amto10pmMonday While Cartago maynot beahotbedof excite-While Cartago Getting There&Away San José Orosi Gardens Paraíso &Lankester Flor; theentrancetofincais100m the south. offatthe pinkchurchinLa southeast ofLasRuinas. Get El Yas bus frominfrontofPadres Capuchinoschurch,150m Finca laFlordeParaíso destinationsinthearea: serve terminal on Avenida 4.The following buses as thebasilicabefore returning tothemain arrivebuses alongAvenida 2andgoasfar morenever thananhourortwoaway.Most volcano –alleasytoreach and vialocalbuses townsandorganictain farmstoanactive gardens,serenedo –frombotanical moun- ment, thesurroundingareas provide plentyto minutes. ofParque Centralevery between Calles2and4, north 15

Calle 10 (US$0.75, 40 minutes, depart fromthecornerof (US$0.75,40minutes,depart Calle Bicicleta US$0.75, 45 minutes, depart fromAvenida US$0.75,45minutes,depart 4 3 2 1 6 5 4

Calle 1 Av B2 A3 A3 A3 A2 2 8 0.2 miles 0 0300 m Los ÁngelesLodge...... TRANSPORT EATING SLEEPING Taxi Stand...... Buses toSanJosé...... B3 Paraíso...... Buses toLankesterGardens& Buses toVolcánIrazu...... (see9) Buses toTurrialba...... Buses toOrosí...... (see10) Buses toFincaFlordeParaíso...... La PuertadelSol...... (see8) Hotel Dinastia...... Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels Calle 1

Lake 4 la Basílica

Plaza de

C a (US$1)Take aLaFlor/Birrisito/ S lle ile s 8 Calle 16 (US$0.75, depart from (US$0.75,depart Paraíso (8km);Turrialba(28km) 4 To LankesterGardens(5km);

Calle 18 8 D 10 To VolcánIrazú 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 (19km) D2 A2 A2 B3 B2 B3 Volcán Irazú Turrialba lonelyplanet.com vlai activity. volcanic consists of rocks thatwere fragmented by tion. There isalsoapyroclastic cone,which slowly beingcolonized bysparse vegeta- and thesmallest,PlayaHermosa Crater, is asmalllake;eter, andcontains 100mdeep Diego delaHaya Crater is690mindiam- is 1050mindiameter the and300mdeep; of volcanic-ashcraters. Theprincipalcrater the volcano. Thesummitisabare landscape to protect of 2309hectares aroundthebase Hot, Hot!, p243 . boxedcanic eruption,see text Feelin’ Hot, For more informationonpredicting avol- Valleywhy thesoilinCentral issorich. it’s likely thatfarmers willbereminded again aside fromafew hissingfumaroles,though of writing,Irazúwasslumberingpeacefully itquicklyquietedthough down.Atthetime expectedly belched acloudof sulfurousgas, the region intermittently. In1994Irazúun- whileclogged waterways floodeddevastated, ricultural landsnortheastof the volcanowere than 0.5m).Duringthetwo-yeareruption,ag- ValleyCentral (itpileduptoadepthof more hot volcanicashthatblanketed mostof the US president John FKennedy witharainof on March 19,1963,welcomedthevisiting craters. his namewasbestowedupononeof Irazú’s restored toitsformergrandeur, Cartago DiegodelaHayaalthough Fernández never 15 major eruptionshave recorded, been and struction onthecityof Cartago. Sincethen helplessly asthevolcanounleasheditsde- Rica, DiegodelaHaya Fernández, watched Rica. In1723theSpanishgovernor of Costa (3432m)activehighest volcanoinCosta ara-tzu derives itsnamefromtheindigenous word 19km northeastof Cartago, Irazú, which Looming quietly( nottooquietly)though PARQUE NACIONALVOLCÁNIRAZÚ tago atabout8:30amandreturns fromIrazú at 12:30pm. inSanJoséat8am,stopsCar- Ruinas. Thebusoriginates from Padres Capuchinoschurch,150msoutheastofLas 11:30am, 1:30pm,3pmand 5:45pm weekends. 45minutesfrom6amto10pmweekdays,8:30am, every deJusticia, between Calles8and10,infrontofTribunales The national park was established in1955The nationalparkwasestablished The volcano’smostrecent major eruption (thunderpoint),isthelargest and US$1.50, 1½ hours, depart fromAvenida US$1.50,1½hours,depart 3 (US$5, one hour) Depart only on weekends onlyonweekends (US$5,onehour)Depart CARTAGO ••Parque AREA NacionalVolcánIrazú include lunch andvisitstothebasilicain US$40) canalsobearranged may –these 500m northof the Pacayas turnoff. European-style dishes available. It’sabout Ticois standard fare, there though are afew the destructionof colonialCartago. Cuisine menting the1910earthquake thatcompleted itscollectionof oldphotographssee docu- worth stoppinghere forlunch ordinnerto 1910 Restaurant Eating orsites aroundthe Cartago Orosi Valley. Gardens andthe Orosi Valley. bined withlunch andvisitstotheLankester day tour,anduptoUS$100forafullcom- operators andcostUS$30toUS$60forahalf- Tours are arranged byavarietyof San José Tours such asthe volcano junco. birdspecies, on thelookoutforhigh-altitude trail isintermittently Whilehiking,be closed). gets tothecraters youcloser (note thatthis trailleavessteeper frombehindthetoiletsand leads toaviewpoint over thecraters; alonger, From theinformationcenter, a1kmtrail Hiking ular destinationsinthe Valley.Central Poás ( p139 ), Irazúisstilloneof themostpop- clothes. rainproof 2160mm –comeprepared withwarmand summit, andthere’s anannualrainfallof tends tobecold,windyandcloudyonthe (Januaryduring thedryseason toApril).It a clearviewisinthevery morning early is rarely Thebestchance clearenough. for both thePacific butit andtheCaribbean, to arrive early. will begladthattheymadetheextraeffort forthecrater.head straight Folkswithcars doyourself afavorbuses, anddon’tdally– weekend busrollsin.Ifyou’re ononeof those by about timethatthe 10am,about thesame thickening, underthebestconditions, even ing facilities.Note thatcloudcover starts basic cafébutnoaccommodationsorcamp- admission topark¢erUS$7; There’s asmall Information Tours fromhotels inOrosi(US$25to notnearlyascrowdedVolcán Although From thesummititispossibletosee

information center ( % 2536 6063;mainsUS$4-9) h 8am-3:30pm) (

% 2551 9398;

and

It’s 151

HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS via public buses. it’s stillpossibletonavigate mostof theloop a goodbicycle),you’re inforatreat, though you’re tohave lucky enough arental car(or sive valleysdotted withpastoralvillages. If andexpan- shade-grown coffee plantations a landscapeof rollinghillsterraced with 60km scenicloopof thevalleywindsthrough park, andcoffee –lotsandof coffee. A facility,itstrulywildnational hydroelectric hot springs,orchid garden,lake formedbya colonialchurches vistas, (oneinruins), tain southeast isfamousforitsmoun- of Cartago This river valleyandrenowned roadtrip VALLE DEOROSI The busdepartsfromIrazú at 12:30pm. (US$4, onehour),departingatabout 8:30am. on SaturdayandSunday.ItstopsinCartago Irazú departsfromSanJosé(US$4.50,1½hours) 19km to the summit. northeast cornerof theplazaandcontinues which beginsatthe take Hwy8fromCartago, the parkforafew hours; orbycar. Drivers can which includes thedriver waitingforyouat fromTierraa US$30toUS$40taxi Blanca, to get here anorganized onweekdays: tour; a20kmhike,Barring there are three ways Getting There&Away 152 Frustratingly, the only public transport to Frustratingly, theonlypublictransportto Valley: some ofthebestpitstopsinCentral Get outofthecarandstretch yourlegsat ROAD-TRIP PITSTOPS

Fill oftatat the bootupwithallkinds Sootheyour pedal-wearyfeet inthehot After alongandwindingdrive through Park atthearea’s mostspectacular Pick upsomefamousTurrialban Cheese ATG RA • al eOoi CARTAGO ••Valle AREA deOrosi ( p136). one ofthewoodwork shopsin springs at organic coffee farm. from thesourceat teries bygettingacupo’joestraight endless coffee fields,recharge youbat- lookout pointat La Castellana weekly Turrialban Farmers orat Market snack,eitheratthe for anon-the-road Los Balnearios (p160). Mirador Orosi Finca Cristina (opposite ). Sarchí (right). ( right)

tropical forest, heliconiasandothertropical lush areas of bromeliads,palms,secondary February toApril.Inaddition,youcansee the bigdraw,with800attheirshowiestfrom siast CharlesLankester in1917.Orchids are which wasstartedbyBritish orchid enthu- cariari.ucr.ac.cr; admissionUS$3.50; exceptional heading into the valley. that are definitely worthvisitingbefore are also twonoteworthy nearParaíso sights plenty of great photoopportunities.There complete withtoilets,aparkinglotand Orosi ther alongtheroadtoOrosiis just outsideof Paraíso. Afew kilometers fur- hardly picturesque, theOrosiValley emerges liningtheroadintotownareblock houses tention of travelers. theconcrete- Although only 8kmaway,andfailstocapture theat- the urbansprawlof theprovincial capital, The townof Paraíso absorbedinto hasbeen back toParaíso via Ujarrás ( p156 ). delaMuerteMacizo ( Cerro p155 ) orloop continue southtoParque NacionalTapantí- Orosi ( opposite ). Atthispointyoucaneither inParaíso,Cartago andthenheadssouthto organic-coffee growing, harvesting androast- organic-coffee growing, harvesting of introductiontotheprocesses is afantastic their Rica since1977, and a90-minute tourof Linda andErniehave farminginCosta been pointment only(callaheadforareservation). coffee farm thatisopento visitors byap- .cafecristina.com; admissionUS$10) to Turrialbais Cartago. to well signed,5kmwestof Paraíso ontheroad 2:30pm daily.Theentrancetothegardensis offered onthehalfhourfrom8:30amtoabout thegardensarehome. Guidedwalksthrough foreigners orchids can legallypurchase totake This isalsooneof thevery few placeswhere the wilder(andunlabeled) nationalparks. Rica’swealthofCosta florabefore youhit able grounds,thisisashady introductionto formative theunbeliev- plaquesthroughout gardens. the plants fromthepaved trailswindingthrough Paraíso Two kilometers eastof Paraíso ontheroad The University of Ricanowrunsthe Costa 8kmsoutheastofThe looproadstarts With manyplantspecieslabeledandin- , which istheofficialscenicoverlook, microbenefico Lankester Gardens Gardens Lankester Finca Cristina Finca Cristina (miniprocessing plant) , aworkingorganic

h ( %

( lonelyplanet.com % 8:30am-4:30pm) 2574 6426;www 2552 3247;jbl@ Mirador Mirador , lonelyplanet.com Oois hands. Orosi’s the day,theydecided totake propertyoff and rich soil.So,inthetypical fashionof springs tobracing waterfalls –perfect climate of thetown’s wealthof water –fromlazy hot Spanish colonistsquicklybecameenamored who lived here atthetimeof theconquest. chiefThis townwasnamedforaHuetar explored eitheronfoot or horseback. a picnicarea andasystem of trailsthatcanbe also hometoa prize ifyou’re pressing on.Thecomplexis toward thevalleyandisagoodconsolation rant (dishes US$4toUS$7),which facesout here,not staying stopbytheopen-airrestau- of thenaturalsurroundings.Even ifyou’re wonderful tobeable tolinger amidthebeauty newer concrete rooms are fairly basic,butit’s break upyourtrip.Olderwoodencabinsand hotel thatoffers asgoodareason asanyto US$47/60/70 ( ping viewsof thelush green valley. thegroundsandjaw-drop- flowing through turesque withatricklingcreek oldfarmhouse .orosivalleyfarm.com; rinclbreakfast US$45; Orosi stands outside of town.OntheroadfromParaíso to guests at prices. wholesale itsproductto ing. FincaCristinaalsosells Orosi % About 2kmsouthof Paraíso, The most beautiful places to stay areThe mostbeautifulplacestostay just contact Asodecah [email protected]. Asodecah contact via busesfromCartago. Formore informationontheprogramsoffered, visitthewebsite or directly intoanumberofcommunity-development initiatives. are US$22foradayvisit,US$35twodaysandUS$210sixdays. Allprofitsare invested two weeks. Pricesforvisitorsonvacation,includingprivate accommodationandguidedhikes, including fullroomandboard,are US$15dailyforthefirsttwoweeksandUS$12after thefirst homestay andthree dailyvegetarian meals,isUS$370.Pricesforthevolunteer-work programs, onsite guesthousesanddormitories. outreach andchildhoodeducation.Volunteers canrotate andare betweenprojects, housedin andcrafts,community arts estation, animalhusbandry,medicinal-herbcultivation,construction, andcommunitydevelopment. education alongsidethethemesofenvironmentalconservation The farmoperates an‘Alternative SpanishInstitute,’ whichcombinesformalSpanish-language the Association fortheDevelopment ofEnvironmentalandHumanConsciousness(Asodecah). The A NATURAL EDUCATION (PART II) 2574 5454; www.sanchiri.com; s/d/trinclbreakfast2574 5454;www.sanchiri.com; Finca laFlordeParaíso ofParaíso is7kmnortheast ontheroadtoElYas, andcanbereached The costforoneweekattheAlternative SpanishInstitute, including20hoursofclasses,alocal The farmalsooperates avolunteer-work programthatemphasizes organic agriculture, refor- Finca laFlordeParaíso pi Orosi Valley Farm butterfly garden butterfly CARTAGO ••Valle AREA deOrosi ) is a delightful, family-run isadelightful, ( % (adult/child US$5/3)

(www.la-flor-de-paraiso.org) Sanchirí Mirador 2533 3001;www p , apic- ) ,

h lected awealthof information andadvice on Sara, twolong-term residents whohave col- the park,isrunby themultilingualToineand 3640; Café Information&Arts Orosi Tourist in the know. are popularwithlocalsandafew foreigners fairs withsimplepoolsof warmwater that more are springs.Both,however, modestaf- but LosPatios isalarger complexwithafew ismoreBalnearios convenient asit’sintown, h Lodge, and the southwestsideof townnext totheOrosi ( perks, namelythehotspringsat of livinginavolcanicregion, it’sgottwobig managed toavoid themore rattlingaspects religious art and artifacts. some interesting examples of Spanish-colonial is asmall of Mexican origin.Adjacenttothechurch wood andadornedwithreligious paintings entirely outof iscarved tiling, whilethealtar combination of thatched caneandceramic Rica. Theroofin Costa of thechurch isa de SanJoséOrosi which have leftthewhitewashed 1743 Rica’sfrequent Costa earthquakes,survive INFORMATION % And whiletheattractive townhasthusfar 9am-noon & 2-5pm Tue-Fri, 9am-5pmSat&Sun) 9am-noon &2-5pmTue-Fri, 8am-4pm Tue-Sun) Orosi isoneof thefew colonialtownsto isanonprofitorganic farmoperated by 2533 2156;admissionUS$2; h 9am-4pm Mon-Sat) museum Los Patios theoldestchurch stillinuse , 1.5kmsouthof town.Los

( %

( % 2533 3051;admissionUS$0.50; , twoblockssouth of 2533 3009;admissionUS$2; h 7:30am-4pm) (Otiac; (Otiac;

Los Balnearios Los Balnearios % with Iglesia , on 153 2533

HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS 3640; www.montanalinda.com) Toine andSaraalso run COURSES a reasonably fastinternet connection. resource. invaluable Otiacisan tion orcommunitydevelopment, ing involved conserva- inenvironmental volunteering, teaching English orbecom- cals. Ifyou’re lookingforinformationon for interacting withbothtravelers andlo- town center andcafé.It’salsoagreat place Otiacfunctions asaculturalhall, services, US$25) meals at theprivate walks (US$10),campingandovernight stays for thetraveler onabudget, aswellguided andhotsprings to surroundingvolcanoes the valley.Theyorganize avarietyof outings 154 In additiontoproviding theusualtourist PC Orosi light of the growing production capabilities of countries like Brazil(see capabilities ofcountrieslike light ofthegrowingproduction p144 ). America, itisdifficulttosaywhetherthislegislation willbeenoughtosecure nichein amarket fined throughouttheAmericas. However, isacomparatively sinceCostaRica smallplayerinLatin sustainable pricetoensure thatprofitsare more evenly distributed. betweencountries. Whenacoffeeservices itselfasfairtrade,itisusuallysoldata advertises is aneconomic(andincreasingly political)term referring totheunhindered flowofgoodsand absurdly smallpercentageoftheprofits. This phenomenoninitiated apushforfairtrade,which to runlucrative enterprises, coffee are farmers(nottomentionmigrantworkers) receiving an that thepriceofacupcoffee hasskyrocketed. Whilecoffee Starbuckscontinue supplierslike the world. are thenvacuumsealedtoretain theircharacteristic acidity,andshippedtoroasters throughout to (predominantly theripenedberriesare Oncepicked, Nicaraguanmigrantworkers). transported occursprimarilyinthedryseason,andisdependenton Cartago. Harvesting cheap, seasonallabor included)lostalargeRica share. percentage oftheirtraditionalmarket rewarded nations(Costa theefficiencyofVietnamese coffee suppliers,manycoffee-exporting Vietnam entered followingtheliftingofUStradeembargo. theworldmarket Sincethemarket just afew years. eventually Althoughthemarket stabilized in1994,thiswasthesameyearthat system,a collapseintheworldquotacartel theworldcoffee priceplummeted nearly40%in Europe, andbecamefamousforitshighcaffeine content andacidic,multidimensionalflavor. the youngindependentgovernment), coffee CostaRican in cafésthroughout wasbeingserved revenue forthecolonyasearly1829.By thelate 19thcentury(thankstoastrongpushby andbecame themajorsourceoffee quicklysurpassedcacao,tobaccoandsugarinimportance, massive plantations. Sincedriedbeansare relatively nonperishableandthuseasytoship,cof- Valley were suited forthecultivationof perfectly coffee, andbegantoterrace thehillsideswith In 1779Spanishcolonistsdiscovered thatthecoolclimate andrichvolcanicsoiloftheCentral HIGHER GROUNDS ATG RA • al eOoi CARTAGO ••Valle AREA deOrosi With Cafta (orTLC asit’slocallyknown)onthehorizon,tradebarriersare abouttoberede- In recent years,it’sironicthatthepriceofgreen coffee beanshasplummeted atthesametime coffeeToday, CostaRican continuestobegrownintheprovinces ofAlajuela,Heredia and In thepast20years,however, coffee theCostaRican hassuffered market greatly. Following beneficos

( . % 2533 3302;perhrUS$1; , where theyare separated fromthefruitanddriedinsun.Green coffee beans Monte SkyReserve Monte , oneof themostaf- Montaña Linda h

(per personincl 8am-7pm) ( % 2533 has onsite restaurant (dishes US$4 toUS$8)is hot-water shower andfridge. The cable TV, with anicecollection of creature comforts: three are twoblockswest of Otiac,andcome US$35-55; there are afew doubles for couples. US$3). Accommodationsare indorms,but excellent cheap home-cooked meals (US$1to hot showers andkitchen privileges (US$1)or tion, which hasafestive hostel environment, west of thebusstopisthisgreat budget op- pi bathroomUS$25; bathroom US$10.50/17,dwithprivate camping perpersonUS$3.50,dmUS$6.50,s/dwithshared Montaña Linda SLEEPING Schools in theCentral Valley, p130 . boxedmore information, see text Spanish fordable Spanishschools inthecountry.For Hotel Reventazón Hotel ) Two blockssouthandthree blocks p ) Clean, modern rooms sleeping Clean,modernrooms sleeping

( % Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels 2533 3640;www.montanalinda.com;

( % 2533 3838;dinclbreakfast ested northernslopes of theCordillera de d US$52; specific destinations. Buses from Cartago fromCartago specific destinations.Buses 30 minutesfrom6am to 9pm. intimate rooms withexcellentviewsof the coupleandhassimple friendly German casado. good whipupadefinitely touristy, butitdoes Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels in US$7; sion Despite itsunwieldyname, this de la Muerte Parque Nacional Tapantí-MacizoCerro sure. make tocheck youneed withthedriverthough to casionally continueasfarsouth Purisil, prepares yourcatch to order. (price perkiloUS$3).Theonsite restaurant catch dinner atthewell-stocked troutpond into thenearbycloudforests andanglers can can take aguided three-hour hike (US$10) ( leads afew more kilometers to and Purisil (13km).FromPurisil,adirtroad ing theruralvillages of Río Macho, Palomo whilepass- coffee plantations slices through to Paraíso, roadthat you’llfollowarough Muerte rather thanloopingbackviaUjarrás Nacional Tapantí-Macizo dela Cerro If you’re continuingsouthtowardParque South ofOrosi Cartago Dam&Ruinas Cachí church. the Avenidas 6,between Calle to 1and3,close (US$0.50, 40minutes) departhourlyfrom the stopabout threeAll buses blockswestof THERE&AWAYGETTING springs isjustafew steps away. hot LosBalnearios andsandwiches. salads the airaswellamixof homemadepastries, thedreamy coffee youkeep smellingin serves US$8, openfrom7amto7pm).Thecafetería recommended Cafetería Orosi(mainsUS$4to from thereception area, which isinthehighly downer. therooms Asmallgardenseparates or patio–theperfect combinationforasun- wet barwithminifridge andashared balcony valley. Roomsincludeaprivate hotshower,a from 5am to 9pm. % Orosi Lodge Note that buses from Cartago toOrosioc- fromCartago Note thatbuses 2228 6630; fútbol US$0.75, 40 minutes, depart every 45minutes every US$0.75,40minutes,depart p h (soccer)field;asklocallyabout ) This peacefulhotel isrunbya 6am-4pm) h

( % 8am-5pm) US$0.50, 20 minutes, depart every every US$0.50,20minutes,depart 2533 3578;www.orosilodge.com; protects therain-for- , where nature lovers CARTAGO ••Valle AREA deOrosi Parque Purisil Parque Purisil park

(admis- backcountry hiking,andsome visitors walk Unfortunately, theTapantí isnotopento of thenorthernsection thepark.through bikersthat ispopularwith mountain runs 4km round-trip,while awell-graded dirtroad the information center, thelongest asteep There are three signedtrailsleadingfrom HIKING pumas, ocelotsandoncillas are present. monkeys, andeven tation, coatis,pacas,tayras trogons and eagles. including hummingbirds,parrots,toucans, species have recorded alsobeen inthepark, center is located. More than 300other bird of thevalley,where theparkinformation Quetzals are tonestonthewestern slopes said WILDLIFE-WATCHING best time to visit. January toApril)isgenerally considered the permit required), (from but the‘dry’season (fromApriltoOctober; is allowedinseason parts of thepark–packanumbrella. Fishing more than7000mminsomeof thehighest butreaches2700mm inthelowersections great isabout viewsof awaterfall. Rainfall area, aswimmingholeandlookoutwith ing tovariousattractions,includingapicnic the parkentranceandacoupleof trailslead- There isan INFORMATION needs. searching opens at6amtoaccommodate itsavian- destination fordedicated bird-watchers, and are few. Tapantí Nevertheless, isapopular sincetheterrain isrugged andthetrailssee the wildlife noteasyto isprolific,though Waterfalls abound,vegetation isthickand that’s fed byliterally hundreds of rivers. known) protects wildandmossycountry of rare bird species. theAndesandishometoavariety throughout extent of the Interamericana aswellthenorthernmost of pointonthe Death’marksthehighest delaMuerte ( Cerro p373 ). The‘Mountain hectares, andnowincludestheinfamous try. In2000theparkwasexpandedto583 this isthewettest parkintheentire coun- Talamanca, andboastsarainyclaimtofame– tussock grass habitat that’scommonlyfound tussock grasshabitat Though rarelyThough sighted duetothe thickvege- On theotherhand,Tapantí (asit’slocally information center páramo, a highland shrub and ahighland (

h 6am-4pm)

near

155

HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS US$5) 156 death in 1995,continuethe familywood- managed theworkshop sinceMacedonio’s sons,whohave Quesada’s to divineeffect. branches andbamboo,iselaborately chiseled of theconstruction, builtlargely of coffee Macedonio Quesada. Everycarver detail designed andbuiltbytherenowned Tico admission free; the best explored bycar or bicycle. thisstretchdam andnearbyruins,though is runfromOrositothe with electricity.Buses San Joséandthemajority Valley of theCentral (the largest inthecountry),which supplies following theconstructionof the the artificial parallels theRíoOrosibefore swingingaround From Orosi,thelooproadheadsnorthand Orosi toParaíso US$12 one way. 5116, 25512797) to theentrance. Or,youcantake a going toPurisil).Fromthere, it’sa5kmwalk an Orosi-bound make bus(though sure it’s to the park entrance. gravel toallvehicles roadpassable fromPurisil If youhave yourowncar,youcantake agood THERE&AWAYGETTING you like it. upanyway stocked pondandthenserved in trout,which inthewell- canbecaught to US$6,openfrom7am9pm)specializes wildlife.same Therestaurant (mainsUS$3 to Tapantí andinhabited bymuch of the Macho which Forest isadjacent Preserve, are alsoexpansive trailsleadingintotheRío resting on50mossyhectares of land.There has sixrusticcabinswithprivate hotshowers Lodge Kiri US$3) are available with prior notice. the ranger Cooked station. meals(US$1to There isabasicbutadequate SLEEPING &EATING such a small area. being able tospotalarge varietyof birdsin endary, andmostpeopleare simply satisfied of thebirdinghere thepark.However, isleg- aglimpse away feeling asiftheyonlycaught About 2kmsouthof Damis theCachí areBuses abittrickier. take FromCartago, On the road between PurisilandTapantí,On theroadbetween Casa delSoñador Casa withashared kitchen andbathroomsat ATG RA • al eOoi CARTAGO ••Valle AREA deOrosi

( % fromOrositotheparkforabout h Lago deCachi 2592 0638;s/dinclbreakfast US$25/35) 8am-6pm) (Dreamer’s House;

, awhimsicalhouse . Thelake wascreated guesthouse % taxi Cachí Dam Cachí 2577 1186; ( %

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few more kilometers before returning to for purchase. are ondisplay.Someof themare available figures andothercharacters, somelife-size, on Sunday afternoons. grassy groundsare apopular picnicking spot the dayof where Mass, foodandmusichelpcelebrate is aprocessionfromParaíso totheruins, toApril14,thereally ontheSundayclosest cally inanovergrown park.Every year, usu- leaving theruinstodeteriorate photogeni- the paintingconcededtomove toParaíso, the floodsandafew earthquakes, however, of maraudingBritish pirates in1666.After return, theVirgin helpedlocalsdefeat agroup ing area clericstobuildthechurch here. In therelic Negrita, refused tomove,La forc- by alocalfisherman.Using as similartactics raculous paintingof theVirgin discovered de laLimpiaConcepción the ruinsof the1693 by afloodin1833 and abandoned. old village (about1km),which wasdamaged Pipiolatoheadtowardthe La for Restaurant you thatyou’ve arrived. atasign Turnright couple of stores withtheword‘Ujarrás’ tell of campesinos of localworking tradition,andcarvings also available here. short horseback cartrides, orhorse-drawn on Sunday,when familieswithkidsgofor picked (November toMarch). It’spopular while watching thenextbatch of beansbeing can enjoyareally fresh cupof coffee or ameal about 3kmsoutheastof thedam,where you mains US$5-15; past Casona. La desk. Thecabinasare just onasignedturnoff the kitchen andperhaps arrange atouratthe take ahotshower, fixsomedinnerin TV, private trails, thenrelax infrontof thecable You canpretend you’re itonthe roughing well-equippedcabins. atthese scenery, stay you’re looking toslowdownandenjoythe www.cabinas.co.cr/costa_rica1.htm; s/dUS$46/53; deMontañaPiedrasAlbas Cabañas SLEEPING &EATING Paraíso. Ujarrás After Ujarrás, theroadcontinuesfora Past thedam,you’llfind smallvillage The waters have sincereceded, revealing La Casona del Cafetal Restaurant delCafetal La Casona atthebottomof hill–a along,steep La Virgen deUjarrás La Virgen (peasants orfarmers)(peasants h Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels 11am-6pm) , oncehometoami- Iglesia de Nuestra Señora Iglesia deNuestraSeñora Thisrestaurant is . Thechurch’s

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( % % , religious 2577 1462; 2533 3280; p If ) gouges a mountain pass through theCordillera gouges passthrough amountain and Turrialba flowsintotheRíoReventazón ofAt anelevation 650mabove theRío level, sea TURRIALBA AREA lonelyplanet.com hotels andmostwhite-water rafting outfits There’s butbetter touristoffice, noofficial Information in andcapitalism conservation Rica.Costa it’salwaysavery tle, though finelinebetween asiftheresidentsseems are winning thebat- tothebulldozersenough of progress. Sofar,it p161 ). Fair – Turrialbahassacrificed enough boxed (see fight text Damming the Rivers?, groupsandputupafierce with conservation to damthescenicwaterways, thetownunited power company)beganmakinggoodonplans lers. whentheICE(thenational However, share their town’scharms withcurioustrave- andresidentsdenly ontherise, were happyto white water ontheplanet.Tourismwassud- townwithaccesstosomeofmountain thebest already whispering about Turrialba,amodest must always go on. comeandgo,butlife andhighways Railways bly returned totheircoffee-cultivating roots. in1991,folksherebackwater status hum- and followingtherelegation of theircityto The residents of Turrialba are aproudpeople, TURRIALBA (p160). Guayabo culturalsite,to thecountry’smostimportant the undertouristed VolcánTurrialbaandclose white water. It’salsosituated inthewake of America’sbest strong coffee andCentral town that’srenowned air, foritsmountain here. gorgeous path, butnoonecared tomove away–it’stoo off thebeaten (population 70,000)founditself Hwy 32wascompleted. Suddenly,Turrialba (readand thesmoothstraight asboring) earthquake shutdownthenation’srailsystem, quirk. same Turrialba thrived. tothecoastexploitedlinking thecapital this from thecoffee thefirst trade. highway Later, villagemountain of Turrialbagrew prosperous andthe José andPuertoLimóntorollthrough, San quirk allowedthe‘JungleTrain’between Inthe1880s thishydrogeological Central. By thistime,rafters theworldover were thingschangedHowever, in1991whenan Today Turrialbaisalow-key agricultural TURRIALBA AREA ••Turrialba TURRIALBAAREA 1000 hectares dedicated totropicalagricul- .ac.cr; admissionfree; &Education; Agronomy Research Central. cornerof Check youremailhere, onthenortheast Parque ing course and waterfall rappelling ing courseand waterfall trips. canyoning.com) Alsorunsareader-recommended canyon- arrange put-ins and pick-ups. thoughitcan latinmail.com) Specializesinkayaking, Exploranatura Ríos Costa Rica Aventuras deTurrialba throughout the area. aking orrafting,andmostcanarrange tours The followingoperators alloffer either kay- tic visitors area with educational exhibits. hasarus- good-size person. Theserpentarium boas, one ofseveral which weighs asmuch asa including someunusualalbinospecimensand avarietyof Ricansnakes, Costa you cansee Mon-Fri) Viborana of Pavones (500meastof thecemetery), orget (US$2) ataxi to Catie from Turrialba. Youcanwalk building totheRíoReventazón. descending frombehind theadministration good birdingarea trail istheshortbutsteep the purplegallinuleare aspecialty.Another to thecentralpond,where waterbirds such as thegardens tourthrough take aself-guided plots.Oryoucanpickupamapand mental bankandexperi- a dairy,herbarium,seed where inthe world,laboratories,greenhouses, libraries of tropical-agriculture literature any- projects, includingoneof themostextensive for aguidedtourof thevariousagricultural tomakethe tropics.Youneed reservations in of agriculturalstations themostimportant from allover theworldrecognize thisasone tural research andeducation.Agronomists yEnseñanza de Investigación (which isjust aswell), Ricabyitsacronymof Costa Catie throughout About 4kmeastof Turrialba,andknown Sights Dimension Internet Banco Popular throughout transportation the region. can organize tours, accommodationsand be booked in advance. It’s 25m north of inadvance. It’s 25mnorth be booked Parque Central. weeklong Offers .costaricarios.com) thatmust trips rafting Tours About 10kmeastof Turrialba,inthevillage is known for its serpentarium. Here isknownforitsserpentarium. ( % 2538 1510;admissionUS$3; ( (9am-5pm Mon-Fri) Hasa24-hourATM. (9am-5pmMon-Fri) ( % % h 2556 4932; www.costarica (perhrUS$0.75; in theUSA888-4340776;www 7am-4pm) ( % Centro Agronómico Tropical Agronómico Centro % 8363 4539;kayakers@

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Parque 157

HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS thusiasts, andtotake advantage of thehotel’s upwithlike-mindedto meet white-water en- thereal However, tained. reason here tostay is shared hot-water bathroomsare wellmain- in Turrialba. Roomswith bigwindowsand by kayakers andrafters as train tracksisthishotel, which isregarded US$11/18; interamericano.com; Av 1;rperpersonwithout/withbathroom bathroom. private the showers) andcavernous roomswith ers won’tmindthecool,clean(justlike 2 &Central;s/dUS$6/8) Whittingham’s Hotel TURRIALBA Sleeping Adventures Tico’s River World RainForest Loco’s 158 Class IV Río Chirripó fromJunethrough Class IVRíoChirripó November. river.com) downthe Alocalcompanythatalsooffers atrip Indigenous Reserve whilerunning Indigenous Reserve the river. anovernightintheCabécar .com/welcome2.cfm) Offers company thatworkswithsmall groups. 1 To RestaurantDonPorfi(4km); 3 2 TURRIALBA MN Guayabo(20km);Pacayas Hotel Interamericano Interamericano Hotel (24km); SanJosé(62km)

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and Limón, 8kmfromtown, thisTico-run s/d US$52/62) trips. rafting water bathrooms,andcan arrange tours and Turrialba area. Allhotels have private hot- There are somestellar hotels aroundthe AROUND TURRIALBA for, well,allyour sitting needs. andasitting area shower, ahuge cableTV rooms have air-con, private (steaming) hot Av 4btwnCalles2&4;s/dinclbreakfast US$55/69; a casado.tasty restaurant (dishes US$3toUS$5)whipsup andprivate hotshower.cable TV Theonsite wood accentsare wellequippedwithair-con, roomswithattractiveas smallandstandard without/with air-conUS$26/30; a T t Canal

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) lonelyplanet.com ups anddownsofeachriver, aswelltipsonhowtoorganize atripandestimated costs. interested in–theRíoReventazón andtheRíoPacuare. The followingisaquickguidetotheins,outs, Let’s atthebeginning. start There are twomajorrivers intheTurrialba area thatmostrafters are WHITE-WATER RAFTING(AND KAYAKING) 101 on amenities, but expect topayaroundUS$175US$300 perperson. on amenities,butexpect Pacuare orClass IIIsegmentsoftheReventazón. trips,pricesvarywidelydepending For two-day tion andaccessibility. Generally,thecheapesttripsleave fromTurrialba, and put-in ontheLower to payanywhereFor daytrips,youcan expect fromUS$80toUS$120depending ontransporta- Prices campsite andborderlinegourmetmeals. orafairlyplushlodge,guidedhikes Class IVRíoChirripóandwhite-water-free RíoPejibaye forfamilies). (perfect in advance. Mostoperatorsalsooffer raftingonotherrivers, includingRíoSarapiquí( p512 ), the which folkswillingtospendmore timeinavanwillfindrewarding. These shouldbearranged including thelessaccessible(andcrowded)UpperPacuare andPascua segmentofReventazón, which bothhave easy-accessput-ins thatreduce yourtravel time. There are other runs,however, trips, olderfortougherruns. Agencies inTurrialba ( p157 ) canorganize trips. Children mustbeatleastnineyearsoldformost Organizing Trips and Apriltheriver isatitslowest,andthoughwaves aren’t asbig,theriver isstillchallenging. highest water toDecember,whentheriver isfromOctober runsfastwithhugewaves. InMarch alltoyourself.earth drive it–you’llhavea two-hour totheput-in, theprettiest thoughit’sworth junglecruiseon III-IV, butthere are a few thatcangotoClassVdependingonconditions. sections It’sabout life curiousastowhatthescreaming isallabout.The rocky gorges andisolated canyons,pastanindigenousvillage,untamedjungleandlotsofwild- walls toweringhundreds ofmeters above –amagnificentanduniqueriver trip. their furyandseparated bycalmstretches thatenableyoutostare atthenear-vertical green canyonsclothedinvirginthrough aseriesofspectacular rainforest, throughrunsnamedfor ifnotCentralscenic raftinginCostaRica, America. The river plungesdowntheCaribbean slope The RíoPacuare majorriver isthenext valleyeastoftheReventazón, andhasarguably themost Pacuare Río Las Máquinas runs inthecountry.Withmore than65kmofrapids,youcangetashard-core asyoulike. the mountainstoCaribbean lowlands. The river isafavorite andisoneofthemostdifficult at1000mabovethe river nowtumbles,starting sealevel andrunningdowntheeastern slopesof The Cachí Damacrossthe RíoReventazón LagodeCachí, created lake, fromwhich theartificial Reventazón Río considered theworstday. there are nowater releases fromthedamonSundayand,althoughriver isrunnable,this duetosafetyin thecountry,andtouroperatorswillnotalwaysrunthissection concerns. sidered tobetheclassicrun.The ClassV interesting. The final andmostpopularsegment,isascenicClassIIIwithlittlemore white water things tokeep Two-day tripsareTwo-day offered byalmostevery operator,usuallyincluding avery comfortable Day tripsusuallyrafttheClassIII-IVLowerPacuare orClassIIIsegmentsofRíoReventazón, The Pacuare canberunyear-round, are thoughJunetoOctober considered thebestmonths. The The ClassIII-IV inSiquirres.Tour operatorsdividetheriver betweenthedamandtake-out intofoursections Water levels stayfairlyconstantyear-round becauseofreleases fromthedam. Note that TURRIALBA AREA (Power House) is a Class II-III float that’s perfect forfamilies,while (PowerHouse)isaClassII-IIIfloatthat’sperfect Pascua Lower Pacuare section, with15ClassIVrapidsfeaturingsection, ‘The nameslike Abyss,’iscon- is themore famousandmore accessiblerun:28kmthrough Peralta segment isthemostchallenging white water Upper Pacuare isalsoclassifiedasClass Florida , the

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS h near thevillage of this Tuis (4WDneeded), and local cheese. ground meat,chicken, fruit) orsweet cheese sizable, delicious andbest whenaccompa- Portions of European-influenced dishesare as oneof thetopeatsinTurrialbaarea. ommended spot, which is regarded bylocals on theroadtoSan Joséisthisreader-rec- alike for aslonganyone can remember. tohappycustomers,beef tourists andlocals chicken goodseafood, and serving has been US$3-6; cakes, soft up warmsmellof thisbakery thatserves h bakeries andgrocerystores in town. There are several Eating forest. rain trail system thenearby leadingthrough grounds aswell,andthere isanexpansive of speciesof butterflies canbefoundonthe recorded fromtheirbalconyalone. Hundreds cies inthearea –over 200specieshave been avid birders whohave recorded over 400spe- watchers. TheNorthAmericanowners are companying cabinsislegendary amongbird- Spanish-style, five-bedroom lodge withac- pi perpersonwith3mealsUS$1138; US$175/350, 7-daypackage s/dincl3meals .costaricagateway.com/lodges/index1.php; cane, coffee beansand macadamia nuts. fieldsofgaze wistfullyatthesweeping sugar and private verandas, fromwhere youcan luxe roomsandfoursuites withlofty ceilings living.Thehotel has12de- cious plantation Rica,’ andrecalls thecolonialheydayof gra- group of ‘Small,Distinctive Hotels of Costa elegant three-story mansionbelongstothe .com; dUS$156,steUS$165-330; views (andthe fresh fish). it’shardtobeatthedramatic prowess, though US$10) shows off thefamily’swoodworking local artists.Therestaurant (dishes US$4to bedspreadslocally sewn andpaintingsfrom thathavepaneled roomsinanoldfarmhouse García familysince1968.There are 14wood- lodge ownedandmanaged hasbeen bythe 160 o Hotel Turire Casa Bar/Restaurant LaGarza Bar/Restaurant La Castellana Restaurant DonPorfi Restaurant 10am-10pm) 7am-7pm Mon-Sat) TURRIALBA AREA ••MonumentoNacionalArqueológico TURRIALBA AREA Guayabo h ) empanadas Located 20kmsoutheastof Turrialba 10am-10pm) Rancho Naturalista Rancho Fourkilometers northof town (Cnr Calle2&Av 4;snacksUS$1-3; (

sodas, % Follow your nose tothe Followyournose (corn turnovers filledwith ThisTurrialbainstitution 2531 1111;www.hotelcasaturire

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Chinese restaurants, Chinese 2556 9797;mainsUS$4-8; pais ( % 2297 4134;www This ) hours, depart almost hours, depart hourly. more than 20,000peopleinAD800,theheight the aqueductsystem, which mayhave served José. San Nacional(see hibited at the Museo p89 ) in pottery and goldartifactsfoundhere are ex- and mysterious petroglyphs. Polychromatic have unearthedsophisticated infrastructure cal sites (don’texpectpyramids),excavations breathtaking asMaya andAztec archaeologi- Turrialba. Guayabo isnotnearlyas Although cal site inthe country is19kmnortheastof The largest archaeologi- andmostimportant ARQUEOLÓGICO GUAYABO MONUMENTO NACIONAL Limón fortransfertoPuerto Siquirres, San José Monumento NacionalGuayabo Cruz. Santa tothevillages Suiza,Tuisand ofbuses La ices listed below,there are alsofrequent local town off Hwy10.Inadditiontotheserv- The busterminal isonthewestern edge of you ifdon’thave a car. arrange for willeven transportation Sergio, nied byaglassof owner, wine. Thedelightful began the first systematic excavations of ologist withthe University of Rica, Costa particular groupwith having built the site. tocreditfrom Guayabo, andit’sdifficult a that nowritten records have recovered been and politicalcenter. it’sunfortunate However, cultural, religious itwasanimportant believe pothesize aboutGuayabo’s significance,most underfunded archaeologists continuetohy- no record of having foundtheruins.Though dors doned byAD1400–theSpanish wasmysteriously aban- as early1000BC, mounds. suspicious-looking unearthed structures andunexcavated but onsite, which youcanenjoyamongvarious (theoretically) water remains potable available fort wasworthit–thecisterns stillwork,and Theextraef- Ricanstandards. shape, byCosta along an8kmroadthat’sstillinpretty good stones hauledinfromfar-off RíoReventazón of enormous thecity’sprominence. Ituses at11:15am,3:10pmand depart 5:20pm. Getting There&Away The site, which mayhave occupied been The mostimpressive findatGuayabois In 1968 Carlos AguilarIn 1968Carlos Piedra, anarchae- (conquerors), explorers left andsettlers US$2, two hours, depart hourlyfrom5am US$2,twohours,depart to 9pm. US$0.75,onehour, lonelyplanet.com US$1.50,1¾ conquista-

lonelyplanet.com ongoing during the week, and some sections andsome sections ongoing during theweek, Nacionalin SanJosé.Excavations areMuseo many of thebest piecesare ondisplayatthe ( There’s aninformationand Information Guayabo. of excavations willreveal more about theorigins uncovered, andthere are hopesthatfuture hectares, mostof theruinsare waitingtobe thesite1980. Although onlyoccupies 232 in 1973,withfurtherprotection decreed in the site was declared anationalmonument Guayabo. As becameevident, itsimportance % put your white-water rafting trip off until the next time you make itdowntoCostaRica. timeyoumake put yourwhite-water raftingtripoffuntilthenext ofitsClassVrapidsduetothefirstphaseSiquirreshas already Don’t Project. lostone-third onaspreadsheet somewhereits worth inSanJosé,protecting itforanotherday. groups isholdingICEatbay,whilegrowthinwhite-water raftinghashelpedthePacuare prove country modernizingmore rapidlythanmost.However, pressure frominternational conservation tively easytobuild,andcouldgenerate atremendous ina amountofincomeandelectricity For now. toreduceas coordinatedusage,thedamisnotcurrently electricity nationalefforts needed. and Nicaragua. Becauseofnewgeothermalplantsbuiltsincethedamwasproposed,aswell Río Pacuare’s plight. andearnedinternationalmuch legally,butitstalledthedam’sconstruction attention forthe for EnvironmentandDevelopment firstproposedin1989.The papershuffling didn’tcometo thattheCentral(EIA) inhistory,anindependentauditofsuchprojects AmericanCommission organizing aresistance movement. They Assessment filedforthefirstEnvironmentalImpact groupsand,yep,white-water raftingoutfitswere alreadyers, indigenousleaders,conservation understood. terrupt rivers andwashawayecosystems, theyhave long-term thatare impacts notcompletely dams.hydroelectric Technically, thisisarenewable resource, damsnotonlyin- butinpractice, geothermal, solarandwindenergy, withawhopping81%ofitspowerproducedbydozen fossil fuelsonlyforvehicles; allotherpowerisgenerated usingrenewable resources, including increasing powerdemands(tourists,after all,musthave theirair-conditioning). uses CostaRica swath ofprimaryrainforest where some800animalspecieshave beenrecorded. andahugeof rapids,uptotheTres oftheAwariIndigenousReserve Equisput-in, butalsoparts Reventazón totheRíoPacuare. Ifbuilt,risingwaters onthePacuare wouldnotonlyflood12km water bya10km-longtunnelthatwoulddivert fromtheRíoto includefourdamsintotal,linked ravine ofDosMontañas. unveiled planstobuilda200mgravitydamattheconveniently narrowandscreamingly scenic nationalenergy (ICE),CostaRica’s Costarricense deElectricidad andcommunicationsprovider, became thefirstfederally protected river inCentral Americain1985.Twoyearslater, Instituto Considered oneofthemostbeautifulwhite-water raftingtripsintheworld,wildRíoPacuare DAMMING THERIVERS? 2559 1220;admissionUS$4; The neighboringRíoReventazón, however, hasnotbeensolucky:the(in)famousPeralta section havePlans fortheproject notbeenabandoned,bya longshot.Siquirres wouldberela- (notincludingoil),primarilytoPanama ofelectricity isanetexporter Today CostaRica As moved theproject aloosecoalitionoflocallandown- fromspeculationtowardconstruction, upwithrapidly wasfirstproposed,ICEindebtandstrugglingtokeep When theproject This damwouldbethecornerstoneofmassive Siquirres proposed Project, Hydroelectric TURRIALBA AREA ••MonumentoNacionalArqueológico TURRIALBAAREA Guayabo h 8am-3:30pm) exhibit center , but ing premontane forest in theprovince of The site currently protects thelastremain- Wildlife-Watching itmight though still rain. is duringtheJanuary – toAprildry season rainfall isabout3500mm;thebesttime togo water. Keep inmindthattheaverage annual includelatrinesandrunning and services guides. local or attheranger about independent station but it’sworthaskingaroundinTurrialba Guided tours are notcurrently available, tovisitors times. atcertain may beclosed Camping (perperson US$2)ispermitted,Camping

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS Eastern Crater Eastern to thepublic.Thesmaller and isthusclosed tospewjetsofstarting sulfurandsteam again, The activity consisting of bubblingsulfurousmud. the into While hikingthesummit,youcan peer limited tofumarolesandmicrotremors.been of activityin135years, sofar it’s though mammals. of shelter 84speciesof birdsand11species boo. protected small,these habitats Although ferns, of stands bromeliadsandeven bam- dripping withmoisture fullof andmosses, consists of rainandcloudforest, mountain the volcano. thesummit,park Below in 1955,andprotects a2kmradiusaround p243. Hot!, Hot, boxedvolcanic eruption,see text Feelin’ Hot, explore. Formore information onpredicting a today thesummitisconsidered to safe enough however, Turrialba hasslumbered quietly,and smoke pouringfromitssummit.Since1866, plumes of whoobserved Spanish settlers, named Torre Alba(White Tower)byearly This rarely visited active volcano(3328m)was TURRIALBA PARQUE NACIONALVOLCÁN it’s a 4km hike. tothepark,fromwhereyou attheturnoff (about US$10onewayfromTurrialba)drop andmosttaxis at 12:45pmand4pm.Buses 11:15am, 3:10pmand5:20pm,return Turrialba (US$0.75,onehour)departat from made much easierwitha4WD.Buses and you’re careful, yourlife though willbe tonormalcars,may bepassable ifit’sdry The last3kmof thedrive tothemonument Getting There&Away raucous calls. heard atthebeginningof theirloudand thepoppingsoundthatiswhich causes have intheirchest, sac asmall,inflatable latter are uniqueamongjaysinthatthey birds includetoucansandbrownjays–the building sacklike nestsinthetrees. Other pendolas, which colonizethemonumentby noteworthy amongtheavifauna are theoro- good birdingopportunitieshere. Particularly to squirrels, armadillosandcoatis,there are mammalsare andalthough limitedCartago, 162 Turrialba wasdeclared anationalpark In 2001thevolcanoshoweditsfirst signs Central Crater Central Main Crater Main URAB RA • aqeNcoa ocn Trila ••ParqueTURRIALBA AREA NacionalVolcán Turrialba lacks fumarole activity, though lacksfumarole activity,though , which lasterupted in1866,is , which hasminorfumarole Although yourhikingoptionsareAlthough limited, you –weatherpermitting. volcanoes and Barva brittle andcan easily break. careful aroundtheiredges –theyare very fromthecratersdistance andbeespecially veloped tokeep your fortourism,soyouneed thatthesummitisnotde- advised head). Be can usuallyshow you inwhich direction to Crater, theyare though unmarked (rangers heading tothe CraterEastern andtheCentral From theendof theroad,there are trails Hiking park. the of guidedhikes andhorseback ridesthrough about 15°C/59°F,so dress accordingly. mit. Theaverage temperature uphere isonly are frequently rangers atthetopof thesum- ranger noradmission there fee, station though At thetimeof writing,there wasneithera Information volcanoes. more-touristed from wild andnaturalfeeling thatisabsent structure (and tourists)gives thesummita dramatic asPoásorIrazú,thelackof infra- twice asfar bycarthanfoot. Fromthevillage of Turrialbaasthe crowflies,butmore than The volcanoisonly about 15kmnorthwest Getting There& Away and sitting room,withTV board games. a blazingwoodstove inthebar-restaurant and rides toVolcánTurrialba. Therustichotel has interesting, well-guided hikes andhorseback and somewithwoodstoves are augmented by Cozy roomswithelectricheaters, great views travelers adventure. lookingforsome highland andrecommendedand Irazúvolcanoes, for cattle ranch theTurrialba isperched between lodge4WD only),thismountain andworking 14km northwestof Cruz(accessibleby Santa s/dwith3mealsUS$70/140; turrialbalodge.com; Lodge Volcán Turrialba Sleeping slogthrough to beasolitary forest.montane hike Cruzislikely upthevolcanofromSanta having tonavigate the touristcrowds.The can explore theedges of thesummitwithout riy season. rainy moisture is present inthe crater duringthe From therimthere are viewsof Irazú,Poás thecratersAlthough are notnearlyas Volcán TurrialbaLodge arranges avariety Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels

( % 2273 4335;www.volcan p About ) Santa CruzforaboutUS$20eachSanta way(you summit. Youcanalsoget from a4WDtaxi toreach –a4WDisnecessary ingly rough the for thefirst 10km,andthenbecomesincreas- road climbstothesummit.Theispaved and connected an18km viapublicbuses), of Cruz(which Santa is13kmfromTurrialba lonelyplanet.com the above - ‘Do the right thingwithourcontent.’ the above -‘Dotheright theterms and conditionsonoursiteforalonger wayofsaying youknow,orresell it.See everyone site,mass emailitto only. Inotherwords, pleasedon’tuploadthischapterto apeer-to-peer Inreturn, wethinkit’sfair toaskyouuseitforpersonal,non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasier foryoutouse,accessthischapterisnotdigitally Tomake is theofficial route intothe national park. later). There are signsalongtheway,andthis can arrange towaitorpickyouup forthetaxi TURRIALBA AREA ••Parque TURRIALBAAREA NacionalVolcán Turrialba i unsigned. is few kilometers of walking,butthisroute about25km, thenthereroad goes are a Cruzisat1500m.Theroughthan Santa point starting at2400m,isahigher Gerardo, Cruz,butSanit’s furtherthanfromSanta roadcontinuestoVolcánTurrialba–rough southern slopesof VolcánIrazú.Fromhere a tothevillage of ontheCartago SanGerardo Another approach istotake abusfrom © LonelyPlanetPublications

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HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS CENTRAL VALLEY & & VALLEY CENTRAL