© Lonely Planet Publications 124 lonelyplanet.com ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OF THE VALLEY 125 History exhibit, trout lake and the world’s largest butterfly Central Valley & Of the 20 or so tribes that inhabited pre- enclosure. Hispanic Costa Rica, it is thought that the Monumento National Arqueológico Guayabo Central Valley Huetar Indians were the most ( p160 ) The country’s only significant archaeological site Highlands dominant. But there is very little historical isn’t quite as impressive as anything found in Mexico or evidence from this period, save for the ar- Guatemala, but the rickety outline of forest-encompassed cheological site at Guayabo. Tropical rains villages will still spark your inner Indiana Jones. Parque Nacional Tapantí-Macizo Cerro de la The rolling verdant valleys of Costa Rica’s midlands have traditionally only been witnessed and ruthless colonization have erased most of pre-Columbian Costa Rica from the pages Muerte ( p155 ) This park receives more rainfall than during travelers’ pit stops on their way to the country’s more established destinations. The of history. any other part of the country, so it is full of life. Jaguars, area has always been famous for being one of the globe’s major coffee-growing regions, In 1561 the Spanish pitched their first ocelots and tapirs are some of the more exciting species. CENTRAL VALLEY & and every journey involves twisting and turning through lush swooping terrain with infinite permanent settlement at Garcimuñoz, in Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú ( p151 ) One of the few lookouts on earth that affords views of both the Caribbean HIGHLANDS coffee fields on either side. You’ll also find misty rain forests and brooding volcanoes here, the western Central Valley. Two years later, real colonization got under way. Cartago was and the Pacific, Irazú also lays claim to being the country’s which you’ll rarely have to share with more than a handful of other tourists. founded and the Spanish began farming the highest live volcano. land and enslaving the indigenous popula- Parque Nacional Volcán Poás ( p139 ) A shimmering Only Alajuela and Turrialba have really featured on the tourist radar to date. As a result crater lake and surrounding cloud forest make this one HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS tion. The rich fertile lands of the volcanic of Alajuela’s proximity to the airport, visitors have been opting to stay in the tranquil town valleys led to increasing numbers of settle- of the prettiest volcanoes in the region. The steaming CENTRAL VALLEY & CENTRAL VALLEY & before moving on to the beach, thus bypassing San José’s urban grime. The cascading ments, and Heredia, San José and Alajuela geysers sometimes get so aggressive that the park has to rapids outside Turrialba, meanwhile, are top of the list for white-water rafters and kayakers all sprang up in the 18th century. close down. the world over, and should not be missed by any thrill-seeking visitors. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 19th century that the area really began to pros- Dangers & Annoyances The area is fantastic for self-drive exploration. Roll the top down and drive through the per, due to its enormous coffee-growing While the area is generally considered to be winding roads, using distant volcano peaks as a compass when the local road maps inevitably revenues. The planting of the ‘golden bean’ very safe and welcoming, there have been brought riches to the local community, and reports of car break-ins, particularly in the let you down. Those who give the region more than the standard half hour at the roadside encouraged the development of a large and larger towns like Alajuela. Try and secure restaurant will discover that unknown beauty, culture and charm are sitting in the country’s powerful agrarian middle class. More re- off-street parking and never leave valuables heartland and, surprisingly, right under the nose of the nation’s capital. cently, the decrease in the value of coffee in your car. has seen agriculture become more diversi- This chapter is arranged in a roughly west–east sequence of the four major population fied, but the region’s educated and well-to- Getting There & Around centers – Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago and Turrialba. do community remains a heavy influence on It makes sense to hire a car to seek out all the rest of the country. the hard-to-find corners of this part of the country. All the towns are well connected Climate by regular buses from San José, but getting For this part of the world, the weather is between them by public transport can be a surprisingly mild. Year-round the mercury pain. Locals (and the odd gung ho Lonely hovers around 25°C/77°F. The elevated alti- Planet author) occasionally wave down pass- HIGHLIGHTS tude and landlocked location mean the heat ing cars. If you do this, beware that there that most of the country endures doesn’t White-knuckle riding down the swooping are risks (see p549 ), and always offer to help and diving rapids of the Río Reventazón pose a problem. From June to December, it’s with gas costs. and Río Pacuare ( p159 ) not uncommon for a light afternoon shower, but the sun usually pokes through after an Tentatively peering into the mammoth Volcán Poás hour of rain, so nothing to fret about. craters of the area’s live volcanoes, Volcánes ALAJUELA & THE Monumento Irazú ( p151 ), Poás ( p139 ) and Turrialba Palmares Nacional Parks & Reserves Arqueológico Volcán Turrialba NORTH OF THE VALLEY ( p162 ) Guayabo Watch wildlife and explore volcanic land- Volcán Irazú Driving through the lush coffee fields in the scapes in some of the Central Valley’s mag- Cradled by the gentle undulations of coffee Valle de Orosi ( p152 ) Río Reventazón nificent national parks. fincas and tamed jungle parks, the provincial Río Valle de Orosi Pacuare ( p137 ) This away- Going back in time at the country’s major Los Angeles Cloud Forest Reserve capital of Alajuela lies about 18km north- archaeological site, Monumento Nacional from-the-crowds activity-based reserve offers the chance west of San José. Originally known as Villa Arqueológico Guayabo ( p160 ) to whiz through the leaves on the zip-line canopy tour or Hermosa, it’s still a very ‘pretty city,’ not to trot through the branches on the horseback trails. mention the country’s second largest, with a Not sleeping for a week at Costa Rica’s larg- Los Jardines de la Catarata la Paz ( p141 ) Offers population of more than 185,000. And, con- est fiesta in Palmares ( p137 ) 3.5km of hiking trails through rich wildlife-filled rain trary to what most taxi drivers will tell you, forest, with a hummingbird garden, serpentarium, frog Alajuela is only 3km from Juan Santamaría 126 ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OF THE VALLEY •• Central Valley & Highlands lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com ALAJUELA & THE NORTH OF THE VALLEY •• Central Valley & Highlands 127 0 20 km CENTRAL VALLEY & HIGHLANDS 0 12 miles Estación Biológica 84º30'W 83º45'W 83º30'W 84º15'W La Selva 84º00'W Platanar Zona Protectora o r 162 La Selva R e La Virgen Parque Magasay í u Nacional 141 o g 4 u Tortuguero C t r 126 h o i Aguas r Cariari T Florencia 140 H e r e d i a r Zarcas o i í El Ceibo p Venecia R Horquetas ó Ciudad Quesada Rio Cuarto (San Carlos) Colonia San Miguel Volcán del Toro 247 Platanar Río Frio CENTRAL VALLEY & El Sucre (2183m) Reserva Cordillera 4 Laguna Volcánica Central 141 Hule HIGHLANDS Colonia Virgen Rara Parque Nacional Avis L i m ó n o R del Socorro Juan Castro Blanco r Cariblanco o í o T Parque Nacional 10º15'N S 10º15'N o Parque Braulio Carrillo í Nacional a R Volcán Poás Los Jardines r C Bajos a o de la Catarata p r HIGHLANDS HIGHLANDS del Toro d Santa Guápiles Guácimo la Paz i i q l R Clara R n Volcán l R e ó u í r í Poás í z í o CENTRAL VALLEY & CENTRAL VALLEY & a o o a (2704m) R Los Angeles C Rainforest C t Zarcero B T Cloud Forest Poasito e í o n Aerial Tram o s Vara n o e Reserve t l t v Reserva Blanca a a r r e C o Zona Protectora Forestal 120 Volcán a n Quebrada González R c n Grecia Barva l o Acuiferos Guacimo 32 R a c a o A r Ranger Station r i y Pococi r Laguna (2906m) i c o a n a m í B Fraijanes t o 141 o a R í Barva Sector r a i i R Ranger Station 126 l r l t Siquirres Sacramento o a San P Naranjo í o Ramón Sarchí Paso R Monte R Llano í 1 1 de la Cruz o Grecia San Pedro S Palmares World of s de Poás San José 32 Parque Nacional u Snakes á de la Montaña c Reserva Forestal o Zurquí Braulio Carrillo i P 130 o Cordillera Volcánica Zona Protectora o Santa Tunnel Central Río Grande í Las Cataratas Bárbara El Castillo Rosario R de Los Chorros Alto Palma Volcán Parque Nacional Barva Turrialba 135 Rincón San San Isidro Volcán Turrialba 10 Reserva ALAJUELA San Joaquín Rafael de Heredia (3328m) de Salas de Flores Río Pacuare R Zoo Ave San Jerónimo Parque Nacional í o 10º00'N Juan Santamaria 3 HEREDIA 10º00'N San Isidro Volcán Irazú G u Atenas International Airport a Lajas La Garita de Coronado Las Nubes Santa y a 3 Santo b (Santa Volcán Irazú Cruz o 3 Guácima San Antonio Domingo Teresita) Moravia (3432m) Butterfly Tobías Rancho Túrrucares Redondo Zona Protectora Farm Bolaños San Juan de Tibas 219 230 Monumento Cerro Atenas Guadalupe 27 Pavas Zona Protectora Nacional irilla Río Tiribi Tierra San Gerardo Arqueológico ío V Santa 7 San Pedro Guayabo R Ciudad Escazú SAN Blanca San Pablo de Ana Colón JOSÉ Curridabat Pacayas Pavones R Turrubares Turrialba í Zona Protectora Alajuelita Tres Ríos 230 o 239 El Rodeo Desamparados Cot P Cervantes Juan Catie & Adventure 8 a Zona Protectora Viñas Education Center c Cerros de la Finca la u 137 Zona Protectora CARTAGO a Reserva