Central America
Costa Rica
Province of Alajuela
Poas Volcano National Park
Things to Do in Poas Volcano National Park
Poas Volcano
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Poas Volcano

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See all things to do
Poas Volcano
4.5
3,450
#2 of 7 things to do in Poas Volcano National Park
National Parks • Volcanos
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7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
3,450 reviews
Excellent
1,812
Very good
1,024
Average
400
Poor
131
Terrible
83
allplanetsearch
Menlo Park, CA189 contributions
Check the weather before you go!
Family
This is an opportunity to see the crater of an active volcano from an observation platform. Your experience here will depend 100% on the weather. If it’s cloudy, as it most often is, you won’t see the crater at all. If it’s clear, you’ll get a chance to see the blue sulfur water filling the crater and a few gas streams around it. To find out whether you should go, or when, I recommend looking on the website of the CR government with webcams of the volcano top. If you see it clear and want to visit, you’ll need to purchase tickets online from their park service. Once there, there is a 3 minute video, a 10 min walk uphill to the observation platform, and a 20 minute window to observe and photograph the crater (enough time as there is nothing else going on). We were lucky to get a crystal clear view and can now say that we’ve seen an active volcano close by!
Written December 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helen C
Los Angeles, CA78 contributions
Great experience, especially those who love National Parks.
Family
We arrived at Poas Volcano on our 1st day. Our flight arrived at SJO at 630am, so we had plenty of time to get to Poas Volcano National Park. We had a private driver booked in advance (for 10 day - check out my review on the driver, Danny Jimenez). You must book the entrance fee in advance because the parking attendant will ask for the barcode before you are allowed to enter. Because we got there early in the morning (around 830a) before the clouds roll over, we were blessed with a great view of the crater. You must be able to walk up to the crater for about 1/4 mile and some stairs to get to the lookout.
Written June 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ken E
Kailua, HI69 contributions
Plan your trip early in the morning
We visited Poas volcano at 8 am (our appointment was for 10 am but we were admitted early). We strongly encourage those wishing to see the stunning sulfuric acid lake to go early in the day. It was bright and sunny out and we were able to see the caldera. We've talked to Costa Ricans who have tried to see it 3 times without luck. It is a short walk from the parking lot to the visitor's center, where you will be given a hard hat (which must be worn) and a 3 minute video is shown (Spanish, English, and German subtitles). Then there is about a 15 minute uphill walk to the volcano. There are several viewing areas up stairs. We spent about 30 minutes there. No other hikes are open. The hard hats are returned in the upstairs of the visitor's center (next door to the gift shop...LOL)
Written April 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Sam H
New York City, NY186 contributions
20 minute access to Crater
Family
For the time being, you can only access the Crater Viewpoint and stay 20 minutes only. Then you are obliged to leave since they use a flow management, colored helmets for each time slot. They tell you that you can stay at the coffee shop for as much as you wish but there is no view over the volcano. In the end, it is like a 20 minute visit to the volcano. And until the trails to go see the lake are fixed, you have no access to it. So think twice before going these days for only 20 minutes. All the other areas of nature are yellow-taped.
Written January 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
4stack
knebworth,herts79 contributions
Not much of view
To be honest this was not worth the hassle.
Firstly, you must book in advance (do not turn up at the front gate without a ticket! unless you have mobile data and can book on the spot) To book a ticket you must first set up an account with SINAC (Costa Rican National Park Service) then choose a time to visit.
You only have a 30 minute time slot and if the cloud rolls in you may see nothing at all (early morning before 10am!! Park opens at 8am!)
We had a time slot of 11:30 am but turned up at 10am and we just joined the group going up at that time.
Entry is $15 and you can only walk up to the crater viewpoint and back
I'm sure if you are lucky enough to get a good view of the crater this excursion is worthwhile otherwise it is a complete washout, as the drive to it etc is (as my kids would say) a ballache!
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
fnct
Succasunna, NJ784 contributions
Well worth the time and effort
Couples
Made our 3 day stay in the area really worth it. We stayed at the Peace Lodge about a 15 minute car ride away. The weather was not very good since our arrival, very heavy mist and light rain with very little visibility.

The lodge keeps an eye on the weather conditions at the volcano and is also able to sell you tickets. They are for 20 minute time slots. The theory is check out the conditions and if good, buy Tickets for 20 to 40 minutes out and get there as quick as you can while the weather holds.

Our second morning, the weather was miserable, rain, fog etc at the hotel. I went down for coffee and the waiter agreed that no way Poas would be visible. While sitting there I looked at google maps and noticed that the cloud band seemed to be very localized by the hotel. I ran to the hotel office and they pulled up the internet camera and the volcano was under fair skies and sunny, just 5 k away. Bought tickets rounded up my wife and raced out. 10 minutes out we turned a corner around the mountain and the sky turned blue.

It’s about a 10 minute walk from the gate house where you check in and get your hard hat to the rim of the volcano. You go as a group and are allowed 20 minutes at the rim for gas exposure and to manage the number of people. Nice walk slightly up hill. You are at about 9000 feet.

When you get to the rim you look down into the crater lake and see the gases escaping. There are concrete bunkers that you can take shelter in in case of a sudden eruption.

The weather was so mild we took off our outer jackets and sweatshirts that we needed on our way in and just enjoyed the views.

Great morning.
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
un_galego_de_Candean
Vigo, Spain16 contributions
Very expensive for a park 90% closed and just 20mins to ser...
Couples
My experience after the 2017 and 2019 eruptiolns un 2021 wasn't great. Nothing to ser at 11am, just clouds. No paths open, just to the viewpoint (400m). Only 20mins un the platform allowed. No CLEAR información about the little time allowed or the difdiculty to ser anything at all on the website ir al the entrante. Just small text once the ticket os bought. Extremely expensive for what It is offered. I hace been told It os very noche and I do bot doubt this bit for a national para that id 90% closed, the price should be reduced accordingly (a 90%).

I must day that I spoke to the managers therw to let them know that was nota favor and risky for the turismo of Costa Rica and they we very reasonable and sadlu said process are set by the government...we were allowed to come back in and were offered a video. That IS something at least...
Written June 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TheTraveler888
Lexington, KY131 contributions
Nice View
I visited on a clear day so the view was nice. You have to purchased the entrance ticket online and in advance for a specific date and time. I arrived around 45 minutes earlier than my 9:00 a.m. time slot and I was let in without a problem. Even though I read in several places that a guide takes you to the viewpoint area, they were letting people walk up by themselves and the walk itself was less than ten minutes (and easy). No one was timing anyone's length of stay at the viewpoint or paying attention to the color of helmet you were given, so you could stay as long as you wanted. But you really don't need much time there since the view was nice but nothing special. If you are already in the Poas area it is worth seeing.
Written March 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
liverpool1023
London, UK771 contributions
Beelzebub’s Bottom
Couples
A wash out. A top tip is to check the web cam if the weather looks dodgy - Avoid. We pre-booked tickets on the rather creaky national park website for USD 15 per adult. This suggests you book 48 hours ahead of time. After a perfunctory safety briefing in Spanish we trolled up to the crater. We were greeted by fog bank of vaguely sulphurous mist obscuring everything. There are no secondary attractions, therefore do check before going.
Written January 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
paleesh94
13 contributions
If you’re lucky enough to see the crater lake it’s beautiful!
Friends
We got super lucky and had an unobstructed view of the crater lake for a solid ten minutes before the fog started rolling in. By the time we left, I couldn’t see the lake at all. It’s gorgeous, but your chances of seeing it aren’t 100%, in which case there’s not much else to the experience. However the views of Alajuela on the drive up and down are stunning!
Written November 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Poas Volcano (Poas Volcano National Park) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Poas Volcano
Poas Volcano is open:
  • Sun - Sat 7:00 AM - 1:15 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
Poas Volcano admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $24.50, while a popular guided tour starts around $99.00 per person. See all 16 Poas Volcano tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
Poas Volcano can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 16 Poas Volcano tickets and tours on Tripadvisor