Life in Costa Rica for an expat – Teaching Abroad- American Teacher Overseas

Visiting Irazu Volcano- the highest volcano in Costa Rica

Every volcano that I have visited, so far, has been different.

Irazu Volcano reaches over 11,000 feet above sea level. You can book a tour to visit it or go on your own. It’s about 1.5 hour drive from San José and is located in the Cartago Province. It is about an hour away from another active volcano, Turrialba. (You can read about my visit to Turrialba here) If you want to go on your own so you can explore at your own pace, you just need to purchase your tickets here. You can reserve a spot from 8am-2pm daily. The cost for admission to the Irazu Volcano National Park is $15 for foreign adults. It is significantly cheaper for residents. There are two tickets for this park. To see the crater you want to purchase the ticket for the Parque Nacional Volcan Irazu – Sector Crater. The other ticket is for the forest hike. (A trip to Irazu is not complete without visiting the Sector-Prussia. I will post about that later)

The drive to Irazu is pleasant. The first hour is highway, then you drive around the curves of mountains. The scenery is beautiful, through farmland and countryside. On a good day, you can even smell the cauliflower.

The road trip to Irazu

Parking is less than $4; you pay that in the cafeteria before leaving the park. Inside the cafeteria, you can also purchase souvenirs and snacks. I enjoyed the most delicious sweet roll covered in caramel here. There are also bathroom facilities here. Once you park your car, there is a short paved walkway that leads right up to the crater. The crater is very easily accessible and hiking is not required.

There is more than 1 crater at Irazu. If you walk too fast, you will miss the other one, like I did. It is off to the right and a sign is posted. I took a picture of the sign but still walked right past (insert slapping face emoji). If you keep walking straight, you will see the main crater.

Yup, there’s the sign to the other crater

There is a fence that goes around the crater that you can walk along to try to get pictures from different viewpoints.

It was clear skies on the day we visited, perfect weather. However, it is the dry season and as far I could see, the crater was as dry as a desert, black and brown with sun burnt shrubs. The fence is there for your protection but it is pretty far back making it very difficult to see into the crater.

Behind the crater is Playa Hermosa, not to be confused with the Playa Hermosa located in Guanacaste. I’ve never been there but I can imagine the stark contrast. Playa Hermosa translates to beautiful beach. At Irazu, it is not a beautiful beach. It is a gray, ashy dry land with volcanic rocks. However, there are some interesting trees in the area. It always amazes me how nature still seems to thrive in the weirdest environments.

Vegetation around Playa Hermosa. What does this look like to you?

Suggestion

You will want to visit early to avoid crowds. Our reservation was for 9am and there were only a few other cars when we arrived, but by the time we left after 10am there were significantly more visitors. Irazu is very accessible, so anyone can visit. Wear warm clothes. It gets cold at that high altitude. Remember you are more than 11,000 feet above sea level. It is also windy so hold on to your hat if you wear one. Remember that the fence is there for your safety. Plan to spend about an hour in the crater area.

My Impression

I must admit, I was unimpressed by Irazu. After visiting Poás and being amazed by the turquoise lake that sat at the bottom of its crater, I was expecting too much of Irazu. Is it worth the visit? Yes. Do you need to go more than once? No. However, if going in the rainy season could guarantee I’d see something different, then sure.

Would you visit an active volcano? Let me know in the comments.

Hiking Turrialba Volcano- Information, Suggestions, and more…

Have you ever hiked an Active Volcano?

Costa Rica has 6 active volcanoes and 61 that are dormant. After seeing the Poas Volcano, I knew I wanted to see as many as I could. Turrialba is another active volcano in Costa Rica and not too far from Turrialba is Irazu volcano. I had ambitiously planned to see them both on the same day, and yes it can be done, but no, I was unable to do it. (If planned properly it can be done, read how here)

Logistics

Turrialba is over 10,000 feet high. It is the second highest volcano in Costa Rica. It is located about a 2.5 hour drive from San José, in the Cartago province, inside the Turrialba Volcano National Park. Due to eruptions in 2014-2017, the park was closed. In 2020, it reopened to visitors. To hike this volcano, you are required to have a guide, wear a helmet and sign a waiver.

At this time there is only one authorized guided tour. Here is the link: https://icetur.com/volc%C3%A1n-turrialba They have tours every hour on the hour from 5am – 11am. You can reserve your spot and pay in advance or pay at the base camp: Cortijo Quetzal Lodge. The rate is 22500 CRC for foreigners, which is about $40 and then you have to pay to enter the park, once you’re there which is $12 usd. The hike will take no less than 4 hours.

Getting there

As I mentioned, it takes about 2.5 hours to get to Turrialba. The first hour of driving is highway, then windy roads. If you get car sick, prepare. As you get closer to the base camp, the road is no longer paved. It is rocky and steep. A 4×4 is highly recommended for these back roads. For this reasons, I chose to drive during daylight. If you are not familiar with the roads in Costa Rica and curvy, steep roads make you feel uneasy, I recommend a tour at 9am or later.

The Hike and the Summit

The elevation mixed with the rocky paths made this hike particularly difficult for me. I was pretty slow going up. It also rained which made the hike slippery and muddy. It took almost 3 hours to reach the summit. If you want to know just how out of shape you are, hike Turrialba.

At the top, Unfortunately, the clouds and fog would not let up and we were met with disappointment. We could not see the craters. We waited for awhile to see if the clouds would depart but they never did. It is also cold and windy up there.

Made it to the top but can’t see anything

Protective Bunker in case of surprise eruption

Although we didn’t get to see inside the tummy of the beast, it was an enjoyable hike. I admired the scenery along the way. The ash settled upon the leaves of plants are memories left behind from previous eruptions. Eventually we began our descent. Descending is always easier for me which is the opposite for others. We made some stops along the way to take in the views and watched as the sky began to clear. I wondered if it would be possible to see inside the crater now but I was not willing to climb back up to find out. The total experience lasted 4 hours 47 minutes and was so worth it.

If it didn’t get recorded, it didn’t happen. Thank God for my Garmin

More Suggestions

This hike is not an easy one, doable, but not easy, take that into consideration. Bring a walking stick but walking sticks are available at base camp to use for free. Dress appropriately, comfortable but in layers. You’ll be cold from the weather, then hot from the walk, then cold at the top, then hot during the descent. I wore work out tights, sports bra, tank top. But I also took a puffer jacket that can be easily folded and packed and a rain jacket. I used everything. Wear hiking boots or sneakers. My Merrils have been my saving grace. Carry a lightweight, hiking backpack. Bring snacks, water, hot tea (if you don’t mind carrying it in a canteen) and a portable charger. Bring some money too, because you can purchase snacks and coffee at base camp.

There are bathrooms at base camp and halfway up the volcano, where you pay for the park admission.

When driving away from Turrialba, take your time and enjoy the views but be mindful that it is a farming town. You may be met by a roadblock.

Roadblock of Cows, after a few beep beeps they moved

Would you hike Turrialba? Let me know in the comments.

Jaco and Manuel Antonio, The Two Closest Beach Towns to San Jose, Costa Rica

Weekends in Costa Rica

The first beach I visited in Costa Rica was Jaco. It is one of the most frequented beaches due to its close proximity to San Josè. It’s about a 1.5-2 hour drive away. It’s really easy to get to too, by traveling on toll roads Route 27 to Route 34. You can also get there via shuttle, taxi or bus. The town is small but bustling, with plenty of shops, bars and an abundance of outdoor things to do. The waters are good for surfing, not so much for a timid, open water swimmer like myself. The waters aren’t the prettiest either, rather dark and rocky. In some areas, the sand is white and clean while others are unkept and grimy.

My first stay in Jaco was with a couple of coworkers. We stayed at Hotel Terraza del Pacifico. On booking.com it’s advertised as a 4 star hotel, more like 3 in my opinion. It is beach front but it is also old. The pool is nice but the rooms are run down. And when I stayed there, half the outside terrace roof was broken and definitely not in safe condition. However, you can spot some interesting wildlife around the resort. I saw large iguanas and for the first time in my life, black squirrels.

Hotel Grounds and short walk to the beach

In my opinion, Jaco is good for a quick getaway out of the city or adventure seeking activities, otherwise drive about 1 hour further to Manuel Antonio for better beaches and a more posh experience.

Manuel Antonio was the second beach I visited in Costa Rica. This time, a friend and her boyfriend took the ride with me but we stayed in separate places. I stayed at a resort called Shana by the Beach. This resort was more my speed, and closer to a 4 star than Hotel Terraza in Jaco. My room was huge and included 2 King beds, a 5 piece bathroom and a balcony with a jungle view. The resort has 2 large pools, one of which is an infinity pool and adult only. You can see monkeys, sloths and other amazing animals on this resort during your stay.

Room Tour

The resort is set up on a steep hill with amazing views and has a path to a part of Biesanz Beach which is a 5 minute walk away. The beach is small and average but somewhat calm. There were some locals there, when I visited, enjoying a leisurely day, some renting chairs and others selling snacks. In the distance you can see private boats sailing as well.

The walk to Biesanz beach from the hotel

While in Manuel Antonio, you must visit the amazing National Park by the same name. You don’t need a guide to visit but you can arrange one to point out the hidden treasures or sneak into someone else’s private tour group. There is much to see there. The park is absolutely stunning and even has a beach inside that you have access to with admission.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Whether you decide to stay in Jaco or Manuel Antonio, you will enjoy a natural scenic ride. Don’t forget to stop on Gator bridge and check out the crocs swimming below.