life in Costa Rica – Teaching Abroad- American Teacher Overseas

Is it Possible to Visit Both Turrialba and Irazu Volcanoes in One Day?

The quick answer to this question is yes, although logistically it is a little more complicated than that.

If you are asking this question then more than likely you already know the background on both volcanoes, so I won’t bore you with those details. Instead I’ll give you some things to consider.

Irazu Volcano is the easiest, of the two to visit. You don’t need a guide and you don’t need to hike. However, you do need to purchase your ticket online on the government website here. Be sure to purchase the Sector-Crater ticket. The cost is $15.00 for non residents and 2000 CRC to park. The park is open from 8-3.

Turrialba Volcano is more complicated. You need to hike to the crater and you have to do it with a guide. It is an exhausting hike. It’s more pricey- $40 USD. You need a 4×4 vehicle to get to base camp. You need to purchase your tickets in advance or at least reserve your spot. Tours occur from 6-11 am on the hour. This tour takes at least 4 hours. Here’s the link for the tour.

This is at the crater of Turrialba. It was too foggy to see inside

If you are staying near the San José area, it will take you 2.5 hours to drive to Turrialba or 1.5 to get to Irazu. They are about an hour drive apart. The driving times are a big consideration when planning to visit both of these volcanoes within the same day.

Easiest plan: Visit Irazu first because you’ll be very tired after your hike to Turrialba. Arrive at Irazu at 8 am. Spend about an hour there. Then take the hour drive to Turriabla. Arrive at Turrialba between 10-10:30 for your 11:00 reservation. Complete the hike by 4. I highly recommend visiting the Sector-Prussia at Irazu, but you’ll have to plan that for another day. A trip to Irazu is not complete without a visit there.

Plan B: Stay in Cartago. (I don’t recommend driving from San José at 3am to get to Turrialba by 6) Hike Turrialba at 6am. Complete your hike by 11. Head over to Irazu by 1 (consider traffic) Spend about an hour there. The good thing is that after hiking Turrialba, Irazu is easy (no hiking required).

I have visited both volcanos on separate occasions (you can read my experience to Irazu here, and my experience to Turriabla here). I wanted to visit both within the same day but did not plan properly as I didn’t know the logistics. Also, seeing both, although doable, would be rushed and I like to take my time. But if you’re pressed for time, it’s a good idea to squeeze them both into one day. Keep in mind that the weather changes quickly in Costa Rica and the clouds roll in and out at their own pace, this will influence how much of the craters you will be able to see. When I visited Turrialba (Feb 2023), a new road closer to the crater was being built to shorten the hike, that would definitely make things easier.

Have you hiked these 2 volcanoes in one day? What was your experience?

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.

Dirty Fun in Costa Rica

It’s that time of the year again. D and I just celebrated our 11th anniversary on 11/11. We were definitely looking for a fun way to honor this day. We have done ATV riding in the Pocono Mountains in PA several times and we even enjoyed a few occasions of ATV riding in the desert of Qatar so we had to try it in Costa Rica too. I booked us a 3 hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure through Viator and Adventure Tours Costa Rica.

Jaco is about a 2 hour highway drive from San Josè so it was relatively close and easy to get to. This is where our adventure began. The excursion was $95.00 each but let me tell you, it was well worth it. When we arrived, we found out our tour would be private. Alex was our guide. He’s Tico and speaks pretty good English. After watching a safety video and putting on our helmet we rode out.

We headed toward the mountains behind Jaco, through dirt paths and started our ascent. On the way we passed the small waterfall, Cascada del Zorro.

We continued through the rainforest and along the mountain top until we arrived at Pura Vida waterfall. It was quite steep to get to this waterfall and with about 10 minutes left ’til arrival, I gave up. The path was covered with slippery rocks and that downward drive was too much for me. I parked my 4 wheeler and hopped on the back of Alex’s for the remainder of the ride down. Darryl was a trooper, determined to drive his ATV the whole way.

We spent some time at this waterfall. The water was cold and brown but still nice to wade in. Some people were jumping off of rocks and swinging from ropes into the water.

After our visit to the waterfall, I climbed back onto my ATV for the remainder of the ride. We stopped at a Vista Point and grabbed a beer. From this Mirador, on a clear day, you can see Manuel Antonio Park, the Nicoya Pennisula and Puntarenas. Our view was completely blocked by clouds and fog which later gave way to Costa Rica rains which just added to the adventure.

Our descent down included driving through rain, mud, and streets of Jaco, over bridges, slipping and sliding. We traveled at high speeds through streets and up and down mountains. We felt the cool wind, cold rain and dirty mud on our skin. We saw tall trees and beautiful flowers as we whizzed through the jungles. On several occasions my helmet visor was so covered in mud and rain that I could barely see and we had to stop multiple times to wipe it clean. By the time we arrived back at the meeting point, we were completely dirty. It was one of the most exhilarating adventures, we have ever had and one we would not soon forget. Of all the places we have done ATV riding, this was the most fun.

Update with advice: If you decide to do this ATV tour, wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to get really dirty. I suggest long pants and sleeves. I also suggest hiking boots or shoes, a poncho, wipes, waterproof bag, towel, bottled water, wear your bathing suit under your clothes and water shoes. Be prepared to have fun and bring along some tip money for your guide

These Shoes Were Meant for Walking…

…and that’s just what I’ve done. This is the cleanest these shoes have been in the last 3 months. I purchased these Merrill’s for $100+ before I came here at the recommendation of many, to buy hiking shoes for the move. I never imagined I’d get so much use of them. One of the things I have done in this country more than any other is- hike. I never thought I’d be into it, but it’s so beautiful here that I absolutely love it! I can’t get enough of the colorful flowers, large leaves, variety of trees and plants and bird songs. The insects and animals are, and I never thought I’d say this, but, pleasantly abundant.

So far, I’ve completed three official hikes but I’ve also walked miles in national parks and around the city. The Senderos Hike was my first on July 23. It’s located in Ciudad Colon near the University of Peace. It has nice trails for biking and hiking. Pets are allowed too. You do have to pay a small fee for this hike, but I can’t remember the price. It’s a fairly easy hike but can be a little slippery after rain. There are ropes along the slippery paths. I went on this hike with a family and their two children so we didn’t go too far. We saw birds, butterflies, a toad, plants, trees, flowers, a river and insects of course. After our hike, we stopped for lunch at this yummy Vegan restaurant called Tulsi, which is pretty close by. It was a good place to refuel. Enjoy the video and food from Tulsi…

Senderos Hike

The next hike was Las Eolicas de Santa Ana on August 2. It’s basically a walk to the wind turbines and it’s a free hike. Here is the view of the windmills from my apartment.

I thought it would be cool to see them up close and personal since I see them everyday from afar. My friend Shanny and I took this hike together. Neither of us did much research on it, but Shanny suggested we take an uber up and walk back down and that’s what we did. The ride up was pretty steep so we were happy about this decision but you can imagine what the walk down was like. From the top we were expecting to see the windmills unfortunately, we were met with clouds and fog. It looked like we were in a scary movie. Visibility was very low. At least we caught a glimpse of the windmills. The fog hindered the promising views of Santa Ana below too. So we began our descent. Visibility got progressively better as we made our way down. It was a long and very steep hike back down. I think it took us well over 2 hours. Our knees, calves and toes were aching by the time we reached the bottom but the views we caught on the way down were wonderful. The hike was on a car path unlike Senderos which was a nature path. I’ve heard there are several trails to Las Eolicas. (Note: It’s not the safest hike as there have been reports of robberies at the top. We found out about this afterwards but felt completely safe during the hike. I recommend going with a group.) After we made it back to the bottom of the mountain, we walked another 2 hours back into town while stopping and checking out some local shops. Finally I purchased a Casado- a typical Costa Rican meal consisting of rice, black beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, and an optional protein before heading home. Check out the slideshow.

The third hike, and most commercialized so far was Hacienda La Chimba but it was also my favorite thus far. The school principal brought my husband and I here, when we first arrived, for a coffee tour and lunch. We didn’t do the hike that day but I knew I would return to do it, because of all the Instagram photo, worthy stops on this hike. Along with food and coffee tours, this place also has canopy, zipline, and hiking trails. There is a fee for the activities. The fee for the hike is $12.00 or $8.00 if you have a local ID. It’s a very safe location and monitored, for that reason, I would recommend this trail out of the all three to do alone. However, doing it alone means no company to take those amazing shots of you. The hike is a nature trail with hills and dips, soil and rocks. I don’t think the trail is very hard but it can be a little demanding. I assume that is why children under 7 years old are not allowed. The longest trail spans 9km with several stops and short cuts along the way. Shanny and I made this trek on September 3. We almost opted out because we thought we were going to get rained on, but we went anyway. Pura Vida! We completed a little more than the 5K. You can see from the video how wonderful this hike is…

While hiking, I recommend carrying a backpack with water, snacks, sunscreen, bug repellent, sunglasses, a hat and rain gear. Wear comfortable closed toe shoes or hiking sneaks/boots. I prefer long pants over shorts so I don’t itch from plants or insects touching my legs. Don’t forget your phone and smart/fitness watch to keep track of your steps because everyone knows it doesn’t count unless it’s recorded. A smart watch is also helpful in the case of an emergency. My Garmin has detected an emergency and alerted my husband on his phone on two different occasions while I was hiking. My heart rate suddenly spiked due to running or jumping and took the signs as an emergency. Thankfully they were not, but it was super to know that this feature worked if I ever needed it. Also for the public walks, exercise caution. Check the weather before any hikes. Morning hikes are often better in the rainy season, which is most of the year, because the rain tends to hold off until the afternoon. Also, if you reach the summit and its cloudy, wait a few minutes, the clouds usually pass with time.

Hiking seems to be the most exercise I’m getting in Costa Rica, due to my work schedule, and I am very much enjoying it. I guess Costa Rica has made me into a nature girl. These Merrills have been great hiking shoes for traction but don’t do much for keeping my feet dry. I guess it’s time to invest in some waterproof hiking boots because I see many more hikes in my future here.

There is a Monster Under My Bed- Surviving my First Earthquake in Costa Rica

It was about 9 pm when I started falling asleep Friday night. It was early but I had a long week and after one glass of Seville and tonic, I was done. I told my hubby, whom I’d been video-chatting with, I love you and called it a night. I’m a light sleeper and any light or sounds awaken me, so I put in one ear plug and covered my eyes with my blinders.

About 4 hours later, something scared me half to death. I was awakened to my bed being shaken. I felt it once and thought I was dreaming until, it happened again. This time I jumped up because I thought a monster was under my bed. Half asleep, I looked over at my vanity to see if anything had fallen over. Perhaps it was an earthquake, but I couldn’t see anything. The dogs outside were barking and then suddenly stopped. I checked under my bed, no demons there. I called Darryl and left him a message. Of course he didn’t answer, he was asleep. It was 1am here which meant 3am there. My heart was beating out of my chest and it took me 2 full hours, and 2 episodes of Making the Cut, to finally fall back to sleep.

Later that day, Darryl checked google for any record of Earthquakes in Costa Rica and there it was. At 12:53am, a 5.0 Magnitude Earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean, 44 km South of San Isidro, Costa Rica. That was the monster that shook my bed side to side, woke me from my slumber and scared the shit out of me. The website www.volcanodiscovery.com provides alot of information on Earthquakes around the world. Check out this reporting from that website on earthquake occurrences in Costa Rica:

Past 24 hours	8 quakes \| 5 quakes M2+ \| 3 quakes M3+
Past 7 days	87 quakes \| 43 quakes M2+ \| 35 quakes M3+ \| 4 quakes M4+ \| 1 quake M5+
Past 30 days	316 quakes \| 157 quakes M2+ \| 132 quakes M3+ \| 18 quakes M4+ \| 1 quake M5+
Past 90 days	781 quakes \| 340 quakes M2+ \| 379 quakes M3+ \| 50 quakes M4+ \| 1 quake M5+
Past 365 days	2,944 quakes \| 1,148 quakes M2+ \| 1,519 quakes M3+ \| 226 quakes M4+ \| 14 quakes M5+ \| 3 quakes M6+

https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/costarica.html

The ironic thing is, we had an earthquake drill at my school just this week and my Director and I were just discussing our experiences with earthquakes on Friday morning. The only other earthquake I had ever experienced was in Philadelphia 11 years ago. I remember that earthquake clearly because I was in training at the first school I ever worked at. It was a 5.8 Mag earthquake that struck in Virginia and was felt pretty far up the East Coast.

I guess now is as good a time as ever to prepare an emergency bag. I had one prepared in Qatar when the Embargo occurred against Qatar by Saudi Arabia and talks of war were everywhere. No matter where you are in the world, it is always better to be prepared. Thankfully, I am ok and this was just an interesting, surprise experience in my new country. I just love my life!

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Suggestion

My Impression

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Logistics

Getting there

The Hike and the Summit

More Suggestions

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