Volcan Poas is the home of an old and beautiful volcano. It is very close to San Jose and is popular for day trippers, both Ticos and travellers. The Poas Volcano is often included with day-long tours around the Central Valley.
The volcano is not a replacement for Arenal, especially if you're hoping to see hot lava. In this aspect, Poas may well disappoint. However, the grandiose size of this volcano is sure to impress. Poas hasn't erupted lately, but last time it did, it took out entire towns.
Visiting the Volcano
From the visitor's center, there is one paved trail that goes up to the volcano viewing point. There are several lookouts here, and if you're lucky, you will see the crater. I'm told that some people never see the crater due to clouds. Poas wasn't showing us its most beautiful colors that day, but we did see the fumarolas sending up their smoke from the wide crater.
From there, you can follow a trail to the old site of the volcano, now a lake. It is called Botos Lagoon. The trees near the lakeside grow stunted because the lake water is not conducive to life.
All told, it will take no more than an hour and a half to visit this volcano. Don't plan to spend an entire day here! Fortunately, it is quite common to combine a trip to Poas with a trip to one of the nearby coffee plantations.
Amenities
The visitor's center has restrooms, the ubiquitous gift shop, and an educational area. The exhibits are in both English and Spanish.