---

The Poás Volcano is one of the most spectacular volcanoes in the country and of extraordinary scenic beauty. It has several types of habitats such as stunted forest, areas without vegetation or sparse vegetation, the myrtle area and the cloud forest. In this last type of forest, epiphytic plants such as mosses, ferns, bromeliads and orchids abound that grow on the trunks of the trees.



The Park is one of the most important natural attractions for national and international tourism. It is one of the areas of the system that receives the greatest influx of visitors. It contains a considerable energy potential, a product of water and geothermal resources.



CURIOSITIES



The term Poás can be derived from the Latin name ´´puas´´, due to the presence of some plants with spikes in the area; or to the existence of a town called ´´Púas´´ located near the massif.



The eruptions of the Poás have been known at least since 1747, when the Spanish governor Juan Gemir reported on its activity. In its history of eruptions where the one of 1910 stands out, which consisted of an immense ash cloud that rose up to about 8,000 meters. The last eruptive period, with the emission of large clouds of ash and incandescent stones, accompanied by underground noise, occurred between 1952 and 1954.



The Poás is an active sub-conical volcano, the summit presents depressions limited by faults, volcanic cones and craters that are the product of recent activity.



This volcano has three more recent main structures, the main crater, the Poás, the Botos lagoon and the Von Frantzius cone.







On the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, 37 km north of the city of Alajuela and 10 km from the community of Poasito, canton of Poás, province of Alajuela



ATTRACTIVE



The Poás is an attraction of great natural wealth. Its main crater is a spectacle and is considered one of the largest in the world.



You can also enjoy the Botos Lagoon, the nature trails, as well as its great diversity of landscapes such as: cloud forest and dwarf forest.

FLORA AND FAUNA





In the cloud forest that is very humid and dense, most of the trees, such as oak, cedar, orange blossom, papayillo and white cypress, reach a height of 20 meters and are covered with mosses, epiphytes and other plants. On the slopes of the Caribbean sector, the forests are higher, very humid, rich in palms, tree ferns and epiphytes. In other areas of the park, where the emission of gases and the ancient eruptions destroyed the primary vegetation, species that have adapted grow, such as the tongue fern, the myrtles, the mountain orange blossom, the papayillo, the cypress and the tucuico. .



Although the fauna in general is scarce, the birds are abundant. 79 species of birds have been identified, including the escarchero, the quetzal, the fire-throated warbler, the black guan, the green toucan and several species of hummingbirds. Mammals are not abundant in the highlands of the park, although coyotes, weasels, rabbits, smelly skunks, and some felines are found. Also, several species of bats

---