Poás Volcano, Active stratovolcano in Central Valley, Costa Rica.
Poás Volcano is a stratovolcano in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, with a main crater roughly 1.6 km wide. The sulfuric acid lake inside releases hot vapor while several fumaroles remain active along the inner walls.
The first documented eruption occurred in the mid-1800s after local reports of earlier activity existed. In 2017, a major event forced temporary park closure and reinforcement of viewing platforms.
The name comes from "poas," meaning hot spring in an indigenous language once spoken in the region. Visitors today notice the strong sulfur smell carried by the wind and the bare terrain around the crater's edge.
Visitors should book reservations ahead and can reach the volcano between 7 AM and 2 PM. Access to the crater follows paved paths, with time near the rim limited to short intervals to reduce gas exposure.
Laguna Caliente inside the crater reaches depths around 900 meters and ranks among the most acidic natural bodies of water on Earth. Geysers occasionally form, shooting water up to 250 meters high and breaking through the steam for brief moments.
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