| A
visit to one or more of Costa Rica's stunning volcanoes can be
a great experience. The country is on the edge of a continuously-shifting
tectonic plate, the Cocos Plate, which lies to the west of the
Pacific coast. The result of this movement is frequent tremors
and earthquakes. In addition, Costa Rica lies at the heart of
the Central American chain of volcanoes which form part of the
Pacific Rim of Fire. Of Central America's 42 active volcanoes,
Costa Rica has 6 active ones as well as another 60 dormant volcanoes.
Two
volcanoes, Irazú and Poás, are day-trips from San Jose. The most
active, Arenal, could be visited in a (long) day trip but part
of the sightseeing experience is to stay overnight close by and
observe its night activity. |