Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 28, 2026, 7:15 p.m.

Poás Volcano National Park contains the world's largest open volcano, complete with a vibrant greenish-blue to yellow volcanic lake that bubbles and boils. Poás is located within a beautiful and lush Central Conservation Area of central Costa Rica that encompasses 6 National Parks and many protected areas.

Birds flutter through the heavily vegetated area, including the rare resplendent quetzal, toucans, and hummingbirds. The Poás Volcano sits among rolling hills and is close the coffee farm that sources Starbucks.

Poás Volcano' future as a National Park began with student Mario Boza, a Costa Rican who visited National Parks in the United States in the 1960s and was inspired. His Master's thesis involved a plan to implement a conservation program for the Poás area.

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