Waterfalls
near Poás

How to use this guide

This selection is for a day of waterfalls from San José or from the Poás area. There are two routes. In Bajos del Toro, about 2 hours from San José, are Catarata del Toro, about 90 m high and inside an old crater, and Blue Falls of Costa Rica (Bajos del Toro), a series of turquoise falls and pools under the same owners. In Vara Blanca, about 20 minutes from Poás, are La Paz Waterfall Gardens and, past the park, the Cinchona lookout and San Fernando waterfall.

Bajos del Toro fills a day: Catarata del Toro takes about 90 minutes with the descent of some 350 steps, and Blue Falls 2 to 4 hours depending on how many falls you visit. Both are closed on Sundays. The Vara Blanca route is shorter: La Paz needs at least 2 hours and it is best to go in before 15:00, and Cinchona is a roadside stop, best early for the birds. Tapantí National Park, 12 km southeast of Orosi, is a separate outing, with four trails and a lookout over El Salto waterfall.

With children, La Paz adds an aviary, butterflies, hummingbirds, a serpentarium and rescued wild cats, but it is the priciest ticket: $56 plus tax per adult. On a tight budget, Catarata del Toro costs $15 and Tapantí $10 for non-residents. On a Sunday, with Bajos del Toro closed, keep to La Paz and Cinchona.

Tips

• Catarata del Toro and Blue Falls offer a combined ticket; at Blue Falls, go early in the rainy season.
• La Paz Waterfall Gardens needs no booking, and the current prices apply until 15 December 2026.
• At the Cinchona lookout, the fair thing is to buy something at the small café in exchange for using the viewpoint.
• Tapantí tickets are only sold online, through the SINAC system. The main road, 2 km long, and the waterfall lookout may close because of natural hazards or staff shortages.