One of the most beautiful drives in Costa Rica is the winding road thrugh the central mountain range, up to the east side of Poas Volcano, up through the Cariblanco Biological Reserve. This drive winds through endless cloudforrest along the rim of the canon. From mulitple viewpoints you can look out over the valley and ponder the whitewater that lies somewhere below, perhaps 1000 feet down in the valley floor. Its breathtaking.

Endlessly green cloud forrest, winding up towards La Paz Waterfall.

As you wind up the valley, you pass the "El Angel" factory on the right side, and 1km later pass a "Soda" store/ rest with beigh walls. There is a small sign indicating "Mirador La Catarata." From this vista you can view San Fernando Waterfall. This behemouth of a falls is nearly 200 feet in height, and falls deep into the canyon below.

A hummingbird checks out a feeder above San Fernando Waterfall.

San Fernando Waterfall in the distance from the Mirador.

Continuing up the road, the Sarapiqui Gorge lies deep below. The cloud forrest surrounding the area is part of the Juan Castro Blanco National Biological Reserve, and it is beyond pristine. The whole canyon is untoched, evident by the uninturrupted valley of green as far as the eye can see. About 15km up the road from the Mirador is the La Paz Waterfall. The drop was first run by Pat Keller a few years back, seen in Burning Time. Although the pictures of him running the drop are huge, it looks a bit more manageable in person. It is totally roadside, and all the busses stop to check it out. Beautiful drop.

La Paz Waterfall.

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