Nestled on the Caribbean slope not more than a couple hours east of San Jose is the area of Turrialba.  There are many aspects of this area that make it one of my favorites.  There is the volcano itself.  At 3,340 meters (or 11,000 feet) the Turrialba volcano is just a shade shorter than its cousin, Irazu.  Lately the volcano has been a little grumpy and spewing out tons of sulphuric gas.  But before this recent spate of activity, one could drive, walk or take a horse right to the top of the volcano.  That is where the real fun starts because Turrialba is also (or was) the only volcano in Costa Rica where you can actually walk down into one of the active craters.  The road leading to the top offers stunning scenery as you climb into and then above the clouds.  At the top on a clear day you can see a vast stretch of the Caribbean coastline.  However, to make it to the top you need a 4-wheel drive because the last kilometer or so is pure hell.  For me, driving the trusted La Poderosa, that only adds to the adventure.  Once I went up with a couple friends and on the way down I let them have the car and I proceeded to make the descent on my mountain bike.  What an exhilirating experience!  No I wouldn’t dare try to make it “up” on the bike.  I don’t even believe Lance Armstrong would be found attempting that.  The area of Turrialba is also most famous in the country for white water rafting as it is where folks “put-in” to raft both the Pacuare and Reventazon rivers.  Also in the area is the beautiful and crystal clear Río Pejibaye, which I have written about before in this blog as one of my favorite weekend getaways. Turrialba is also home to the Guayabo National Monument, which is the most important pre-Colombian indigenous archaeological site in Costa Rica.  The site was recently chosen as a World Engineering Heritage site.  The whole area is just breathtakingly gorgeous with green rolling hills dotted with dairy cows, fields of sugar cane and coffee.  I consider Turrialba to be a prime area for real estate investors.  Land can still be acquired at good prices and this area is gaining popularity as a tourist destination, as well as a retirement or relocation area for expats. It is close enough to San Jose for emergencies, but yet far enough away to not be bothered by any aspect of the big city hustle and bustle.  The little town is full of genuine Tico spirit and has everything one would need.  In short, in Turrialba you get all the benefits of living in rural Costa Rica, but you are not completely removed from civilization either, as you are in some locations.  One thing I have always noticed is the athletic mentality of the people in the area.  It seems that everywhere and at all times people are engaged in some type of outdoor physical recreation like biking, walking, running, etc.  It is no wonder, since in a place so beautiful who would ever want to be inside?  If you would like to visit Turrialba to see for yourself there are many great places to stay. A high end accommodation would be Casa Turire, which is one of the hotels of the prestigious “Small and Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica” group.  On the more economical side, but still a quaint and gorgeous little mountain lodge, is the Turrialtico Lodge.  And if you go there, don’t miss eating at one of my favorite “typical” Costa Rican restaurants, called El Clon.  For more information on Turrialba for either vacationing or investing you can always contact me at Package Costa Rica.

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