Alajuela

From Alajuela a 46 kms drive on the picturesque road from Carrizal-Varablanca-Catarata La Paz-Cariblanco. From there it is 9 kms to the Lagoon.

Congo Peak, a Volcano that stands 2,014 metres above sea level and was active a million and a half years ago, Hule Lagoon (Bosque Alegre) and River Cuarto are all located north of Poás Volcano, following a perpendicular faultline towards the volcanic Central Mountain Range Hule, which covers 54 hectares, is a cold-water lagoon that fills a depression 130 metres deep. It is separated from Congo Lagoon (13 hectares) by a volcanic cone, which was once an island in a lake that extended over 400 hectares.

The site that the lagoon occupies today was a volcano that exploded or sank, giving rise to a caldera and later to the small volcanic cone previously mentioned. The basin has slowly filled with rainwater, which is abundant and heavy in this very hot, humid climate. The excess rainwater drains into the River Hule, a tributary of the River Cuarto, which flows to the northern plains.

This secluded watery world of great scenic beauty and popularity among anglers is fringed by a primery evergreen forest that is rich in palms, tree ferns and epiphites. It is gravely endangered by deforestation and logging (mainly for the wild palm tree, a kind of edible palm), and it needs urgent measures of protection. The ideal time to visit this area is from February to April, when the constant rains and rainy days decrease a little.