Rest. Elena Brown, Puerto Viejo

Rest. Elena Brown boasts one of the purplest and most spacious ladies' rooms in Central America

Rest. Elena Brown, just outside town on the way to Cocles, appears to have changed quite a bit during the last months; new administration or something. The IWCRP restaurant inspectors feel that it has changed for the better. The menu is now quite interesting, and the chicken in green curry (thai style but less lethal) deserves special mention.

Volcán Barva

Enjoyable view at 2 p.m

Trails abound

The park's main attraction

The extinct Barva volcano is 2906 m high and a nice place if you like walking. From the park entrance to the first of three lakes it's a 45 min walk, approximately 3-4 km. It's probably a good idea to get there early (before 10), since thick fog tends to appear during the day and make the view somewhat less impressive.

The Barva is a better option than the more famous Irazú and Poas volcanoes for those who dislike crowds, since it's considerably less accessible. If you have your own car, you can drive to the park entrance (bad roads, 4WD recommended), but it's still quite exhausting to walk in the thin air. If you go by bus from Heredia to Sacramento, you have to walk from Sacramento, another couple of hours. The bus leaves from the market in Heredia.

Entrance fee ¢1.000 for nationals and residents, maybe 3-4.000 for tourists. The park closes at 4 pm.