There are five active volcanoes in Costa Rica, all of them in different areas and with their wonders that captivate their visitors.Many of them have erupted in recent years, especially the powerful Rincón de la Vieja, located in the Guanacaste region, about 270 km northwest of San José.
In this 2023 there have already been two eruptions, one in April and another a few days ago, on May 25th, less than a month has passed.It is the most powerful of the month, but not of the year so far, and it is not expected to the biggest of course.The authorities had already been warning about the possible risks of volcanic activity.
Cyrill Müller, volcanologist at the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (Ovsicori) of the National University (UNA), highlighted that during the natural event there were no effects on the people in the area or the infrastructures.”The plume composed of water vapor and volcanic material reached a height of 3,000 meters above the level of the crater,” he added.
How significant was the recent eruption of the volcano?
In the recent eruption, according to the experts, due to the interaction between the hot magma and the water, which is vaporized, it allowed to increase 1,000 times its volume in seconds, generating the explosion that type of eruption is called phreatic.
Up to now, of the alert levels that are 4, the eruptions have reached 2, but it was significant in the emission of acid gases, in addition, it developed lahars on the north flank (a mixture of mud and hot water that comes out of the lake when there is a rash).
Beyondthe Rincón de la Vieja volcano
To the north of Guanacaste there are many wonders to enjoy, among them the Rincón de la Vieja volcano, which has a magnitude of 1,896 meters, without a doubt we all remain small before its height.
Why is it called Rincón de la Vieja?
An indigenous legend tells that the name Rincón de la Vieja was due to a princess named Curubanda, daughter of the chief of the Curubandé tribe. It turns out that the princess fell in love with a prince named Mixcoac, son of the chief of an enemy tribe in the area.
Princess Curubanda’s father upon learning of this, murdered the prince and threw him into the crater of the active volcano. The princess, before the death of Mixcoac, became depressed and decided to live the rest of her life in the higher parts of the volcano, where she learned natural medicine and discovered cures for different diseases.
Subsequently, the indigenous people of the area went to her to seek healing and when they arrived at the place, it was popularly mentioned that they would look for her near the volcano, specifically in the “Rincón de la Vieja”.
It is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
Today, Rincón de la Vieja, is one of the National Parks of the Central American country, since October 23rd, 1973. It is divided into two tourist sectors: Las Papilas and Santa María. The park is part of the line that divides the waters between the Caribbean and the Pacific in the area, therefore it has approximately 32 rivers.
Visitors who want to know and have fun will never leave Rincón de la Vieja without feeling fascinated, since they will be able to take part in activities such as: walking and appreciating the rich fauna and flora; walk on foot, on horseback along the trails or in rustic vehicles; live the adrenaline through the canopy, be captivated by the incredible views of landscapes, in addition to the sulfurous lagoons, its hot springs, visit the ranches known for having many cattle and picturesque terrain, bubbling mud pools and more!
It is important to find out about the state of the volcano before going and if there are no alerts, you will surely have the best experiences in life, because this is Costa Rica, Pura Vida!
