Paraiso Escondido

Sarchi is Costa Rica's main artisan town. It's here that the colorfully painted miniature oxcarts you see all over the country are made. Oxcarts such as these were once used to haul coffee beans to market. Today, though you may occasionally see oxcarts in use, most are purely decorative. However, they remain a well-known symbol of Costa Rica. In addition to miniature oxcarts, many wooden souvenirs are made here with rare hardwoods from the nation's forests. There are dozens of shops in town, and all have similar prices. Aside from handcrafts, the other reason to visit Sarchi is to see its unforgettable church. Built between 1950 and 1958, the church is painted pink with aquamarine trim and looks strangely like a child's birthday cake.

Distance from Paraiso Escondido: About 45 minutes
Cost: Transportation only Taxi is about $60.00
We offer private transportation at a modest fee.

Located 20 miles north of Cartago, the 11,260 foot tall Irazu Volcano is one of Costa Rica's more active volcanoes although at this time it's relatively quiet. It last erupted on March 19, 1963, on the day that President John F. Kennedy arrived in Costa Rica. The eruption showered ash on the Mesa Central for months after, destroying crops and collapsing roofs but enriching the soil. There are good paved roads right to the rim of the crater, where a desolate expanse of gray sand nurtures few plants and the air smells of sulfur. The landscape here is often compared to that of the moon. There are magnificent views of the fertile Mesa Central and Orosi Valley as you drive from Cartago, and if you're lucky you may be able to see the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

Clouds usually descend by noon, so schedule your trip up here as early in the day as possible. From the parking area, a short trail leads to the rim of the volcano's two craters, their walls a maze of eroded gullies feeding onto the flat floor far below. Wear warm clothes: This may be the tropics, but it can be cold up at the top.

Distance from Paraiso Escondido: About 90 minutes by car or taxi, two hours by bus
Cost: About $8.00 at the entrance gate. Transportation: Taxi about $ 60.00, Bus about $7.00
We offer private transportation at a modest fee.