The Central Valley is the most populated part of Costa Rica, and arguably the most exciting in terms of things to do, with something for nature-lovers, thrill-seekers and even coffee lovers within the mountains, cloud forests and coffee plantations. There's white-water rafting on the Pacuaré river, hiking trails through the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, or volcano tours of Costa Rica's highest volcano, Irazu, or the world's largest active volcano, Poas. The surrounding landscape to the volcanoes are almost lunar-like, and the views from the top are spectacular, making them well worth a visit. Take a look at our recommendations of what to do in the Central Valley for more.