East of Cartago, Highway 230 snakes eastward through the valley of the Río Reventazón, falling gradually before a final steep descent to the regional center of Turrialba. The route leads via Cervantes. An alternate, less-traveled mountain route from Cartago leads via Pacayas.

Turrialba, a small town 65 kilometers east of San José, was until recently an important stop on the old highway between San José and the Caribbean. The opening of the Guápiles Highway via Braulio Carrillo National Park stole much of its thunder, and the town was further insulated when train service to the Caribbean was ended in 1991. The now-rusted tracks still dominate the town, which squats in a valley bottom on the banks of the Río Turrialba at 650 meters above sea level.

Turrialba is a base for whitewater adventures on the Ríos Reventazón and Pacuare. However, there’s nothing to see in town, which is centered on the undistinguished Parque la Dominica, other than the small Museo Regional Omar Salazar (tel. 506/558-3615, 9 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m. Tues.–Sun., $0.70), with archaeological exhibits; it’s on the campus of the University of Costa Rica. ICE, the national electricity company, also has archeological exhibits at its main office.

The 229-hectare Biological Reserve Espino Blanco (c/o Hotel Wagelia, tel. 506/556-1566, fax 506/556-1596, www.hotelwagelia.com), at La Verbana, eight kilometers north of Turrialba, has forest trails and is a great spot for birding.

About five kilometers southeast of Turrialba you cross the Río Reventazón (Exploding River). The river, which begins its life at the Lake Cachí dam, was recently dammed about two kilometers upstream of the bridge to create the 256-hectare (450,000-cubic-meter) Lake Angostura. The Angostura Hydroelectric Project (Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Angostura), the largest hydroelectricity-generating plant in the country, began humming in July 2000. Below Lake Angostura, the river cascades down the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central to the Caribbean plains. On a good day it serves up Class III–IV rapids.

Costa Rica Rios (tel. 506/556-9617 or U.S. tel. 888/434-0776, www.costaricarios.com) specializes in canoeing and kayaking. The U.S.-run Serendipity Adventures (tel. 506/558-1000, or U.S. tel. 877/507-1358, fax 506/558-1010, www.serendipityadventures.com) offers hot-air ballooning, rafting, hiking, kayaking, and other adventures. Rainforest World (tel. 506/556-0014, 506/556-2678, or U.S. tel. 530/559-8684, www.rforestw.com) offers whitewater trips.

For more whitewater information on Costa Rica, visit the whitewater rafting section.

Getting There

Buses (tel. 506/222-4464 or 506/591-4145) depart San José from Calle 13, Avenidas 6/8, hourly, 5 a.m.–10 p.m. daily via Cartago. Buses depart Cartago for Turrialba from Avenida 3, Calle 8.

Taxis congregate around the square.