Turrialba is a town in the Central Valley about 60 km east of San José. It sits in a productive agricultural valley and is the main gateway for rafting the Río Pacuare, one of the best whitewater rivers in Central America (Class III–IV rapids through a jungle gorge). For more technical paddlers, the Río Reventazón nearby offers Class IV–V runs.
The Turrialba Volcano, northeast of town, has been intermittently active since 2010, with ongoing ash emissions. The park around it is periodically closed; check current status before visiting.
Turrialba is also close to the Guayabo National Monument, Costa Rica's most significant pre-Columbian archaeological site, with stone causeways, aqueducts, and foundations dating back 3,000 years. On the eastern edge of town, the CATIE botanical garden and research campus offers a quieter counterpoint — tropical forest, experimental plantations, and excellent birdwatching.