Rural San Rafael, commonly known as Guatuso (pop. 7000), is the capital of the canton of Guatuso, called “Llanuras de Guatuso” (“Plains of Guatuso”) for its expansive tropical plains. The city lies at an elevation of 50 meters above sea level near the western edge of the San Carlos Plain in northern Costa Rica. It is 20km (12.4 miles) northeast of Lake Arenal, 40km (25 miles) southeast of Upala, 37km (23 miles) northwest of El Tanque, 90km (56 miles) northwest of Ciudad Quesada, 155 km (96 miles) from the provincial capital city of Alajuela, and 183km (114 miles) from the national capital city of San José.

Although Guatuso is not frequented by many tourists, its residents are charming hosts, and the small town makes for an excellent base from which to explore the region’s numerous natural wonders—over a fifth of the canton is part of the National Refuge Caño Negro , the Venado Caves and their underground waterfall are less than 6 miles (10km) away, and the area contains part of Volcán Tenorio National Park including the hike to the spectacularly blue Río Celeste.

Two percent of the canton is made up of indigenous Maleku communities, descendants of the Guahisos —a Corobicí tribe that emigrated from the Central Valley to establish itself in the hillsides of the rivers Tonjibe, Venado, La Muerte, and Margarita. Three of the Maleku towns (Margarita, El Sol, and Tonjibe) are open to tourists.

San Rafael (Guatuso) is an agricultural town on the Río Frío and Highway 4. The town’s location between Upala and transportation hubs of Ciudad Quesada/San Carlos and San José means that there is a fair amount of public transportation passing through the city. There is a gas station, banks, medical clinic, pharmacy, Internet cafe and a few basic restaurants and cabins for lodging. The climate is hot with temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit).

Cattle ranching and rice farming are major concerns in the area. Guatuso´s fiesta patronal (patron saint festival) is on October 24. If you have never seen a cattle auction, Subasta Ganadero Maleco, only 1.2 miles (2km) south of the center, is a memorable experience. Every Wednesday, auctioneers shout the weights and prices of each specimen in an infinite parade of cattle. Also ask about the cabalgatasthat take place nearly every month, when thousands of horse riders gallop off to a nearby town for a day-long festival to entertain the community.

Guatuso is a good place to visit if you want to explore rural Costa Rica while enjoying all the comforts of a small town.