San Rafael de Guatuso

San Rafael De Guatuso

San Rafael is the capital city of the canton of Guatuso in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito (district) that includes the city. The district of San Rafael covers an area of 304.1 km² (1), and has a population of 7,195.

The city lies at an elevation of 50 meters above sea level near the western edge of the San Carlos Plain (Llanura de San Carlos) in northern Costa Rica. It is 20 kilometers northeast of Lake Arenal, 40 kilometers southeast of Upala,37 kilometers northwest of El Tanque, 90 kilometers northwest of Ciudad Quesada, 155 kilometers from the provincial capital city of Alajuela, and 183 kilometers from the national capital city of San José.

San Rafael, often called Guatuso, is an agricultural town on the Río Frío and Highway 4. Cattle ranching and rice farming are major concerns in the area. The town has a gas station, banks, medical clinic, pharmacy, and a few basic restaurants and cabinas for lodging.