Alajuela is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the north-central part of the country, bordering Nicaragua to the north. It also borders the provinces of Heredia to the east, San José to the south, Puntarenas to the southwest and Guanacaste to the west. Alajuela is home to active volcanoes, tropical rainforest and lowland swamps. Poás Volcano National Park is named after a massive stratovolcano.