National
Park Guanacaste. 56000 hectares
of forests and grasslands, this park unites
Santa Rosa with Rincon de la Vieja National
Park and so creates a very important natural
corridor for wildlife and plants.
Juan
Castro Blanco National Park is
approximately 50% primary cloud and rainforest.
Platanar Volcano is still active, though its
last eruption date in unknown. Its dormant sister
Porvenir is several miles to the south.
Lomas Barbudal. Total 2279 hectares.
Famous for its Sabanas and forests, this park
is one of the least visited in the country, thereby
offering a true natural experience and a non -
traditional vacation. Famous among scientists
for insects, bird and dry forest, this park is
important because it hosts the last forests in
the area.
Palo
Verde. Total 16804 hectares. Located
on the Tempisque Riverside, the second largest
river in Costa Rica, it is home to many resident
and migratory water and land birds, crocodiles,
and many other reptiles and mammals. A beautiful
experience to visit by boat only.
Marina
Las Baulas Total 500. This park protects
world famous Playa Grande, good for surfing but
also the favorite place for leatherback turtles
to nest. Its lager area is marine, protecting
some important coral reefs and marine formations,
as well as the area where many turtles use a nesting
ground.
Barra Honda. Total 2295 hectares.
Attractive because of its Cave formations, that
creates a large system underneath Nicoyas Mountain
Range and secondary ridges. A true unique experience
for soft adventure lovers.
Ostional.
Total 164 hectares. Ostional Beach and park are
located in the center of the Peninsula of Nicoya,
and also protects some very important turtle colonies
that come here every year for nesting. Beautiful
beeches and romantic beach locations.
Curu. Total 84 hectares. Curu is
another interesting park, because of the fact
that its inhabitants are a combination of tropical
dry forest and rainforest coming up from the Central
Pacific Coast. Strategically located on the Southern
coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, its location meets
the division of the dry North Pacific and the
Central Pacific Rainforest and humidity. Beautiful
estuaries, quiet locations and self guided trails.
Cabo Blanco. Total 1172 hectares.
Cabo Blanco or White Cape is called so because
of being the cape that ends the Nicoya Peninsula
and so divides the North Pacific Coast and its
influence and the Gulf of Nicoya and the Central
Pacific Coast. Its is one of the first areas to
be protected, and similar to Curu, it hosts some
unique vegetation and wildlife. It is surrounded
by Mal Pais beaches, Montezuma and Cabuya Town,
so it is a good place to spend some relaxing and
natural vacations.
Peñas
Blancas. Total 2400 hectares. Peñas
Blancas is located near the Pan-American Highway,
only 1-½ hours from San Jose, on the same
mountain range than Monteverde is. It creates
an island of protection in an area that suffered
much from destruction during the 70s´.
Carara. Total 4700
hectares Carara means Red Macaws and giant crocodiles.
This park is only 1-½ hours from San Jose
City, in the Central Pacific Coast. The best place
to see the red macaws, many species of birds and
insects and also some large American crocodiles
that take sun every day under Tarcoles River Bridge,
just a step from the entrance.
Manuel
Antonio. Total 683
hectares Manuel Antonio area is world renown as
to be the premier Sport fishing place n the country,
but it is much more than that. Its proximity with
San Jose, (2 ¾ hours, excellent infrastructure,
gorgeous beaches and its closely located National
Park. Manuel Antonio makes this place the great
beach and forest destination. Snorkeling, hiking,
walking, dinning and nightlife are some extra
benefits while visiting this park and its neighboring
town of Quepos
Marino Ballena.
Area Total 50 hectares ground and 4500 hectares
marine. Ballena means whale in Spanish, and this
place is probably the best for whale and dolphin
watching. Located in the South Central Pacific,
it is a quiet area with large areas of virgin
rainforests and beautiful beaches.
Cano
Island - Isla del Caño. Caño
Island is a premier spot for Scuba Diving, but
it offers its other attractions too. Used by indigenous
tribes as a cemetery, arqueologists find some
particular stone formations. Accessible only by
boat.
Corcovado,
Corcovado is biologist’s hideaway while
in Costa Rica. It is one of the largest National
Parks, covering almost the entire Corcovado Peninsula.
Rainforest, rivers, beaches and estuaries and
many trails. The park has been under study from
scientists all over the planets because of its
importance hosting the jaguar, the tapir and other
rare species.
Esquinas. Total 1309 hectares. This
park was born to serve as a bridge and corridor
between rainforests and the large Corcovado National
Park. It is well known for bird watching and hiking.
Isla del Coco. Total
2400 hectares land and 73.1000 marine. Cocos Island
is among the Top 7 Diving Destinations in the
world. Located off the coast of Costa Rica, it
inspired Jurassic Park and other movies. Covered
completely by Rainforest, its importance lies
underwater, protecting animals from industrial
fishing and whaling.
Rincon
de la Vieja. Total 14084 hectares.
Rincon de la Vieja is a beautiful Park located
in the Guanacaste Mountain Range. An area formerly
known as Haciendas Ganaderas or Cattle Ranches,
it offers some romantic Wild West Scenes. Some
of its attractions are: The Crater, the lagoon,
canopy, horseback riding on never-ending grasslands
and forests and some hot water springs and mud
baths. Here you will feel as if in another planet.
Beautiful.
Volcan
Poas. Total 5600
hectares. Poas Volcano is said to be the largest
geyser crater in the world, measuring a mil. Its
eruptions are geyser like, meaning only fumes
and steam coming up from the crater. It is entirely
covered by cloud forest at the height of almost
7000 feet. There is a beautiful and bizarre looking
dwarf forest when you walk up to the lagoon.
Braulio
Carrillo. Total
45899 hectares. Used to film the movie Congo,
this giant National Park is one of the newest.
Covering steep mountains and valleys, cloud and
rainforest, and hosting almost everything from
Jaguars to giant anteaters, it can be admired
while driving to the Caribbean Coast. There are
almost no trails in the park because of the danger
of getting lost, but only driving trough is a
beautiful experience.
Volcan
Irazu. Total 2309 hectares. Irazu
Volcano is the highest volcano in the country,
at 8000 feet. On the top, you can visit both of
the craters and see their lagoons and the moon
- like landscape from above the clouds.
Guayabo.
Guayabo is Costa Rica Tikal, since it is considered
the largest Indigenous Pre - Colombian discovery
so far. While visiting this park, you will find
out about our ancestors, its construction techniques
and its gods. Surrounded by rainforest, it is
extremely interesting as a cultural destiny.
La
Amistad &
Chirripo. La Amistad and Chirripo
is the largest protected area in Costa Rica and
Central America, since its area is over 280000
square kilometers and goes deep into Panama as
well. It covers the majority of the Talamanca
Mountain Range including Cerro Chirripo and others,
and in this park you will find anything from Cloud
Forest to the deepest Rainforest, depending on
the altitude. Several are the points you can access
this giant, from the Pacific or the Caribbean
Side, Ask for more info.
Caño Negro. Total 9969 hectares.
Caño Negro is located on the Northern Plains,
between Arenal and Nicaragua. It hosts some of
the most important swamps and mangrove systems
in the country, and it is a paradise for birdwatchers,
especially aquatic species.
Tortuguero.
Total 18947 hectares. Tortuguero National Park
is located on the Caribbean Coast, and covers
some 40000 plus hectares of Rainforest and natural
canals. There is a small town in the area, and
you will find many Hotels. It is an especially
interesting park because of its bio - diversity
and its natural canals, where tours depart daily.
Barra
del Colorado. Total 92000 hectares.
Barra del Colorado is another giant. It is considered
Tortugueros´Big Brother, since its location
is a bit North of Tortuguero Town. It borders
Nicaragua, and covers San Juan River Delta, large
areas of virgin rainforest that are home to Jaguars,
Pumas, many species of birds and other animals.
Cahuita.
Area Total 1068 hectares. Small in extension,
this park is a true jewel. It protects the largest
coral reef in the country, and also protects a
beautiful strip of rainforest along the beaches
of Cahuita Town and Puerto Vargas. I
Gandoca - Manzanillo. Total 5013
hectares land and 4436 hetaeras marine. Similar
to Cahuita Park, it protects the portion of land
from Puerto Viejo Town to the Panama Border, of
great importance since this area used to be affected
by destruction and trimming. Here you will find
some unexplored beaches, forests, great small
- town atmosphere in Manzanillo, and some great
and interesting trails to walk through.
Monteverde - Santa Elena. World Famous
Monteverde. This particular area, called the Green
Mountain since it is a green cloud forest surrounded
by the Pacific Dry Influence is considered a Birdwatchers
and naturalist paradise worldwide. The towns of
Monteverde and Santa Elena have many places to
stay, restaurants, shops and more. There are two
parks, Monteverde and Santa Elena, being both
the same in bio diversity. Monteverde is also
one of the first choices among travelers to our
country. Beautiful views of the Pacific, the Gulf
of Nicoya and the surrounding dry lands.
Volcan
Arenal.
Arenal Volcano is the most active volcano in
the country. At 1650 meters above sea level,
its perfect cone - shaped base is located next
to Arenal Lake, creating this unique combination.
Discover its hot water springs, the town of
La Fortuna, the lake and more.
Zona Protectora Savegre.
From Cerro de la Muerte to Savegre Valley,
this area is the most perfect place to observe
the Paradise Bird ( Quetzal ), among many
other species of birds. Beautiful Cloud forest
at 8000 feet above sea level, this area contains
some very beautiful paths, trails and places
to discover while staying at one of the Hotels
nearby. Rica.
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Hotels in Costa Rica
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