No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsTravel and TourismCosta Rica National Parks in Guanacaste Save Something for Everyone

Costa Rica National Parks in Guanacaste Save Something for Everyone

MINI volcanoes, egg-laying leatherback turtles, miles of trails, camping, natural hot springs, spelunking and beaches await the explorers of Guanacaste’s parks. A deceptively profound diversity of sights is within the province’s 21 nationally protected conservation areas – more than the beautiful beaches and always-sunny weather for which the Pacific coast is known.

Most parks have entrance fees of $7 for tourists, ¢600 ($1.40) for residents and nationals, and keep hours from 7 or 8 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. Guides are available at most parks, and charge by the person or by the group. Questions about the parks and wildlife reserves are fielded within the country at one number, the national park hotline: 192. Most reserves have their own ranger stations with phone numbers that are available at the hotline.

A network of caves – 19 of which have been explored – interlace the Barra Honda National Park (686-6760), 22 kilometers northwest of Nicoya (TT Weekend, Jan. 30). Guides take groups of up to eight people on four-hour tours of some of the most impressive caverns, such as Terciopelo, La Trampa and Santa Ana. Santa Ana is one of the deepest, shooting down 240 meters. Terciopelo has the most to look at, with rock formations such as stalagtites, stalagmites, columns, rocky pearls and flowers, popcorn mushroom and shark-tooth-like structures.

ONE of its attractions Is called the Organ, because soft taps rouse a range of sounds. La Trampa – the trap – is so named for the sudden drop near the front door. The descent is a vertical 52 meters. The cave is spacious, with large rooms, one of which is lined with sparkly white calcite. Another, the Pozo Hediondo – Pestilent Hole – is so named for the guano dropped from its resident bats. It is the only cave with any great number of the creatures.

In addition to the caves, the park of nearly 2,300 hectares is home to a number of plant and animal species, including the capuchin monkey, coyotes, armadillo, deer, foxes, vultures, magpies and skunks.

Foot paths link mini-volcanoes and hot springs in the Rincón de la Vieja National Park (two entrances: 695-5577, 661-8139) in Guanacaste’s cordillera, 27 kilometers northwest of Liberia. The volcano of the same name rises 1,916 meters, has erupted from nine fissures (one of which is active) and has a lagoon in the south end of the crater. The last violent eruptions occurred between 1966 and 1970, when the mountain threw out huge clouds of ash and made a lot of noise. The most recent eruption was in 1991, and now it spouts gas and smoke from time to time.

At the foot of the volcano are hot springs and waterfalls, lagoons, pools of bubbling mud, vaporous spouts and small muddy volcanoes – about five meters in circumference – that spew gases.

THE park contains a range of habitats depending on the altitude, the amount of precipitation and the effects of the volcanic activity. Some of the most common trees are laurel, guanacaste, cedar, oak and cypress. The peak of the volcano is reached via an 8-km hike. Park biologists have counted 257 species of birds, including wild black turkeys, toucans, hummingbirds and owls. Larger animals include mountain goats, armadillos and monkeys.

Hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Camping sites are available. Park guard Javier Sihezar says a run of the entire park takes about three days and advises against camping in the rainy season.

Park director and biologist Rodney Piedra calls the Las Baulas National Marine Park (653-0470) “the most important for sea turtles in the Western Pacific.”

It juts out right on the western-most tip of Guanacaste at Playa Grande, and is the most popular nesting site in the Western Pacific for leatherback turtles. (See separate story, page S-5).

The park’s 445 hectares encompass beaches, forests and mangroves and are home to 174 species of birds, cuddly and not-so cuddly creatures, such as raccoons, caymans and howler and capuchin monkeys.

Piedra advises that tourists call before they visit, because access is restricted to certain seasons and limited to 120 people each day during the egg laying season (the end of September to the end of March).

Cameras are not allowed, neither is camping, and tours are with guides.

Admission costs ¢1,000 ($2.35) for residents and nationals, $8 for tourists, and guides cost ¢500 ($1.20) per person in each group. Information on leatherbacks and their study is available at www.leatherback.org.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Rescues Endangered Amphibians and Turtles in Store Bust

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), through its Specialized Section Against Environmental Crimes, carried out an operation at a store in Vázquez de Coronado, San...

Remittances to Central America Surge 20% Amid U.S. Deportation Fears

Family remittances in Central America grew by around 20% in the first half of 2025, according to official data—a rise that experts attribute to...

Keylor Navas Joins Pumas After Controversial Exit from Newell’s

Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas is officially the newest player for Pumas UNAM, but his move from Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys has been anything...

Keylor Navas Joins Pumas UNAM in Major Liga MX Transfer

Keylor Navas has agreed to become the new goalkeeper for Pumas UNAM, marking one of the biggest signings in recent Liga MX history. The...

Starbucks Expands in Guanacaste with New Store Opening in Tamarindo

Starbucks continues to strengthen its presence in Costa Rica with the opening of its second store in the province of Guanacaste, specifically in Tamarindo....

A Closer Look at the Elusive Purple Gallinule in Costa Rica

Quick! Think of a purple bird! It’s a little difficult, right? I searched my brain and came up with a purple martin. A small...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica