Costa Rica Reserves

1) Barra del Colorado

This area consists of swamp land, almost totally devoid of wooded areas. The topsoil is unsuitable for supporting agriculture or livestock. However, the refuge has great tourist appeal and possesses a wide range of wildlife. This is a very hot and humid tropical rain forest environment.

Special Activities

The canals of Barra del Colorado do not present an environment condusive to canoeiTortuguero and the wildlife is much less prolific along the inland canals. There are a few small, quite lagoons which we recommend you visit if you have the time and can arrange the transport. Lagoon Nueve is the most popular and tranquil in the region. Several of the lodges now offer kayak/canoe trip from thier lodges. Most tourists, however, visit Barra del Colorado to fish for snook and/or tarpoon. There are several lodges which offer these services and few who visit leave dissapointed.

How To Get There

Barra del Colorado does not offer the ease of access, as does Tortuguero. Unlike Tortuguero, travel to Barra del Colorado via launch is not recommended. Few, if any, launches continue north from Tortuguero, and those which do will charge you a good penny. Organized tours do not normally transport their passengers to Barra del Colorado, via the canals. The trip north to Barra del Colorado will add an additional 2-3 hours to your trip from Moin, depending on the size of your launch and its motor.

Much like the trip from Moin to Tortuguero, very few of the local merchants provide naturalist guides, food and/or beverages. While the northern canals are interesting if viewed properly, passing them at 40 m.p.h. is hardly an eco-experience. We recommend that you fly!!!

Both Travel Air and Sansa fly regularly to Barra del Colorado. Flights are short, comfortable and present a unique perspective of the canals and inland waterways below, along with the mountain range which seperates the Cental Valley and the Caribbean coast. Several other small, independent carriers are available upon request.

While more expensive, these flights operate on demand and can help maximize your stay in Barra del Colorado.

2) Cabo Blanco

This refuge is a marine bird sanctuary and is one of the most beautiful areas on the Pacific coast. Marine birds are very numerous, particularly brown pelicans, magnificent frigate birds, laughing gulls, common terns and brown boobies. Terrestrial birds include the long-tailed manakin, magpie jay, cattle egret, crested caracara, elegant trogon, white-bellied chachalaca, ringed kingfisher, sulfer-winged parakeet and turkey vulture.

The woods are predominated by evergreen species. Some of the most common trees are lancewood, bastard cedar, wild plum, gumbo-limbo, trumpet tree, dogwood, frangipani and the spiny cedar. One spiny cedar is a veritable natural monument growing beside the trail to Maven Peak-it towers 50 meters and measures 3 meters in diameter at chest height. Among the 119 types of trees in this reserve, the dominant species in the primary forest are spiny cedar, chicle and espave.

The white-tailed deer, howler, spider and white-faced monkeys, porcupines, agoutis, pacas, kinkajous, coyotes, long-nosed armadillos and margay cats are also found here.

In the sea, large populations of fish, crabs, chitons, lobster, shrimp, giant chonches and clams are present while many other species inhabit the intertidal zone and neighboring shores.

3) Caño Island

Is situated approximately 10-12 nautical miles from Osa Peninsula coastline. Most hotels have daily tours to the island, which takes about 45 minutes to reach, depending on weather and sea conditions. The Park is open from 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., and the ranger station maintains an office, public bathroom, freshwater shower, and storage area. You are not permitted to remain on the island overnight. Upon arriving you will be asked to sign into the guest book.

The Caño Island Reserve is off major archaeological importance since it was used as a cemetery in Pre-Columbian times. It is still possible today to see a limited number of perfectly round spheres, presumed to have been made by the Indians (see information below about trails.)

Just in front of the Ranger Station there is a beach area, which is most frequently utilized for play, relaxation and snorkeling. The water just in front of the Ranger Station is relatively shallow, and provides snorkelers with an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with the underwater terrain and sea life surrounding Caño Island.

The dark, volcanic rock is home to numerous species of marine life, much of which you will see just a short swim from the beach. There are two walking trails on Caño Island, one which leads to an archeological site known as "Sitio Archeologico", and the second, "El Mirador", which terminates at a beautiful lookout on the south side of the island. Both trails share the same common trail up to a designated point before separating into two distinct trails.

The leading trail starts just behind the Ranger Station, on the left side, and begins with an uphill climb. While relatively steep, the trail is very manageable, as thick slabs of tree trunk have been thoughtfully placed to assist you with your footing. As well, the trail utilizes the island's natural setting such as tree roots and rocks. The trail soon plateaus, at which point you will see signs pointing towards the Island's two main walking trails mentioned above. The hike from the Ranger Station to this intersection takes approximately 7-10 minutes, but much depends on your physical condition and interest in the local flora and fauna.

Once at the intersection turn left, follow the common trail that points to "Sitio Archeologico" and "El Mirador". This portion of the trail is quite flat, open, bright, and littered with fallen leaves and broken/dead branches. The island's undergrowth is not too dense, comprised primarily of small trees including locust, wild pig, cocoa and rubber trees. A rather insignificant number of larger evergreen trees, reaching 150 ft. in height, do exist, many of which have trunks covered in a thick green moss. The trails winds a bit, but is very well marked and easy to navigate. Due to its openness, this portion of the trail remains relatively dry compared to the latter sections. After hiking for approximately 20 minutes, you will come to a second intersection, at which time the trail divides into two.

If you would like to see the island's archeological site, more specifically the perfectly round spheres, then continue straight ahead at the intersection. The hike to the spheres takes approximately 10-15 minutes, on a relatively flat, but winding trail that is wetter than the other sections. Upon reaching the end of the trail you will see two spheres.

The first, and smaller of the two, resides on top of smaller stones and can be seen in its entirety. The second, larger stone, is partially submerged in the earth. To visit the "El Mirador", or Lookout, turn to the right. The hike to the Lookout takes about 12 minutes and is relatively easy and flat, aside from some low-lying areas. Just prior to reaching the Lookout the trail will dip rather quickly and then climb back up, with the steeper portions lined with large slabs of tree trunk to ensure safe passage. In the low-lying areas this trail can get a bit muddy. At the Lookout itself, there is a small bench, where you can rest and/or look for whales and dolphins in the waters just south of Caño Island.

The trails on Caño Island are very well marked and maintained, however, their status at any given time is dependent on current weather conditions. During the wet season muddy trails should be expected, which may make hiking a bit more difficult and more time consuming. Caño Island is not known for an abundance of wildlife. The fauna is sparse, possibly caused by the disappearance of the natural forest. The few birds that can be sighted here are the cattle egret, common black hawk, osprey, brown booby and Northern phalarope. The four-eyed opossum, paca (introduced), boa constrictor, brown tree frog and transparent tree frog, and a few species of rats, small snakes and lizards are also sighted here. Providing you proceed slowly and quietly, you can see many of these animals on the jungle floor and lower portion of the forest canopy.

For those who will be snorkeling, a rich variety of marine fauna inhabits the tidal pools. In addition to a multitude of fish, there are countless brittle starfish and sea urchins. Two endangered species in the vicinity of the island are the lobster and the giant conch.

Important Points

Some species of trees have needles and/or spines protruding from their bark, which serves as a natural, protective measure. Look before you grab something!

There is no water freshwater available on the Island, so we recommend you carry drinking water with you while hiking.

Surprisingly enough, the mosquitoes here are not much of a factor, however, insect repellent is always recommended.

4) Caño Negro Reserve Costa Rica

This refuge protects one of the most important wetland regions in Costa Rica's territory and is considered of international importance because it protects a wide range of migratory species and endangered species, as well as species which are commercially important.

Cano Negro Lake-a shallow, seasonal, freshwater lake extending over 800 hectares-is a spill-off site for the adjacent Frio River and its tributary, the Monica River.

The area formed by the lake and its surroundings constitutes one of the most biologically diverse regions, and is of vital importance in maintaining optimum environmental conditions in the northern part of the country. The region is also inhabited by a wide range of flora and fauna and natural communities, many of them unique and endangered. This makes the area important worldwide, since, combined with the wetland regions south of Nicaragua Lake, it is one of the most outstanding examples of wetlands in Mesoamerica.

The refuge provides food for migratory birds from the North. There are also plants and animals not found anywhere else in the country, as well as many kinds of birds and fish suitable for human consumption. This is one of the few areas where the gar fish is found.

5) Carara

Presents a wide variety of plant life with evergreens being particularly predominant. The reserve possesses several ecosystems, including marshlands, a lagoon, and primary, secondary and gallery forests.

The marshland is rich in waterfowl, wading birds, amphibians and reptiles that are found in these environments. The lagoon is completely covered with water hyacinths and other floating aquatic plants. The primary forests occupying most of the reserve are species-rich, multi-layered, and have an abundance of creeping vines and epiphytes. The tallest trees include such species as espave, silk cotton, wild fig, nargusta and quamwood, a very spectacular tree during the dry season when it is covered with yellow flowers.

Amphibians and reptiles are abundant. Crocodiles measuring up to three meters long are widely distributed and easy to sight in the Grande de Tarcoles River. Waterfowl such as roseate spoonbills, anhingas, jacanas, pied-bellied grebes and Mexican tiger-bitterns are also in attendance. The fauna is abundant in spite of the isolated location of the reserve. Among the mammals, the four-eyed opossum, two-toed sloth, agouti, kinkajou, tayra, margay cat, collared peccary and white-tailed deer are found.

A particularly conspicuous bird in Carara, notable for its beautiful bright blue, red and yellow plumage, and the fact that it has all but disappeared from the Dry Pacific, is the scarlet macaw. Other species include the collared aracari, American egret, great tinamou and turkey vulture.

6) Gandoca Manzanillo

This important refuge protects the wildlife in the region, especially species in danger of extinction or having reduced populations. It also safeguards the only naturally occurring mangrove oyster beds to inhabit the reefs alone the coastline.

The remaining primary forest in this regions is unique throughout the Atlantic coastal lowlands because of the relatively small surface area available to support the area's abundant wildlife. This area contains a wide range of lowland habitats with patches of primary forest and numerous rare and unique habitats, including one of the least spoiled coral reefs on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica. This part of the Atlantic coast is classified as a tropical rain forest. The region's natural resources make it especially attractive to scientists and recreation-seeking visitors.

How to get there

By Car - From San Jose, your trip to Manzanillo, or the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge is fairly direct. Take the Braulio Carrillo highway north of the city towards the Atlantic coast city of Limón. The trip takes approximately 2:15-2:30 to Limon. The road through Braulio Carrillo National Park has recently been improved, however, there are still an enormous amount of huge potholes littering the highway. It is unsual to find this road without cloud cover on the upper region, particularly during the rainy season. That in combination with the potholes and steep decline make this a very dangerous road. We do not recommend that you make the trip at night.

Once you arrive in Limon, make a right at the first major intersection, there will be a Texeco station on the right corner. From this intersection stay on this road and follow the signs for Cahuita and Puerto Viejo. The road which separates Limón and Manzanillo is in poor condition, littered with potholes and single lane bridges; thus proceed slowly. In all it is about 77 km ( 48 miles ) from Limon to Manzanillo, approximately 12 km ( 7.2 miles ) south of Puerto Viejo. While a four wheel drive would certainly help it is not absolutely necessary for the trip. Manzanillo is approximately 6-6 km ( 3 miles ) from Puerto Viejo.

7) Costa Rica Guayabo National Monument

Is the largest and most important archaeological site discovered in Costa Rica. The appearance of human occupation appears to date back to 500 B.C.. Its main development took place between 800 and 1,400 A.D.,when the stone structures which are still standing today were built. A series of villages is thought to have existed around the central area, providing shelter for a rural population of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 people.

The monuments main architectural features are: cobble-paved causeways and streets; terraced stairways, designed to overcome the differences in height between the causeways and mounds; retaining walls; bridges; mounds used as foundations for housing; open and walled-in aqueducts, many still in use today; and cisterns, rectangular structures where water from the aqueducts was stored.

There are petroglyphs everywhere, some representing animals such as birds and cats, and others which do not appear to have any significance. Ceremonial monolithic tables, petroglyphs, pottery shards, and other items are also found at the site. In addition, an example of the tall, evergreen forests typical of the region is found here.

The predominant trees include the elm, bitter cedar, manni and magnolia.Fauna is scarce because of the monument's small size. Birds are the most conspicuous, the most numerous being toucans and Montezuma oropendolas. Some species of insects, lizards, frogs, and toads are common to the area.

8) Hitoy Cerere

This zone is crisscrossed by countless rocky rivers with rapids and waterfalls, some reaching several tens of meters in height. It is interesting to note that the name of the Reserve, taken from the Bri-Bri Indian language, has to do with rain. "Hitoy" means wolly, describing the algae- and moss-covered river stones, and "Cerere" means clear waters.

Most of the trees in the upper elevations are more than 30 meters tall and the emergent top 50 meters. Commonly found species include the crabwood, wild tamarind, silk cotton, possum-wood and nargusta.

The fauna is rich and varied, although most species either live in the treetops or are nocturnal and therefore are not usually seen. Some animals inhabiting the area are the three-toed sloth, silky anteater, four-eyed opossum, Neotropical river otter, tayra, jaguar, tiger cat, tapir, red brocket deer, collared peccary, and howler and white-faced monkey.

One hundred fifteen species of birds have been observed including the Montezuma oropendola, which congregates to build large numbers of hanging nests in a single tree, vulture, chizo parrot, slatey-tailed trogon and hummingbirds, among others.

9) Lomas Barbudal

Has a wealth of insect species, particularly bees, wasps, butterflies and moths. It is estimated that there are between 200 and 300 species of bees and 60 species of moths. Vertebrates are numerous, and some 130 species of birds have been sighted including the turkey vulture, elegant trogon, scarlet macaw and keel-billed toucan.

The most frequently observed mammals are the howler and white-faced monkeys, raccoon, tree squirrel, armadillo, white-nosed coati and, occasionally, white-tailed deer. Most of the trees in the deciduous forest drop their leaves during the dry season. Some of the most common species include the spiny cedar, gumbo-limbo and wild plum. The riparian woods consist of a a strip along the rivers and gulches. They are mostly evergreen and are considered the densest and most species rich in the area, and contain exceptional numbers of solitary bees.

The savanna is an open grassland area with scattered trees, mainly the rough-leaf tree and the shoemaker's tree. The gallery forest is formed by a mixture of evergreen and such deciduous species as the chicle tree, rubber tree and tempisque. 

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