The fact that more than one million tourists visit Costa Rica each year does not happen by chance. This small country, located in Central America offers visitors miles of beautiful beaches, world class services and accomodations, and incredible bio-diversity, including tropical rain forests, dense cloud forests, waterfalls, hotsprings and active volcanoes. Covering only 0.03% of the surface of our planet, Costa Rica has approximately 6% of the world's bio-diversity, and its people are committed to keeping it that way, with roughly 25% of the country devoted to national parks and natural sanctuaries.

In addition to its natural resources Costa Rica holds another asset that makes it the richest bio-deversified country in the world, its people.  Ticos, as Costa Ricans are commonly known, are famous for being hospitable, polite, well educated and are quite happy to live up to their reputation.  Ticos have made their country Central America's jewel.  They value their peaceful and democratic ways, evident in the absence of an army, which in turn allows for better funding for education and infra-structure.

Whether you are looking for fun and adventure, wonderous and incredible natural beauty, or a relaxing, luxurious vacation, Costa Rica is the premier spot for travelers from all over the world.

Costa Rica is the same as US Central Standard Time (GMT -6), but does not observe daylight savings time.

Location

Costa Rica is one of the small nations that together comprise the isthmus of Central America. The country's borders are defined by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Because it is between two continents, and two oceans, this convergence of land and water makes the region a great bottleneck, rich in ecological diversity.

Area

51,100 sq km (19,929 square miles)

Geographic Division

Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces (States) which are: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, & San José (Capital City).

Here, geography constricts a breathtaking amount of plant and animal life within a modest 19,563 square miles (50,900 sq. km), an area comparable in size to Denmark or West Virginia. Within this diminutive nation is found an astonishing five percent of the world's bio-diversity, including more than 800 species of ferns, 1,000 of orchids, 2,000 kinds of trees, and 200 species of mammals.

Both coastlines of Costa Rica have an abundance of beaches, though the Pacific strands are generally both less developed and less spacious. Between the coasts, the interior of the country is shaped by four cordilleras, or mountain ranges, which run from north to south. The capital, San Jose, rests roughly in the nation's center, settled within a highland valley. Cascading down to the Caribbean from the central mountains are Costa Rica's many great rivers, including the Reventazon. The Pacific side is marked by two broad peninsulas that hook out into the Pacific, the Nicoya and the Osa. It is a geographic curiosity that their shapes are almost identical, the Osa being a smaller rendition of the Nicoya.

Weather

Costa Rica is a tropical country and experiences only two seasons: wet and dry. The dry season is generally between late December and April, and the wet season lasts the rest of the year. The Caribbean coast tends to be wet all year. Temperatures vary little between seasons, the average is 24 degrees Celsius, and the main influence on temperature is altitude. The coasts are very hot and humid, with the Caribbean averaging 21 degrees Celsius at night and over 30 degrees Celsius during the day, the Pacific is a few degrees warmer.

Costa Rica's climate is renowned as an atmospheric treat. Mild subtropical conditions prevail year-round, and uncomfortable temperature extremes and prolonged periods of gray are practically nonexistent. Temperature varies mainly according to elevation, the higher the cooler. The brunt of the rainy season lasts from May through November, while a brief dry spell pays a visit from February to April. Costa Rica's rain falls mainly on the Caribbean coast, giving the Pacific a much more arid climate.

Even though Costa Rica is a small country, it has a great biological and habitat diversity due to the convergence of two hemispheres, two oceans, and its varying geography. This creates wonderful changing views for travelers. There is a chain of mountains that forms a back- bone down the length of Costa Rica. They start in the north with the Guanacaste "Cordillera" (mountain range), continues with the Tilaran Cordillera (location of Monteverde and Arenal), the Central Cordillera (Irazu, Poas, Braulio Carrillo), and finishes with the southern Talamanca Cordillera (which is the highest in the country).While the Pacific coastline is almost 780 miles (1,254 km), the Caribbean is only 132 miles (212 km). Hilly peninsulas are settled in the Pacific coast.

There are two large gulfs, and many small coves and bays. Two major commercial ports are located in the Pacific: Puntarenas and Puerto Caldera. On the Caribbean, there is a natural harbor in the Moin - Limon area. It is the largest area of lowland plains (about one-fifth of Costa Rica), which stretches back from the northern coastline almost to Limon.Costa Rica lies in the tropics between 8 and 11 degrees north of the equator. You might expect moderate temperatures, but the rugged mountain chain's effect on factors such as wind, and rain, creating many microclimates.

Most people are surprised to learn that frost and ice can occur on some of the loftier peaks, such as Chirripo. Temperatures are somewhat higher on the Pacific side than on the Caribbean at the same elevation because there are more clouds on the Caribbean watershed year-round than on the Pacific. At sea level on either side, the annual average temperature is always above 75°F (24°C). Some of the highest peaks average 54°F (12°C), though temperatures there can fall below freezing.There is no spring, or fall seasons in Costa Rica. The seasons are called verano (summer) and invierno (winter).They are just a dry season ( December until April) and a rainy season ( May until November). Temperature has more variations from night to day than from verano to invierno. Difference in daily temperatures averages 14°F to 18°F (8°C to 10°C). From November to January, cold breezes from the north funnel through the mountains of North America causing a small drop in temperature. This is one of the few countries in the world in which polar air gets this close to the equator. The warmest months are March, April, and May, and the wettest months are September and October. Rainfall amounts vary from less than 59 inches (1500mm) to more than 190 inches (4800mm) during these months. The country's average rainfall pattern is in the range of 79 to 158 inches (2,000 to 4,000 mm). Precipitation can come in the form of a tropical downpour with impressive lightning and thunder (aguacero), steady rain, or less common, a continuous light rain for several days (temporal).Even in the rainy season, rain will not fall during the entire day, every day. It usually begins in early afternoon in the Central Valley and other highland areas, but later in the afternoon in the Pacific lowlands. Each season has its own beauty and unique characteristics. In wetter times the flora is profuse, with a vibrant life that gets into the soul. In the dry season the background is perfect for orchids, bougainvilleas, reina de la noche (queen of the night), as well as for colorful trees that flower only then.Costa Rica can boast that it is the country with the highest percentage (25%) of its territory designated as protected areas: Forest Reserves, Biological Reserves, Nature Shelters, and of course, National Parks. These are another of the good reasons why many Europeans and North Americans, rather than coming to travel, have made this land their home, being nowadays around 1% of the Costa Rican population.

Time

Costa Rica is the same as U.S. Central Standard Time, but does not observe daylight savings time.

Language

The most widely spoken language in Costa Rica is Spanish (97% of the population); although there are other native languages used mostly within the indigenous reserves. Many businesses, in and around San Jose, and resorts throughout the country have employees who also speak English.

Electricity

It is 100 volts. Plugs are two pronged without the grounding prong.

Currency & Exchange Rate

The Colon (¢1.00) is the national currency of Costa Rica. The exchange rate against the US dollar can vary day by day.

Credit Cards

Automated Teller Machines (ATM's) can be easily found in most populated areas of Costa Rica. Most international credit cards are accepted throughout the country: Visa, Master Card, American Express,Diners Club

Tipping

Most restaurants will include a 10% service charge at the bill. Taxi drivers generally do not receive a tip. If you are satisfied with the service you receive, hotel maids, tour guides and drivers would appreciate a tip.

Culture

Costa Rican culture is in many ways a reflection of its racial mix. The predominant influence has long been European, which is reflected in everything from the official language - Spanish - to the architecture of the country's churches and other historic buildings. The indigenous influence is less apparent, but can be found in everything from the tortillas that are served with a typical Costa Rican meal, to the handmade ceramics sold at roadside stands. A more recent cultural influence is that of the United States, which can be noted in everything from the movies showing at San Jose's theaters to the fast food chains that line some of the capital's streets.

An important aspect of Costa Rica's cultural heritage is their love of peace and democracy. Ticos like to point out that their nation is the exception in Latin America, where military dictatorships long dominated politics.

They can boast of having more than one hundred years of democratic tradition and almost half a century without an army. The army was abolished in 1948, and the money the country saves by not having a military is invested in improving the standard of living for Costa Ricans, which has fostered the social harmony that makes it such a pleasant place to visit.

Goverment

Costa Rica is a democratically elected Republic, and it is one of the oldest democracies in the Americas.  There are three branches of government: the Executive, which consists of the president, two vice presidents and advisors, the Legislative Assembly, with 57 individually elected deputies, and the Judicial Branch, which consists of civil, criminal, appeal and constitutional courts. The President and members of the Legislative Assembly are elected for four-year terms and the president can't run for re-election.

The two main parties are the National Liberation Party (PLN) and the Social Christian Union Party (PUSC).

Business & Economy

Banks and Money

The official currency of Costa Rica is the colon, but US dollars are widely accepted.  The exchange rate is currently around 440 colones for one US dollar, and it goes up about 0.20 colones every day, so it's best to hang on to your dollars. US dollars and traveler's checks can be exchanged in banks and hotels all over the country.  Major credit cards are widely accepted, and cash advances can be obtained in San Jose.

There is an ample selection of state and private banks in San Jose, and at least one major bank in every large town.  In addition there is a growing network of ATM's and there are various ways to wire money to and from abroad.

Business Hours

Government offices are generally open from 8 am to 4 pm, while banks close anytime between 3:00 and 6:00 pm, depending on the locale.  Most shops are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, while some open at 8:00 am and others close at 7:00 pm and most grocery stores close at 8:00 pm.  Some shops also close for lunch, between noon and 1:00 or 2:00 pm.

Economy

You don't have to drive very far in Costa Rica -- past the coffee, pastures, bananas and other crops -- to deduce that agriculture is the basis of its economy. Coffee has historically been the country's most important crop, and Costa Rica continues to produce some of the best coffee in the world, but in recent years less traditional crops have been playing an increasingly important economic role. The banana is the second most important export crop, with vast plantations covering parts of the Caribbean lowlands, but there is also significant land dedicated to to such things as pineapples, sugar, oranges, rice, cattle, hardwoods and ornamental plants.

Though agriculture remains the basis of the national economy, tourism has earned more than any single export crop during the last few years, and the tourism industry continues to grow, providing new employment opportunities, and stimulating the conservation of the bio-diversity that foreigners want to see.

Holidays

Though government offices and most banks close for national holidays, this causes no inconvenience to travelers, since they can change money or travelers checks in their hotel. Do not change money on the street. There are, however, days when hardly anything will be open, such as Christmas, New Year and often two or three days preceding it, and during Holy Week from Wednesday to Easter Sunday.

Some holidays can be attractive for travellers, such as the week between the days following Christmas, when there are parades in San Jose. During the week of the Annexation of Guanacaste, July 25, the main towns in the northwest province of Guanacaste are overflowing with revelry and folklore. Carnival, which is celebrated in the Caribbean port of Limon during the week of October 12, is another colorful affair.

Infra-Structure

Communications

Costa Rica has one of the most advanced telecommunications systems in Latin America, with telephones and fax machines all over the country, and an increasing number of businesses on line. To call or fax Costa Rica, dial the country code 506 before the number. There is also reliable mail service in the country, and an ample selection of courier services in San Jose. Most large hotels in the San Jose area have cable television, which has US and European stations. Newspapers and magazines from North America and several European nations are sold in many shops and hotels in and around the capital.

Transportation

It's easy to get around in Costa Rica, and if you stick with public transport, travelling within the country can be quite inexpensive. There is bus service to just about every town and city, and buses that serve main tourist destinations are of high quality. Taxis are also plentiful and inexpensive, and in San Jose they are required to use meters for most trips. The standard charge for a taxi between the international airport and downtown San Jose is $12 US. The quickest way to get around is to fly, and several domestic airlines offer daily flights to most of the popular tourist destinations.

There are also plenty of car rental agencies, most of which rent four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Costa Rica People

Costa Rica has four million inhabitants. About half of them live around San Jose, in the Central Valley. Costa Ricans (ticos) come predominately from the mixture of European and indigenous heritage. Their physical characteristics remind one of the Spanish heritage, but a fair number show varied native features. Less than one percent of the population is full fledged Indian; most of them live in reservations around the

Talamanca Mountains

The Caribbean region has a large percentage of African descendants, especially along the coast. Many of these individual's grandparents came from Jamaica to work on the construction of the railroad. Some Europeans have also settled in the Atlantic, fascinated by the easy-going life style. Foreigners are around 1% of the total population. Lastly, there is also a minority with Chinese heritage spread around the country.

Education

The Costa Rican Constitution states that elementary school is free and obligatory. Around 70% of secondary education is provided by public high schools, the other 30% is provided by accredited private schools. Many national and international universities offer a variety of degrees in different majors: some even specialize in agriculture, international relations or in the environment. There are also some schools that offer a North-American or European style education from pre-kindergarten through high school.

Education & Health

The Costa Rican government has long dedicated a significant portion of the national budget to the minds and bodies of its citizens; a policy that has resulted in a healthy and educated populace. The country has a literacy rate and average life expectancy that are much closer to those of Western European nations than most Latin American countries. Costa Rica has had a socialized medical system for nearly half a century, and while schools and clinics are found throughout the country, the Central Valley has several public universities and dozens of private universities.

What this means for travelers is that they will be dealing with educated people, and don't have to worry about most of the diseases they would expect to encounter in a tropical country.

Tap water is safe to drink in most of the country, but bottled beverages are recommended in rural areas. For those few travelers that do become sick or injured while in Costa Rica, there are hospitals and private clinics in San Jose that offer a level of care comparable to what they would expect at home, and for considerably less money.

Medical Services

Costa Rica's socialized medical system has been extremely successful at keeping the diseases that plague most tropical country's in check, through a system of education and preventive medicine. Costa Ricans consequently enjoy a life expectancy comparable to that of North Americans. Such health consciousness is one of the reasons that visitors feel so comfortable in Costa Rica.

If you do happen to need medical attention, first rate care is available at any of Costa Rica's public hospitals and private clinics. You can even pay with your credit card at private clinics in San Jose. Medical care is actually surprisingly inexpensive in Costa Rica, which has spurred a minor but growing trend of medical tourism. Foreigners who require medical treatment that their insurance won't cover often head to Costa Rica for treatment, where the cost is less than half of what they would pay at home. At least a dozen plastic surgeons in San Jose regularly treat foreign patients.

Emergency lines

When travelling to Costa Rica or any other destination, make sure to always have on hand a list of emergency telephone numbers, and always inquire about the health system and any other useful inofrmation related to your health and safety.

In case of emergency, dial 911 from any telephone in the central valley (San Jose, Cartago, Heredia, Alajuela). while this service is not complete in the provinces of Guanacaste, Limon and Puntarenas, it will re-direct your call to the nearest hospital or police station. The service offers a bilingual operator 24 hours a day.

Costa Rica History

The first European explorer to encounter Costa Rica, Christopher Columbus, came on September 18, 1502. He was making his fourth and final voyage to the New World.

A crowd of local Carib Indians greeted his crew warmly as he was setting anchor off shore. Later, the Spaniard, Gil Gonzalez Davila named the country Costa Rica, or Rich Coast, impressed by the golden bands that natives were wearing in their noses and ears.

Thousands of years before the arrival of Columbus, civilization existed in Costa Rica. Evidence of human occupation dates 10,000 years back. Perfectly spherical granite bolas (balls) found near the west coast are among the cultural mysteries left by the pre-Columbian inhabitants. Some are small as a baseball ranging in size to that of a Volkswagen bus. Parque Nacional Guayabo has ruins of an ancient city with aqueducts and some marvelously gold and jade work of about 1000 years ago has been found in the southwest. Evidence of the Olmec and Nahuatl Mexican civilizations influence are found in archeological sites in the central highlands and Guanacaste.

By the time that Columbus arrived, there were four major native tribes: the Caribs (east coast), the Chibchas, Borucas, and Diquis (southwest). None of these peoples survived long as land owners, after the arrival of Spanish colonialism. Some died due to the smallpox brought by the Spanish, some worked as slaves, and some ran away to the highest mountains, where their descendants live until this day making a small 1% of the Costa Rican population.

Having few indigenous labor forces, the Spaniards brought in African slaves to work in the Carib bean coast. Seventy thousand of their lineage lives in Costa Rica nowadays. Recent studies suggest that the 97% of the country's population - which call themselves ticos - come from the mestizaje, which is the mixture of races among the Spaniards and the indigenous that remained in the Central Valley.

During the colonial period, Costa Rica was a tough and unpopular place to reside with few easily exploited resources and lack of labor force. The Spanish were much more interested in living in Peru or Mexico, where vast amounts of silver and gold were being obtained by thousands of indigenous slaves. Thus, the first unfortunate settlers were left largely to their own means in this country. The first successful colonial city was established in 1562, when Juan Vasquez de Coronado founded Cartago,that later became the first capital city.

As well as the rest of America, Costa Rica followed the example of Mexico when it rebelled against Spain in the year 1821. Two years later, there was a civil war in the Central Valley between four neighboring cities. Two of them, Heredia and Cartago pursued to become part of Mexico, and the other two, San Jose and Alajuela wanted complete independence. After the last defeated Heredia and Cartago, sovereignty was established.

In 1824, Juan Mora Fernandez was elected the first head of state. He made land reforms at the same time that an elite class of powerful coffee barons was growing. The barons later overthrew the first Costa Rican president, Jose Maria Castro, and Juan Rafael Mora succeeded him. Under Mora's leadership, the Costa Rican people repulsed a would-be conqueror, the North American William Walker. Walker was a disgruntled southerner who thought that Central America should be annexed to the United States as a slave state. With a piecemeal army of about 50 men, Walker invaded Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica, being almost defeated. Finally, he proceeded against Honduras, where he was executed.

Military rule has headed the country from time to time, but it has not been extremely violent like in the rest of Central America. In 1870, for instance, General Tomas Guardia made some of the country's most progressive reforms in taxation, education, and military policy.

In 1948, Dr. Rafael Angel Calderon and the United Social Christian Party refused to relinquish power after losing the presidential election. Then, the Costa Rican civil war erupted. An exile, named Jose Maria (Don Pepe) Figueres Ferrer, defeat Calderon in about a month, proving later to be one of Costa Rica's most influential leaders. He headed the Founding Junta of the Second Republic of Costa Rica. Even one of his sons, Jose Maria Figueres, was president of the country during the years 1994-1998.Historical facts during and a little after the civil war are not totally clear, due to the social instability of this period. Under Ferrer's leadership, important reforms were made. Women and blacks gained the vote, banks were nationalized, the communist party was banned, and presidential term-limits were established. Ferrer was immensely popular, creating a political legacy that lives today.

In 1987, Oscar Arias Sanchez,the Costa Rican president, garnered world recognition as he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He was able to get all five Central American presidents to sign his peace plan that proposed the ending of the internal conflicts between governments and local insurrection forces. Because of this initiative, Nicaragua is now experiencing relative stability, ending its civil war between the Sandinistas and the Contras.

In February 1998 the Social Christian Unity Party's Miguel Angel Rodriguez won the presidency with exactly 50% of the vote. A conservative businessman who made the economy his priority, he went on to privatize state companies and encourage foreign investments in an effort to create jobs.

By the time the February 2002 elections rolled around, however, ticos were mumbling about a lack of government transparency and shady deals between political mates. These grass-roots misgivings resulted in a 'no win' election and pollsters returned to the ballot box in April 2002. Rodriguez's successor, Abel Pacheco of the conservative Social Christian Unity Party, was elected to step-up to the president's ring. The government period is for 4 years and re election is not possible.

Tourist Areas

Arenal Volcano

Feel the ground tremble and see the night sky explode with ash and lava in a natural display of fireworks. Arenal Volcano National Park is part of the Area de Conservación Arenal, wich protects most of the Cordillera de Tilarán. It contains half the species of land dwelling vertebrates ( birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians ) known in Costa Rica. The Arenal volcano was temporarily dormant from about 1500 AD until July 29, 1998, when huge explosions triggered lava flows that destroyed two villages.

Despite this massive eruption, the volcano retained its almost perfect conical shape. Due to its continuing activity,ash columns, massive explosions, and glowing red lava flows almost daily since 1968. The closest town to the volcano is La Fortuna de San Carlos. Activities you may enjoy include: canopy tours, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing at the Arenal lake, tour to Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, tour to Venado Caves, visiting the hot springs, and more.

Corcovado Area

This is a marvelous place where miles of solitary beaches and rainforest capture the imagination of those who take this path. The 54,539 hectares Corcovado National Park has astonishing biological diversity that attracts the attention of ecologists who study the intricate rainforest. The park was established in 1975, and has two sections.

Most of it is in the southwestern corner of the Península de Osa and protects at least eight distinct types of habitat.This assemblage is considered unique, being the best remaining Pacific Coastal Rainforest in Central America. Later, 12,751 hectares were added on the northeastern side of the Golfo Dulce. Many important species are protected here: the beautiful scarlet macaw, tapirs, wild cats, crocodiles, peccaries, giant anteaters, monkeys, slothes, the rare harpy eagle,and almost 400 species of birds, 140 mammals and over

500 species of trees. Towns near the park: Agujitas in Bahía Drake, Puerto Jiménez, Chacarita and Golfito. Activities to do include: hiking, animal-watching, tour to Isla del Caño Biological Reserve, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming-with-dolphins, horseback riding, sport fishing, and others.

Monteverde Area

Monteverde is one of the most visited destinations in Costa Rica famous for its cloud forest, resplendent quetzals, and bell birds. The name "Monteverde" refers to a small community founded by North American Quakers in 1951 and to the cloud forest reserve that lies adjacent to the community. Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological

Reserve was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1972, with the help of international organizations. Gradually, more land was acquired and added to the reserve.The size of the Monteverde Reserve is estimated of about 17,000 hectares, combined with another 7,000 hectares (or more) of the neighboring Children's Rainforest. The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve was created in 1989. Four trails around the reserve offer walks of varying length and difficulty, from 45 minutes to 3 and a half hour. Over 2,000 plant species are native to the area, as well as over 400 birds and 100 mammals. Among these species are: black guan, great green macaw, resplendent quetzal, three-wattled bell bird, bare-necked umbrella bird, baird's tapir, jaguar and ocelot. Towns: Monteverde and Santa Elena (both very quiet). Activities to do: canopy tours and its variations: Sky Walk (on hanging bridges) and Sky Trek (High speed sliding hanging from wires), horseback riding, hiking, bird watching, visit to the butterfly garden, the serpentarium, the cheese factory, and more.

Papagayo Gulf

The extraordinarily beautiful warm-water beaches of the Papagayo Gulf will make your visit a wonderful experience. Papagayo Gulf is part of Guanacaste, at the Península de Nicoya. Some of its marvelous beaches are: the friendly Panamá Beach in Culebra Bay,which is one of the best swimming places of the area, the gently curving, quieter Hermosa Beach, the scuba diving center Del Coco Beach,that has more nightlife than most beaches on the peninsula, and the small Ocotal Beach,which is the quietest.

These beaches are facing the tropical dry forest,located around 296 Km. northeast from San José, 5 hours by car. The marine life of these places is abundant: manta rays with 4 to 6m fin spans, other rays, huge schools of fish, and plenty of coral reef life, among others. Towns surrounding the area are: Nacascolo, Comunidad, Sardinal, and El Coco. Activities you may perform are: scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, sport fishing, visit to Catalina Island, and visit to Murciélago Island, among others.

Quepos & Manuel Antonio

This is the destination where sun, beach, and forest converge to shape an unforgettable vacation. Manuel Antonio National Park was created in 1972 being the smallest park in Costa Rica: 683 hectares. But it is also one of the most popular ones due to its lovely forest-backed tropical beaches, impressive rocky headlands with ocean and island views, and vibrant wildlife. A well-maintained trail network allows visitors to witness the unspoiled primary forest that grows along the high tide mark.

The average daily temperature is 27º C (around 80º F), and the average annual rainfall is 3,800mm. Over 350 species of birds are reported in the park and surrounded area, and a variety of lizards, snakes, iguanas, monkeys, slothes, butterflies and other animals might be observed. Towns near the park are: Manuel Antonio Beaches, Quepos, Paquita, Finca Bartolo, Pastora and Dominical Beach at the South. Activities you may enjoy are: canopy bird watching, hiking, river rafting, sunset sailing, fishing, and snorkeling among others.

Southern Caribbean

An exquisite place that captures the Caribbean atmosphere of Costa Rica surrounded by the lush jungle and marine wilderness. Within an accessible and relatively small area you will find the Cahuita National Park famous for its living coral reef and marine species, and the Gandoca-Manzanillo Biological Reserve. The vegetation of this area is exuberant in this Tropical Rainforest, ideal for ecological tourism. Some species you will find: slothes, congos, white-faced monkeys, raccoons, a number of marine turtles, crabs, iguanas, birds, toucans, frogs, yolillo palm trees, ceibas, heliconias, orchids, cinnamon trees, and others.

The Southern Caribbean shows impressive cultural diversity where Blacks, Indigenous, and Europeans have created a very relaxed way of living. For instance, you are able to buy Bribri handicrafts, eat delicious Italian food, listen to reggae and calypso music, and talk to the old timers. You will enjoy this friendly and easy environment. Towns and beaches are: Cahuita, Puerto Vargas, Pirikikí Beach, Chiquita Beach, Cocles Beach, Uva Beach, and Manzanillo Beach. Activities you may perform include: diving, surfing, hiking, sport fishing, dolphin tour, tour to Kekoldi Native Reserves, horseback riding, bird watching, and more.

Tambor Beach

Ideal for families, couples, or lonely travelers who look for ocean and sand, combining them either with adventure and party nights, or privacy and peace.

Located in Bahía Ballena (Whale Bay), the largest bay on the southern peninsula coastline, the 6 km black beach of Tambor is surrounded by waterfalls, woods and parks. The 84 hectare Curú National Wildlife Refuge nests large forest trees, five different kinds of mangrove, deer, monkeys, agoutis, pacas, cats, iguanas, crabs, lobsters, chitons, shellfish, sea turtles, and about 200 bird species. The area nature, inspired the writing of the book "Jurassic Park". The calm beach is safe for swimming; sometimes whales are sighted in the bay. Towns and beaches nearby are: Paquera, Curú, Pochote Beach, Cocalito Beach, Cocal Beach, Tacotales, Cóbano and Montezuma Beach. Activities include: horseback riding, sport fishing, scuba diving, hiking, tour to Tortuga Island, visit to the butterfly garden, visit to the serpentarium, and visit to Curú National Wildlife Refuge among others.

Conchal Beach & Flamingo Beach

Paradisiacal white sand beaches make true your most inner dreams of romanticism, comfort and contentment. This is an internationally famous destination because of its great beauty. Conchal Beach is called that for its many shells (conchas) that pile up on the beach. Its clear water and calm sea is nice for snorkeling and swimming. The breathtaking Flamingo Beach is located around 4 Km. north from Brasilito. A marine has been developed for sport fishing and boat tours, and is one of the better known beaches in Costa Rica. Other beaches and towns nearby: Brasilito, Potrero Bay, Sugar Beach, La Penca Beach, and Real Beach. Activities to do include: sport fishing, golf, diving, snorkeling, horseback riding, boogie boards and kayak rentals, sailing and others.

Tortuguero Canals

A peaceful place is the exuberant rainforest crossed by a natural network of scenic navigable lakes and channels. Tortuguero National Park is the most important breeding ground for the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the western half of the Caribbean.

In no other part of the world do green turtles arrive in such numbers, so regularly every year. There are eight species of marine turtles in the world; six nests in Costa Rica, and of those, four are in Tortuguero. This explains why the place got its name: "Tortuguero" which means "the land of many turtles". The park has 19,211 hectare coastal land plus about 52,000 hectares of marine area. It is one of the wettest areas of the country.

The average temperature is 26º C / around 79º F. Although the beaches are extensive, they are not suitable for swimming.The surf is very rough and the currents strong. The national park offers great wildlife viewing and birding-watching opportunities and also: three species of monkeys, slothes, anteaters, kinkajous, manatees, peccaries, tapirs, lizards, caimans, crocodiles, snakes, frogs, toads, 400 species of birds, 400 species of trees, and at least 2200 species of other plants have been recorded. Towns include: Tortuguero. Activities to do include: boat tours, hiking, turtle-watching, bird-watching, canoeing, kayaking, and others.

Guanacaste Beach

On Tamarindo Beach, you will have more than 2 Km. of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica under your feet. Just North of Tamarindo village, you will find Las Baulas de Guanacaste Marine National Park that was created in 1991 and covers about 22,000 hectares of ocean and 420 hectares of land. Most of its land contains all six of the mangrove species found in Costa Rica: two species of black mangrove, tea, white, red, and buttonwood. This creates a great habitat for bird species including the beautiful roseate spoonbill as well as  caimans and crocodiles.Grande Beach, inside the park, is the most important nesting site for the leatherback turtle (baula) in Costa Rica. It is seen from October to March and mostly from November to January. More than 100 reptiles lay their eggs on Playa Grande during the course of a night, creating about 2,500 nests each season. Allow yourself special pleasures in the almost uninhabited Langosta Beach, located 2 Km. south from Tamarindo. Towns and beaches nearby include: Avellana Beach, Grande Beach, Huacas, Matapalo, Salinas, and Villarreal. Activities to do include: surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba, boat tours, turtle-watching tours in season, bike and water sports equipment rentals, full day cruises, and more.

Central Pacific Jaco Beach Area

This is the place where you will fulfill your desires for fun and adventure. The Central Pacific area is located from Puntarenas (a 100,000 inhabitant's town) to Quepos. Going south you will find Doña Ana Beach, Mata Limón Beach, Tárcoles Beach, Punta Leona Beach,which has white sand, Herradura Beach, that homes a marina and luxury hotel and condominium complex and Jacó Beach,only two hours from San José and popular among young people.

Carara Biological Reserve is at the mouth of Río Tárcoles, around 50 km southeast of Puntarenas by road. It has 4,700 hectares, and it is the northern most tropical wet forest on the Pacific coast, in the transition zone to the tropical dry forest farther north, and five Holdridge Life Zones occur within the park. Some animals to see include: scarlet macaws, iguanas, trogons, toucans, marmots, monkeys, squirrels, slothes, and agoutis among others. The average temperature is 27° C/80°F., and the rainfall is almost 3000mm annually. Activities to do in the area include: golfing, sport fishing, scuba diving, ocean kayaks, surfing, windsurfing, jet skiing, body boarding, snorkeling.

Boat charters to various destinations are also available, tour to Tortuga Island, wildlife watching, bike rental, and horseback riding among others.

What to Bring

You will be on the move a great deal, so our advice is to pack as lightly as possible. We recommend the use of a duffel bag or backpack (whichever you find easiest to carry). A good size daypack is also essential.

Suggested List:

Documents

*Passport (with photocopies)
*Travel insurance (with photocopies)
*Airline tickets (with photocopies)
*USD cash and travellers cheques
*Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
*Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required

Items Clothing

• First-aid kit**
• Fleece top
• Sunblock
• Windproof/waterproof jacket
• Sunglasses • Small towel and swim wear
• Toiletries (biodegradable)
• rain poncho
• flashlight
• 4 shirts/t-shirts
• Watch or alarm clock
• Sun hat
• Water bottle
• 1 pair of shorts
• Purification tablets or filter
• 2 pairs of long trousers
• Pocketknife
• 1 pair hiking pants/track pants
• Hiking boots/ sturdy walking shoes
• Sport sandals

**First aid kit should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking.

Optional

Camera and film, reading/writing material, binoculars, cover or plastic bags for backpacks, thick wool socks (to wear under rubber boots), flashlight.

Trip Preparation

Please contact your physician or travel clinic for the most up-to-date health requirements. Contact your local embassy orconsulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.

PLEASE REMEMBER IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE CORRECT TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION.

Spending Money

Personal Spending Money

How much you take is obviously a personal matter. Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances. Visa cards are the most widely accepted cards. While ATMs are widely available. Check with your bank. You should be aware that to purchase products or services on a credit card a fee of 5%-10% usually applies. Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of US dollar cash, travellers cheques and cards is best. Always take more rather than less, as you don't want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds.

Tipping

There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers. You may do this individually.

Costa Rica's National Parks & Reserves

Costa Rica possesses a rich and abundant fauna. The sheer number and variety of its species have made Costa Rica one of the most admired countries on the planet when it comes to bio-diversity.

More than 200 species of mammals, around 850 species of birds, almost 200 types of amphibians and 220 species of reptiles inhabit these lands.

Many tourist activities are sustained in harmony with wild animals. The mountains give shelter to the observation of birds, whose admirers lift their gazes toward the treetops in an attempt to spot their nests. The best places for bird watching are Braulio Carrillo National Park and its surroundings, Monteverde, Talamanca, and the Osa Peninsula.

Every year on the Atlantic and Pacific Coast, one can observe the arrival of the turtles to lay their eggs in the soft sand of the beaches. Guided tours are organized to show you this marvelous demonstration of life itself, without adversely affecting the turtles.

Almost any place in the country is a good place to see hummingbirds, doves, slothes, butterflies and, in some places, a snake or giant lizard may surprise you.

Local guides can show you the areas where this species are most commonly seen, whether you wish to observe them or avoid them!

While much of Costa Rica has been stripped of its forests, the country has managed to protect a larger proportion of its land than any other country in the world. In 1970 there came a growing acknowledgment that something unique and lovely was vanishing, and a systematic effort was begun to save what was left of the wilderness. That year, the Costa Ricans formed a national park system that has won worldwide admiration. Costa Rican law declared inviolate 10.27 percent of a land once compared to Eden; an additional 17 percent is legally set aside as forest reserves, "buffer zones," wildlife refuges, and Indian reserves. Throughout the country representative sections of all the major habitats and eco-systems are protected for tomorrow's generations.

The Yellowstones and Yosemites of Costa Rica,the lure for 90 percent of all visitors to the park system,are; Manuel Antonio, with its beautiful beaches; Braulio Carrillo, with its rainforest beside a highway; Tortuguero, a watery, forested world teeming with wildlife; Irazú, where on a clear day you can see both the Caribbean and the Pacific; and Poás, where you can peer into a steaming crater and see the earth's crust being rearranged.

Besides providing Costa Ricans and foreign travelers with the privilege of admiring and studying the wonders of nature, the national parks and reserves protect the soil and watersheds and harbor an estimated 75 percent of all Costa Rica's species of flora and fauna, including species that have all but disappeared in neighboring countries.

Costa Rica's National Parks. Select from any of Costa Rica's National Parks listed below to obtain the most comprehesive information pertaining to the natural jewels of Costa Rica. Fifteen National Parks are represented. 

1) Arenal

The area surrounding Arenal National Park is considered an important replenishment region because its waters, which drain into the Arenal Reservoir, are used for the protection of electricity and in fish farming projects in the Moracia Irrigation District.

The flora is varied, with species such as the mountain guayabo, freijo, rosewood, chicle tree, balsa and others. The main species of fauna are the paca, baird's tapir, white-nosed coati, sloth, deer; birds such as parrots, parakeets, resplendent quetzals; and some snakes like the parrot snake, fer-de-lance and boa constrictor. These snakes can frequently be seen on the paved road which winds through the Arenal area, as the snakes tend to situate themselves on the pavement in the late afternoon; the hot remains heated long after the sun goes down.

The 12,016 sq. hectare Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal lies within the 204,000 sq. hectare Arenal Conservation Area, protecting eight of Costa Rica's 12 life zones and 16 protected reserves in the region between the Guanacaste and Tilarán mountain ranges, and including Lake Arenal. The park has two volcanoes: Chato, whose collapsed crater contains an emerald lagoon surrounded by forest, and the perfectly conical Arenal. The park is most directly accessed from La Fortuna, but is also easily accessed via Tilarán and the north shore of Lake Arenal.

A joint project involving the Canadian International Development Agency and World Wildlife Fund Canada is helping local communities protect buffer zones where the land is under siege by drawing them into eco-tourism. Several visitor sites provide toilets and drinking water. And trails and lookout points have been constructed. The turnoff to the entrance is 3.5 km east of the lake and 2.5 km west of Tabacón. The dirt road leads 1.5 km to the ranger station, tel. 695-5180, fax 695-5982, which sells a small guide ($1) and has restrooms. A dirt road leads north 1.5 km to a parking lot and hiking trails.

Arenal Volcano

Volcán Arenal, 1,633 sq. meters, is a picture-perfect cone. It's also Costa Rica's most active volcano and a must-see on any tourist's itinerary. Note, however, that it is most often covered in clouds and getting to see an eruption is a matter of luck (the dawn hours are best, before the clouds roll in; seasonally, you stand a reasonable chance in dry season, and less than favorable odds in rainy season). Arenal was sacred to pre-Columbian tribes (it is easy to imagine sacrifices tossed into the inferno), but it slumbered peacefully throughout the colonial era. On 29 July 1968, it was awakened from its long sleep by a fateful earthquake. The massive explosion that resulted wiped out the villages of Tabacón and Pueblo Nuevo, whose entire populations perished.

The blast was felt as far away as Boulder, Colorado. It is regarded as one of the world's most active volcanoes. Its lava flows and eruptions have been constant, and on virtually any day you can see smoking cinder blocks tumbling down the steep slope from the horseshoe-shaped crater that opens to the west,or at night watch a fiery cascade of lava spewing from the 140-meter-deep crater. Some days the volcano blows several times in an hour, spewing house-size rocks, sulfur dioxide and chloride gases, and red-hot lava. The volcano's active vent is on the western side, and the normal easterly wind blows most of the effluvia westward. Explosions and eruptions, however, occur on all sides.

Special Considerations

The Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica's most active, is best observed during the evening or early morning hours. Heavy cloud cover is quite common throughout the day, especially during the rainy season. Several tour companies offer evening tours to the volcano, usually departing around 6:00 p.m. For those with vehicles, plenty of parking is available within the park campgrounds. The best location to see any lava activity is near the entrance, just off the main road; a portion of the cone collapsed forcing most of the lava to flow to that side. Providing the weather permits, any activity will be clearly visible from this vantage point. The park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and costs $6.00 US to enter. The entrance off the main road is approximately 1-2 km ( 1 mile ) from the park entrance; signs are clearly visible.

How to get to Lake Arenal

There are three different routes you can take en route to Lake Arenal (Arenal Volcano), however, it depends on which end of the lake you are most interested. The eastern end of the lake (La Fortuna) provides access to the Arenal Volcano National Park and Caño Negro Reserve, while the western side of the lake brings you to the town of Tilirán, which is where most of the windsurfing related hotels and businesses are based.

Via La Fortuna - the most direct route is via San Ramon, for which there is a clearly marked exit sign off the auto pista (Interamerica Highway); which departs west of San Jose, past the airport and continues northwest past the coastal port of Puntarenas. The exit for San Ramon is approximately 31.5 miles or 50.5 kms from San José. Generally speaking, the road conditions are in very good condition, particularly once you get off at the San Ramon exit; your trip to La Fortuna will take between 2 1/2-3 hours. As a second alternative, you can exit the auto-pista just prior to the exit for San Ramon (approximately 23.5 miles or 37.5 kms from San José), at an exit for San Carlos (Ciudad Quesada). This route to La Fortuna will take you through the small community of Zarcero, which has one of the most picturesque main squares in the country. The colorful gardens, which reside just in front of the church, are filled with hand trimmed hedges depicting arches, animals and other odd shapes. Zacero provides for terrific photographic opportunities. Once again, the road conditions are in very good condition, and your trip to La Fortuna will require a 3 hour drive from San José.

Regardless of which route you take, your drive through the northern zone of Costa Rica will be most enjoyable. Steep inclines, twisting turning roads, lined with small farms and green rolling hills is what you can expect to see en route to La Fortuna. Your trip north is perhaps one of the most scenic and enjoyable in Costa Rica. Both routes are clearly marked with roads signs directing you to the small community of La Fortuna or Lake Arenal.

Via Tilirán - For those whose prefer to visit the west end of the lake, you can take the Panamerican Highway towards Liberia, getting of at Cañas. There is a large sign on the right side of the road for Cañas, Lake Arenal and Tilirán; it is just after the red bull ring. Take this road straight to the end and turn left following it until it reaches Tilirán, approximately 21 kms (12.5 miles). You enter Tilirán at a fork, for those who want to continue to Lake Arenal, turn left at the fork and continue on straight. From this side of the lake, one can easily access the famous windsurfing spots which are concentrated on this end of the lake.

2) Ballena

Located just south of the coastal community of Dominical, Ballena National Marine Park protects a varity of natural habitats, such as sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, cliffs, islands, rocky reefs, the Punta Uvita tombolo and a coral reef that are a major breeding ground for the countless marine species.

The coral reef found here is one of the most important natural attractions of the area. The reef is porous-approximately 50% of it is empty spaces-enabling a wide range of species to inhabit it. Five species of coral, plus several varieties of seaweeds, marine invertebrates and fishes are identified to date. The area also supports several species of reptiles, mammals and birds. The Ballena Marine National Park was created in February 1990 to protect the shoreline of Bahía de Coronado and includes Punta Uvita, several beaches, notably Playa Ballena, plus 4,500 sq. hectares of water surrounding Isla Ballena. The park extends south for 15 km from Uvita to Punta Piñuela, and about 15 km out to sea.

The park harbors within its relatively small area important mangroves and the largest coral reef on the Pacific coast of Central America. Green marine iguanas live on algae in the saltwater pools. They litter the golden-sand beaches like prehistoric jetsam, their bodies angled at 90 degrees to catch the sun's rays most directly. Once they reach 37° C, they pop down to the sea for a bite to eat. Olive ridley and hawksbill turtles come ashore May-November to lay their eggs. September and October are the best months to visit. Common and bottle-nosed dolphins frolic offshore. And the bay is the southernmost mating site for the humpback whale, which migrates from Alaska, Baja California, and Hawaii (Dec.-April).

Snorkeling is good close to shore during low tides. You can also reach the island at the tip of Punta Uvita at low tide to discover corals, sponges, and sea anemones. There are caves worth exploring. Isla Ballena and the rocks known as Las Tres Hermanas, The Three Sisters, are havens for frigate birds and boobies as well as pelicans and even ibises. Whales tend to congregate near Las Tres Hermanas.

Despite protection, shrimp fishermen still fish with impunity close to shore using gill nets that are indiscriminate about the species they trap. And erosion and sedimentation resulting from construction of the coastal highway have killed off at least 60 percent of the coral reef.

Information

The ranger station and park headquarters, tel./fax 786-7161, is beside the beach at Hacienda Bahía, three km south of Uvita. There's another ranger station at Playa Piñuela, at the southern end of the park. Nominally the entrance fee is $6, but a fee seems to be charged only rarely. You can camp on the beach. The ranger stations have water.

Getting There

You can hire a boat and guide at any of the fishing hamlets between Palmar and the park, or in Dominical or Uvita, to take you to the reef or Isla Ballena (about $30 per hour, $45 two hours).

3) Braulio Carrillo National Park

is the most extensive park within the central region of Costa Rica, and includes the Barva Volcano, Bajo la Hondura and Cacho Negro Peak. Covering approximately 113,415 acres, it is situated just north of San Jose (20 km, or 12 miles), in one of the most rugged and wet areas of the country. Infact, is serves as a key watershed protection area, serving a large percentage of those living in the Central Valley region.

Almost the entire region is formed by high mountains densely covered with forests and countless rivers. The park contains two extinct volcanoes-Cacho Negro, highly visible because of its conic shape, and Barva, which has several craters. Barva Lake is circular in shape and some 70 meters in diameter. The Las Marias Peaks, clearly visible from San Jose, are the remains of a calderic structure.

Braulio Carrillo bears the name of the country's third Chief of State, who in 1839 believed it was necessary to open a road that would connect the Bay of Moín with the country's capital of San Jose. The Braulio Carrillo highway between San Jose and Guápiles was opened in 1987. In order to protect the biological areas which surrounded this road, the National Park was established on April 15th, 1987.

Braulio Carrillo's highest point is Barva Volcano, with an altitude of 2906 m (9,535ft.). Some of the largest craters contain rainfed lakes named Barva, Danta, and Copey with diameters of 70, 500, and 40 meters (230, 1,641, 131 feet).

Containing seven ecological life zones, the parks vegetation consists of a densely packed evergreen forest with a wide variety of flowers; some 6000 plant species. The tallest and most species rich forests are found in the lowest regions; including the Bitterwood, Yemeriwood, Copal, Cedro Maria, and Manu trees. In the middle altitude areas, tree species include the Sweet Cedar, Beefwood, Punch-Berry and Ardillo. In the higher altitudes, around 2,500 m (8,200 ft.) cloud forest species like the

Small Cypress, Winter Park, Bullbay and White Oak are quite common. A wide variety and abundance of animagle is present throughout the park. Approximately 135 mammal species, including 73 species of bats; 5 cats; and three monkey species. Other mammels commonly found are the tapir, paca, sloth, peccary, and white-tailed deer. As to birds, 347 species have been spotted, including the resplendent quetzal, Great Green Macaw, Toucan, Umbrellabird, and numerous species of hummingbirds. Several types of frogs and toads are frequently encountered throughout the park, in addition to infamous bushmaster, the largest poisonous snake in the continent.

Special Considerations

The park has three different entrance points, two of which are located on the San José to Guápiles highway. Two trails exist at the parks first entrance (Zurqui) and are called "Los Niños" and "Los Guarumos". Presently, only the "Los Niños" trail is open to the public and is only approximately 700 meters long; quite a short trail. At the second entrance off the highway is the Quebrada Gonzáles entrance (see map above), at which there are three trails open to the publice, "Las Palmas", "Botarrama" and "El Ceibo". "Las Palmas" is approximately 1.6 km (1 mile) and takes about 1:30 minutes. Across the street is the entrance to "El Ceibo" which is a shorter trail and takes about 1 hour to complete. A trail map can be obtained at this office, however, they are in Spanish, none were available in English. The map contains 12 specific points which relate to something on the trail; a guide would be able to explain these points of interest.

Braulio Carrillo National Park is forever immersed in clouds and mist. The parks third entrance is situated alongside Volcán Barva, with the Barva and Copey lakes being the principal attractions. Camping is only permited in the Volcán Barva area. The very cool, wet and raw atmosphere demands proper attire while hiking within the park. Rainwear, hiking boots and a sweater is highly recommended throughout the year. The park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m seven days a week.

Two short trails lead from Puesto Carrillo: Los Botarramas is approximately 1.6 km; La Botella, with waterfalls and views down the Patria Canyon, is 2.8 kilometers. For additional exercise as you head down La Botella, turn left at a sign labeled Sendero. This path takes you 30 minutes deeper into the forest to the Río Sanguijuela. South of Puesto Carrillo is a parking area on the left (when heading north) with a lookout point and a trail to the Río Patria, where you can camp (no facilities). Another parking area beside the bridge over the Río Sucio ("Dirty River") has picnic tables and a short loop trail.

A one-km trail leads from south of the Zurquí Tunnel to a vista point. The entrance is steep, the rest easy. Another trail,the Sendero Histórico,is shown on the national park map as following the Río Hondura all the way from Bajo Hondura to the Guápiles Highway at a point near the Río Sucio. Check with a ranger. A trail from Puesto Barva leads to the summit of Volcán Barva and loops around to Porrosatí (no ranger station). From the summit, you can continue all the way downhill to La Selva in the northern lowlands. It's a lengthy and arduous hike that may take several days, and is recommended only for experienced hikers with suitable equipment. There are no facilities. You can join this trail from Puesto El Ceibo and Puesto Magsasay; you can also drive in a short distance along a 4WD trail from Puesto Magsasay. Bring sturdy raingear, and preferably hiking boots. The trails will most likely be muddy.

Several hikers have been lost for days in the fog and torrential rains. Remember: It can freeze at night. If you intend to do serious hiking, let rangers know in advance, and check in with them when you return.

Note: There have been armed robberies in the park. Hike with a park ranger if possible. Thefts from cars parked near trailheads have also been a problem.

Tours

Most tour operators in San José can arrange half-day or full-day tours.

How To Get There

By Car - In order to arrive at either of the two entrance points off the San Jose - Guapiles highway, take the auto-pista north of San Jose en route to Limon. The first entrance to Braulio Carrillo National Park is only 20 km (12 miles) from San Jose. The entrance is on the right side of the road and is approximately 2 km (1.2 miles) from the toll booth (200 colones for automobiles). For those interested in entering using the Quebrada Gonzáles entrance, continue along the same road for approximatley 22 km (13.2 miles), or about 2 km (1.3 miles) after crossing Rio Sucio; the entrance is on the right hand side.

By Bus - Transportation to Braulio Carrillo National Park depends on which entrance you intend to use. The most common entrance is along the Guápiles Highway, en route to Guápiles and/or Limon. Shortly after the toll booth, a ranger station resides on the right side on the highway (puesto Carrillo). Ask the driver to drop you off at the entrance to the park. For those who prefer to visit the Barra Volcano, located on the far west side of the park, you must take a scheduled bus from Heredia to Sacramento, via Porrosati. There are several buses which run throughout the day.

4) Cahuita National Park

Cahuita National Park Costa Rica, was created on September 7, 1970, for the purpose of protecting the costal flora and fauna, in addition to the coral reefs and marine ecosystems. Cahuita's main attractions are its white sandy beaches, miles of coconut groves, tranquil clear seas and a coral reefs. Cahuita Point is mostly swamp, with an abundance of coconut trees and the beach almond trees. The reef sits off Cahuita Point and fans out over 240 hectares. It is the only mature coral formation found along Costa Rica's Caribbean coastline. Among the coral species are the elkhorn and smooth brain, with Venus sea fans, sea urchins and numerous species of fish also inhabiting the waters; french angelfish, blue parrotfish, barracuda and queen angelfish. Other species present are the sea cucumber, lobster, white shrimp, green turtle and various crustaceans. The four identified species of crabs are also very abundant.

The howler monkey, raccoon and white-nosed coati are widely found, as several species of swamp-forest birds, such as the green ibis, yellow-crowned night heron and Northern boat-billed heron. Cahuita's 14 km of beaches are shaded by palm trees, lush forests, marshlands, and mangroves. Together they make up Cahuita National Park, 1,067 sq. hectares, created in 1970 to protect the 240 hectares of offshore coral reef that distinguish this park from its siblings. Animal life abounds in the diverse habitats behind the beach,an ideal place to catch a glimpse of tamanduas, pacas, coatis, raccoons, tree-dwelling slothes, agoutis, armadillos, iguanas, and, of course, troops of howler and capuchin monkeys that come down to the shore. The park is a good place, too, to focus your binoculars on a green ibis, rufous kingfisher, or low swooping Swainson and keel-billed toucans. Other birds include the Central American curassow and large groups of nesting parrots (and even, Dec.-Feb., macaws). Cahuita's freshwater rivers and estuaries are also good places to spot caimans and herons. Snakes,watch your step,are commonly seen along the trail. And red land crabs and bright blue fiddler crabs,the latter with oversized claws,inhabit the shores. The reef off Punta Cahuita protects the northern stretch of the beautiful scimitar beach to the south. Smooth water provides good swimming; it's possible to wade out at knee level. At the southern end of the park, beyond the reef, huge waves lunge onto the beach,a nesting site for three species of turtles,where tide pools form at low tide.

Check with rangers about currents and where you can walk or snorkel safely. The coral reef lies offshore north off Puerto Vargas. Snorkelers can try their luck near Cahuita Point or Punta Vargas (you must enter the water from the beach on the Punta Vargas side and swim out to the reef); you can also hire a local resident to take you out farther by boat. On the sea floor are massive brain corals and delicate, branching sea fans and feathers; nearer the surface are elkhorn corals, frondlike gorgonians spreading their fingers upward toward the light. Lacy outcrops of tubipora,like delicately woven Spanish mantillas,and soft flowering corals sway to the rhythms of the ocean currents.

Up to 500 species of fish live among the exquisite reefs. Here, amid sprawling thickets of bright blue staghorn, great rosettes of pale mauve brain coral, and dazzling yellow tubastras,almost luminescent in the bright sunlight, a multicolored extravaganza of polka-dotted, piebald-dappled, zebra-striped fish protect their diminutive plots of liquid real estate among the reef's crowded underwater condominiums.

Besides what remains of the beautiful coral, there are two old shipwrecks about seven meters below the surface, both with visible ballast and cannons; one wreck has two cannons, and the second, a more exposed site, has 13. The average depth is six meters. The best time for diving and snorkeling is during the dry season, February-April; water clarity during the rest of year is not good because of silt brought by rivers emptying from the Talamanca mountains.

Information

A footbridge leads into the park from the Kelly Creek Ranger Station (run by a local committee) at the southern end of Cahuita village. Kelly Creek is shallow and easily waded. A shady seven km. nature trail leads from the Kelly Creek Ranger Station to the Puerto Vargas Ranger Station, tel. 755-0302, three km south of Cahuita mid-way along the park. The nature trail walk takes about two hours with time to stop for a swim. You must wade the Perozoso ("Sloth") River,its waters stained dark brown tannins,just west of Punta Cahuita.

The main park entrance is about 400 meters west of Hwy. 36, about three km south of Cahuita (the Sixaola-bound bus will drop you off near the entrance). You can drive to the Puerto Vargas administrative center from here via dirt road. The Puerto Vargas entrance gate is locked after hours. Both entrance stations are open Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and weekends 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Special Considerations

The four mile trail which connects Cahuita and the Puerto Vargas Ranger Station is well marked and maintained. White-faced monkeys, sloths and large webbed spiders are very common in this park. Along the path, numerous possibilities exist to swim and/or snorkel. If you need to rent snorkel equipment, Cahuita offers the greatest number of possibilities.

How To Get There

By Bus - Cahuita National Park, approximately 45 km south of Limon, is the most popular beach location on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. Those using public transportation have two options. First, take a four hour direct bus from San José to Cahuita, or take a direct bus to Limón and then a connecting bus to Cahuita. The travel time for either is approximately the same, however, the direct buses to Limón are usually newer and in better condition than those which travel directly to Cahuita.

By Car - From San Jose, your trip to Cahuita 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 Limón. 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 Limón, 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 Cahuita is in poor condition, littered with potholes and single lane bridges; thus proceed slowly. It is approximately 42 km(26 miles) and takes around 50 minutes. The main road entering Cahuita is accompanied by a large sign reading "Cahuita & Parque National" on the left side. From this intersection it is only 1 km (.6 miles) to the town of Cahuita; the road to the beach is dirt and filled with potholes. Upon entering there is a fork in the road, either route takes you to town.

5) Chirripo / La Amistad

Both parks span the most biologically diverse area in Costa Rica and comprise the largest unspoiled forest in the country. An astonishing number of habitats-produced by the differences in altitude, soil, climate and topography-can be found, including paramos, marshlands, oak forests, madrono forests, fern groves and mixed forests.

One of Chirripo's most important geomorphological discoveries is that of various glacial forms which have been preserved almost intact. There are small U-shaped glacial valleys, morrain deposits, lakes and cirques, shaped by the action and movement of the ice masses as much as 30,000 years ago. Chirripo's Peak is the highest mountain in the country, soaring to a height of 3,821 meters. The paramos of this elevation contain many varieties of stunted Andean-type woodland, consisting of shrubs, grasslands and perennial herbaceous plants. One of the most common species found here is the batamba. The largest trees include oak, sweet cedar, nargusta, elm, Poas magnolia, ira, cypress and manni

The fauna is astonishingly varied, with 263 species of amphibians and reptiles and about 400 types of birds observed to date. The largest concentration of tapirs in the country can be found here, plus the puma, jaguar, ocelot, jaguaroundi, white-lipped peccary and cacomistle.

The most noteworthy birds include the resplendent quetzal, crested eagle, red-tailed hawk, volcano hummingbird, black guan, crowned wren-thrush, elegant trogon and acorn woodpecker. Some of the most common amphibians and reptiles are the lizard and mountain salamander.

Chirripó Parque Nacional protects 50,150 sq. hectares of high-elevation terrain surrounding Cerro Chirripó, 3,819 sq.meters, Central America's highest peak. The park is contiguous with La Amistad International Peace Park to the south, together they form the Amistad-Talamanca Regional Conservation Unit. Much of the area remains terra incognito,a boon for flora and fauna, which thrive here relatively unmolested by humans. One remote section of the park is called Savannah of the Lions, after its large population of pumas. tapirs and jaguars are both common, though rarely seen. And the mountain forests protect several hundred bird species. Cloud forest, above 2,500 meters, covers almost half the park, which features three distinct life zones. The park is topped off by subalpine rainy páramo, marked by contorted dwarf trees and marshy grasses that dry out on the Pacific slopes January-May, presenting perfect conditions for raging fires fanned by high winds.

Much of this area still bears the scars of a huge fire that raged across 2,000 sq. hectares in April 1992, causing such devastation that the park was closed for four months. The region is still trying to recover from this and even worse fires in 1976 and 1985.

Cerro Chirripó was held sacred by pre-Columbian peoples. Tribal leaders and shamans performed rituals atop the lofty shrine, lesser mortals who ventured up Chirripó were killed. Magnetic fields are said to swing wildly at the top, particularly near Los Crestones, huge boulders thought to have been the most sacred of indigenous sites.

Just as Hillary climbed Everest "because it was there," so Chirripó lures the intrepid who seek the satisfaction of reaching the summit. The first recorded climb was made by a priest, Father Agustín Blessing, in 1904. Many Ticos choose to hike the mountain during the week preceding Easter, when the weather is usually dry. Avoid holidays, when the huts may be full. The hike is no Sunday picnic but requires no technical expertise. The trails are well marked, and basic mountain huts are close to the summit.

You must stay overnight in San Gerardo de Rivas, where you begin your hike early the next day. Excessive wear and tear on the trails led the National Parks Service to begin phasing in new regulations in 1993. Only 60 visitors are allowed within the park at any one time (you may be told there's a waiting list; experienced hikers recommend showing up anyway as there are usually lots of no-shows). And nobody is allowed to hike without a guide. The park service is pushing the lesser-known Herradura Trail (minimum three days/two nights), via Paso de los Indios, with the first night atop Cerro Urán.

Weather

The weather is unpredictable and potentially dangerous,dress accordingly. The hike to the summit from San Gerardo ascends 2,500 meters. When the bitterly cold wind kicks in, watch out. Winds can approach 160 kph: the humidity and wind-chill factor can drop temperatures to -5° C. Rain is always a possibility, even in "dry season," and a short downpour usually occurs midafternoon. Fog is almost a daily occurrence at higher elevations, often forming in midmorning. And temperatures can fall below freezing at night (some of the lakes near the summit are a legacy of the glacial ages). Time your hiking right, however, and you should be close to shelter when needed.

Who knows, you may have good weather the whole way; February and March are the driest months.

Information

The park headquarters is in San Gerardo de Rivas (there's no telephone). It has toilets and a conference room. It's open 6 a.m.-5 p.m. The park rangers are very helpful. You can buy a handy Visitors Guide (75 cents) and a map (75 cents) showing trails and landmarks to the summit; the station does not sell 1:50,000 topographical survey maps, however. The park is administered from the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve office in San Isidro, tel. 771-3155 or 771-4836, fax 771-3297. Entrance costs $6, plus $2 for each night's use of mountain huts.

Taken together, the parks are estimated to be home to more than 60% of all the vertebrates and invertebrates in Costa Rica.

Special Activities

Most arriving at Mt. Chirripo do so to challenge the 16 km hike to the summit, Central America's highest peak. Depending on weather conditions and your physical fitness, most climbers allocate either 2 or 3 days for the hike, roundtrip. The first two days are spent climbing to the summit while the third day is set aside for the descent. As with any climb of this nature, prepare yourself properly and expect unpredictable weather conditions. Warm clothing, rainwear, hiking boots, a sleeping bag, flashlight, food and sufficient fluids are a necessity. The climb, particularly the first day, is quite steep, therefore, the surrounding temperature plunges quite dramatically. This temperature shift is relected in the local flora and fauna.

On a clear day, the view from the summit is nothing short of spectacular. Weather permitting, both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean's are visible simultaneously. A cold lake at the summit provides a welcome relief after the long hard climb.

For those with additioanl personal belonging, leave them at the park ranger station before departing on your hike. The park rangers will gladly keep an eye on your personal belongings for you while you are hiking.

How To Get There

Comfortable public buses depart hourly from San Jose to San Isidro. Buses to San Geraldo de Rivas (Mt. Chirripo), from San Isidro depart twice daily, early morning and mid afternoon. The majority of the road in unpaved and steep. Several small stores are situated along the road where you can purchase last minute items before your hike.

6) Costa Rica's Cocos Island Marine Park

Located approximately 500 km (300 miles) off the west coast of Costa Rica, is covered by an evergreen forest, of the type typically found in South America, with clouds covering the tallest peaks. The landscape is very rugged, thus forming many waterfalls, some of which are spectacular as they plummet from great heights to the sea. As you The landscape in the surrounding waters is as dramatic as that above.

Steep dropoffs and caves, in conjuction with the seas dark, cobalt color provide for a magnificent underwater environment. On Cocos Island, 235 species of plants have been identified of which 70 are endemic. There are also 57 crustacean, 118 shellfish, 200 fish, 351 insect and 18 coral species. The marine life is exceptionally abundant, particularly with sharks, notably the hammerhead, which can reach 4 meters in length, and the white-tipped shark.

Throughout the year, schooling hammerhead sharks are known to inhabit the nearby islands, sometimes in grougs of 50 or more. Also, widely found are parrotfish, several species of rays, moray eels, tuna and mantas. The most numerous plant species are the cupey, the endemic palm and huriki. Ferns, bromeliads and selaginellas are also very abundant. The three endemic bird species are the Cocos Island finch, Cocos Island flycatcher and Cocos Island cuckoo. Sea birds are particularly abundant, especially on the nearby islets, as they provide ideal resting grounds.

How To Get There

Cocos Island, one of the world's larger uninhabited islands, is unavailable for overnight occupancy. There are no accommodations available on the island and camping is not permitted. All visitors must arrive by boat, complete with all necessary items. There are several liveaboard dive boats which regularly visit this famous dive spot; most depart from the port of Puntarenas. Aside from independently owned cruise ships/sailboats, dive boats are the only vessels which visit this island park regularly.

Daily tours to the islands, from registered vessels, is all that is permitted. These trips are quite expensive, as the minimum stay is one week, usually costing close to $1,500.00 US dollars.

7) Corcovado National Park

Parque Nacional Corcovado,the Amazon of Costa Rica,is the largest stronghold of primary forest on a Pacific coastline that has been all but destroyed from Mexico to South America. Its 41,788 sq. hectares encompass eight habitats, from mangrove swamp and jolillo palm grove to montane forest. The park protects more than 400 species of birds (20 are endemic), 116 of amphibians and reptiles, and 139 of mammals,representing 10 percent of the mammals in the Americas,on only 0.000101777 percent of the landmass. Its healthy population of scarlet macaws, about 1,200 birds, is the largest concentration in Central America. You can expect to see large flocks of macaws in flight or feeding on almond trees by the shoreline.Corcovado is a good place to spot the red-eyed tree frog (listen for his single-note mating "cluck"), the glass frog with its transparent skin, and enamel-bright poison-arrow frogs. And you can watch fishing bats doing just that over rivers at night.

You can even try your own hand for snook inside the mouths of the coastal rivers on incoming tides. They strike plugs all year and during the fall become very aggressive.

Corcovado is one of only two places in the country that harbor squirrel monkeys (the other is Manuel Antonio). It's also one of the last stands in the world for the harpy eagle, although it hasn't been seen here in the last several years and may now be extinct in Costa Rica. As recently as the 1970s, tapirs were so numerous around Lago Corcovado that squatters were killing them just for fun. Four species of sea turtles,green, Pacific ridley, hawksbill, and leatherback,nest on the park's beaches. And the park supports a healthy population of big cats and crocodiles, which like to hang around the periphery of the Corcovado Lagoon. Jaguar paw prints are commonly seen in the mud trails, and the cats are often sighted.

The Osa Peninsula bears the brunt of torrential rains from April to December. It receives up to 400 cm per year. The driest months, January-April, are the best times to visit.

Information

The park has three entry points: La Leona, on the southeast corner near Carate, Los Patos, on the northern perimeter and San Pedrillo, at the northwest corner, 18 km south of Drake Bay. You can hike or fly into the park headquarters at Sirena, a large research station set back from the beach, midway between La Leona and San Pedrillo (it has an airstrip). There's also a remote ranger station at Los Planes, on the northern border midway between San Pedrillo and Los Patos. All are linked by trails. Protects major habitats including a montane forest, which covers more than half the park; a cloud forest, located in the highest region, richly populated by oaks and tree ferns; swamp forests, flooded practically year-round; a holillo forest, predominated by palms; a mangrove swamp, located on the estuaries of the Llorona, Corcovado and Sirena Rivers; and a freshwater herbaceous swamp. The park is home to some 500 species of trees-equivalent to a quarter of all the tree species in Costa Rica. Some of the larger trees include the purple heart, poponjoche, nargusta, banak, cow tree, espave and crabwood.Corcovado National Park contains approximately 140 species of mammals, 367 birds, 117 amphibians and reptiles, 40 types of freshwater fish, and it is estimated that there are some 6,000 types of insects. It is common to see large herds of white-lipped peccary, as well as howler, spider white faced, and squirrel monkeys. The park is sanctuary to the largest population of scarlet macaws in the country, many of which are easily accessible from the Sirena station or along the beach. Other species of birds found here are the king vulture, white hawk, short-billed pigeon, tovi parakeet and bronze-tailed sicklebill. In addition, the Park protects several endangered species including large cats and reptiles. Moreover, it is home to several species of birds, which are either endemic or whose distribution is very restricted.

Corcovado is unquestionably the most raw, challenging and rewarding park in Costa Rica. It truly is the mother of all parks. The Park has four ranger stations, Los Patos, Sirena, San Pedrillo, and La Llorona. There are three routes you can use to get into Sirena, but regardless of which route you take it will demand at least 6-8 hard hours of hiking. The route from Carate is almost all along the beach. Very little shade is present and the sand often leaves hikers with blisters for days to come. The interior route from Los Patos, while much more mountainous, is shaded and more naturally beautiful.

There also tends to be much more wildlife along this route. You can also enter or depart Sirena via the San Pedrillo Ranger Station, which is situated north along the Osa Peninsula coastline. However, you can only access this trail between December and April. During the other months the rivers that empty out into the ocean are simply too high to cross. It will take about 9 hours to complete the hike, and all but 2 hours of it are along the beach. The inland portion is nearer to the San Pedrillo station. The ideal scenario would be to enter from Los Patos and depart via Carate, or visa versa. Either way, the main goal is to visit Sirena and spend a few days within the Park's interior. Below we have added helpful information about the trails and facilities at both Sirena and San Pedrillo ranger stations.Entrance costs $6 and is good for the duration of your stay.

Getting to Corcovado National Park

Several options exist for those interested in visiting Corcovado National Park. First, direct buses depart daily from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez. This is the most popular starting point for those entering Corcovado National Park, particularly if you arrived via Golfito. For those who intend to enter the park via Los Patos ranger station, we recommend that you get off the bus at La Palma, located north of Puerto Jimenez. This small town provides the most convenient access to Corcovado National Park. From La Palma, there is a 12 km (7.2 mile) road which proceeds the entrance to the park. The Rio Rincon, which crisscrosses this road almost two dozen times, is unshaded and often very muddy. Sandals or inexpensive sneakers are ideal for this long hike proceeding the park entrance. If you prefer to start your trek at the park entrance and not at La Palma, which we highly recommend, taxis can be hired in La Palma for a reasonable price. The 12 km (7.2 mile) walk is boring, unnecessary and exhausting.

From the entrance to the park to the first ranger station (Los Patos) is relatively short and uneventful. Little, if any, fluid is available once you depart La Palma, therefore, bring more than you think you will need, especially if you plan on hiking the 12 km (7.2 mile) trail. Those entering Corcovado via La LLorona ranger station must proceed to Puerto Jimenez. Public buses, to Carate from Puerto Jimenez, depart regularly throughout the week. However, hiring a taxi with fellow hikers may be a better alternative. The hike from Carate to the La Llorona ranger station is along the hot, sandy beach. Bring plenty of sun screen if you intend to enter via Carate.

Buses to Golfito depart San Jose daily. From Golfito you can either arrange for a shuttle flight to Puerto Jimenez or take one of the scheduled ferries that depart Golfito for Puerto Jimenez daily. This is more difficult as often the ferry schedules do not coincide with the bus schedules in Puerto Jimenez. Overnight accommodation in Puerto Jimenez is usually the result. Unless you have a particular interest in Golfito, we recommend that you take one of the direct buses scheduled for Puerto Jimenez, not Golfito.

Sansa departs daily from San Jose International Airport for Golfito, while Travel Air departs Pavas Airport daily. Other independently owned carriers, based both in San Jose and/or Golfito, can fly directly into the Sirena airport; located within Corcovado National Park. These flights are not cheap, however, they do eliminate the necessary 6-8 hour hike required in order to arrive at the Sirena Ranger Station. These charter flights also depart from Puerto Jimenez.

**The National Park service is no longer providing food to those who want it. You have to bring in all your food with you.**

Sirena Ranger Station

The Sirena ranger station is situated in the heart of Corcovado National Park, just along the coast, midway between the San Pedrillo and Carate ranger stations. The facility can accommodate up to around 20 people, after that you will need to supply your own tent. It costs $4.00 per night to stay inside the Park, which will give you access to all the facilities. If you wish to enter or stay at Sirena ranger station it is recommended that you contact their office in Puerto Jimenez, as they can coordinate your accommodation for you.

The trails surrounding the Sirena ranger station wind through the Park’s most rugged and virgin terrain, and offer some of the best opportunities in Costa Rica for wildlife viewing.

The Guanacaste Trail begins just 600 meters from the ranger station. Just follow the Los Patos trail and you will see the signs pointing to the Guanacaste Trail on the left side. Approximately 2 km. long, this trail has earned its name from the large number of Guanacaste trees found along the trail. Relatively flat and easy to navigate, the trail initially winds through primary rainforest, which is very dense and possesses taller, older trees. Later, as it nears the Sirena River, it enters into secondary rainforest, where the canopy is noticeably thinner and low lying. There are several rivers and/or streams to cross, leaving the trail quite muddy in low-lying areas, particularly during the rainy season. The hike along the Guanacaste trail takes approximately 1 hour to complete, which will bring you right down to the Sirena River. The Espuvellas trail, is 2.5 km. long and runs through primary rainforest behind the Sirena Ranger Station. You can enter this trail off the Los Patos trail, or from just behind the Sirena Ranger Station. This trail is also quite flat, easy to navigate and crosses several small streams and/or rivers. The canopy overhead is very thick, with little direct sunlight reaching the trail floor. To complete the entire trail one should expect to hike for approximately 2 hours.

The Rio Claro trail is only 1 km long and connects the ranger station to the beach area, just to the right of the Claro River. From the ranger station walk down the grass airfield, and on the left side there is a sign pointing to the trail entrance. The initial portion of this trail is very different than the two previous trails. The canopy overhead is very thin, and the trail has a much more coastal or beach like feel to it. The first half of the trail is lined with beautiful heliconia plants and colorful berry trees, some of which hang overhead. The ground in this section is considerably drier due to the direct sunlight that hits the trail. Near the midway point of the trail the rainforest becomes denser and begins to resemble the Guanacaste and Espuvellas trails. You will, for a short time, need to straddle a river than runs adjacent to the trail, which can get muddy and wet during the rainy season. Your hike comes to an end as the trail reaches the beach, after approximately 30 minutes of hiking.

To complete these three trails one should expect to hike for approximately 3 1/2 hours, but much depends on the weather, trail conditions and your interest level. The rainforest is a very complex community of living organisms, with so much to see.

San Pedrillo Ranger Station

The San Pedrillo ranger station is the most northern of the four, stations and is located along the coast just before Drake Bay. Situated just off shore, a short distance before the entrance to the Ranger Station, is Picaros Island, which serves as a refuge for several species of marine birds including the Brown Boobie, Blue Heron and Brown Pelican. The station is open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., seven days a week, and has public bathrooms and showers. For those who want to stay over night, there is a $4.00 night fee, and there is plenty of ground space available out front for tents. There is no food service provided, you must bring your own food and water.

Before departing the ranger station, kindly remember to sign into the guest book. The first trail begins just behind and to the right side of the Ranger Station, alongside the river. The initial portion of the trail is a rather steep uphill climb, through secondary rainforest. Wherever necessary, large slabs of tree trunk have been strategically placed on the ground to assist you with your footing. Just before reaching the plateau, on your left side, there is a lookout area, with views of the ranger station and Pacific Ocean.

This is a good spot for a brief rest, photos, or whale and dolphin watching. Moving forward, entering primary rainforest, the trail remains relatively flat, weaving through the forest, often around and/or over fallen trees and broken branches. Your hike along the first portion of the trail will last approximately 1 - 1 1/2 hours, and will bring you to the National Park boundary just north of the Ranger Station. Beyond that point the rainforest is no longer considered part of the National Park, but rather a reserve.

After reaching the National Park border you can either continue forward to Playa San Josesito, or retrace back towards the ranger station. If you choose the latter, continue walking until you reach the intersection, which is not marked, and veer left, which will lead you to the San Pedrillo River and waterfalls. The hike to the river takes approximately 45 minutes, with the latter portion of the trail being a rather steep downhill section over some slippery terrain if the ground is wet. Once again, large slabs of tree trunk have been thoughtfully positioned to help you with your footing.

Upon reaching the upper portion of the river you will need to cross over it in order to pick up the same trail on the other side, which descends rather quickly, running parallel to the large waterfall that sits just off to the right side. It is recommended that you DO NOT swim under this waterfall due to its immense size. Further down river, there are other opportunities to swim under smaller waterfalls.

The remaining portion of the trail is relatively flat and hugs the river, initially along the left side, and later along the right side en route to the San Pedrillo ranger station. The water level of the river varies depending on the time of year, but you should expect to get wet here, perhaps knee deep. If you are really adventurous, you can even follow the river all the way to the ranger station, walking chest high in some locations.

The animal life in this section of the National Park is quite vibrant, with frequent sighting of monkeys, cocmundids, squirrels, spiders, macaws, bats, leaf cutting ants, and other animal species. As well, much will be mentioned about the plant and tree species, which is lush, and teeming with life.

Important Points

Hiking boots are highly recommended here, as the trail throughout the park is comprised of a hard, reddish type clay that is very, very slippery when wet. As well,  there are several rivers and streams to cross.

It is recommended that you take an ample supply of water with you as you enter the Park. We highly recommend you bring mosquito repellent.

The trail conditions, always well marked and maintained, vary throughout the year depending on weather conditions.

The sun, particularly along the route from Carate to Sirena, is hot, strong and usually unbearable. Sun screen is an absolute must, especially for the back of your neck and face.

8) Irazú Volcano

The slopes north of Cartago rise gradually up the flanks of Volcán Irazú. The views from on high are stupendous. Every corner reveals another picture-perfect landscape. You'll swear they were painted for a Hollywood set. The slopes are festooned with tidy little farming villages with brightly painted houses of orange, yellow, green, and light blue. Dairy farming is an important industry, and you'll pass by several communities known for their cheese. The fertile fields around Cot look like great salad bowls;carrots, onions, potatoes, and greens are grown intensively.

Volcán Irazú, about 21 km northeast of Cartago, tops out at 3,432 meters. ( 11,260ft. ) above sea level, Irazu Volcano is one of Costa Rica's most visited national parks. The principal crater has a diameter of 1050 m ( 3,445 ft. ) and a depth of 300 m ( 984 ft. ), while the Diego de la Haya crater has a diameter of 690 m ( 2,264 ft. ) and a depth of 80 m ( 263 ft. ). Still an active volcano, Irazu Volcano has a long history of eruptions, dating back to the Spanish colonies (1563). The most recent period of activity occured during 1963 and 1965. This volcano's activity has been characterized by the emission of large clouds of steam, ash and cinders, often accompanied by small local or regional earth tremors, subterranean noises and rumblings, and showers of small and large rocks which usually fall near the rim of the crater. Irazu's summit has four craters: the main or western crater, the "Diego de la Haya," and two small craters, one southeast and the other northwest of the main crater.

Its name comes from two tribal words: ara (point) and tzu (thunder). The volcano has been ephemerally active, most famously on 13 March 1963, the day that U.S. President John F. Kennedy landed in Costa Rica on an official visit. Irazú broke a 20-year silence and began disgorging great columns of smoke and ash. The eruption lasted two years. At one point, ash-filled vapor blasted up into overhanging clouds and triggered a storm that rained mud up to five inches thick over a widespread area. No further activity was recorded until December 1994, when Irazú unexpectedly hiccuped gas, ash, and breccia. It still rumbles occasionally.

The name Irazu comes from it's indigenous origin, more specifically from the name "Istarú", which means "Thunder and Earthquake Mountain". Over a prolonged period of time, the name has been transformed into Irazú.

The flora has undergone considerable changes because of the eruptions, however, there are three different life zones: Premontane Rain Forest, Montane West Forest, and Montane Rain Forest. These areas contain very little vegetation around the craters while, elsewhere, areas with secondary forests and the remains of primary forests predominate. Common tree species found within the vicinity of the craters are the Black Oak, Alder, White Oak, Growing Stick, Miconia, Small Cedar, and Copey. Irazu's animal life is very sparse, which is a direct result of the volcano's high altitude and eruptions. Some of the mammals observed in the upper regions are the Rabbit, Grey Fox, Armadillo, and Red Tailed Squirrel. Birds commonly seen in the area include the Volcano Junco, ant-eating Woodpecker, Hummingbirds, Owls, and Sooty Robins.

Irazu National Park is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Upon entering the park, you are permitted to walk to the volcano's rim, where terrific photo opportunities abound (see photo). The wind tends to be quite strong, blowing the light grey earth which makes up the volcanoe's crater wall and rim. Sunglasses would offer some helpful protection.

The windswept 100-meter-deep Diego de la Haya crater contains a sometimes pea-green, sometimes-rust-red, mineral-tinted lake. Fumaroles are occasionally active. A larger crater is 300 meters deep. Two separate trails lead from the parking lot to the craters. Follow those signed with blue and white symbols, (don't follow other trails made by irresponsible folks whose feet destroy the fragile ecosystems). The crater rims are dangerously unstable. Keep your distance.

A sense of bleak desolation pervades the summit, like the surface of the moon. It is often foggy. Even on a sunny day expect a cold, dry, biting wind. Dress warmly. The average temperature is a chilly 7.3° C (45° F). Little vegetation lives at the summit, though stunted dwarf oaks, ferns, lichens, and other species are making a comeback. Best time to visit is March or April, the two driest months.

Don't be put off if the volcano is shrouded in fog. Often the clouds lie below the summit of the mountain--there's no way of telling until you drive up there and you emerge into brilliant sunshine. On a clear day you can see both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The earlier in the morning you arrive, the better your chances of getting clear weather.

The ranger booth (no telephone), two km below the summit, is open 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., but you can visit at any time. A mobile soda serves food and drinks on weekends, and the site has toilets and picnic benches beside the crater, but no camping or other facilities. Entrance: $6.

The Prusian Forestry Reserve (Reserva Forestal Prusia), tel. 551-9398, within the park, on the southwest flank of Irazú, five km north of Potrero Cerrado, is a reforestation project with a recreation area,Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno,which features hiking trails and camping and picnic sites set amid pines. There's a "mushroom forest" here, too.

Special Considerations

At certain times throughout the year, particularly during the rainy season, both Irazu and Poas volcanoes tend to cloud significantly before midday, often remaining covered in clouds for the remainder of the afternoon. For this reason, we recommend that you choose a tour operator who as early as possible from San José. This will provide you with your best chances of seeing the volcanoes before any cloud cover arrives. Also, due to their heights and barrenness, temperatures are normally quite cold, but vary significantly. Dress appropriately!!!

How To Get There

By Car - depart San Jose heading east along the main road, Avenida 2. Continue east towards Cartago, while passing through the suburb communitites of San Pedro and Curridabat. As you depart the metropolitan area (approximately 6 km, or 3.6 miles from downtown San Jose) there will be a fork in the road, at which you should stay left. Continue straight until you reach the traffic circle ( rotundra ) and take the second exit on the right side; which leads you to the auto-pista heading towards the city of Cartago. Just moments after entering on the pista there will be a tool booth ( peaje ) which costs 60 colones. From the toll booth, continue southeast towards Cartago, which is approximately 15km ( 9 miles ); there will be a nice climb up and over the top of the ridge separating these two cities. After descending down the hill en route to Cartago, continue straight at the fork, do not go right; going right will lead you into the city of Cartago. After passing through the intersection, make a left at the sign which reads Irazu Volcano; the sign is on the right side of the road. From this point, you will begin you climb to the top of Irazú Volcano. Signs are clearly visible throughout your journey. The road is very good condition and continue for approximately 35 km (21 miles). It twists and turns and provides terrific panoramic view points of the entire central valley surrounding this magnificant volcano.

By Bus - Irazu Volcano, like Poas Volcano, is one of the most frequently visited sites in Costa Rica. There is a public bus which departs every Saturday and Sunday morning from San José, just opposite the Grand Hotel. The express bus departs at 8:00 a.m and arrives approximately 1.5 hours later; the bus departs Irazu Volcano at 1:00 p.m. There are no public buses which service Irazú Volcano during the week.

Private tour companies offer both half day and full day tours to Irazú Volcano. Normally, the full day tour includes a stop at the Lancaster Gardens in Cartago. The tours vary in price as some include meals or other special offerings. Check before you decide to go!!!

9) Manuel Antonio National Park

Tiny as it may be, this 682 sq.hectare national park epitomizes everything tourists flock to Costa Rica to see: stunning beaches, a magnificent setting with islands offshore, bird sanctuaries for marine species, lush rainforest laced with a network of welcoming trails, wildlife galore, and all within walking distance of your hotel. You are guaranteed close-up encounters with monkeys, slothes, coatimundis, and scarlet macaws. What a gem!

Despite its diminutive size, Manuel Antonio is one of the country's most popular parks, with as many as 150,000 visitors annually in peak years. A few years ago the deluge of visitors threatened to spoil the very things they had come to see. Park Director José Antonio Salazar believes the park can withstand no more than 300 visitors a day. In 1994, the Park Service began limiting the numbers of visitors to 600 per day, 800 on Saturday and Sunday, and the park is now closed on Monday. If you wish to do your bit to help preserve Manuel Antonio, consider visiting in the "green" or wet season.

Litter and pollution are additional problems. Pack out what you pack in. Nonetheless, the park is too small to sustain a healthy and viable population of certain animals. If the monkeys do not have access to areas outside the park, the population will decline because they cannot breed. Corridors that allow animals access to areas outside the park have been taken up by hotels, so that the park has, in recent years, become an island. As a result, the titi (squirrel monkey) population is declining.

Fortunately, in 2000, a decree was issued to triple the park's size to just under 1800 hectares. Contains several short trails ( see map below ), all of which are easily accessible and well maintained; most trails are either sand, or cement. These trails provide the best opportunity in Costa Rica to see both white-faced and squirrel monkeys. The trails tend to follow the coastline, supplying beautiful views and easy access to the white sand beaches. Some of Costa Rica's most beautiful white sand beaches, in particular Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio are located in Manuel Antonio National Park. One particular trail, the Punta Cathedral, heads up to the tip of the point providing beautiful vistas of the ocean and islands which are situtated of the rugged coastline. This particular trail, while not very demanding, has a short quick incline to the top of the peninsula.

In addition, Manuel Antonio includes 12 islands located a short distance from shore. Most of them lack vegetation and serve as excellent seabird sanctuaries; they are an especially important nesting site for the brown booby. The pacific waters contain numerous dolphins and, at times, migrating whales are sighted. There is a wide range of marine flora and fauna. So far, 10 species of sponge, 19 corals, 24 crustaceans, 17 algaes and 78 fish species have been identified.

The parks flora and fauna is impressive, with the dominant trees being the black locust, balsa, monkey comb, bastard cedar and mayflower. Some 109 mammals species, including two-toed sloths, raccoons, white-nosed coatis, and all three species of monkey, and 184 species of birds have been spotted within the park. Of particular interest is the beautiful and delightful squirrel monkey, an endangered species now restricted to a very small territory in Costa Rica.

Beaches

The park has four lovely beaches, each with its own personality; Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio, Escondido, and Playita. The prettiest is Playa Manuel Antonio, a small scimitar of coral-white sand with a small coral reef. It's separated from Playa Espadilla Sur by a tombolo,a natural land bridge formed over eons through the accumulation of sand, tipped by Punta Catedral, an erstwhile island now linked to the mainland. The hike to the top of Punta Catedral (100 meters) along a steep and sometimes muddy trail takes about an hour from Playa Espadilla Sur,also known as the Second Beach. Espadilla Sur and Manuel Antonio offer tidal pools brimming with minnows and crayfish, plus good snorkeling, especially during dry season, when the water is generally clear.

At the far right on Playa Manuel Antonio, you can see ancient turtle traps dug out of the rocks by pre-Columbian Quepoas. Female sea turtles would swim over the rocks to the beach on the high tide. The tidal variation at this point is as much as three meters. The turtles would be caught in the carved-out traps on the return journey as the tide level dropped. The people also used female-turtle decoys made of balsa to attract male turtles over the rocks. Olive ridley and green turtles still occasionally come ashore at Playa Manuel Antonio.

Wildlife Viewing

Between bouts of beaching, you can explore the park's network of wide trails, which lead into a swatch of humid tropical forest. Manuel Antonio's treetop carnival is marvelous, and best experienced by following the Perezoso Trail, named after the lovable slothes, which favor the secondary growth along the trail (perezoso means "lazy"). You might see marmosets, ocelots, river otters, pacas, and spectacled caimans in more remote riverine areas.

Howler monkeys languorously move from branch to branch, iguanas shimmy up trunks, toucans and scarlet macaws flap by. About 350 squirrel monkeys live in the park, another 500 on its outer boundaries. And capuchin white-faced monkeys are also abundant and welcome you at treetop height on the beaches, where they play to the crowd and will steal your sandwich packs given half a chance. Some of them have become aggressive in recent years and attacks on humans have been reported.

Even though it is illegal to feed the monkeys, insensitive people still do it. Note that if you're caught, you may,quite rightly,be ejected from the park. Recent studies have found a worrisome increase in heart disease and heart failure among the local monkey population. Unfortunately, the animals are much more prone to rises in cholesterol than humans. Do not leave food lying around. Hire a guide. A guide can show you other interesting tree species,among them; the guapinol negro, an endemic species that is in danger of extinction; cedro maria, which produces a yellow resin used as a traditional medicine Vaco lechoso, which exudes a thick white latex that also has medicinal properties, and the manchineel tree (manzanillo), or "beach apple",are common along the beaches. The manchineel is highly toxic and possesses a sap that irritates the skin. Its tempting applelike fruits are also poisonous. Avoid touching any part of the tree. Also, don't use its wood for fires, the smoke will irritate your lungs.

Information

The park entrance is at the eastern end of Playa Espadilla, where you wade across the shallow Río Camaronera and pay your entrance fee ($6); little rowboats are on hand at high tide (30 cents), when you may otherwise be waist-deep. The ranger station, tel. 777-0644, fax 777-0654, sells maps for 40 cents. There's a small open-air natural-history museum and information center on Playa Manuel Antonio.

Camping is not allowed in the park. There are no accommodations or snack bars. There's secure parking by the creek near the park entrance ($1.70 all day).

Cautions

Theft is a major problem on the beaches, not least of all by the monkeys. Don't leave your things unguarded while you swim. Take whatever precautions you can to protect your goods. There are riptides on Playa Espadilla. Watch your children, as there are no lifeguards.

Special Considerations

Just outside the park, several local vendors offer a wide range of activities, i.e. scuba diving, kayaking, surfing and more. In addition, rafting, dolphin and sailing excursions can all be booked through local travel agencies, or by your hotel. Short day trips to Caño Island are available, which is popular for those interested in scuba diving. Several eateries, bars, souvenir shops and fruit stands are also situated along the beachfront. One could easily go to the beach for the day and not need to return to the hotel room until the day is over.

How To Get There

Perhaps the most frequently visited beach in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio is just miles from the small port town of Quepos. Buses between Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park run throughout the day, covering the 8 km distance. Taxis are available and usually charge by the distance, not by the number of passengers. Therefore, it is much more economical to share the taxi with other passengers. Walking to the park from Quepos, or visa versa, is challenging, as there are several steep climbs, not to mention the tropical sun and heat.

Direct public buses depart daily from San Jose to and from Manuel Antonio / Quepos. Depending on the time of season, additional buses returning from Quepos / Manuel Antonio depart on weekends.

Sansa and Travel Air both have daily flights between San Jose and Manueal Antonio/Quepos. The flight takes approximately 20 minutes and provides spectacular views of the mountain range separating the Manuela Antonio area and the central valley. Sansa offers a shuttle to and from your hotel to the airport for a minimal fee. A similar service can be arranged by Travel Air, however, the costs tend to be a bit higher.

10) Poás Volcano

2,708 meters high, is one of the most spectacular volcanoes in the country. Poas' crater is an enormous, gaping hole one kilometer in diameter and 314 meters deep. At the bottom, there is a circular hot lake. The long-extinct von Frantzius composite cone-the oldest eruptive center on the massif, is at the north of the active crater.

Another cone named Botos is to the southwest. It was the active center until 7,500 years ago and now contains an astonishingly beautiful cold water lake some 400 meters in diameter. Few volcanoes allow you to drive all the way to the rim. Poás does well, at least to within 300 meters, where a short stroll puts you at the very edge of one of the world's largest active craters (1.5 km wide). The viewing terrace gives a bird's-eye view not only 320 sq. meters down into the hellish bowels of the volcano, with its greenish sulfuric pool, but also magnificently down over the northern lowlands.

Poás (2,708 sq, meters) is a restless giant with a 40-year active cycle. It erupted moderately in the early 1950s and was briefly active in 1989, when the access road was closed, and again in May 1994, when the park was temporarily closed. In July and August 1994, it rumbled dramatically. The park is frequently closed to visitors because of pungent and irritating sulfur gas emissions. Many plants bear the scars of acid attacks.

Over the millennia it has vented its anger through three craters. Two now slumber under a blanket of vegetation, one even cradles a lake. But the main crater bubbles persistently with active fumaroles and a simmering lake. The sulfuric pool frequently changes hues and emits a geyser up to 200 meters into the steam-laden air. The water level of the lake has gone down about 15 meters during the past decade, one of several indications of a possible impending eruption. In the 1950's a small eruption pushed up a new cone on the crater floor, the cone is now 200 feet high and still puffing.

Oft as not it is foggy up here and mist floats like an apparition through the dwarf cloud forest draped with bromeliads and mosses. Clouds usually form midmorning. Plan an early-morning arrival to enhance your chances of a cloud-free visit. Temperatures vary widely. On a sunny day it can be 21° C (70° F). On a cloudy day, it is normally bitterly cold and windy at the crater rim. Dress accordingly.

Poás is popular on weekends with local Ticos who arrive by the busload with their blaring radios. Visit midweek if possible. Hours: daily 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The gates close promptly at 3:30 p.m

Trails

The Botos Trail, just before the viewing platform leads to an extinct crater filled with a cold-water lake,Botos. This and the Escalonia Trail, which begins at the picnic area, provide for pleasant hikes. The park protects the headwaters of several important rivers, and the dense forests are home to emerald toucanets, coyotes, resplendent quetzals, sooty robins, hummingbirds, frogs, and the Poás squirrel, which is endemic to the volcano.

Information and Services

Poás National Park, tel. 442-7041, fax 441-0308, is the most developed within the Costa Rican park system. It offers ample parking, toilets and an exhibit hall and auditorium, Audio-visual presentations are given on Sunday. Upstairs is the Heliconia Nature Store run by the Fundación Neotrópica, plus the pleasant Café Botos, serving coffees, cappuccinos, and snacks such as muffins, sandwiches, and pizzas. There's wheelchair access to the exhibits and trails.

Poas National Park presents four major habitats: an area of arrayans, a stunted forest, a cloud forest and areas with little or no vegetation. Small animal life is scarce, although birds abound. Some of the 79 species observed include the sotty robin, black guan, resplendent quetzal, green toucan and flame-throated warbler. In addition, this park protects various types of forests containing abundant epiphytes and parasitic plants, which grow on the tree trunks.

Special Considerations

At certain times throughout the year, particularly during the rainy season, both Irazu and Poas Volcanoes tend to cloud significantly by midmorning, often remaining covered in clouds for the remainder of the afternoon. For this reason, we recommend that you choose a tour operator who departs no later than 8:00 a.m. from San Jose. This will provide you with your best chances of seeing the volcanoes before any cloud cover arrives. Also, due to their heights and barrenness, temperatures are normally quite cold, but vary significantly. Dress appropriately!!!

The park has no accommodations, and camping is not permitted. Hours: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Entrance: $6 ($3 students).

How To Get There

Poas Volcano, approximately one and a quarter to one and a half hours from San Jose, is far less accessable than Irazu Volcano. Depart San Jose as if you were going to the International Airport, however, continue to the right and follow the sign for San Ramon; this leads towards Puntarenas. This exit is approximately 9 miles ( 14.4km ) from San Jose. Continue straight on the main highway and continue throught the town of Alajuela. At the end of town there is a sign which reads "Poas Volcano 31 km".

From this point there are several signs which lead you directly to the volcano. The climb is impressive with the road twisting and turning most of the way. Several small eateries are located along the way, and there is one gas station located not long before the volcano entrance. The road is gernerally in good condition, however, pot holes are frequent. From the entrance gate the road continues 1 mile ( 1.6 km ) to where you have to pay to view the volcano.

11) Palo Verde

This national park is made up of a mosaic of diverse floodplain habitats, bordered by rivers and a ridge of limestone hills. The Palo Verde area is subject to seasonal floods of great magnitude due to its lack of natural drainage. This produces a greater ecological diversity-between 12 and 15 habitats have been identified.

These habitats include salt and fresh water lakes and swamps, grasslands with black mangroves, mangrove swamps, pastures, lowland stunted forests, wooded savannas and evergreen forests. The most conspicuous species and the one from which the park takes its name is the "palo verde" or horse bean, a leafy bush with its branches and parts of its trunk colored light green. The hills are home to an endemic species of cactus. The lignum-vitae, a tree prized for its wood and in imminent danger of extinction, is also found here.

Palo Verde's natural water system has created an environment capable of supporting one of the largest concentrations of waterfowl and wading birds, both native and migratory, in the country and, in fact, in all of Central America. The forests are the nesting grounds of the endangered jabiru and home to the only colony of scarlet macaws in the Dry Pacific.

Some of the most abundant mammals are the howler and white-faced monkeys, white-nosed coati, white-tailed deer, tree squirrel and porcupine. Crocodiles up to five meters long have been sighted in the Tempisque River.

12) The Rincón de la Vieja

Rincón de la Vieja,1,895 sq. meters, an active volcano in a period of relative calm, is the largest of five volcanoes that make up the Cordillera de Guanacaste. It is composed of nine separate but contiguous volcanic craters, with dormant Santa María,1,916 sq. meters, the tallest and most easterly. Its crater harbors a forest-rimmed lake popular with quetzals, linnets, and tapirs. The main crater,Von Seebach, sometimes called the Rincón de la Vieja crater, still steams. Icy Lake Los Jilgueros lies between the two craters. The last serious eruption was in 1983. Rincón, however, spewed lava and acid gases on 8 May 1991, causing destructive lahores (ash-mud flows). The slopes still bear reminders of the destructive force of the acid cloud that burnt away much of the vegetation on the southeastern slope. The attractions are protected in the 14,083 sq.hectare Parque Nacional Volcán

Rincón de la Vieja, which extends from 650 to 1,965 meters in elevation on both the Caribbean and Pacific flanks of the cordillera. The two sides differ markedly in rainfall and vegetation. The Pacific side has a distinct dry season, if you intend climbing to the craters. Feb.-April is best. The Caribbean side is lush and wet year-round, with as much as 500 cm of rainfall falling annually on higher slopes. The park is known for its profusion of orchid species.

The diverse conditions foster a panoply of wildlife species. More than 300 species of birds include quetzals, toucanets, the elegant trogon, eagles, three-wattled bellbirds and the curassow. Mammals include cougars, howler, spider, and white-faced monkeys, kinkajous, slothes, tapirs, tayras, and even jaguars.

The lower slopes can be explored along relatively easy trails that begin at the park headquarters. The Sendero Encantago leads through cloud forest full of guaria morada orchids, the national flower, and links with a 12-km trail that continues to Las Pailas (Caldrons), 50 sq. hectares of bubbling mud volcanoes, boiling thermal waters, vapor geysers, and the so-called Hornillas Ovens, geyser of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The mud has minerals and medicinal properties used in cosmetology. Be careful when walking around, it is possible to step through the crust and scald yourself, or worse. This trail continues to the summit.

Between the cloud forest and Las Pailas, a side trail, marked Aguas Thermales leads to soothing, hot sulfur springs called Los Azufrales (Sulfurs). The thermal waters (42° C) form small pools where you may bathe and take advantage of their curative properties. Use the cold-water stream nearby for a cooling off after a good soak in the thermal springs. Las Hornillas are sulfurous fumaroles on the devastated southern slope of the volcano. Another trail leads to the Hidden Waterfalls, four continuous falls, three of which exceed 70 meters in the Agria Ravine. You'll find a perfect bathing hole at the base of one of the falls.

Hiking to the Summit

The hike is relatively straightforward. You can do it the round-trip from the Las Pailas Ranger Station, also called Las Espuelas, to the summit and back in a day, two days from park headquarters. The lower trail begins at the Santa María Ranger Station, leads past Las Hornillas and the Las Pailas Ranger Station and snakes up the steep, scrubby mountainside through elephant grass and dense groves of twisted, stunted copel clusia, a perfumed tree species common near mountain summits. En route, you cross a bleak expanse of purple lava fossilized by the blitz of the sun. Trails are marked by cairns, though it is easy to get lost if the clouds set in. Consider hiring a local guide. The upper slopes are of loose scree. Be particularly careful on your descent.

It can be cool up here, but, if it's clear ,the powerful view and the hard, windy silence make for a profound experience. From on high, you have a splendid view of the wide Guanacaste plain shimmering in the heat like a dreamworld between hallucination and reality. Beyond, the mountains of Nicoya glistening like hammered gold from the sunlight slanting in from the south. On a clear day, you can see Lake Nicaragua.

Magical! You have only the sighing of the wind for company. It will probably be cloudy, however, in which case you may need to camp near the top to ascend the summit the next morning before the clouds set in. There's a campsite about five km from Las Pailas, it's about two hours to the summit of Von Seebach from there. The beach of Linnet Bird Lagoon, a whale-shaped lagoon filled with very cold water, southeast of the active volcano, is recommended for camping. Bring a waterproof tent and clothing, plus mosquito and tick repellent. The grasses harbor ticks and other biting critters, consider long pants. Fill up with water at the ranger station before your uphill hike.

Information

The park headquarters is an old adobe hacienda (Hacienda Santa María) about 27 km northeast of Liberia. A sign on Hwy. 1 on the south side of Liberia points the way to the "Sector Santa María". The 19th-century farmstead was once owned by former U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson, who sold it to the park service. It contains an exhibition room and is linked by a six km trail to the Las Pailas Ranger Station, on the southwestern flank of the volcano. Las Pailas is reached via a road from Curubandé. Entrance: $6.

The park is administered from the Guanacaste Conservation Area office in Santa Rosa National Park, tel. 666-5051 (see Santa Rosa National Park, below). Massif, 1,916 meters high, is a composite structure. Nine eruptive spots have been identified on its peak, some of which still have fumorale activity. The park contain hot springs which give rise to very hot mountain streams ; sulfuric ponds with small mud-filled depressions which bubble continuously; geysers releasing jets of stream, particularly during the rainy season; and mud cones in all shapes and sizes. Several waterfall exist throughout the park, as does a small freshwater lake which lies south of the main crater. In addition, Rincon de la Vieja contains what is probably the largest existing growth of the national flower-"guaria morada" ( purple orchid ) found in the wild in Costa Rica.

Rincon de la Vieja National Park contains diverse habitats, produced by the differences in altitude and rainfall, the effect of volcanic eruptions and the type of slope. In the lower regions, trees include the Guanacaste, freijo, gumbo-limbo, bitter cedar and capulin. In the central region, between 1,200 and 1,400 meters, the most abundant trees are the cupey, manwood, calabash, jicaro danto and didymopanax. Beginning at 1,400 meters and continuing up to near the peak, the woods are low and the densely-branched trees covered with mosses and other epiphytes. The most common trees are the cupey, didymopanax and crespon. The peak of the volcano is covered with ash and has very sparse vegetation. Plants include the cupey and the poor man's umbrella. The tapir, highland tinamous, black guan and several cat species are very numerous in this region.

Within the park, 357 species of birds have been sighted, including the three-wattled bellbird, great curassow, emerald toucanet, elegant trogon, blue-throated goldentail, spectacled owl, white-fronted amazon and guaco. Some other mammals found here include the red brocket deer, collared peccary, agouti, tayra. Northern tamandua, two-toed sloth, and howler, white-faced and spider monkeys. Insects are very numerous and include four species of the abundant and beautiful morpho butterflies.

Special Considerations

Horseback riding, bubbling mud pits, geysers of sulfer dioxide and hydrogen are just a few of the unique attractions at Rincon de la Vieja. However, any visit to Rincon de la Vieja without a visit to the Blue Lagoon is one wasted. Approximately 30 minutes from the park headquarters, this small lagoon is blue as a result of special minerals in the lagoon's underlaying stones. A large waterfall constantly replenishes the lagoon while a small hot spring to its left provides a warm welcome relief. The color of the lagoon is at its bluest during the dry season, as the volume of rainfall is at its lowest level. Difficult to find on your own, any lodge will gladly bring you to this special place in the tropics.

Rincon de la Vieja also offers terrific opportunities for those interested in mountain biking. While riding along the trails is prohibited, there are roads which wind throughout the park, all of which are challenging and easily accessible. Mountain bike shops are present in the town of Liberia.

How To Get There

Rincon de la Vieja, unlike most parks, is nearly impossible to access with public transportation. Located 6 km ( 3.6 miles ) north of Liberia, along the Pan-American Highway, there is a sign for the town of Cereceda on the right side of the road. This dirt road is in good condition and passes through large deposits of white volcanic rock.

Ample parking is available at the ranger station, as with the lodges which surround the park. For those using public transportation, we recommend that you take one of the many direct buses which depart daily from San Jose to Liberia. Most lodges will provide pick-up service from Liberia for an additional cost. Be sure to arrange for this service long before arriving in Liberia.

13) Santa Rosa National Park

Santa Rosa was founded in 1972 as the country's first national park. The 49,515 sq.hectare park, which covers much of the Santa Elena peninsula, is part of a mosaic of ecologically interdependent parks and reserves. The 110,000 sq.hectare Guanacaste Conservation Area (GCA) incorporates Santa Rosa National Park, Rincón de la Vieja National Park, Bolaños Island Wildlife Refuge, the Junquillal Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the Horizontes Experimental Station, abutting Santa Rosa to the south. See the Information section, below, for contact information. Parque Nacional Santa Rosa is most famous for Hacienda Santa Rosa, better known as La Casona, the nation's most cherished historic monument. It was here in 1856 that the mercenary army of American adventurer William Walker was defeated by a ragamuffin army of Costa Rican volunteers. The old hacienda-turned-museum alone is well worth the visit. Santa Rosa National Park has other treasures too.

The park is a mosaic of 10 distinct habitats, including mangrove swamp, savanna, and oak forest, which attract a wide range of animals. More than 250 bird species and 115 mammal species , half of them bats, including two vampire species exit here. Among them, relatively easily seen mammals, such as white-tailed deer, coatimundis, howler, spider, and white-faced monkeys, and anteaters. Jaguars still roam Santa Rosa, as do margays, ocelots, pumas, and jaguarundis. They're all shy and seldom seen. Santa Rosa is a vitally important nesting site for ridleys and other turtle species. In the wet season the land is as green as emeralds, and wildlife disperses. In dry season, however, when the parched scrubby landscapes give an impression of the East African plains, wildlife congregate at watering holes, such as those on the Naked Indian Trail, and is easily seen. Be patient. Sit still for long enough and some interesting creatures are sure to appear. Keep an eye out for snakes.

The park is divided into two sections: the Santa Rosa Sector to the south, the entrance is at Km 269 on Hwy. 1, 37 km north of Liberia, and the Murciélago Sector, the turnoff from Hwy. 1 is 10 km farther north, via Cuajiniquil, separated by a swathe of privately owned land.

Santa Rosa Sector

The Santa Rosa Sector is the more important and accessible of the two sectors. On the right, one km past the entrance gate, a rough dirt road leads to a rusting armored personnel carrier beside a memorial cross commemorating the Battle of 1955, when Somoza, the Nicaraguan strongman, made an ill-fated foray into Costa Rica. Six km farther on the paved road is La Casona, a magnificent colonial homestead with a beautiful setting atop a slight rise overlooking a stone corral where the battle with William Walker was fought. Inside the house are photos, illustrations, carbines, and other military paraphernalia commemorating the battle of 20 March 1856. Battles were also fought here during the 1919 Sapoá Revolution and in 1955. One room is furnished in period style. Another is a small chapel. Large wooden mortars and pestles are on display, along with decrepit chaps and centenary riding gear. There's also a good nature exhibit. Harmless bats fly in and out. There's a large guanacaste tree outside.

Trails

Trails are marked in detail on the map sold at the park entrance. The Naked Indian loop trail (1.5 km) begins just before the house and leads through dry-forest woodlands with streams and waterfalls and gumbo-limbo trees whose peeling red bark earned them the nickname "naked Indian trees." The Los Patos trail, which has several watering holes during dry season, is one of the best trails for spotting mammals. The Laguna Escondida and Caujiniquil River Trail ,14 km round-trip, also takes you to a pond that is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Other good spots for wildlife are Platanar Lake, Laguna Escondida, and La Penca, reached by trails north from the park administrative area.

The paved road ends just beyond the administration area. From here, an appalling dirt road drops steeply to the beaches, Playa Naranjo and Playa Nancite, 13 km from La Casona. It's a good road to break your springs. A 4WD with high ground clearance is essential. Park officials sometimes close the road because they get tired of towing vehicles out.

Beaches

The deserted white-sand Playa Nancite is renowned as the site for the annual arribadas, the mass nestings of olive ridley turtles which occur only here and at Ostional, farther south. More than 75,000 turtles will gather out to sea and come ashore over the space of a few days, with the possibility of up to 10,000 reptiles on the beach at any one time in September and October. Although the exact trigger is unknown, arribadas seem to coincide with falling barometric pressure in autumn and are apparently associated with a waxing three-quarter moon. You can usually see solitary turtles at other times August through December. Stephen E. Cornelius's illustrated book, The Sea Turtles of Santa Rosa National Park (Costa Rica: National Park Foundation, 1986), provides an insight into the life of the ridley turtle. Cornelius initiated studies here in 1972. Latest data suggests that the turtle population at Nancite is declining. Playa Nancite, about a one-hour hike over a headland from Estero Real, at the end of the dirt road, is a research site. Access is restricted and permits are needed, anyone can get one from the ranger station, or at Programa de Ecoturismo, c/o Centro de los Investigaciones, tel. 666-5051, ext. 219). There's a limit of 30 people per day.

Playa Naranjo is a popular, beautiful, kilometers-long, pale gray sand beach that is legendary in surfing lore. Steep, thick, powerful tubular waves and "killer beautiful Witches Rock rising like a sentinel out of the water make this a must stop in the world for top-rated surfers," says surf expert Mark Kelly. The beach is bounded by craggy headlands and frequently visited by monkeys, iguanas, and other wildlife. Crocodiles lurk in the mangrove swamps at the southern end of the beach. At night, plankton light up with a brilliant phosphorescence as you walk the drying sand in the wake of high tide. Witches Rock is a gigantic crag split in two and jutting up straight from the ocean bottom.

In addition to Playa Naranjo, Playa Portrero Grande, north of Nancite, and other beaches on the central Santa Elena peninsula offer some of the best "machine-like" surf in the country, with double overhead waves rolling in one after the other. The makers of Endless Summer II, the sequel to the classic surfing movie, caught the Portrero Grande break perfectly. The beaches are inaccessible by road. You can hire a boat at Jobo or any of the fishing villages in the Golfo Santa Elena to take you to Portrero Grande or Islas Murciélagos (Bat Islands), slung in a chain beneath Cabo Santa Elena, the westernmost point of the peninsula. The Bat Islands are a renowned scuba diving site for advanced divers; sharks (bull, tiger, and black-tip) are there in numbers, along with whale sharks.

Murciélago Sector

The entrance to the Murciélago Sector of Santa Rosa National Park is 15 km west of Hwy. 1, 10 km north of the Santa Rosa Sector park entrance (there's a police checkpoint at the turnoff; have your passport ready for inspection). The road winds downhill to a coastal valley through spectacularly hilly countryside to the hamlet of Cuajiniquil, tucked half a kilometer south of the road, which continues northwest to Bahía Cuajiniquil.

You arrive at a Y-fork in Cuajiniquil, the road to Murciélago (eight km) is to the left. There are three rivers to ford en route. You'll pass the old CIA training camp for the Nicaraguan contras on your right. The place, Murciélago Hacienda, was owned by the Nicaraguan dictator Somoza's family before being expropriated in 1979, when the Murciélago Sector was incorporated into Santa Rosa National Park. It's now a training camp for the Costa Rican Rural Guard. Armed guards may stop you for an ID check as you pass. A few hundred meters farther, the road runs alongside the secret airstrip, hidden behind tall grass to your left, that Oliver North had built to supply the contras. The park entrance is 0.5 km beyond the airstrip.

It's another 16 km to Playa Blanca, a beautiful horseshoe-shaped white-sand beach, one of the most isolated in the country, about five km wide and enjoyed only by pelicans and frigate birds. The road ends here. Waterfalls are surrounded by ferns and palms in Cuajiniquil Canyon, which has its own moist micro-climate. The Poza El General watering hole attracts waterfowl and other animals year-round and is reached along a rough trail.

Is one of Costa Rica's most important historic areas, in addition to serving as a popular destination for nature lovers and surfers. The ranch house, known as "La Casona", and the stone corrals witnessed the nation's greatest heroic deed: the Battle of Santa Rosa, which took place on March 20th, 1956. These historical sights are located just to the left after reaching the parks main entrance; on the upper level. A short walk from the camping area brings you to this very photographic location. For the adventurous, a short climb up a nearby tower offer terrific views of the surrounding area.

A challenging dirt road, which departs from the main area near the camp grounds, arrives at the beautiful Nancite and Naranjo beaches, both of which are major nesting grounds for the olive ridley, leatherback and pacific green sea turtles. Nancite is where the largest "arribadas" of olive ridley turtles in Tropical America come ashore. While the Naranjo beach is open to the public, Nancite beach requires special permits, particularly during the time the olive-ridley turtles are nesting.

Within the park there are ten habitats, including savannas, consisting of jaragua grassland and various trees such as the live oak, shoemaker's tree and rough-leaf tree, among others. The deciduous forests contain some 240 species of trees and shrubs; among them Costa Rica's National Tree, the Guanacaste or ear tree, gumbo-limbo and mayflower. In the evergreen forests the dominant species are locust, chicle, oak, tempisque and bitterwood.

The fauna is rich and diverse as well. More than 155 species of mammals have been identified, more than half of which are bats. There are also 253 species of birds, 100 of amphibians and reptiles, and over ten thousand types of insects, including some 3,140 species of butterflies and moths. The most conspicuous mammals are the howler monkey and whitefaced monkeys, armadillo, white tailed deer, white-nosed coati, collared peccary, raccoon and the spiny pocket mouse, which is the most abundant of all. Some of the birds found include the magpie jay, orange-fronted parakeet, elegant trogan, rufous-naped wren, crested caracara, great curassow, common black hawk and long-tailed manakin.

Special Considerations

Near the upper camping grounds, there is a short nature trail ( Indio Desnudo ) just before the Santa Rosa National Monument. This trail provides the best opportunities within the park to view wildlife, particularly in the early morning or late afternoon hours. Deer, howler, spider and white-faced monkeys, lizards and hawks are quite common. Light levels are low, but there are good photographic opportunities on this trail. There are several trails near the main office, as well as along the road heading south to the beach area. Trails are present around the beach area as well, many of which are located behind the estuary. Camping is permited, however, only in the designated areas, not along any of the trails. Maps are available at the park office which do an adequate job of detailing the areas of interest.

The water level available throughout the upper campground area is potable. However, if you proceed to the beach area below, bring all the supplies necessary as it is common to have no water available at the lower campgrounds. Any water is utilized for bathing and cooking only.

The park entrance station, tel. 666-5051, ext. 219, at the Santa Rosa Sector sells detailed maps (1:50,000 scale; 75 cents) showing trails and campgrounds. Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Both the natural history museum in La Casona and the GCA park administration office, tel. 666-5051, fax 666-5020, email: acg@acguanacaste.ac.cr or carrilloespino@latinmail.com, www.acguanacaste.ac.cr, can provide additional information. The GCA office in Liberia, P.O. 169-5000, Liberia, tel./fax 666-0630, can also supply information. Entrance: $6.

The Dry Tropical Forest Investigation Center, located near the park administrative office, undertakes biological research, and features a laboratory, documentation center, and computer center, plus dorm accommodations. It is not open to visitors, but anyone with a serious interest in dry forest ecology will find the staff and researchers invaluable resources

How To Get There

Bus - You can take a direct bus to Liberia, which departs San Jose eight times daily, and later catch a connecting bus which will pass by the entrance to the park along the Pan American Highway. There are several buses which depart daily from Liberia and pass the Santa Rosa National Park. The direct bus to Liberia takes approximately four hours and they normally run close to schedule. Let the driver know, with sufficient notice, that you would like to be dropped off at the entrance to the park. The distance from the drop-off point to the main camping area is approximately 7 km ( 4.35 miles ) on a hot, paved and open road. We recommend that you purchase a good supply of fluids before departing either San Jose or Liberia. Upon your arrive at the park entrance, there is no fluid available until you reach the main camping area. Along the entrance road, there are two vistas on the right side which provide spectacular views and a well deserved resting spot.

Car - Just continue north along the Panamerican Highway from Liberia until you reach the Park's entrance on the left side of the road. The road from the main, upper level camping area down to the beach is at times restricted even in the dry season. We highly recommend a strong, four-wheel drive vehicle as this long, steep, pothole filled dirt road is treacherous and at times impassable.

14) Tapanti

Established in April 23, 1992, Tapanti National Park is one of Costa Rica's least frequented by foreigners, even though it requires only a one and a half hour drive from San Jose; just outside of Cartago. Covering 6080 hectares (15,057 acres), the Park's altitude ranges from 1220-2560 meters ( 4002-8397 feet ) above sea level. Situated in the Orosi Valley, along the Rio Grande de Orosi, Tapantí is quite wet and contains three major trails (see map below); the Natural Arboles Caídos ( approx. 2 hour hike ), the La Pava (approx. 30 minute hike), and the Oropéndula ( approx. 45 minute hike ). Just off trail #3, as it runs along the Orosi River, is a area where one can swim. The area is bisected by the Río Grande de Orosí, into which many smaller rivers and creeks empty their waters. This vital liquid is used to generate hydro-electric power and to supply drinkable water to a great part of the population of San José area by the Orosí aqueduct. Camping is not permitted within the park, however, plans are in the works for a camp site to accomodate overnight visitors. A new park headquarters has recently opened, which offers trail maps and other information for those visiting. Restroom facilities, drinking water are also available here. Tapanti National Park possesses four different life zones: premontain pluvial forest; premountain forest; low mountain pluvial forest; and mountain pluvial forest. Around forty-five species of mammals exist here. Some of them-like the tapir, paca, and cats like the ocelot, jaruarundi and tiger cat-are threatened with extinction. The red brocket deer, Eastern cottontail, kinkajou, raccoon, white-nosed coati, white-faced monkey and agouti are other notable species found here. Among the 260 species of birds, the resplendent quetzal, sparrow-hawk, guan, dove, parakeet, great tinamou, Montezuma oropendola, "tangara," and several types of finches and hummingbirds can be found. Many lizards, basilisk and snakes, such as the eyelash-viper, jumping-viper and side striped palm-pit viper can be found. In total there are some 28 different species of reptiles. As well there are some 28 species of amphibians including salamanders, frogs and toads. Insects are abundant and there are as many species that have yet to be identified. Among them is the largest moth within North and South America, known as Thysania agripina.

The rich abundance of vegetation of the area includes oaks, magnolias, iras, alder, monkey apple, didymopanax, several varieties of bromeliads, mosses and ferns, and the poor man's umbrella. A very diverse area, it is estimated that one hectare could contain from between 80 and 160 tree species.

How To Get There

By Bus - For those depending on public transportation, one must first take a bus to Cartago, later a bus to Paraiso, and later to Orosí. From Orosi, you can hire a cab to take you to the park entrance ( approx. 1,500 colones per ride, not per person ). The park entrance is approximately 5 miles ( 8 km ) from Orosi, along a well maintained dirt/gravel road. Depending on how lucky you are with the buses, your entire trip could take a few hours. The park station has a radio which can call for a taxi when you decide to leave.

By Car - Use the same directions you would use to go to the Lancaster Gardens, only continue ahead along the main road. Approximately 2 km ( 1.2 miles ) ahead is the town of Paraíso. At the central park, which is on your right side, make a right and continue straight. Take this road for approx. 7 miles ( 11 km ) to Orosi. This road winds and begins a large decent down into the valley, with terrific vistas of the valley to your left. Signs are on the road side pointing to the National Park. Shortly after the Electrical Plant the road turns to a gravel road which continues for 5 miles ( 8 km ) until you reach the park entrance. When you return to San José take the same road back to Paraíso until you reach the central park, at which point you make a left; you can't go straight. Go 2-3 blocks and make a right, at which time you will cross over the main road and follow the signs for Cartago and/or San Jose.

15) Tortuguero National Park

Resides just south of the village by the same name. Accessible either by boat or plane, this small community has gradually developed as a direct result of the green turtles annual nesting process. Infact, this region is the most important nesting site in the entire western half of the Caribbean for the green turtle. The leatherback and hawksbill also nest along these beaches which parallel the inland canals.

A natural system of canals and navigable lagoons, of great scenic beauty, cross the park from the southwest to northwest forming the habitat for seven species of land turtles, the manatee or sea cow, and the crocodile. Also, a wide range of crustaceans and some 30 freshwater species of fish, including the gar, eel and bull shark inhabit these waterways. This region of Costa Rica is one of the rainiest and most biologically diverse regions in the country. Eleven habitats have been identified within the park, in addition to several species of trees, i.e. crabwood, banak, Santa Maria, bully tree and dove wood.

Special Considerations

While in Tortuguero, the major portion of your time will be spent either watching leatherback turtles or viewing local wildlife along the many inland canals. If you are participating in an organized tour, chances are your lodge will provide the necessary launch and bilingual guides as part of your tour. These launches accommodate several dozen people and provide a comfortable, stable, and safe vehicle from which to view the local flora and fauna. If you prefer a more quite and more rugged approach, we recommend that you rent a dugout canoe from one of several local merchants in the village of Tortuguero. Your lodge may also provide canoes or kayaks, if available.

If you prefer this approach, depart either very early in the morning ( 5-6 a.m. ) or late in the afternoon ( 4-6 p.m. ), as the midday sun is quite overbearing. As well, the wildlife is much more prolific during those times; the wildlife tends to retreat under the forest canopy during the hot, sunny midday sun. Usually stable and dry, the canoes can accommodate up to 4-6 passengers, and provides an ideal opportunity to get close and personal with the many monkeys, lizards and birds along the canals. The slower, quieter canoes will not disturb the animals as do the larger, engine powered launches provided by the jungle lodges.

Parque Nacional Tortuguero extends north along the coast for 22 km from Jaloba, six km north of Parismina, to Tortuguero village. The 19,000 sq.hectare park is a mosaic of deltas on an alluvial plain nestled between the Caribbean coast on the east and the low-lying volcanic hills of Coronel, Caño Moreno, and 300-meter-high Las Lomas de Sierpe, the Sierpe Peaks, on the west. The park protects the nesting beach of the green turtle, the offshore waters to a distance of 30 km, and the wetland forests extending inland for about 15 kilometers.

The park, one of the most varied within the park system, has 11 ecological habitats, from high rainforest to herbaceous marsh communities. Fronting the sea is the seemingly endless expanse of beach. Behind that is a narrow lagoon connected to the sea at one end and fed by a river at the other, which parallels the beach for its full 35-km length. Back of the lagoon is a coastal rainforest threaded by an infinite maze of serpentine channels and streams fed by rivers flowing from the central mountain ranges and by the torrential rains that fall in the area. On the periphery of the forest lies a complex of swamps.

Tortuguero shelters a fabulous array of wildlife, including more than 300 bird species, among them the great green macaw,  57 species of amphibians and 111 of reptiles, including three species of marine turtles, 60 mammal species, including 13 of Costa Rica's 16 endangered species, including jaguars, tapirs, ocelots, cougars, river otters, and manatees. Commonly seen birds include toucans, aricaris, oropendolas, swallow-tailed hawks, several species of herons, kingfishers, anhingas, parrots and jacanas. The wide-open canals make viewing easier than at many other parks, superb for spotting crocodiles, giant iguanas, and basilisk lizards basking atop the branches, swallow-tailed hawks and vultures swooping over the treetops, and caimans luxuriating on the fallen raffia palm branches at the side of the river. One of my favorite pastimes is to watch bulldog bats skimming through the mist that rises from the water and scooping up a fish right on cue. Amazing! That hair-raising roar? A male howler monkey that has misjudged a leap and hit a tree with legs spread apart (this, at any rate, was the explanation given by one irrepressible guide).

The western half of the park is under great stress from logging and hunting, which have increased in recent years as roads are cut into the core of the rainforest from the west, north, and south. The local community and hotel and tour operators are battling a proposed highway sponsored by banana and logging interests into the region between Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado. The Tortuguero Conservation Area Project, Area de Conservación y Desarrollo Sostenible de las Llanuras del Tortuguero, Apdo. 338, Guápiles, tel. 710-2929, fax 710-7673, works to protect the region and publishes literature on local ecology. Particularly threatened is the large mammal population.

About 50,000 tourists a year come here to explore the forests and swamps of Tortuguero National Park and to see any of four species of turtles that nest on the beach. The recent boom had spawned fears that the park was becoming overloaded with tourists, there were only 240 visitors in 1980. Help by carrying out anything you bring in. Rubbish disposal is a serious problem at Tortuguero, leave no trash. Entrance is $6, payable at the Cuatro Esquinas ranger station (park headquarters), tel. 710-2929, fax 710-7673, at the southern end of Tortuguero village, or at Estación Jalova, at the park's southern end,45 minutes by boat from Tortuguero village. You can also buy a four-day pass ($10) that includes access to Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge. There's no fee to travel along the canals via the park en route to/from Tortuguero village.

Manatees

Tortuguero's fragile manatee population is endangered and was thought to be extinct until a population was located in remote lagoons within Tortuguero. Traditionally they have been hunted for their flesh, reputedly tender and delicious, and for their very tough hides, but the greatest threat of late has been chemicals and sediments washing into the waterways from banana plantations. Ironically, eco-tourism is taking a toll, with increasing boat traffic. Manatees have moved west toward more remote lagoons seeking quiet places to mate and are rarely seen. It is thought that perhaps about 100 manatees inhabit the lagoons of Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado. Alas, Dr. Bernie Nietschmann of the University of California, Berkeley, who ran a research program to count and study the manatees, died and his research program has since floundered.

The Manatee, Crocodile, and Caiman Conservation Research Project, tel./fax 226-0986, accepts donations. Other good resources include the Save the Manatee Club, 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751, tel. 407/ 539-0990 or 800/432-5646, email: membership@savethemanatee.org, a not-for-profit member-based organization that promotes manatee education/awareness; and the Manatee Survival Foundation, P.O. Box 50005, Lighthouse Point, FL 33074, 954/943-4391, which promotes manatee awareness and collects sighting information for regulatory agencies.

Turtles

The park protects a vital nesting ground for green sea turtles, which find their way onto the brown-sand beaches every year, June-October. The greatest numbers arrive in September. Mid-February through July, giant leatherback turtles also arrive to lay their eggs, with greatest frequency April-May, followed, in July, by female hawksbill turtles. Tortuguero is the most important green-turtle hatchery in the western Caribbean. An estimated 30,000 turtles come ashore. Each female arrives two to six times, at 10- to 14-day intervals, and waits two or three years before nesting again.

During the 1950's, the Tortuguero nesting colony came to the attention of biologist-writer Archie Carr, a lifelong student of sea turtles. Carr enlisted sympathy through his eloquent writing, particularly The Windward Road (Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 1955). His lobby, originally called the Brotherhood of the Green Turtle, worked with the Costa Rican government to establish Tortuguero as a sanctuary where the endangered turtles could nest unmolested. The sanctuary was established in 1963 and the area was named a national park in 1970. The Brotherhood, now the Caribbean Conservation Corps, CCC, Apdo. 246-2050 San Pedro, tel. 224-9215 or 238-8069, fax 225-7516, email: baulas@sol.racsa.co.cr; in the U.S., 4424 NW 13th St. Suite #A1, Gainesville, FL 32609, tel. 800/678-7853 or 904/373-6441, email: ccc@cccturtle.org, www.cccturtle.org, maintains the John H. Phipps Biological Station and a Natural History Visitor's Center. Locals still call it by its old name,Casa Verde. It is a five minute walk north of the village. The CCC also publishes Velador, a quarterly update on turtle projects in the region. You can also adopt a turtle for $35 by calling the CCC.

Despite legislation, poachers from Barra and Limón still steal turtle eggs on the beaches, and cull turtles from the sea, often carried out by armed men with high-speed boats. Incidents have dropped from 1,700 reported cases in 1997 to less than 50 in 1999.

Turtle Walks

No one is allowed on the 22-mile nesting sector without a guide after 6 p.m. Only 400 people are allowed on the beach per night, apportioned by sector, 200 maximum every two hours. Local guides escort walks at 8-10 p.m. and 10 p.m.-midnight each evening in turtle-nesting season ($10, including guide, who alone can buy tickets to access the beach at night). Strict rules and guidelines are enforced for turtle watching: no cameras or flashlights are permitted (they'll be confiscated); keep quiet, as the slightest noise can send the turtle hurrying back to sea; and keep a discreet distance. That said, a conservationist ethic is still tenuous among the local population, and you still find turtle meat and eggs for sale. You are asked to report any guide who digs up turtle hatchlings to show you, this is absolutely prohibited. Turtles are endangered, respect them.

Volunteers

The CCC needs volunteers to assist in research, including during its twice-yearly turtle tagging and monitoring programs. See the Volunteer Programs to Save the Turtles chart, in the Introduction. You should be willing to patrol up to five miles of beach nightly for 8-15 nights. Programs start at $1,360 for one week, $1,785 for two weeks, and $2,075 for three weeks, staying in the CCC dormitory at the John H. Phipps Biological Field Station (private a/c rooms in the scientist's residence are sometimes available for an additional fee). Rates include airfare, meals, and lodging.

When To Go

Rain falls year-round. The three wettest months are January, June, and July. The three driest are February, April, and November. Monsoon-type storms can lash the region at any time; rain invariably falls more heavily in the late afternoon and at night. August through November are best for turtle-watching. The interior of the park is hot, humid (very humid on sunny days), and windless. Bring good raingear; a heavy-duty poncho is ideal. The lodges provide these for guests. It can be cool enough for a windbreaker or sweater while speeding upriver under cloudy weather. Take insect repellent for the mosquitoes and no-see-ums. You'll need Avon's Skin-so-Soft, for these can be fierce.

Exploring Tortuguero Hiking: You can walk the entire length of the beach. Trails into the forests,frequently waterlogged, also begin at the park stations at both ends of the park. The 2-km-long El Gavilán Trail leads south from the Cuatro Esquinas ranger station south of Tortuguero village and takes in both beach and rainforest. A trail that begins north of Tortuga Lodge leads to Cerro Tortuguero (119 meters), two km north of Tortuga Lodge; from here, the highest point for miles around, you have a superb perspective over the swamps and coastline from the rusting WWII-era lookout tower at the top. Short hikes from Estación Jalova provide a satisfying adventure for those with only limited time.

Canoes And Boats: You can hire dugout canoes (cayucas or botes) in Tortuguero village, $6 pp the first hour, $3 each additional hour, without a guide. Miss Junie's rents canoes for $10 for four hours. Give the canoe a good inspection before shaking hands on the deal, paddle around until you feel comfortable and have ascertained that there are no leaks and that the canoe is stable. Alternately, consider a panga, a flat-bottomed boat with outboard motor. Be sure to rent one with a relatively non-polluting four-stroke motor, or a lancha, with inboard motor, which will cost more. It's also a good idea to check on local currents and directions, as the former can be quite strong and it's easy to lose your bearings amid the maze of waterways. And don't forget to pay your park entrance fee before entering Tortuguero National Park.

You can also rent kayaks through the Save the Manatee Foundation. All the funds go towards purchasing educational materials for the new village high school.

Guided Tours

If you want to see wildlife you absolutely need a guide, as otherwise you'll not see 10 percent of the wildlife you'll see in their company. The local guides, there are about 40 guides trained by the National Parks Service and organized into a local cooperative, have binocular eyes. In even the darkest shadows, they can spot caimans, birds, crocodiles and other animals you will most likely miss. You can hire local guides in the village for about $5 pp, per hour. Tours usually last two or three hours. The best guides are employed by the local lodges and are well versed in wildlife lore.You can also book guided trips at any of the lodges or through tour companies in San José. 

How To Get There

From San Jose, you have three options. First, fly on a scheduled flight departing San Jose. This flight provides spectacular views of the mountain range which separates the Central Valley from the Caribbean coast, along with a unfamiliar view of the intricate canals and lagoons of the Tortuguero National Park.Second, take a public bus from San Jose to Limon and then take an unscheduled launch from the port of Moin. Third, participate in an organized tour, which usually departs San Jose early mornings. Several tour operators use a port further north than Moín, which shortens the boat ride significantly. This port however, is only accessible for those participating in an organized tour.

If you choose visit Tortuguero via bus and canals, set aside the entire day for your trip. Direct buses depart hourly from San José to Limón and take four hours. The taxi ride from Limón to the port of Moín should take no more than fifteen minutes of your time. Several launches use the port of Moin as a departure and arrival point. While some of the launches are privately hired by organized tour operators, several are for local hire. Local merchants depart throughout the day at unspecified times. Most will not depart until they have filled their launches, therefore there is no guarantee that they will even depart. We recommend that you arrive as early as possible and get on the first launch to depart. Prices vary depending on the time of day, number of passengers and size of the boat. No naturalist guides are present, nor is food or beverages. Buy what you need in Limón before departing for Moín, as the trip normally takes approx. 4-5 hours.

If you are participating in an organized tour, chances are you will not depart from Moin, but further north; as mentioned earlier. Tour operators normally provide bilingual naturalist guides, lunch and beverages, however, there is no guarantee. If you prefer a slow, narrated trip through the Torguguero Canals, take an organized tour. Normally, an experienced tour guide will reveal surrounding wildlife as with local flora and fauna.

Caribbean Conservation Company (CCC)

The Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) and the Sea Turtle Survival League (STSL) are working to ensure the survival of sea turtles through research, education, advocacy and the protection of the natural habitats upon which they depend. This site is provided as a source of information for the world to learn about sea turtles and the threats to their survival by the CCC and its STSL program. We hope you enjoy it and come back often to see our issue updates, research findings and program additions.

Costa Rica's national reserves. Select from any of Costa Rica's national reserves listed below to obtain the most comprehesive information pertaining to the natural jews of Costa Rica. Sixteen National Parks are represented, including full color professional photographs depicting the landscape and wildflife exhibited within each park.

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, relaxa