st-loc-cos9 Initial Mapping Markgr Date 25-02-10 Road Scale All key roads labelled? Hierarchy Date Title Hydro oast Editor Cxns Spot colours removed? Hierarchy Nthpt Masking in Illustrator done? Symbols ne MC Cxns Date Book Inset/enlargement correct? Off map Notes dest'ns Key Author Cxns Date Final Ed Cxns Date KEY FORMAT SETTINGS Number of Rows (Lines) Editor Check Date MC Check Date Column Widths and Margins MC/CC Signoff Date ©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd Central Pacific Coast Why Go? Puntarenas. 353 Stretching from the rough-and-ready port of Puntarenas to Parque.Nacional.. the tiny town of Uvita, the central Pacific coast is home to Carara. 356 both wet and dry tropical rainforests, sun-drenched sandy beaches and a healthy dose of wildlife. On shore, national Playa.Herradura. 359 parks protect endangered squirrel monkeys and scarlet ma- Jacó. 360 caws, while offshore waters are home to migrating whales Playa.Hermosa. 3. 70 and pods of dolphins. Quepos . .373 With so much biodiversity packed into a small geograph- Parque.Nacional.. ic area, it’s no wonder the coastal region is often thought Manuel.Antonio. .387 of as Costa Rica in miniature. Given its close proximity to Dominical. .392 San José and the Central Valley and highlands, and its well- developed system of paved roads, this part of the country is Uvita. .397 a favorite weekend getaway for domestic and international Parque.Nacional.. travelers. Marino.Ballena. .399 While threats of unregulated growth and environmental Ojochal.Area. .400 damage are real, it’s also important to see the bigger picture, namely the stunning nature that first put the central Pacific coast on the map. Best Places to Eat ¨¨Citrus (p406) When to Go ¨¨Exotica (p406) ¨¨West of the Cordillera Central, rains fall heavily between ¨¨Graffiti (p367) April and November. The hillsides are particularly lush ¨¨Sabor Español (p403) and green during this time ¨ ¨¨Tropical Sushi (p376) ¨In summer (December to March) little rain falls, leaving the countryside dry and barren looking. ¨¨Festival fans will want to visit from around mid- Out-of-the-Way January to late February, when music and art gatherings Beaches light up Jacó and Uvita. ¨¨Matapalo (p395) ¨¨Playa Colonia (p401) ¨¨Playa Esterillos (p371) ¨¨Playa Hermosa (p370) ¨¨Playa Palo Seco (p376) 350 1 Zona Protectora 1 Esparza Río Grande Puntarenas Chacarita A l a j u e l a Atenas 17 Lepanto Barranca Ferry Isla Boca Barranca San Zona Protectora Playa Doña 3 Cerro Atenas San Mata de Mateo Lucas Ana Turu Ba Ri Playa Limón Orotina Tropical Park Naranjo Reserva Puerto Biológica Caldera Isla Guayabo e s San Pablo o l c de Turrubares Ferry Playa Tivives r & Valor á T Santiago de Puriscal Reserva Biológica o Zona Península Paquera Islas Negritos í Protectora R de Nicoya Curú Refugio Nacional de Cerros de Parque Turrubares Vida Silvestre Curú Nacional Central Pa Tárcoles Carara Pochote Isla Tortuga Playa Bijagual S a n J o s é Tambor Tambor Golfo de Nicoya Punta Reserva 34 Reserva Absoluta Leona Indígena Nicolás Wessburg Zapatón C Playa i Montezuma fi Herradura C Cabuya Jacó Coast Playa Hermosa Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco Refugio Nacional de Valle de Parrita P . Playa Hermosa A Playa C Parrita i Esterillos fi C Playa Palo . Seco C O A s t . H ig H l ig H t s P A C I F I C O C E A N 0 30km 0 20 miles Central Pacific Coast Highlights 1. Watching.troops.of. 2.surfing.the.beach. 3.sampling.some.of.the. monkeys,.lazy.sloths.and. breaks.of.Jacó.(p362),. coast’s.most.sophisticated. gliding.brown.pelicans.at. Playa Hermosa.(p370). cuisine.in.Ojochal.(p405) . Parque Nacional Manuel and.Dominical.(p397).–.or. 4.listening.for.squawking. Antonio.(p389) .. learning.how . pairs.of.scarlet.macaws.flying..