The National Parks Of Costa Rica Exploring the most biodiverse country on earth The National Parks Of Costa Rica The National Parks Of Costa Rica: Exploring the most biodiverse country on earth Exploring the most biodiverse country on earth Copyright © 2016 Horizon Guides Presented by: All our coverage is 100% impartial and editorially independent. Our guides are researched and written by destination experts and are not influenced in any way by our sponsors. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all advice provided in this guide, the reality is that any travel information is liable to change at short notice. We strongly advise that you verify any important details prior to your trip as we cannot be held responsible for errors or information that has since become outdated. Published by Horizon Guides Suite 38, Alison Business Centre 39-40 Alison Crescent, Sheffield, S2 1AS http://horizontravelpress.com/ Edited by Cynthia Ord Layout & design by Simon Ross-Gill Front cover photograph: Brandon Alms © 123RF.com Contents Using This Guide 6 Welcome to Costa Rica Adventure Without End 10 Highlights 12 About The Authors 15 Best For... Best For Nature And Birdwatching 18 Best For Beach Escapes 21 Best For Active Adventures 22 Best For Families And Kids 25 Best For Luxurious Retreats 26 Exploring Costa Rica Costa Rica's National Parks, At A Glance 30 A A C C I Manuel Antonio National Park 32 I R R A A Poás Volcano National Park 36 A T T Tortuguero National Park 40 F COS F Cahuita National Park 45 COS F O Arenal Volcano National Park 48 O Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 52 Corcovado National Park 56 AL PARKS PARKS AL Tenorio Volcano National Park 61 PARKS AL N N IO Guanacaste National Park 64 IO T T Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 68 Resources THE NA THE Climate And When To Visit 74 NA THE Ecotourism In Costa Rica 76 Nature Photography In Costa Rica 78 Costa Rica FAQs 84 About Lost World Adventures 88 Photo Credits 88 Photo © Jim O’Donnell 4 5 Using This Guide somewhere rustic and remote, a soak in a volcanic hot spring, or a lazy Costa Rica’s national parks are a lounge on a white-sand beach, this beacon of inspiration to the nation’s guide will match you to the places neighbors and to the world. As a that fit your own travel tastes and leader in land conservation, Costa Rica style. has designated an astonishing 25% Many of Costa Rica’s parks and A A C C I of its landmass as protected area--the protected areas are accessible for I R highest in the world. A dizzying 26 independent travelers on do-it- R A A A T national parks encompass all kinds of yourself adventures using public T landscapes, habitats, and ecosystems. transport. But for the most immersive F COS F How to keep them all straight? experience, visiting with a specialist COS F O This guide is intended to give readers tour operator is recommended. O a feel for Costa Rica’s best-loved Not only does it mean improved national parks. We’ll look at each convenience, allowing you to squeeze of the the top nine parks (and one more into a tight schedule, it also AL PARKS PARKS AL reserve), highlighting their claim to means traveling with naturalist guides PARKS AL N fame and most popular activities. helping you unlock each park’s hidden N IO IO T Costa Rica’s parks are living, secrets. With this guide, you’ll be T breathing things. They have ready to choose the right trip, and personalities all of their own. Whether make decisions about which national THE NA THE you’re looking for a vigorous hike parks are must-sees for you. NA THE 6 7 8 OSTA RICA OSTA RICA OSTA C C W C WELCOME TO TO WELCOME TO WELCOME O elco A A C C I I S R R A A A T T TA F COS F COS F O O RI M AL PARKS PARKS AL AL PARKS PARKS AL N N ca E IO IO T T to THE NA THE THE NA THE Photo: Eduardo Rivero ©123RF.com Rivero Eduardo Photo: 9 Adventure Without you first visited Costa Rica, you think: spend a lifetime trying to fully absorb to the wilderness. In the beach towns I can't believe this is real. I can't believe this tiny country. and roadside sodas, locals eagerly End this is happening. Every day, I felt fresh disbelief: The recommend favorite places and I worked as a journalist in Costa Rica waterfalls seemed too ethereal, the pastimes. Wander into any village, Robert Isenberg for nearly two years, and I saw and ficus trees too robust, the howler and you’ll be riding a horse before So there you are, did everything I could pack into those monkeys too sociable. Could the you know it. sitting in a canoe, 22 months. I zip-lined through the colors of a macaw’s feathers really Like that caiman floating in the gazing into the murky rainforest. I learned how to surf and blaze so brightly? Could tapirs really Tortuguero swamp, most of Costa canal, and you realize scuba dive. When Turrialba Volcano burst from the bushes and chase you Rica is both thrilling and benign. OSTA RICA OSTA RICA OSTA C that the dark eyes of erupted, I headed as close to the down a trail? Every visit to a national The rainforest is a raw experience, C a caiman are staring volcano as I could. I met artists and park unveiled new wonders. To stand overflowing with tarantulas and back at you. A blanket of fallen leaves politicians, environmentalists and within striking distance of an eyelash coral snakes and wild cats, and these covers the dark water, so you can hoteliers. I bicycled from one coast to viper and photograph its yellow body creatures can all be deadly. Riptides barely see the reptile’s long snout. the other, braving 300 miles of rough coiled against a tree is something this and unexpected canyons are real But the caiman's head has definitely road and endless pineapple trucks. I New Englander never imagined in his dangers. But Costa Rica is a place WELCOME TO TO WELCOME surfaced; he is stalking you, only a few can say with authority, after so many life. where you can flirt with adventure TO WELCOME feet from your weathered wooden breathtaking experiences, that I still Contrary to their laidback and live to tell the tale--preferably paddle. feel like I saw almost nothing. reputation Ticos, as Costa Ricans are with a guaro cocktail and a plate full A A C C I You gulp down surprise and Costa Rica is about half the size affectionately known, are a skilled of arroz con pollo. And no matter how I R exhilaration. Your guide, Abel, is of Pennsylvania, and most of that and industrious people, and they love much you experience, there is always R A A A T perched in the boat’s stern, and he terrain is covered in dense jungle. to show off their country. Anywhere something new, hidden just beyond T chuckles quietly. But the people and landscapes are so else, I avoid tours and guides like sight. F COS F “I think he is hungry,” he jokes. diverse, the must-see destinations are the plague, but Tico guides are well COS F O And for the thousandth time since so difficult to reach, that you could trained and preternaturally attuned O AL PARKS PARKS AL AL PARKS PARKS AL N N IO IO T T THE NA THE THE NA THE Photo © Jim O’Donnell 10 11 12 Highlights Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National National Volcano Park (p.68) Park (p. 64) Park National Guanacaste National Park (p.61) Park National Volcano Tenorio Reserve (p.52) Cloud Forest M onteverde onteverde National Park (p.48) Park National Arenal Volcano OSTA RICA OSTA RICA OSTA C C Park (p.36) Park VolcanoNational Poás Corcovado National Park Park National Corcovado National Park (p.32) Park National M anuel Antonio anuel Antonio WELCOME TO TO WELCOME TO WELCOME A A C C I I R R A A A (p. 56) T T Cahuita National Park Cahuita Park National F COS F COS F O O (p. 40) Park National Tortuguero AL PARKS PARKS AL AL PARKS PARKS AL (p. 45) N N IO IO T T THE NA THE THE NA THE 13 About The Authors Jim O’Donnell Freelance journalist, Robert Isenberg author and photographer, Jim Robert Isenberg O’Donnell focuses on spent nearly two conservation, human years in Costa Rica as rights, and travel. A an adventurer and former archaeologist, O’Donnell is journalist for the Tico the author of “Notes for the Aurora OSTA RICA OSTA RICA OSTA C Times. An award-winning writer and Society” as well as numerous articles, C stage actor, Isenberg has contributed several sordid tales, various angry to such diverse publications as Lonely letters-to-the-editor and other Planet, McSweeney's, Mental Floss, scribblings. He lives in New Mexico The Christian Science Monitor, and with his two children. Visit his Pittsburgh Magazine. He has authored website Around the World in Eighty WELCOME TO TO WELCOME several books, most recently The Years and follow him on Twitter @ TO WELCOME Green Season, a jaunty collection of jimodonnell2 journalism and essays from his time A A C C I in Costa Rica (also on Audible).