I Preparing for Your Trip Travel in the tropics, particularly in the backcountry, presents some chal­ lenges that may be unfamiliar to a traveler from more temperate climes. The culture, weather, terrain, and biotic components of Costa Rica's environment shouldallbe taken into considerationbeforeyouset out on yourtrip.Thischap­ tergives youinformationabout what activities are availableand where,the best times to go,what to expect inthe way of accommodationsand food, howto get around, what to bring, and howto stay healthy and have a safe trip. WHAT TO DO There are a widevariety of outdooractivities youcan pursue withinthe bound­ aries of Costa Rica's parks and reserves. This tropical country's beauty can be explored through terrestrial pursuits such as hiking and caving, as well as by aquatic sports such as scuba divi ng and kayaking. The following should help you decide what activities you want to undertake and what specializedequip­ ment to bring beyond the essentials, which are detailed later in this chapte r. Route descriptions for each type of activity listed below are given in the four chapters in Part II, with the exception of birdingand wildlife-watching, which are covered in Chapter 2, in the Flora and Fauna sections. Hikingand Backpacking Costa Rica 's parks and reserves offerdiverse day hikes and backpackingtrips. The vi sitor can hike steamy lowland forests, long, deserted beaches, and strenuous mountain paths. Almost all the parks have at least a few reason­ ably maintained short trails,and some, such as Santa Rosa, have excellent trail systems. In general, there are fewer well-maintained, long backpacking trails than you may have come to expect in North America. There are exceptions in Corcovado, Monteverde,and Santa Rosa, but most long trailseither were there before the area became a park orexistforutilitarian purposes forpark person­ nel. This means that trails are almost never marked with tree blazes or other markings, and you need to be a little Vi gilant so as not to stray off main paths. Forso me areas, such as the largely unexplored LaAmistad National Park, map and compass skillsare a necessity. This is changing, and as more Costa Ricans and foreign tourists have shown interest in extensive backpackingtrails, there has been serious discussion about the creation of trailsthat cross the country both north-south and east-west. Hopefully, a future edition of this book will have a description of a Costa Rican version of the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail. Opposite: Palm trees inoldpasture, CurtiWildli fe Re fuge 18 20 "* CostaRica: National Parksand Preserves Wh atever the length and difficulty of the trails you hike in Costa Rica, re­ member that the intensity of the sun and humidity are more than you might be used to.Take it easy at first, and rememberto carryand drink lots of water. Itis not uncommon to need to drink three liters a day inthe hot lowlands. Mountain Biking Some of the parks provide excellent opportunities for mountain bikin g. Palo Verde, Lomas Barbudal, Penas Blancas, and Ballena all have dirt roads that are untraveled save for the rare four-wheel-drive vehicle or horseback rider. Be prepared for a variety of surface conditions, as trails here can produce rim­ bending rocks, mud up to the chainstays, and tire-puncturing thorns. You should bring alltools, tires, and spare parts withyou. Snorkeling and Scuba Diving Costa Rica has two true coral reefs, both located offthe Caribbean coast. The first, in Cahuita National Park, is the more mature and extensive of the two but was badly damaged by the 1990 earthquake; it is still worth snorkeling around. The second is farthe r to the south in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildli fe Refuge.It's a younger and less extensive reef, but it seems to be more biotl­ cally intact. Good snorkeling can also be found in Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific side. Scuba diving is a relatively new sport in Costa Rica, but the newly created Ballena National Park and Isla del Cafio feature some very attractivesituations for experienced deepwater divers. The remote Isla del Cocos National Park is becoming world-renowned for its diving, but it is remote and expensive to get to. If you are going to dive without a guide or tour, you should bring all of your equipment with you, as no one rents it yet. You may be able to refill tanks through some of the dive tour operators out of Playa Hermosa or in Limon on the Caribbean side. Sea Kayaking Opportunities for sea kayaking exist on the Tortuguero canal on the Atlantic side, and inthe Ni coya Peninsula and the Golfo Dulceregion on the Pacificside. Each of these areas requires you to be experienced at weather prediction and dealing withtides. Kayaking in the side channels and creeks of the Tortuguero regionfurther requires the use of topographic maps and a compass, as it is very easyto become disoriented insome of the backwaterareas. Seas onthe Pacific sideare more predictable during the dryseason. Touroperators out of SanJose offerpackage trips, oryou can bringyourown equipment. Caving Experienced cavers can explore the li mestone caverns of Barra HondaNational Park, covered in Chapter 5,Northwestern Region. Allcaves in the park require specialized equipment, although it is possible to arrange a trip to one of the caverns with park rangers. Recently,a large cave system was discovered inthe vicin ityof La Am istad National Park, and this has yet to be explored. Weath er and Climate "* 21 WEATHER AND CLIMATE Costa Rica has a remarkable range of climatic conditions for such a small country. Sharp contrasts in topography create a variety of weather conditions, from torrid tempertures in the lowlands to cool breezes in the upland valleys to the chill of the high mountains,where subfreezing temperatures have been recorded. Costa Rica's climate is also characterized by wet and dry seasons. Many visitors become confused when talking wi th Costa Ricans about the seasons; they seem to be reversed in relation to those in the Northern Hemisphere. When Costa Ricans talk about verano (summer), they mean the hot dry season between December and May, and invierno (wi nter) refers to the wet season between May and Novem ber. This corresponds with seasons in Spain and is a carryover from the Spanish Mediterranean region from which the first colo­ nists arrived. Along with the rest of the world's climate, these seasons are becoming in­ creasingly erratic, but the following generalities can be made. The At lantic or Caribbean side is driest from February through April , and wettest from Novem ber through January. However, youshould be prepared for rain at any timeduring the year in this part of the country. The Pacific side and central parts of the country are driest from January through March. Guanacaste Province, which includes Santa Rosa and Rincon de la Vi eja National Parks, has a dry season inwhich virtually no rainfalls inthe lowlands forthe duration. During the dryseason inGuanacaste,it's a good idea to check with park personnel or local people about the availability of water on backcountrytrips before settingout. During the dry season from Decemberto March,the more popularparks can become quite crowded, particularlyduring Costa Ric an school holidays. The rainy season is from the end of May to Novem ber. The change in the landscape is quite spectacular with the comingof the fi rst rains, shifting from browns and grays to vibrant greens virtually overnight. Amajor consideration for backcountrytravelers is that access to Corcovado Nation al Parkisvery lim­ ited during the rainy season on the Pacifi c coast, and the muddiness of trails and intensity of biting insects make hiking over long distances unpleasant. However, ifyou are not planningon visitingany of the more remote parks, and particularly if you would like to visitthe popular ones such as Man uel Antonio and Chirripo, try to do so during the rainy season. The parks are surprisingly deserted during this period. You might be more likely to get wet, but the soli ­ tude can be worth it. Holidays l You may want to plan your trip around the Costa Rican holidays listed below, when the entire countryshuts down. Obviously, if you're on an extended back­ packingtripduring these times,youwon't be affected. However,in urban areas the buses, shops, and government offices become nonoperational and hotel rooms can be more difficult to fin d. Banks are also usuallyclosed.All of this can mean frustrating delays orrequire unexpected changes in travel plans. Tohelp 22 "* CostaRica: National Parks and Preserves you anticipate and avoidsuch problems, the officialholidays are li sted below. December30 and january I-New Year's March 19-5aint joseph's Day PalmSunday to EasterSunday(usually late Marchto mid-April)-Holy Wee k Aprilll-juan Santa Maria Day May I-Labor Day june 29-Day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul july2S-Guanacaste Annexation Day August 2-Virgin de los Angeles Day August IS-Mother's Day September IS- In dependence Day October 12-Columbus Day December8- Day of Immaculate Conception December2S-Christmas WHAT TO EXPECT IN COSTA RICA To the NorthAmerican or European traveler, Costa Rica feels the least cultur­ ally different of all the Central American countries. Yet there are some dif­ ferences that a visitor to the parks and backcountry away from San jose will encounter. Things happen more slowly. If the bus or plane is late, don't panic. Costa Ricans are generally very friendly people who are eager to please, so don't be insulted if someone in the countryside gives you directions that turn out to be wrong. It's possible that they did not know the answer to your ques­ tion, and were trying to give you an Seaturtleand friend, Curu Wildlife answer that they thought you want­ Refuge ed to hear.