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Natural Areas & Wildlife

Costa Rica is a natural destination and this category is where you'll find our experiences and recommendations for the National Parks, Forests, Wetlands, Wildlife Refuges and Rescues that make it an ecological wonderland.

Arenal Volcano National Park

Arenal Volcano across the lake

Arenal volcano was the most spectacularly active in Costa Rica. For 30 years hotels in the region touted their views of the lava flows and red hot boulders ejected from the volcano glowing in the darkness. For the past seven years the red hot lava has been biding its time and the activity at … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Streaks of rain in front of a wall of cloud forest at Monteverde

Cloud Forest Cloud forest is quite different from lowland tropical rain forest. The name comes from the observation that the forests are nearly always shrouded in clouds. These forests are situated at high altitude along the continental divide down the spine of Costa Rica. As the warm moist … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Rincón de la Vieja National Park

Grasslands at Rincon de la Vieja

- advance ticket purchase required - There are two places in the area where you can visit Yellowstone like geothermal sites. Boiling hot mud springs, sulfur springs, steam vents, and fumaroles are abundant at Las Pailas and Las Hornillas (not to be confused with Las Hornillas on the slopes of … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge

A private Wildlife Refuge with acres of virgin rain forest, regenerating pasture, mangrove swamps and beaches creating one of the best bird watching locations in the world. Established and lovingly built by fellow Coloradoan, Jack Ewing, this ranch turned nature reserve has become one of the … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Rainmaker Biological Reserve

squirrel monkey

Rainmaker is one of our favorites and an undiscovered secret for trails through an old growth tropical rain forest filled with birds, amphibians and reptiles.  We've visited half a dozen times and nearly always had the reserve to ourselves. trails | wildlife | getting there | best time | photos | … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Punta Mala-Playa Hermosa National Wildlife Refuge

Scarlet Macaws

Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Playa Hermosa-Punta Mala stretches 13 km southeast along the Pacific  from the village of Hermosa  to the village of Esterillos Oeste.  It encompasses wetlands, a small lagoon, mangrove estuary, rock reef, tropical rain forest and of course spectacular beaches with … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Best Places to See Monkeys & Sloths in Costa Rica

Sloth reaching for a snack

It's not as exotic as the end of a muddy trail through the remotest rain forest but the trees along the highways and roads are one of the easiest places to see sloth and monkeys especially if you're riding with a guide or local driver.  Of course national parks and wildlife refuges provide … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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La Cangreja National Park

Encanto Waterfall

La Cangreja National Park is only 20 miles from downtown San José as the crow flies but it's as remote and wild as any of Costa Rica's better known natural areas.  We didn't realize how wild until we rounded a bend in the trail to catch a glimpse of a Puma disappearing around the corner ahead of … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Resplendent Quetzals

Male Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomacrus mocinno, Spanish-Quetzal or Feníx del Bosque)

Although the northern Quetzal subspecies (Pharomachrus mocinno mocinno) is the national bird of Guatemala we've been told by birders that they are easier to see and there is a much larger population in Costa Rica because the forests are better protected here. Quetzal - Pharomachrus mocinno … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Macaws in Costa Rica

Green Macaws Ara ambiguus Tortuguero Costa Rica

Macaws were once nearly extinct in Costa Rica - we were told there were more pet Macaws in New York City than in the wild in Central America.  Since 2005, isolated populations of Scarlet Macaws in Corcovado and Carara National Parks have expanded into healthy flocks the entire length of the Pacific … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Best Places to See Wildlife in Costa Rica

Wildlife viewing tips

The Big Three - monkeys, sloths and macaws - are easy to find.  Put yourself in the right place - Manuel Antonio and Corcovado are two of the best places to see wildlife, at the right time - early morning.  Listen carefully, pay attention to signs and use the rest of these tips and techniques and … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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La Amistad International Peace Park

Crude bridge On the way to La Amistad before we completely departed civilization

It took twenty years of trying but I finally visited La Amistad in a big way as a 50th birthday trip in 2012.  We hiked all the way across Costa Rica starting at Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean and ending at Playa Hermosa near Uvita on the Pacific.  The whole story is here and it was Awesome! La … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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A M Brenes Biological Reserve

epiphytes

Northwest of San Ramón in the Tiláran Mountains Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve abuts Monteverde cloud forest reserve and the children’s eternal rainforest. The biological station under the direction of the Occidente Campus of the University of Costa Rica at Alberto Brenes is very … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Ballena National Park

Humpback Jumping

Marino Ballena National Park is named after the Humpback Whales that migrate here each year from December to April to mate before returning to the frigid waters to the north. Playas Uvita and Ballena are relatively unvisited stretches of white and golden sand. Green marine iguanas (iguana … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Barbilla National Park

Barbilla National Park Location

On the Caribbean slopes of the Talamanca Mountains, Parque Nacional Barbilla was created mainly through the efforts of the Fundación Nairi and is supported by INBio which continues to operate the Estación Biológica Barbilla within the boundaries.  Part of the Talamanca/La Amistad Biosphere … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge

Canoeing on a Caribbean canal

With all the water in the region it is not surprising that the main attraction here is the fishing. World class tarpon and snook fishing attract anglers from all over, and other gamefish include bluegill, rainbow bass (guapote), alligator gar and machaca in the rivers and barracuda, mackerel, and … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Barra Honda Caverns National Park

Descending into Terciopelo Cavern

The area of the Tempisque Basin where the Nicoya Peninsula joins the mainland has a foundation of relatively soft limestone. Water has cut extensive caves through Cerro Barra Honda and the other small mountains creating the best know feature of this National Park. However, the park also has well … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Las Baulas National Marine Park

Recently hatched baby leatherback turtle

Leatherback Sea Turtles Marino las Baulas de Guanacaste Tamarindo/Playa Grande National Park has a history nearly as long and convoluted as its name. For thousands of years leatherback sea turtles that hatched at Playa Grande have returned to lay their eggs.  The park's namesake leatherback turtles … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Braulio Carrillo National Park

Cloud Forest

As you head east from San José on the Guápiles Highway the Zurquí tunnel transports you from the modern world into the rainforest and cloud forest of Braulio Carrillo National Park. The two most important features of Braulio Carrillo National Park are ironically opposed in some ways. One is the … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Cahuita National Park

Two toed sloth, (Choloepus hoffmanni)

The Coral Reefs Cahuita National Park is best known for the coral reefs close to shore. In the dry season, there is good snorkeling (guide required), and you are likely to see light yellow brain, elkhorn, and blue staghorn corals, sea fans, and gorgonians as a back drop to the more than 500 species … [Read more...]

Ray & Sue

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Nature & Wildlife

Nature & Wildlife
  • Corcovado National Park
  • Irazú Volcano National Park
  • Carara National Park
  • Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Cerro Chirripó National Park
  • Poás Volcano National Park
  • Tenorio Volcano National Park
  • Official National Park Reservation System SINAC
  • National Parks & Reserves
  • Toucans in Costa Rica
  • Río Tárcoles Crocodile Bridge
  • Poás Volcano – Tickets & Visitor Information
  • Turtle Nesting
  • Volcanoes in Costa Rica
  • Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve
  • Best Places to Camp in Costa Rica
  • Stop Animal Selfies
  • Don’t Feed the Animals
  • Tortuguero National Park
  • Bird Feeder Ban



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