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...]
Wildlife & Nature Reserves & Rescues in Costa Rica
Wildlife and Nature Reserves and Rescues in Costa Rica encompass a broad range of protected areas. From literally someone's back yard where they nurse injured or illegally captured animals back to health and work to release them back to the wild to huge areas encompassing hotels, bars, restaurants and even whole small towns with the surrounding beaches and forests as in Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
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...]
Rainmaker Biological Reserve
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...]
Punta Mala-Playa Hermosa National Wildlife Refuge
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...]
A M Brenes Biological Reserve
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...]
Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge
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...]
Caño Negro Wetlands National Wildlife Refuge
Caño Negro is off the beaten path, but worth the effort. Most visits start out at Los Chiles where you board a boat and glide up the Río Frío through canyons of green towards the everglade like Lago Caño Negro. Hundreds of tourists from the Arenal Volcano region bus in every day to tour … [Read more...]
Curi Cancha Wildlife Refuge
Undiscovered & Less Crowded Cloud Forest Experience A new private reserve is as much a refuge for human visitors as the resident birds and animals. Thousands fewer people arrive at the gates each week than at its famous neighbor, Monteverde. For visitors willing to give up the cache of going … [Read more...]
Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
Probably about a dozen years ago Sue and I were walking the coast trail to punta Mona in Gandoca Manzanillo wildlife refuge and we started talking about all the animals we'd seen, not just that day but in all our visits to Costa Rica. I was trying to come up with some that we hadn't seen but really … [Read more...]
Isla Bolaños Wildlife Refuge
Isla Bolaños National Wildlife Refuge in the Bahía Salinas was established to protect nesting sites for Brown Pelicans and Magnificent Frigatebirds. The windy ridges on the southwestern side of the island are isolated from predators and provide perfect launch pads for the adult’s fishing sorties … [Read more...]
La Selva Biological Station & Reserve
Located in the Caribbean lowlands and bracketed by the Sarapiquí and Puerto Viejo Rivers, La Selva is covered with what is technically known as tropical pre-montane wet forest and more commonly referred to as rainforest. There is no better place in Costa Rica to learn about this ever more endangered … [Read more...]
Lankester Orchids Botanical Gardens
Lankester Gardens has a world class collection of nearly a thousand varieties of orchids displayed at eye level. The huge number of plants means you can see blooms year round, although Feb. through April is the most spectacular time to visit. The 26 acres of gardens are home to nearly 3,000 species … [Read more...]
Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve
Almost a quarter of the world’s bee species can be found in Lomas Barbudal (Reserva Biológica Lomas Barbudal - Bearded Hills) Biological Reserve. One of the more unique genus are the large, solitary, tunneling, Abejas Antofóridas-Centris bees that attracted G. Frankie (now at the University of … [Read more...]
Tirimbina Rainforest National Wildlife Refuge
Quite possibly our favorite place to visit the rainforest on a budget. If Finca Verde aka Finca Gavilan and Heliconias Lodge at Bijagua between Tenorio and Miravalles national parks weren't so incredible there wouldn't be any competition. Under $120 (okay so it's $119 - $59.50 each) for two … [Read more...]
Wilson Botanical Gardens
Robert and Catherine Wilson started this garden in 1963 and ten years later control was transferred to the Organization for Tropical Studies. There are more than a thousand species of plants on the grounds, and the gardens serve several purposes. They are used as a training ground for … [Read more...]
Rescues & Zoos
Some of Costa Rica’s jungle residents are easier to spot in the wild than others, but a visit to one of the many cat, bird or other animal rescues guarantees sightings. You’ll also have a chance to learn about rainforest wildlife from the founders, guides, volunteers and scientists whose … [Read more...]