Costa Rica National Parks

In 1970 the people of Costa Rica realized that their beautiful country deserved to be protected so that future generations could share its beauty.  That year the Costa Rica national park system was formed and is admired around the world.  Costa Rica has maintained a higher proportion of it’s land mass for national parks than any other country in the world- with 10.27 % protected as national parks by Costa Rican law and an additional 17 % set aside for forest and Indian reserves, wildlife refuges and buffer zones.

There is also a concerted effort by the Costa Rican government to protect areas of historic and archaeological interest.  Pre Columbian settlement areas and early battlefields are protected with the same fervor as are rain and deciduous forests and wildlife preserves.  Protecting the natural resources of Costa Rica has far reaching implications because of its amazing biodiversity, including many species on the verge of extinction.

National Treasures

The government National Conservation Areas System (SINAC) established in 1998 protects nearly two hundred conservation areas, including over 50 wildlife refuges, 32 major national parks, over a dozen forest reserves and a handful of biological reserves. In most cases, access to all of the Costa Rica National Park System and reserve System is inexpensive and readily available, though some are easier to get to than others.  All that is asked is that all visitors are respectful of the need to protect these valuable resources. This program has provided the people of Costa Rica and tourists with an amazing opportunity to admire and examine the wonders of nature, since over 75% of the flora and fauna of Central America are included in these national treasures and over 4% of all world species.

  The National Parks and Wildlife Refuges are managed by MINAE- Ministerio de Ambiental y Energia.  In total more than 25% of the land area of Costa Rica is protected by one program or the other. 

Guanacaste National Park

One of the largest parks in the Costa Rican national park system, Guanacaste boasts over 84,000 protected acres of rain and cloud forests, as well as significant cattle pastures and savanna area.  The park is the hard work of Costa Rican pioneer, Dr. Daniel Jantzen, who lobbied tirelessly for its creation.  Encompassing a myriad of neighboring habitats in order to preserve disappearing species of fauna the park was established on July 25th , 1989.

The primary attractions at Arenal Volcano National Park are, of course, the volcanoes.  Listed among the top ten most active volcanoes in the world, Arenal has not had a major eruption since July 29th, 1968.  That eruption was preceded by an earthquake and two villages were completely wiped out. The blast was felt as far away as Boulder, Colorado!  Nowadays the volcanic activity is limited to amazing lava emissions and smoldering cinder-blocks. The other volcano at this park is the dormant, Chato, which boasts an amazing collapsed crater that is now a beautiful lagoon surrounded by forest.

Tortuguero National Park

The Tortuguero National Park is located in the south pacific Costa Rica zone, part of the tortuguero conservation Area, the tortuguero national park is famous for being home of the nesting ground for various sea turtles that now are endangered species, also for its lush vegetation and wildlife, mainly accessible only by boat, this National Park will amaze you.

Manuel Antonio National Park

The Famous Manuel Antonio National Park offers a popular combination of Costa Rica's most scenic terrains: warm, jade-green waves lap at the roots of a lush tropical forest. Birds fill the trees with color while armadillos amble along in the underbush. An encounter with the park's most outgoing inhabitants, white-faced monkeys, is almost guaranteed.

Barra Honda National Park

Located midway between Nicoya and the mouth of the Rio Tempisque, this 2295 hectare national park protects a vast underground system of more than 40 caves. A combination of rainfall and erosion has created the caverns, some of which are more than 200m deep. Only 21 of the caves have been explored, so Barra Honda is of special interest to speleologists looking for something new.

Braulio Carrillo has an extraordinary biodiversity attributable to the steep range of altitudes, from the misty 2906m cloud-forest campsites atop massive volcan Barva, to the lush, humid 50m lowlands stretching toward the Carribbean Sea. Its watershed is San Jose's most important water source. The park's creation was a compromise between conservationists and developers. San Jose's only link to Puerto Limon was long limited to the crumbling railway and a slow, rural road. Government and industry agreed to link the nation's capital and most important port.

The Rincon de la Vieja National Park is mostly famous for the imponent volcano bearing its name, but there are several other attractions you must consider when thinking on visiting, like the thermal mud pools, waterfalls areas and lakes. Close to Liberia Rincon de la Vieja is a great option if you are visiting Guanacaste and want to spend a day away from the beach.

The Poas Volcano National Park is located right outside of San Jose and is home to the largest active crater volcano in the world, lakes of molten sulfur and frequent geyser-like eruptions are some of its main attractions. In the National Park property you will be able to see many local animals like hummingbirds, quetzals, fly catchers and toucans.

Santa Rosa National Park

The Santa Rosa National Park, located in the beautiful region of Guanacaste bears a special symbolism for Costa Rica, It was the scene of the Battle of Santa Rosa to keep Costa Rica's sovereignty against William Walker and his filibusters on a war against Costa Rica, being the "Casona" the main battleground.

Cahuita National Park

Parque Nacional Cahuita's claim to fame is its spectacular 600 hectare coral reef. Though 22,400 hectares of the park are marine, the accessible coastal rainforest is worth exploring as well. Playa Blanca(Named for its warm white sand) is south of the station, where less active park visitors laze and take dips in the surf.