Costa Rica National Parks
In Costa Rica, there are about three dozen including national parks, biological reserves, wildlife refuges, monuments and parks recreation areas. They represent nearly 13% of country.Total protected areas are up to 27% of Costa Rica.
Arenal National Park
Size: 2,920 hectares.
Location: Province of Guanacaste, north of Tilaran Mountains, in the cantons of Tilarán, San Carlos and San Ramon.
Description: Foggy forest, mountain rain forest.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available.
Services: None. Read About Arenal National Park Tours
Barra Honda National Park
Size: 2,295 hectares.
Location: Province of Guanacaste, 22 kilometers north of Nicoya.
Description: Important limestone reef formations when submerged region there are 60 million years, as well as an extensive cave system. You should go with a guide.
Number of visitors in 2389.
Services: Information, toilets, drinking water.
Braulio Carrillo National Park
Size: 45.899 hectares.
Location: North-Central Valley, between Poas and Irazu volcanoes, extending from the Alto de la Palma Biological Station La Selva Sarapiqui.
Description: 4500 mm of rainfall a year to fill this park with countless rivers and waterfalls, as well as more than 6,500 species of plants and animals. Its size and its proximity to San Jose, it is an ideal destination.
Number of visitors: 11,513.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, toilets, drinking water, exhibitions.
Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve
Size: 1,172 hectares of land and 1790 hectares of sea.
Location: Puntarenas Province, the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Description: Refuge wildlife and flora of the dry Pacific region, 119 species of trees. the oldest official biological reserve in Costa Rica.
Number of visitors: 8307
Services: Information, picnic areas, primitive latrines, potable water.
Cahuita National Park
Size: 1,068 hectares of land, 22,400 hectares of sea.
Location: On the Caribbean coast, in the province of Limón, 42 kilometers south of Limon.
Description: turquoise water and extensive coral reefs are the most popular destination for recreational divers. Inability to control maritime access has caused considerable damage to the reef, and experts fear that the site will be permanently destroyed by poorly trained divers.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, restrooms, showers and parking.
Cano Island Biological Reserve
Size: 200 hectares of land, 2,700 hectares of sea.
Location: In the Pacific Ocean, 15 kilometers off the coast of Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula.
Description: First rainforest, also an important pre-Columbian archaeological site. Coral reefs, dolphins and whales.
Number of visitors: 3325
Services: Information, drinking water, sanitation.
Cao Black National Wildlife Refuge
Size: 9.969 hectares.
Location: Northern Province Alajuela, Guatuso lowlands, 20 kilometers south of Los Chiles.
Description: swamp drainage and fresh water of the Rio Frio basin basis. Protects thousands of migratory birds, as well as ocelot, jaguar, tapir, peccary and several species of monkeys.
Number of visitors: No information available.
Services: Information, picnic areas.
Carara Biological Reserve
Size: 4,700 hectares.
Location: Province of Puntarenas, southeast of Orotina.
Description: transition zone between dry and wet forest. human invasion along perimeters, illegal mining, tourists and poorly controlled fires have taken heavy losses in this small portion of forest surrounded by development.
Number of visitors: 26,754.
Services: Information, primitive latrines, drinking water, parking. Read About Carara National Park Tour
Chirripo National Park
Size: 50,150 hectares.
Location: Part of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, in the Talamanca Mountains, 20 kilometers northeast of San Isidro de El General.
Description: Includes the highest peak of the country to 3,820 meters above sea level extremely difficult terrain and few visitors make it a paradise for hikers and climbers base.
Number of visitors: 1862.
Services: Information, picnic areas, restrooms.
Cocos Island National Park
Size: 2,400 hectares of land, 97.235 hectares of sea.
Location: Pacific Ocean, 532 kilometers off the coast of Cabo Blanco.
Description: It is accessible only by sea boats, this uninhabited island surrounded by turquoise sea is extraordinarily transparent “Treasure Island.” Of companies in Costa Rica Several tour operators offer trips of several days.
Number of visitors: 347
Services: Information, toilets, drinking water.
Corcovado National Park
Size: 54.538 hectares of land, 2,400 hectares of sea.
Location: Province of Puntarenas on the Osa Peninsula.
Description: Pacific rainforest with 5000 mm of annual rainfall. This virtually unchanged primary forest of tropical ecosystems found nowhere else and is one of the most important protection sites in the world for a number of endangered mammals. inaccessibility has kept visitor numbers down.
Number of visitors: 8009
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, restrooms, showers, drinking water.
Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge
Size: 5013 hectares, 4436 hectares of sea.
Location: southern border of Costa Rica and Panama on the Caribbean coast.
Description: forest, grassland and mangrove, but known by the five kilometers from popular coral reefs among divers.
Number of visitors: No information available.
Services: Information, picnic areas, sanitary rooms.
Guanacaste National Park
Size: 32.512 hectares.
Location: Province of Guanacaste, 36 kilometers north of Liberia.
Description: Ranges widely from a dry tropical forest cloud forest. Origin of the Tempisque River, the main source of fresh water for the province of Guanacaste. important protection for the big cats, as well as 300 species of birds and 5,000 species of butterflies.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available.
Services: Information, primitive latrines, scientific station and potable water.
Guayabo National Monument
Size: 218 hectares.
Location: Province of Cartago, 19 kilometers northeast of Turrialba.
Description: Considered the most important archaeological site in the country, with significant structures dating from 1000 BC. Some consider Guayabo an important spiritual center of the New Age.
Number of visitors: 20,945.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, sanitary rooms, archaeological research station, showers, drinking water, exhibits, parking.
La Amistad Biological Reserve
Size: 9.154 hectares.
Location: Part of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, southeast of Valle de la Estrella, 45 kilometers from Limon.
Description: topography with more than 3500 mm of rainfall a year, leaving the full mountainous rainforest rivers and dangerous stunts. Protects Bribri indigenous reserve.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available, but very few.
Services: None.
Irazu Volcano National Park
Size: 2,309 hectares.
Location: Along the Central Volcanic Range, 31 kilometers northeast of Carthage.
Description: Active volcano with spectacular views on both coasts and Braulio Carrillo National Park from the summit.
Number of visitors: 111,770.
Services: Information, picnic areas, restrooms, parking.
Guayabo Island Biological Reserve
Negritos / Island Birds Islands
Location: Gulf of Nicoya, the ends
Description: The system designed to protect the habitat of seabirds uninhabited islands.
Number of Visitors: Closed to the public
Services: None
Juan Castro Blanco National Park
Size: 14.258 hectares.
Location: Province of Alajuela, east of Ciudad Quesada.
north, with origins Platanar, Tora, Aguas Zarcas, rivers Tres Amigos and La Vieja. Large tracts of primary forest. One of the newest parks, dedicated in June 1992.
Number of visitors: No statistics.
Services: None.
La Amistad International Park
Size: 193.929 hectares.
Location: Mountain Range Talamanca.
Description: A jewel in the crown of international cooperation, with Panama protecting another 207,000 hectares on its side of the border. Declared a “Biosphere Reserve” by UNESCO in 1982 and a “World Heritage Site” in 1983. One of the largest intact tropical forests in the world, encompassing climate zones from 100 meters to 3549 meters above the sea level and protects a series of Indian reserves. An area of “umbrella” protection of several national and private parks.
Number of visitors: No statistics.
Services: None.
Luth Guanacaste National Park
Size: 112 hectares.
Location: Province of Guanacaste, on the Pacific coast, 10 kilometers north of Tamarindo on Playa Grande.
Description: Dedicated in 1991 to protect one of the last nesting sites in the world for the leatherback turtle.
Number of visitors: No information available.
Services: Information, picnic areas, drinking water, parking.
Biological Reserve Lomas Barbudal
Size: 2,279 hectares.
Location: Province of Guanacaste, 15 kilometers southwest of Bagaces.
Description: tropical dry forest, significant for fresh water sources and a lot of tropical hardwoods in danger of extinction, such as ron ron, pochote, Christopher and cocobolo.
Number of visitors: No statistics.
Services: Information, picnic areas, drinking water, parking.
Manuel Antonio National Park
Size: 683 hectares of land, 55,000 hectares of sea.
Location: Puntarenas Province, 157 kilometers south of San Jose, 7 kilometers south of Quepos.
Description: This small piece of beautiful land, with its beaches and palm fringed marmosets was trampled for almost a quarter of a million passengers a year.
Number of visitors: 191,493.
Services: Information, picnic areas, primitive latrines, showers, potable water. Read about Manuel Antonio Tour
Marino Ballena National Park
Size: 100 hectares, 5375 hectares of sea.
Location: Province of Puntarenas, on the Pacific coast from Punta Uvita to Punta Piñuela.
Description: Considered a critical breeding habitat for a number of marine species. It also contains protected habitats and only some coral reefs of the Pacific coast beach.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available, but very few due to difficult access.
Services: Data Only.
Palo Verde National Park
Size: 16.804 hectares.
Location: Province of Guanacaste, 30 kilometers west of Canas.
Description: One of the most diverse ecological niches, with 15 different topographic mangroves to evergreen forests. One of the most important migratory zones in Central America for waterfowl.
Number of visitors in 2580.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, scientific station, potable water and sanitation.
Poas Volcano National Park
Size: 5,600 hectares.
Location: Along the Central Volcanic Range, 37 kilometers north of Alajuela.
Description: Famous for beautiful scenery and variety of habitats including cloud forests. One of the most visited sites in the country. The volcano has been active since 1894, causing damage to the environment. Check with service park before visiting the park hours or visit the link below.
Number of visitors: 174,396.
Services: Information, picnic areas, sanitary facilities, exhibits, parking. Read About Poas Volcano Tour
Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Size: 14.083 hectares.
Location: Guanacaste and Alajuela provinces, 27 kilometers northwest of Liberia.
Description: Includes Rincon de la Vieja volcano, a volcanic freshwater lagoon is one of the most important conservation areas in the country for the big cats.
Number of Visitors: No statistics available.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, potable water, sanitation.
Santa Rosa National Park
Size: 37.117 hectares of land, 78,000 hectares marine area.
Location: Province of Guanacaste, 36 kilometers north of Liberia.
Description: Pacific dry forest with important nesting sites of sea turtles.
Number of visitors: 37914.
Services: Information, picnic areas, camping, scientific station, primitive latrines, showers, potable water, exhibits and parking.
Tapantí National Park
Size: 6,080 hectares.
Location: Part of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve in the Orosi area, Paraiso de Cartago.
Description: Construction of a National Wildlife Refuge in 1992 varies from the low mountain forest to montane forest, enjoy up to 8000 mm of rain each year. well-maintained dirt roads are a popular destination for mountain bikers.
Number of visitors: 18408
Services: Information, picnic areas, restrooms, potable water, exhibits and parking.
Tortuguero National Park
Size: 18.946 hectares of land, 52,265 hectares marine.
Location: Province of Limon, on the Caribbean coast, 80 kilometers north of Limon.
Description: Park is the tropical lowlands through a system of canals and natural lagoons, one of the last breeding and more important for the green turtle.
Number of visitors: 19741
Services: Information, primitive latrines. Accessible only by boat; tour operators operating in the park provide comprehensive services. Read About Tortuguero National Park Tour
