Costa Rica Blog » Costa Rica National Parks

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

George Ellard — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:42:42 +0000

Rincon de la Vieja is one of Costa Rica’s richest and most distinct parks. It was created in 1973 to protect the extensive flora, fauna and watersheds around the area. There are 32 rivers that flow down the flanks of this volcano, making its ecological importance impossible to overestimate. Altitudes and climates vary significantly within the park, leading to a great degree of biodiversity within its borders. Hundreds of species of birds have been identified, as well as mammals of all sizes.

Getting to this national park is not easy, but not too difficult either. Tour operators and hotels like the Papagayo Allegro charge upwards to $115 a person to go there, however I find that it is much better to drive yourself there and enter the park yourself. This is only possible if you have a rental car and I suggest you make it a 4X4. The closest beach to Rincon de la Vieja is Playa del Coco in Guanacaste. It should take you no more than one hour to drive there from Playa del Coco. What makes this National Park different from other national parks in Costa Rica is the fact that there are two main attractions, and you will have to decide which one you would prefer seeing. When you visit Rincon de la Vieja in Costa Rica you will have to choose between the the Volcano itself or the waterfall. Seeing the volcano involves a much longer hike than option two. The hiking trail is well taken care of and you should make it to the Volcano in about 3 hours. The second option, which is my personal favorite, is going to check out the waterfall and boiling mud. This waterfall can only be seen during the rainy season (from May until November), so make sure you know this going in. The boiling mud however, can be seen year round. I absolutely loved watching a literal mud bath bubbling and exploding. This is due of course to the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano that lies next to it.

Manuel Antonio

Nelson Sanchez — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:42:48 +0000

Manuel Antonio is one of the most visited places in Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio National Park is famous due to it being one of the only jungles with hiking trails located on the beach. Many monkeys call Manuel Antonio home, including the White Faced monkey. Tourists beware of those monkeys as they are famous for going through your bags while you are in the ocean. It is crusial you do not feed the monkeys as that endangers them. The is also a public beach next to the park, with all the things you normally see at a beach, such as vendors, coca cola advertisements and lots of people. That is why I love the park so much. You truly get to escape all of that noise.

Poas Volcano

Patrick Brunelle — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:50:07 +0000

Poas is located in the smallest province of Costa Rica, Heredia. Recently voted as one of the seven wonders of Costa Rica by Costa Ricans in La Nacion, the national paper, Poas volcano offers is rare inside look at the crater of an active volcano. The large crater has a small lagoon with a level of PH 1 due to the sulfur.

Although you can´t expect to see lava, you can expect to see constant fumes excreting the crater in the form of sulfur. Many people who visit this volcano never actually get to see it due to the high elevation it is actually situated in the clouds. Warm clothing is a must as the weather can drop drastically on the summit. The best way to ensure to see the volcano is to arrive early as the clouds usually start to form after 8am.

Monteverde

Patrick Brunelle — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:47:08 +0000

Monteverde is one of the most difficult to get to tourist destinations in all of Costa Rica. The roads are in terrible condition and take a beating every rainy season causing numerous landslides and delays. So why is it one of the most famous destinations in Costa Rica? Because it is one of the most impressive national parks in all of the Americas. Monteverde is a rare cloud forest due to it´s high elevation. This fragile ecosystem is in danger of extinction and may be forever lost due to global warming.

Highlights in Monteverde include the Canopy tour, one of the best in Costa Rica. Another popular attraction are the cheese factories, as Monteverde is home to the local cheese Queso Palmito (string cheese).

The town located in Monteverde is Santa Elena, and is home to numerous hotels and restaurants. It is quiet due to the isolation of the city.