National Parks
A Guide to the Finest Rain Forests in Costa Rica
a
by Redmond O'Hanlon
16-07-2024
National Parks
a
by Redmond O'Hanlon
16-07-2024
We don't typically seek out rain on vacations, but that changes when we visit Costa Rica, home to rain forests that span over half of the country. The trees, plants, birds, and wildlife of this amazing nation show the affects of weather all year round, even if there are dry and rainy seasons. Whether they opt for a luxurious lodging or a camping excursion, travelers to Costa Rica can thoroughly appreciate the country's abundant beauty.
Costa Rica is home to six distinct kinds of rain forests, which showcases the rich biodiversity of the country and provides homes for a diverse array of flora and fauna.
More than 200 inches of rain falls each year in tropical rain forests, creating verdant, damp habitats with thick canopy cover and enormous trees that support a diverse array of fauna. It may seem paradoxical, but tropical dry woods actually get less rain than other types of forests. You can find them in the drier, lower-lying portions of Costa Rica, particularly in the Nicoya and Guanacaste departments. Characteristics of lowland rain forests include hot, humid weather, rivers, streams, towering trees, and brief periods of dryness.
At high altitudes, shrouded in low-hanging clouds and fog, you'll find cloud woods, which have an otherworldly name and look. The wet Riparian Forests are home to a wide variety of creatures, including those that live on land and those that inhabit water. Wherever there is a change from dry to wet forestland or where freshwater and sea mix, mangrove swamps emerge.
General manager Diego Oviedo of Botánika Osa Peninsula on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica brought attention to the fact that "the most biologically intense place on earth" was the description of the tropical lowland rain forest on the Osa Peninsula that appeared in National Geographic. Family vacationers, newlyweds, nature lovers, photographers, adventurers, and anyone seeking peace and quiet would all find this lowland rain forest to be an ideal location, he said.
Nighttime walking tours through the rain forest are led by naturalist Juan Pablo Potoy at Origins Luxury Lodge, a hillside resort in northern Costa Rica. Guests can expect to observe nocturnal birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals: "A real concert in nature," the speaker says, "you hear the songs of the different species."
Potoy and Oviedo also stress the importance of visitors coming prepared for their rain forest trips. This includes having rain clothing, ponchos, closed shoes suitable for hiking and walking, insect repellant, sunblock, and sturdy footwear. In addition, water bottles and binoculars are recommended. Tour guides are useful in the rain forests of Costa Rica not only for keeping visitors safe, but also for spotting and naming various animals and birds.
When would you recommend I go? Views differ. While the majority of tourists choose to come during the dry season (November–April), Oviedo emphasized that the rain forests of Costa Rica are beautiful year-round. Take September and October as an example: it's the wettest months here, but it's also the ideal time to view humpback whales and their calves in the Golfo Dulce. According to Potoy, the best time to go is between February and May. It all comes down to your goals for your Costa Rican vacation; any time is suitable.
For the sake of current and future generations, Costa Rica has established a network of national parks and conservation areas to save its rain forests and fauna. National parks and other protected areas make up over a quarter of Costa Rica . Numerous parks have a variety of rain forests, reflecting the country's rich diversity. You should think about visiting one of Costa Rica's roughly 30 national parks, and these are only a handful of them.
The smallest and one of the most visited national parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio is situated on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Explore the park's beaches and verdant tropical rain forest on foot or by snorkeling or scuba diving among the coral reefs that line the shore. In addition to howler, white-faced, and capuchin monkeys, guests can observe raccoons, iguanas, coatis, and a plethora of bird species. An expert, bilingual naturalist who has been accredited by the Costa Rican Tourism Board will accompany visitors on a three-hour guided tour of the rain forest along easy access routes. San Jose, the nearest major airport, is approximately three hours away by car. Approximately four miles away from the park entrance is the town of Quepos, which has hotels, stores, and restaurants.
Reserve Situated at a height of around 5,000 feet in the Tilaran Mountain range, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is approximately four hours northwest of San Jose. Monteverde is a haven for a wide variety of wildlife, including around 3,200 plant species, 500 orchid species, 425 bird species, 120 animal species, 60 amphibian species, and 101 reptile species. The reserve is accessible all year round, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and guests have the option to either stay in the adjacent town of Santa Elena or take tours. Tours at night, zip lines, and suspension bridges allow guests to encounter a variety of animals. The rainiest month is October and the driest is March; the rainy season begins in May and continues until November.
Just sixty miles from San Jose in the South Pacific region of Costa Rica lies the Osa Peninsula, where you'll find Corcovado. This area is home to cloud forests, lowland tropical rain forests, mangrove swamps, beaches, and waterfalls. More than 360 bird species, 140 mammalian species, and 117 amphibian and reptile species call Corcovado home. It is one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth. Along with anteaters, sloths, jaguars, pumas, and red-eyed tree frogs, the area is home to crocodiles, harpy eagles, tapirs, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, and spider monkeys. It is important for visitors to be aware that the park requires an entrance permit and a qualified licensed guide before they can enter. The Pacific Coast's La Sirena Ranger Station is the sole park location suitable for overnight stays, and reservations are necessary. Guests staying outside of the park can be accommodated in the neighboring town of Drake Bay.
Coral reefs, beaches, mangrove swamps, tropical lowland wet rain forests, and more are all part of this national park. More than 2,600 acres are protected by Cahuita, which is located on the coast of the Caribbean. One can only access the forest's plethora of species by following a designated five-mile hiking track. Avian residents include hawks, kingfishers, herons, toucans, green ibis, and the enormous pheasant-like Central American curassow. Animals that call this park home include armadillos, iguanas, snakes, lizards, howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, coati, and sloths. A little community called Cahuita is within walking distance to the park's entrance, while the next big town is Puerto Viejo, which is about 10 miles away. From dawn till dusk, visitors can explore Cahuita National Park. You can arrange for guided day trips to the park, or you can drive there in around three hours from San Jose International Airport.
The northwesterly region of Costa Rica, close to the town of La Fortuna and around three hours from San Jose, is home to Arenal National Park. Among the almost 30,000 acres that make up the park are the active volcano Mount Arenal and the dormant volcano Cerro Chato, which has been dormant for over 3,000 years. Hikers, zip line riders, and those daring enough to walk over treetop suspension bridges are just a few of the ways visitors can traverse the park's approximately 30,000 acres of rain forest. Take it easy on a tour of the rain forest by floating on an inflatable raft down the Rio Penas Blancas or riding a gondola on the Sky Tram. In addition to jaguars, monkeys, coatis, tapirs, and deer, the park is home to over 850 bird species, including the vibrant quetzal. From the well-known tourist destination of Guanacaste, you can go on day trips.
Tourists may only reach this national park via waterways such as rivers, canals, lagoons, and mangrove swamps; the absence of roads makes it truly unique. In addition to protecting the sea turtles that give the park its name, Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica safeguards a vast expanse of lowland tropical rain forest on the country's northeastern Caribbean coast. (In Spanish, a turtle is called a tortuga.) A yearly rainfall of up to 250 inches is recorded in the damp and muggy region. Turtles use about twenty miles of shoreline as a breeding site; the green turtle, the most popular kind, does so from June through October. On night tours, licensed guides ensure the turtles' safety by wearing dark attire and using minimum lights. Animals such as crocodiles, manatees, jaguars, iguanas, monkeys, and birds are also available to visitors. Travelers can take a flight from San Jose or drive to La Pavona, where they can catch a boat to the park.
An active volcano, rivers, mud pots, hot springs, freshwater lagoons, waterfalls, and a variety of animals may all be found in this biologically varied national park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cloud forests, dry forests, savannahs, lowlands, and rain forests are all inside Rincón de la Vieja, which is less than an hour's drive from Liberia's Daniel Oduber International Airport. In addition to more than 300 bird species and a profusion of the guaria morada, or purple orchid, Costa Rica's national flower, the park is home to sloths, monkeys, kinkajous, tapirs, deer, jaguar, and puma. The area is rich with opportunities for exploration, including hiking paths, camping, guided tours, equestrian adventures, river cruises, white water rafting, and zip lines. After a long day, many tourists choose to unwind in the park's hot springs.
Carara National Park is well-known as an excellent spot for birdwatching, and it's located on the Central Pacific coast, approximately two hours away from San Jose. The park provides homes for birds of both the tropical dry forest and the tropical rain forest because it is located in a transition zone between the two. Ornithologists and birdwatchers are drawn to the area because of the scarlet macaws, toucans, grebes, trogons, herons, and other endangered species. The crocodiles of Carara can be observed from Crocodile Bridge, which spans the Tarcoles River and marks the park's northern boundary. The park is home to a variety of animals, including sloths, capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, armadillo, deer, and anteaters. With its two hiking paths and universal access walkway, this park is perfect for a day excursion from San Jose. The park has a camping ban. Trails close to the river may become inaccessible during the rainiest months of August through October.
Situated in the northwest of Costa Rica, this varied park links Santa Rosa National Park to the cloud forests of the Orosi and Cacao volcanoes, which are located at high elevations. Various climatic zones, including cloud forest, tropical rain forest, and dry forest, are all contained within the park. The park's hiking routes allow visitors to encounter a diverse array of animals, including monkeys, squirrels, deer, jaguars, mountain lions, and other avian species. La Cruz is the closest city to the Pitilla portion of the park, which is approximately one mile away. There are trails, restrooms, and an information center on the property; with prior authorization, hikers can even ascend to the peak of the volcano. In this region of Costa Rica, temperatures tend to be higher, and the months of December through April are considered dry.
