Sights in Central America
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Avarios del Caribe & Buttercup Center
About 10km north of Cahuita, this small wildlife sanctuary sits on an 88-hectare island in the delta of the Río Estrella. The now-famous orphaned sloth named Buttercup reigns over the grounds, ever since she was adopted by owners Luis and Judy at the age of five weeks.
Their passion for these funny creatures is contagious; informative guided tours (US$20 to US$30) allow visitors to meet some of the resident sloths. The center also offers a variety of excursions through the canals and lagoons of the Estrella delta, where 312 (and counting!) species of birds have been recorded. Besides the prolific birdlife, this lowland rain forest is home to monkeys, caimans, river…
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Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park
The Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park is a collection of botanical gardens reflecting each of the topographic zones native to Costa Rica. As you walk along impeccably manicured trails, you’ll pass through palm forests, pasture lands, herbariums, cactus fields, bamboo groves, bromeliad gardens, orchid beds and a loma canopy. The gardens are accessed by an aerial cable car, which is included in the price of admission.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, there is also a canopy tour (adult/child US$55/40) that has you swinging through the trees, as well as opportunities for horseback riding and rock climbing. If you’re traveling with the little ones, they’ll be content for hours either…
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Parque Central
The Parque Central, officially the Plaza de la Constitución, is an excellent starting point to begin your journey onto other sights, which are grouped around here. The standard colonial urban-planning scheme required every town in the New World to have a large plaza for military exercises and ceremonies. On the north side of the plaza was usually the palacio de gobierno (colonial government headquarters). On another side, preferably the east, would be a church (or cathedral).
On the other sides of the square there could be additional civic buildings or the imposing mansions of wealthy citizens. Guatemala City's Parque Central is a classic example of the plan.The Parque…
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Rama Key
Located inside Bluefields' bay, this barbell-shaped island is home to around 800 people - over half of all remaining Rama Indians. Isolated by the dominant Miskito culture, they still speak their own language and use their traditional government structures. Casa Historia (entry by donation) may be the only museum that chronicles their story.
The real reason to come to the island is Hotel Surpise Dream, a hotel and ecotourism project run by the Rama Nation in conjunction with BICU. The package deal includes transportation from Bluefields, three meals and guided tours, which could include trips to Wairu Cay for crab catching, or canoeing to Gwilling Cay Creek. There's…
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Los Pozos de Caldera
The Boquete area's most famous attraction is the Los Pozos de Caldera, natural hot springs renowned for their health-giving properties. The springs are located on private land near the town of Caldera. If you get overheated in the springs, the pleasant Río Caldera is just a stone's throw away, and makes for a pleasant spot to cool off.
Along the road to Boquete, there are two popular swimming spots. Balneario Majagua, 3.9km (2.4mi) north of David, is a stretch of waterfall-fed river that's been outfitted with a bar. Not to be outdone by its neighbor, Balneario La Cascada, 8.4km (5.3mi) north of David, offers similar waterfall-side swimming, and also features a small bar.…
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Museo de la Revolución Salvadoreña
Just west of the parque central, the Museo de la Revolución Salvadoreña is an excellent museum that charts the causes and course of the armed struggle with photos, posters, weapons and histories of those who served and died in action. Weapons range from high-tech hardware to homemade bombs and mines. Behind the main building are the remains of the downed helicopter that carried Lieutenant Colonel Domingo Monterrosa, head of the notorious Atlacatl Battalion, to his death.
The studios of the FMLN's clandestine station Radio Venceremos (We Shall Prevail Radio) are also here; an elaborate hoax involving a radio transmitter rigged with explosives was what brought…
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El Tamarindón
El Tamarindón is a huge tree where Adiáct, cacique (chief) of the Subtiava tribe during the Spanish conquest, was unceremoniously hung so his people would see him as weak. It didn't work, and today 'The Big Tamarindo' is a rallying point for indigenous locals, who placed a plaque there in 2003 that declares 'This tree was the cross of he who is our light,' and they sure as heck weren't talking about Jesus. There are a few benches underneath and a market every third Sunday in April.
It's a solid 20-minute walk or a taxi ride to Subtiava from the León cathedral, or you can take one of the covered trucks plying the streets. Catch a Subtiava-bound truck at the southwest…
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Wizard Beach
The most beautiful beach on Isla Bastimentos is Wizard Beach (also known as Playa Primera). Awash in powder-yellow sand and backed by thick vine-strewn jungle, Wizard Beach is connected to Old Bank via a wilderness path. The mere 30min walk can turn into an all-day trek through the muck if it's been raining heavy.
Assuming the weather is cooperating, you can continue walking along the coast to Playa Segunda (Second Beach) and Red Frog Beach. Like Wizard, both beaches are stunning and virtually abandoned, though this will change as development on the island continues. If the weather isn't cooperating, you can access Red Frog Beach by water taxi via a small marina on the…
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Lankester Gardens
The University of Costa Rica runs the exceptional Lankester Gardens, which was started as a private garden by British orchid enthusiast Charles Lankester in 1917, but was turned over to the university for public administration in 1973. Orchids are the big draw at this tranquil 11-hectare spot, with more than 1100 at their showiest from March to May. There is also a new Japanese garden, as well as areas full of bromeliads, palms, heliconias and other tropical plants. This is one of the few places where foreigners can legally purchase orchids to take home. Guided tours in English and Spanish can be arranged with prior reservation; the garden is wheelchair-accessible. Find…
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Teatro Nacional
On the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura resides the Teatro Nacional, San José’s most revered public building. Constructed in 1897, it features a columned neoclassical facade that is flanked by statues of Beethoven and Calderón de la Barca, a 17th-century Spanish dramatist. The lavish marble lobby and auditorium are lined with paintings depicting various facets of 19th-century life. The most famous is Alegoría al café y el banano, an idyllic canvas showing coffee and banana harvests. The painting was produced in Italy and shipped to Costa Rica for installation in the theater, and the image was reproduced on the old ₡5 note (now out of circulation). It is…
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Salto El Cubo
Salto El Cubo is a somewhat larger waterfall (about 15m) than Cascada Los Tercios and has water year-round. A pair of pools has been formed at the base of the falls - climb from the lower one to the upper, hemmed in by rocks with the water crashing down from above.
To get there, take Calle Francisco Morazán west out of town; it turns to dirt before reaching the trailhead. A narrow path descends steeply to the falls. To return, continue on the same trail, which climbs through the trees and has some excellent lake views before reaching town, near the Hotel Villa Balanza. The first leg takes about a half-hour, the second about double that. You can also go the reverse…
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Reserva Santa Elena
Though Monteverde Reserve gets all the attention, this exquisitely misty entry, at a comparably small 310 hectares (766 acres), has plenty to recommend it. While the Monteverde Reserve attracts almost 200,000 visitors annually, Santa Elena sees fewer than 20,000, which means its dewy trails through mysteriously veiled forest are usually far quieter. It’s also much less developed; plus your entry fee is helping support another unique project.
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Changuinola Canal
The boat ride from Changuinola to Bocas del Toro travels through the old canal formerly used by the banana plantations - it's a scenic trip that's well worth taking. The canal was abandoned years ago, and until the mid-1990s it was a bird watcher's dream. Today however, much of the jungle on both sides of the waterway has been cleared for cattle pasture, though there is still wildlife in the area.
In 1903, a 15km (9mi) canal connecting the Río Changuinola and Bahía de Almirante was dug parallel to the Caribbean shoreline, running within several hundred meters of it for most of its length. The work was begun six years earlier by the Snyder Brothers Banana Company to…
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Museo de Herrera
This anthropology and natural history museum contains many well-preserved pieces of pottery dating from 5000 BC until the time of the Spanish conquest. Some of the pieces that were found at the excavation sites outside Parita are here, although most of those artifacts are on display at the anthropology museum in Panama City.
Also on display are replicas of huacas (golden objects placed with indigenous peoples at the time of burial) found on the peninsula, as well as numerous photos of archeologists at work and maps showing where the pottery and huacas were found. Be sure to visit the museum's 2nd floor, where you'll find photos of Azuero residents, authentic folkloric…
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Parque Municipal Mahogany
Parque Municipal Mahogany is on the curvy Caño Negro, a tributary of Río Escondido as it runs between El Rama and Bluefields. This 278 sq km reserve is a convenient side trip as you travel between them. Either town's alcaldía, or, better, Bluefields Indian & Caribbean University, can arrange tours through the Volunteer Park Rangers Association. The park, which is contiguous with both Reserva Natural Punta Gorda and the Indio-Maíz, is boat access only, and has waterfalls, several species of migratory birds and lots of other wildlife - including tarpon and bass. Fishing is definitely allowed.
Either Bluefields' or El Rama's alcaldía (mayor's office) or, better still,…
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Plaza De Francia
At the tip of the southern point is Plaza de Francia, which displays large stone tablets and statues dictating the story (in Spanish) of the French role in the construction of the canal. The plaza is dedicated to the memory of the 22,000 workers, most of them from France, Guadeloupe and Martinique, who died trying to create the canal.
Most were killed by yellow fever and malaria, and among the busts is a monument to the Cuban doctor Carlos J Finlay, who discovered how mosquitoes transmit yellow fever. His work led to the eradication of the disease in Panama.
On one side of the plaza are nine restored dungeons that were used by the Spaniards and later by the Colombians.…
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Parque Nacional Los Volcanes
One of El Salvador's gems, this park encompasses three major volcanoes and thousands of acres in the heart of the country. Cerro Verde is 1.5 million years old, Izalco began burping lava in 1770 and Santa Ana, aka Mother Hill, awoke from its slumber in 2005 in a dramatic cloud of ash. Closed for months, the park will reopen when scientists give the go-ahead.
A paved road leads all the way to the visitor center. You can climb Izalco or Santa Ana in a day - not the same day - or take a short stroll on a nature loop in the forested area. For a little more adventure, there are areas for camping, and guided hikes up the volcanoes from there. Before 2003, the park was simply…
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Playa Grande
Playa Grande is an undeveloped wilderness beach that's equally famous amongst conservationists and surfers alike. By day, the offshore winds create steep and powerful waves, especially at high tide and in front of the Hotel Las Tortugas. By night, an ancient cycle continues to unfurl as leatherback sea turtles bearing clutches of eggs follow the ocean currents back to their birthplace.
Since 1991, Playa Grande has been part of the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, which prevents beachfront development and ensures that one of the most important leatherback nesting areas in the world is preserved for future generations.
Although there are a few accommodation options near…
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Gatún Locks
The Gatún Locks raise southbound ships 29.5m (96.7ft) from Caribbean waters to the level of Lago Gatún. From there, ships travel 37km (23mi) to the Pedro Miguel Locks, which lower southbound ships 9.3m (30.5ft) to Lago Miraflores, a small body of water that separates the two sets of Pacific locks. The ships are lowered to sea level at the Miraflores Locks.
Not only are the Gatún Locks the largest of the three sets, but their size is simply mind-boggling. In his superlative book, The Path Between the Seas, David McCullough notes that if stood on its end, a single lock would have been the tallest structure on Earth at the time it was built, taller by several meters than…
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Parque Nacional la Tigra
Covering 238 sq km of rugged forest, Parque Nacional La Tigra is a short distance northeast of the capital. The park includes cloud forest and dry pine forest, numerous rivers and waterfalls, and a large and varied (but exceedingly shy) population of mammals, including pumas, peccaries, armadillos and agoutis (rabbit-sized rodents). Somewhat easier to spy are the park’s numerous birds – 350 species in all – making La Tigra the country’s best bird-watching spot after Lago de Yojoa. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a quetzal, a distinctive aqua-colored bird with long tail feathers. Impossible to miss is the park’s exuberant flora: lush trees, vines, lichens, large ferns,…
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Isla Tigre
This surprisingly clean, very traditional Kuna island is a culturally vibrant place. Perhaps it's due to the island's fairgrounds. Travelers interested in seeing some of the Kuna's traditional celebrations would do well to stay at Isla Tigre.
Here, Kuna women can be readily seen in their doorways offering molas (traditional blouse panels) to passersby; on other islands women often stay out of sight if they know tourists are moving about. The Kunas on Isla Tigre ask that visitors go to the tourism commission when arriving on the island so that they can explain the community rules - one of which is being respectful with photography. You will be charged heftily if you…
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Moyogalpa
Not just the ferry terminal for hourly boats from the mainland, Moyogalpa is the nerve center for Ometepe's nascent tourist industry, with several hotels and restaurants, and the fastest Internet on the island. It's also home base to most of the island's tour companies, and base camp for the climb up Volcán Concepción.
Moyogalpa is renowned for its animated fiestas patronales (Patron Saint's festival) in late July each year. Celebrations are famous for the Baile de las Inditas, a dance which celebrates both Spanish and indigenous culture, as well as several ceremonies timed with the solar calendar that have nothing at all to do with Catholicism. Patron Santa Ana leads a…
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Centro Monseñor Romero
This small center pays homage to the martyred archbishop, assassinated by government agents in 1980. It is also the place where six Jesuits, who, along with their maid and her daughter, were slain in their sleep by military forces in 1989. The displays include photos of the murder scene - be forewarned, they're pretty grizzly. University students give tours.
To get here, take bus 44. Don't get off at the main entrance; instead, wait until the smaller back entrance on Calle de Mediterreáno (ask the driver if you're unsure). From there, Centro Romero is a few minutes' walk into the campus; ask a student for directions or look at one of the posted campus maps. You can also…
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Ingenio de Azúcar Santa Rosa
The Santa Rosa sugar refinery is a must-see if you're in the area during the grinding season (mid-January to mid-March). During these two months the refinery grinds a literal mountain of sugar cane per day, and it's an impressive sight.
Because the land here is hilly and rocky, the cane must be harvested by hand. Four thousand people are hired to help with harvesting and they bring the cane in as fast as they can, 24 hours a day, six days a week (the mill is closed on Sunday).
The original mill owner's house (there's now a replica, which contains a museum) was built in 1911, the year the refinery opened. The factory makes for interesting sightseeing even if you arrive out…
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San-San Pond Sak Wetlands
These fantastic wetlands, also called Humedal de San-San Pond Sak, harbor a great variety of flora and fauna. The fresh water of San-San is one of the few known Central American habitats for manatees. Sloths, river otters, white-faced monkeys, caimans, iguanas, poison-dart frogs and more than 60 bird species also inhabit the wetlands.
At the beach, green, leatherback, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles come in to lay their eggs. This protected area is administered by a conservation organization called AAMVECONA, which works with ANAM. The park entry fee helps support the conservation organization. The wetlands make a fine day trip for those looking for a bit of…
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