Barra Del Colorado

Introducing Barra Del Colorado

At 90, 400 hectares, including the frontier zone with Nicaragua, Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Barra del Colorado, or ‘Barra’ for short, is the biggest national wildlife refuge in Costa Rica.

It forms a regional conservation unit with the adjacent Parque Nacional Tortuguero, and their landscapes are similar. The refuge has 50km of coastline, and countless square kilometers of canals, lagoons, rivers and marshes. Some hilly areas, none higher than 230m, are ancient volcanic cones (like Cerro Tortuguero). Rain – lots of it – falls year-round.

The Ríos San Juan, Colorado and Chirripó all wind through the refuge and eventually make their way to the Caribbean Sea. The alluvial plain is often flooded, which means the whole place is very marshy, with various islets occasionally appearing and disappearing. The only feasible way to get around is by boat.

Barra is much more remote, more expensive and more difficult to visit than Tortuguero, but adventurous travelers will be rewarded with a wildlife bonanza. The area is home to the endangered West Indian manatee, caymans, crocodiles and tarpon. Mammals that live here include four kinds of big cats and two species of monkeys, as well as Baird’s tapirs and three-toed sloths. The bird population includes the colorful keel-billed toucan and the great green macaw; raptors such as osprey and white hawks; as well as many waterbirds.

The northern border of the refuge is the Río San Juan, the border with Nicaragua (many local residents are Nicaraguan nationals). This area was politically sensitive during the 1980s, which contributed to the isolation of the reserve. Since the relaxing of Sandinista–Contra hostilities in 1990, it has become straightforward to journey north along the Río Sarapiquí and east along the San Juan, technically entering Nicaragua. However, while Costa Ricans have right of use, the Río San Juan is Nicaraguan territory. Other territorial disputes in this area mean that tensions between the countries still exist; carry your passport when you are out fishing.

Last updated: Oct 20, 2009