Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
Featuring lush jungle, picture-perfect beaches and craggy headlands, this tiny park (1680 acres/680 hectares) absolutely brims with wildlife (and often…
Must-see attractions in Central Pacific Coast
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
Geography fun fact: this isthmus, which is the centerpiece of the park, is called a tombolo and was formed by the accumulation of sand between the…
Parque Nacional Marino Ballena
Quepos to Uvita
Famous for its wide, 4km-long beach, part of which is shaped like whale's tail at low tide, this small but important marine park protects coral and rock…
Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge
Quepos to Uvita
Consisting of pristine beaches, riverbanks, mangrove estuaries, wetlands, primary and secondary forests, tree plantations and pastures, this 330-hectare…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
A half-hour hike from the park entrance, the exposed Playa Espadilla Sur is to the north of Punta Catedral and gorgeous with pinch-me scenes of white sand…
Quepos to Uvita
Owned and operated by a Costa Rican family, this center is home to the coast's most impressive waterfalls. Two falls cascade through a protected reserve…
Uvita
Around 2.5km inland and uphill (toward Cascada Verde hostel), this waterfall plunges into an inviting deep pool, perfect for a refreshing dip. Visitors…
Catarata Manantial de Agua Viva
Central Pacific Coast
This 200m-high waterfall is claimed to be the highest in the country. From the entrance, it’s a steep 3km (45-minute) hike down into the valley (an hour…
Quepos to Uvita
Around 1.5km east and uphill from Dominical, this wildlife sanctuary takes in injured and orphaned animals as well as illegal pets. Its mission is to…
Ojochal
Tucked behind a grove of coco palms, this crescent-shaped, black-sand-and-pebble beach has elaborate rock formations at either end, and is called …
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
With its turquoise waters, this lovely forest-backed beach fronts a deep bay, sheltered by the Punta Catedral on the west side and a promontory on the…
Ojochal
Set up in 2009 by Costa Rican scientists, this excellent center conducts several important projects, including an inventory of local mammals and…
Central Pacific Coast
If you’re driving from Puntarenas or San José, pull over by the Río Tárcoles bridge, also known as Crocodile Bridge running over the Tárcoles River where…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
Clasped by volcanic rock and jungle, Playa Gemelas is smaller than the other beaches, but no less spectacular: this place could be a desert island beach…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
At the far western end of Playa Espadilla, beyond a rocky headland (wear sandals), this former nude beach remains one of Costa Rica's most famous gay…
Central Pacific Coast
Carara is the famed home of one of Costa Rica’s most charismatic bird species, the scarlet macaw. While catching a glimpse of this tropical wonder is a…
Puntarenas
Quite possibly the most beautiful building in Puntarenas, Casa Fait is a purple-and-cream clapboard 1920s colonial building, with ornate iron balconies…
Quepos to Uvita
Near the entrance to Nauyaca Waterfall, this weathered reptile park sits on an acre of land and is a mini–Jurassic Park. It's got everything from…
Uvita
A few kilometers before Uvita is a signed turnoff to the left. A rough dirt road (4WD only) leads 3.5km up the hill to this private reserve on the farm of…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
Biologist Jimmy Mata leads magical one- and two-hour sojourns through the Butterfly Atrium, Reptile & Amphibian Water Gardens and Crocodile Lagoon, as…
Pura Vida Gardens & Waterfalls
Central Pacific Coast
Just before the village of Bijagual, this private botanical garden offers great vistas of Manantial de Agua Viva cascading down the side of a cliff, and…
Rancho La Merced National Wildlife Refuge
Uvita
Opposite the turnoff to Oro Verde, a few kilometers before Uvita, is this 506-hectare national wildlife refuge (and former cattle ranch), with primary and…
Central Pacific Coast
About 8km south of Puntarenas is Playa San Isidro, the first ‘real’ beach on the central Pacific coast. It's quite often empty, and preferred by…
Jacó
This pleasant outdoor shopping square is where many of the town's good restaurants are located. It's adorned with multicolored bricks, potted plants and…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
This wide stretch of white sand is found just outside the park entrance, in front of Manuel Antonio village. It's a popular place for families and beach…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
At the western end of Playa Manuel Antonio you can see a semicircle of rocks at low tide. Archaeologists believe that these were arranged by pre-Columbian…
Uvita
Held a short distance from the main entrance to Uvita, along the unpaved road, this sweet little farmers market on Saturdays is a good place to mingle…
Central Pacific Coast
The pair of beaches known as Playa Doña Ana are relatively undeveloped and have an isolated and unhurried feel. They are popular among Ticos on day trips…
Puntarenas
Built in place of the previous Municipal Palace that burned down, this rather unusual 1970s structure with jutting upper floors, designed by architect…
Quepos to Uvita
Three kilometers south of Dominical, this sheltered bay is favored by beginners when the surf is big in Dominical. Surf schools from Dominical frequently…
Puntarenas
This beachside, pedestrian boulevard stretches along the southern edge of town. Cruise ships make visits to the eastern end of the road, and a variety of…
Puntarenas
This retro marine park has seen better days, but it will certainly keep the kids entertained for a while. There's an aquarium showcasing many tropical…
Central Pacific Coast
This local butterfly farm run by American expat Dan is set on 1.2 hectares with 70 kinds of fruit tree and 15 species of butterfly, including the enormous…
Puntarenas
Casa de la Cultura has an art gallery with occasional exhibits as well as a performance space offering seasonal cultural events. Outside there's a…
Museo Histórico Marino de la Ciudad de Puntarenas
Puntarenas
This dusty museum describes the once-proud history of Puntarenas through audiovisual presentations, old photos and artifacts. At the time of research it…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
Visitors may visit a lookout over this gorgeous horseshoe-shaped beach, but the access point via the Sendero Puerto Escondido was closed indefinitely in…
