Costa Rica National Parks
Manuel Antonio This wildlife area is located in the pacific coast of Costa Rica, in the province of Puntarenas. VIEW PARK Recomended Hotels  Parador  La Mansion Inn	Volcán Arenal In Arenal you can find one of the most active volcanos in the world, and an extensive flora and fauna. VIEW PARK Recomended Hotels  Arenal Observatory  Volcano Lodge	Tortuguero In the Caribbean coast. Is the most important area, for the green turtle to come and lay their eggs. VIEW PARK Recomended Hotels  Mawamba Lodge  Laguna Lodge	Monteverde It's about a four hour drive beyond Puntarenas. Area rough and tumble road up the mountain. VIEW PARK Recomended Hotels  El Sapo Dorado  Hotel El Bosque

We have listed all the major national parks in Costa Rica on this page. Costa Rica National Parks are some of the most protected and cherished areas in the country.

So visiting one or more of these national parks should be a must on any Costa Rica travel itinerary.

Arenal National Park (Ciudad Quesada, Nothern Plains) This area is considered an important replenishment region because of its waters, which drain into the Arenal Reservoir, are used for the production of electricity and in fish farming projects in the Moracia Irrigation District.

Barbilla National Park (Limon, Caribbean) The Barbilla National Park is part of the Talamanca - La Amistad Biosphere Reserve Costa Rica declared by UNESCO in 1982. It protects forests of the Caribbean slope of the Talamanca Mountain Range. It is also the historical home of the indigenous Cabecar group. The Rio Dantas, Sector Dos Ramas, Laguna Ayil and Cerro Tigre.

Barra Honda National Park (Guanacaste, North Pacific) The barra Honda Peak, rising some 300 meters above the surrounding countryside, is formed by limestone reefs -that is , an upheaval of ancient coral reefs produced by faults in the earth's crust.

Braulio Carrillo National Park (San Jose, Central Valley) This park is located in one of the most rugged landscapes of the country. Almost the entire region is formed by high mountains densely covered with forest and countless rivers.

Cahuita National Park (Cahuita, Caribbean) Cahuita is located in the Tropical Basal Atlantic Region of Costa Rica and you can be sure that any other wild area of the country protects the resources of plants an animal present in this region as this. The park was created to protect the flora and wild life, the choral reef and several sea ecosystems.

Caño Negro Wild Life Reserve (Caño Negro, Nothern Plains) Caño Negro is a sweet water lagoon, not to deep, with an extension of 800 hectares. The lagoon and the nearby areas, are some of most important and vital biological areas that support environment quality in the north side of the country.

Carara National Park (Puntarenas, Central Pacific) Carara is located in a transitional zone between the dry and humid forest of the Pacific region of Costa Rica and you can said that not other area protect the plants and animals resources present in this bio climate region. Created to facilitate investigations, scientific studies, and environment education.

Chirripo National Park (Limon, Caribbean) One of Chirripo's most important geomorphological discoveries is that it has various glacial forms which have been preserved almost intact. They are small U-shaped by the action and movement of the ice masses as much as 30,000 years ago Chirripo Peak is the highest mountain in the country, soaring to a height of 3,821 meters.

Coco's Island National Park (Puntarenas, Central Pacific) Cocos Island, located 600 km. off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, is one of the most beautiful jewels in the Costa Rican National Park system. It is also one of the most important due to its biogeographic uniqueness and its high number of endemic species, those occurring nowhere else in the world. Of the principal islands of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Cocos, Clipperton, Malpelo and Galapagos), it is the only one that receives sufficient rainfall to support a tropical rainforest.

Corcovado National Park (Corcovado, South Pacific) The Corcovado National Park--known as the Amazon of Costa Rica--is the largest stronghold of primary forest on a Pacific coastline that has been all but destroyed from Mexico to South America. The Park contains approximately 140 species of mammals, 367 birds, 117 amphibians and reptiles, 40 types of freshwater fish, and there are over 6,000 types of insects.

Guanacaste National Park (Guanacaste, North Pacific) Guanacaste National Park was created in 1989 to protect the volcano slope evergreen forest and the Orosi and Cacao volcanoes' cloud forests. Wildlife in the park is varied; 140 species of mammals, over 300 birds, 100 amphibians and reptiles, and over 10,000 species of insects have been identified. The most common mammals are howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins, long-nosed armadillos and coatis.

Irazu Volcano National Park (Cartago, Central Valley) The Irazu Volcano National Park is home to the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, Irazu, standing at 2432 meters. Due to the volcanic eruptions in Irazu and other suurounding volcanoes the land is very fertile in the Central Valley. Not many birds can be found in this park due to deforestation and volcanic activity. However, it is surround by lush vegetation like premontane and montane wet forest, partly lichen-draped, interspersed with open grass and scrublands.

Juan Castro Blanco National Park (Alajuela, Central Valley) The Juan Castro Blanco National Park has a size of over 14,285 hectares and has an elevation of up to 2,267 meters. The Oak Tree along with birds like the Quetzal, the peacock, the black turkey, monkeys, armadillos, the "Tepescuintle", dantas and some species of felines can be found here.

La Amistad National Park (Limon, Caribbean) La Amistad is the largest and most remote Park in Costa Rica. It is part of the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve that goes into Panama. It is also one of the most ecologically rich area in Central America. The park extends over the Talamanca Mountains from the southern border of Chirripo. The park covers altitudes from 700 to 11,600 ft. and has a variety of ecosystems that hold two-thirds of the country�s vertebrates. It is also an extremely important refuge for animals that require large areas to hunt, such as jaguars, margays and pumas. Most of the park is practically inaccessible, but Costa Rica Tours has excursions for intrepid adventurers.

Manuel Antonio National Park (Manuel Antonio, Central Pacific) The Manuel Antonio National park is one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica. The park is home to 4 beaches where one can snorkle and occasionally see the Olive ridley and green turtles. Howler monkeys and white faced monkeys, iguanas, toucans and scarlet macaws and over 350 squirrel monkeys live in the park.

Marino Ballena National Park (Manuel Antonio, Central Pacific) The Marino Ballena National Park was established in 1989 with over 110 heactares of land. The park was created to secure the reproduction of many sea species, and also to preserve the productivity of biological communities that lives in the zone. Also protects different environments like: sand beaches, rock beaches, cliffs, islands, organic reefs, etc. It has a great value for environment education and tourism.

Marino Las Baulas National Park (Guanacaste, North Pacific) The Marino las Baulas National park is one of the most important nesting sites in the world for the Leatherback sea turtle. With over 445 hectares of mangrove swamps and coastline, the Marino las Baulas National Park is made up of the four beaches, Playa Grande, Playa Langosta, Playa Ventanas and Playa Carbon. This national park also extends 12 miles off shore as well, to protect the sea turtles from poachers and tourists alike.

Monteverde Biological Reserve (Monteverde, North Pacific) One of the most famous nature reserves in Costa Rica was founded by a dairy community of Quakers and Costa Ricans about 40 years ago, and even today the excellent cheeses of Monteverde are still made there. The Tropical Science Center now administers the cloud forest reserve, which is riot of geenery and home to many rare species of plants and animals.

Palo Verde National Park (Guanacaste, North Pacific) Palo Verde National Park is one of the most important wetlands of Central America. Throughout the year, the rivers, mangroves, marshlands and seasonally flooded fields provide sanctuary for thousands of resident and migrant water birds. It's also home to animals such as White-tailed deer, coyote, white-nosed coatimundi, howler and white-faced monkey, iguanas and crocodiles.

Piedras Blancas National Park (Golfito, South Pacific) Piedras Blancas National Park is surrounded mainly by evergreen primary forest, very high and with great species diversity. Together with the Golfito Refuge, it forms the southeast end of the ecological arc that surrounds Dulce Gulf and which begins in Corcovado National Park.

Poas Volcano National Park (Alajuela, Central Valley) Volcan Poas National Park is one of the most visited volcanoes in Costa Rica, because of its proximity to San Jose and because of the luxuriant forest that surrounds the two craters. The park measures 5600 hectares, and this basaltic volcano stands at an altitude of 2708 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level.

Rincon De La Vieja National Park (Rincón de la Vieja, Nothern Plains) The Rincon de la Vieja national park, 1,916 meters high, is a composite structure. Nine eruptive spots have been identified on its peak, some of which still have fumorale activity. The park contain hot springs which give rise to very hot mountain streams, sulfuric ponds with small mud-filled depressions which bubble continuously; geysers releasing jets of stream, particularly during the rainy season.

Santa Rosa National Park (Guanacaste, North Pacific) Santa Rosa National Park is one of Costa Rica's most important historic areas, in addition to serving as a popular destination for nature lovers and surfers. Within the park there are ten habitats, including savannas, consisting of jaragua grassland and various trees such as the live oak, shoemaker's tree and rough-leaf tree, among others. The fauna is rich and diverse as well. More than 155 species of mammals have been identified, more than half of which are bats. There are also 253 species of birds, 100 of amphibians and reptiles, and over ten thousand types of insects, including some 3,140 species of butterflies and moths.

Tapanti Macizo Cerro La Muerte National Park (Cartago, Central Valley) The Tapanti National Park, Macizo Cerro La Muerte protects forested areas in the northern Talamanca Mountain region, north of Chirripo National Park. The park is traversed by the Rio Grande de Orosi, with many other rivers and creeks joining the main river. The upper Orosi River Valley watershed is one of the rainiest areas of Costa Rica, receiving up to 280 inches of rain annually.

Tenorio Volcano National Park (Turrialba, Caribbean) Tenorio National Park is best known for the beautiful Rio Celeste, whose light blue waters are caused by the emanation of sulfur and the precipitation of calcium carbonates. Primary cloud forest and rainforest covers the park, which abounds with flora and fauna species in multiple life zones, innumerable rivers, waterfalls, thermal hot springs, and Laguna La Danta (Tapir Lake)

Tortuguero National Park (Tortuguero, Caribbean) Tortuguero National Park is located in the Caribbean coast, Limón province, approximately 80 km northeast of the city of the same name. Created by means of the law No. 5680 of November 17,1975. It has an extension of 18.946.9 hectares in the land part and 52.265 in the sea part. Is the most important area, of the occidental part of the Caribbean, for the green turtle to come and lay their eggs. Other species of sea turtles come here too, the Baula and the Carey. Many lagoons and canal goes through the park. They can be sailed and are also the habitat for many crocodiles, turtles, manatees, crabs and 52 species of river fishes.

Turrialba Volcano National Park (Turrialba, Caribbean) Located in southeast Costa Rica, Turrialba is a large, densely forested stratovolcano*. Three well-defined craters lie in the upper section of a broad summit depression. Turrialba has been quiet since a series of explosive eruptions in the 19th century that featured intermittent pyroclastic* flows. Fumarole* activity continues at the summit craters.