Experience More

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Tilarán

14 miles (22 km) E of Cañas @

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t The expanse of Laguna de Arenal’s sloping shore, lined with beaches and hidden coves, stretching away from the edge of sleepy Tilarán

This neat little town, at an elevation of 1,800 ft (550 m) on the Continental Divide, has crisp air and a pretty plaza shaded by pines and cypress trees. It makes a delightful stop en route to and from Lake Arenal, although the only sight of note is the modern-looking 1960s cathedral, decorated with marquetry. An agricultural town surrounded by undulating fields, Tilarán is known for its annual livestock show and rodeo.

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Cañas

53 miles (86 km) N of Puntarenas @

This dusty cowboy town is set dramatically in the lee of the Cordillera de Guanacaste. Surrounded by cattle haciendas in the baking Tempisque basin, the town of Cañas is most appealing for its lively sabanero (cowboy) culture. It sits astride the Pan-Am Highway, and serves as the gateway to Lake Arenal and Parque Nacional Palo Verde.

To the north, the Centro de Rescate Las Pumas (Puma Rescue Shelter) is a private facility for rescued wild cats. Some of the cats – which include jaguars, pumas, ocelots, margays, jaguarundis, and oncillas – are quite tame, having been raised from cubs by the late founder, Lilly Bodmer de Hagnauer. There are no guard rails to prevent visitors from going up to the cages but due caution is nonetheless required – these animals are wild at heart.

Nearby, the winding Río Corobicí is popular for guided rafting trips offered by Rincón Corobicí Rafting, as well as for gentler adventures floating downriver in inflatable rings: small rapids add touches of excitement.

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Centro de Rescate Las Pumas

Pan-Am Hwy, 3 miles (5 km) N of Cañas # 8am–4pm daily centrorescatelaspumas.org

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Reserva Biológica Lomas Barbudal

4 miles (6 km) SW of Pan-Am Hwy, 10 miles (16 km) SW of Bagaces § 2200-5336 @ To Bagaces, then by jeep-taxi # 8am–5pm daily (subject to change)

Famous for its plentiful insect population, not least the 250 species of bees, the seldom-visited Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve protects rare tropical dry forest that hosts a similar array of wildlife to the Parque Nacional Palo Verde. Well-marked trails lace the 9-sq-mile (23-sq-km) reserve from the Casa de Patrimonio visitor center on the banks of the Río Cabuyo.

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Zona Protectora Volcán Miravalles

16 miles (26 km) N of Bagaces @ From Bagaces

This active volcano rises some 6,650 ft (2,000 m) above the Guanacaste plains. Peaceful hiking trails lace the 42-sq-mile (109-sq-km) Miravalles Forest Reserve on the upper slopes, but the main draw here is Las Hornillas (Little Ovens), an area of steam vents and mud pools bubbling and hissing on the western slopes. The Institute of Electricity (ICE) produces power from the super-heated water vapor at Proyecto Geotérmico Miravalles; local operators can arrange tours of this facility. The fumaroles and mud pools are best viewed at Las Hornillas Volcanic Activity Center, where a short trail leads into an active crater. You can even wallow in warm, therapeutic mud before diving into a swimming pool. There is also a thrilling thermal waterslide that plunges into a pool with awesome volcano views.

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Las Hornillas Volcanic Activity Center

1 mile (1.6 km) SE of Proyecto Geotérmico Miravalles # 8am–5pm daily hornillas.com

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Parque Nacional Palo Verde

26 miles (42 km) W of Cañas @ To Bagaces, then by jeep-taxi # 8am–4pm daily sinac.go.cr

Palo Verde spreads over 50 sq miles (130 sq km), protecting a mosaic of mangrove swamps, marshes, savanna, and tropical dry forest at the mouth of silt-filled Río Tempisque. Shade here is provided by drought-tolerant trees such as ironwood and sandbox, as well as the ubiquitous evergreen paloverde (greenstick) trees, which give the park its name.

During the dry season, from December to April, the trees burst into a riot of vibrant bloom. Ripening fruits draw monkeys, coatis, white-tailed deer, peccaries (wild hogs), pumas, and other mammals. In the wet season, much of the area floods and draws flocks of waterfowl to join herons, jabiru storks, ibis, roseate spoonbills, and other waders. Palo Verde has more than 300 species of birds, including a large population of scarlet macaws and curassows. Isla de Pájaros, in the middle of Río Tempisque, is a major nesting site.

Wildlife viewing is best in the dry season, when the deciduous trees lose their leaves and animals collect near water holes. Well-maintained trails lead to lookout points. The simple restaurant here can provide lunch if booked at least a day ahead.

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t A flock of whistling ducks in the Parque Nacional Palo Verde

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Shop

Talabartería La Estrella

Buy hand-stitched cowboy boots and more.

Calle 9 & Ave 3, Liberia § 8837-4388


Hidden Garden Art Gallery

Around 60 Costa Rican artists show here.

10 miles (16 km) W of Liberia hiddengardenart.com


Oven Store

A family-run pottery, in the Chorotega tradition.

Guaitíl § 2681-1696


Nativa Gallery

Handmade accessories by Jennifer Stone.

Nosara jenstonesonline.com

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Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja

19 miles (30 km) NE of Liberia @ To Liberia, then by jeep-taxi # 8am–4pm Tue–Sun acguanacaste.ac.cr

The dramatically beautiful Rincón de la Vieja volcano is studded with nine craters, of which only Rincón de la Vieja crater (5,900 ft/1,800 m) is active. The highest is Santa María (6,250 ft/1,900 m), while Von Seebach crater is filled with an acidic turquoise lake.The park protects an area of 55 sq miles (140 sq km). The eastern slopes of the volcano are rain-soaked all year round; in contrast, the western side has a distinct dry season, and the landscape ranges from deciduous forest at lower levels to cloud forest below the stark moonscape summit.

Visitors can spot capuchin, howler, and spider monkeys, anteaters, sloths, kinkajous, and more than 300 species of birds, including quetzals and three-wattled bellbirds. Pea-green Lago Los Jilgueros is visited by tapirs.

The park offers some superb hiking. Trails start at the park headquarters, the 19th-century Hacienda Santa María, and at Las Pailas ranger station. They lead past mud pools, hot sulfur springs, waterfalls, and fumaroles.

Hikers must report to one of the two ranger stations before setting out and on return. Both can be reached from Liberia by jeep-taxi, and they are linked by a trail.Nature lodges on the slopes of the volcano also operate as activity centers. On its southwestern flanks, Hacienda Lodge Guachipelín, accessed from Liberia via Curubandé, is a working cattle ranch, that specializes in horseback rides. Nearby, Rincón de la Vieja Lodge has a 1.5-sq-mile (3.5-sq-km) private forest reserve. Both lodges offer canopy tours. From Liberia, a road leads via Cañas Dulces to Buena Vista Mountain Lodge and Adventure Center on the northwestern slopes. It offers riding, a canopy tour, and a 1,300-ft- (400-m-) long water slide. Hotel Borinquen Mountain Resort and Spa nearby has bubbling mud pools and spa treatments.

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t Adventurers in Rincón de la Vieja national park

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Hotel Borinquen Mountain Resort and Spa

19 miles (30 km) NE of Liberia via Cañas Dulces borinquenresort.com

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t watched by capuchin monkeys and other local wildlife

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Stay

La Posada del Tope

Basic, clean rooms set around a glorious garden and filled with eclectic pieces of art.

Liberia § 2666-3876

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Hotel Río Perdido

Expect stunning contemporary design at this nature lodge, with its deluxe spa.

San Bernardo de Bagaces rioperdido.com

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Hacienda Lodge Guachipelín

A working cattle ranch with cosy rooms – a perfect base for exploring the Rincón de la Vieja national park.

Curubandé guachipelin.com

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Bahía Salinas

38 miles (62 km) NW of Liberia @ To La Cruz, then by jeep-taxi

Framed by cliffs to the north, salt pans to the east, and mangrove-fringed beaches to the south, this flask-shaped bay is swept by breezes from December to April. Fishing hamlets line its shores. Hotels at La Coyotera and Playa Copal serve as surfing centers. The Costa Rican Tourism Board visitor center in La Cruz has great views.

Frigate birds use the drafts around the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Isla Bolaños to take off. As a protected nesting site for pelicans and American oystercatchers, this island is off-limits to visitors.

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Liberia

20 miles (32 km) N of Bagaces ~ @

Guanacaste’s charming historic capital is often overlooked as merely the main gateway to the Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja and the beaches of northern Nicoya. Yet the town is an attractive locale in its own right. Founded in 1769, it is known as the White City for its whitewashed adobe houses with terracotta-tiled roofs. The loveliest houses are on Calle Real. The city is also known for its puertas del sol – double doors, one on each side of a corner, to catch both morning and afternoon sun. Liberia’s cowboy tradition is celebrated at the Monumento Sabanero, on the main boulevard, at the Museo de Guanacaste, housed in a former jail, and during a raucous festival each March. The main plaza has the modern Iglesia Inmaculada Concepción de María. Next door, the ayuntamiento (town hall) flies Guanacaste’s flag, the only provincial flag in the country. Each July 25, locals celebrate Guanacaste’s 1824 separation from Nicaragua with colorful parades and, unsurprisingly, a rodeo.

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t The wedding-cake tiers of the Iglesia de la Agonía in Liberia

Museo de Guanacaste

Ave 1, Calles 2 and 4 § 2665-7114 #  8am–4pm Mon–Sat

Cowboy Culture

Many Guanacastecos make their living as sabaneros (cowboys). Proud, folkloric figures, they ride straight-backed in elaborately decorated saddles, leading their horses in a highstepping gait. The most important days of the year in Guanacasteco culture revolve around topes (horse shows) and recorridos de toros (bullfights), in which bulls are rather controversially ridden and baited.

experience Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

eat

d’Sofía

Nuevo Latin fusion food to the sounds of live jazz.

Cerro Plano, Monteverde § 2645-7017

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The Green House

A hip vibe, plus great organic fusion dishes.

Liberia § 2665-5037

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Ginger

Asian-inspired dishes in a sleek open tree house.

Playas Hermosa gingercostarica.com

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Lola’s

Local fare at a laid-back beach restaurant.

Playa Avellanos § 2652-9097

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Parque Nacional Guanacaste

22 miles (35 km) N of Liberia @ To Liberia, then by jeep-taxi # 8am–5pm daily, with advance notice only acguanacaste.ac.cr

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t A dreamy bend of Río Celeste as it meanders through Guanacaste park

Thanks largely to the efforts of ecologist Daniel H. Janzen, this park was created in 1989. It links Santa Rosa National Park to the cloud forest atop Volcán Cacao and Volcán Orosí. The “biological corridor” created allows wildlife to roam freely and extends the territory available for wide-ranging mammals, such as jaguars. This remote reserve now encompasses over 325 sq miles (840 sq km) of reforested woodland and pasture. Facilities are few, but the rewards are many, with superb opportunities for viewing wildlife. Biological stations Cacao, Pitilla, and Maritza offer spartan lodgings; though Cacao and Maritza are accessible only on foot or horseback.

A two-hour trek from Maritza is an array of pre-Columbian petroglyphs at Llano de los Indios, carved into volcanic stone on the lower western flanks of Volcán Orosí.

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Bahía Culebra

19 miles (31 km) W of Liberia

Ringed by dramatic cliffs and fringed by beaches of varying hues, Bahía Culebra (Snake Bay) is the setting for a controversial tourism project. Proyecto Papagayo, as it is called, has restricted access to the bay’s sparkling waters. Spilling down the cliffs are big hotels, including the Four Seasons Resort. In the surrounding dry forest canopy, Witch’s Rock Canopy Tour has ziplines and a walkway. In the bay below, pre-Columbian settlements still await excavation.

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Witch’s Rock Canopy Tour

23 miles (37 km) W of Liberia # 8am–3pm daily witchsrockcanopy.com

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Costa Rica’s Dry Forests

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t Dry forest running along the wave-lapped shores of Santa Rosa National Park

Dry tropical forests withstand a dry season that lasts as long as eight months, yet are still home to diverse plant- and wildlife.

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t A lone guanacaste tree rising from the brush-covered dry forest

The northwestern province of Guanacaste is home to one of the largest areas of dry tropical forest in the Americas. This habitat once swathed the lowlands of the Pacific littoral from Mexico to Panama. By the 1980s, it had been nearly decimated to create pastureland for cattle, resulting in tinder fires in the arid dry season. Conservation efforts, spearheaded by biologist Dr Daniel Janzen, led to the creation of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and expanded Santa Rosa National Park, to return savanna and ranchland to their original ecosystems.

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Dry forest flora

Guanacaste Trees

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Wide-reaching branches provide precious shade in the searing midday heat.

Indio desnudo

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Also called the gumbo-limbo, the copper-red bark peels to reveal an olive-colored trunk.

Acacia

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Thorny scrub, such as acacia, have long spines to prevent birds and animals from gorging on their flat leaves and seeds.

Purple Jacaranda

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The dry season sees these sweet-smelling trees explode in an outburst of color, attracting many birds.

Flamboyán

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Startlingly red spoon-shaped petals hang from this tree's wide-spreading umbrella-like canopy from March to September.

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Surfing Beaches of Northern Nicoya

Acclaimed as the “Hawaii of Latin America,” Costa Rica offers world-class surfing and warm waters year-round. The greatest concentration of surfing beaches is in Northern Nicoya, where Pacific breakers pump ashore all year. Dozens of beaches guarantee that surfers will find a fairly challenging ride on any day, while extremely varied tidal conditions provide breaks for every level of experience.

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t Riding a wave on a shortboard at popular Playa Nosara

Remote Beaches

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t The waves crashing off Playa Naranjo in the Golfo de Papagayo

Remote Playa Naranjo in the Golfo de Papagayo has a superb beach break, called Witch’s Rock after the island that sits in the bay. Naranjo is accessed by 4WD or by boat from the resorts of Northern Nicoya. Further south, Playas Bongo, Arío, and Manzanillo are as off-the-beaten-track as is possible in Costa Rica. Just getting there is half the fun. Cracking waves, combined with the solitude, guarantee surfer bliss.

Reliable Surf Spots

Consistently high waves pump ashore onto Tamarindo’s Playa Grande. This accessible beach is protected as part of a prime nesting site of the leatherback turtle. Also popular among surfers, the mangrove-backed beach at Nosara has a fine beach break and warm tidepools.

Budget Friendly

Long slivers of silvery sand are washed by good surf at Playas Bejuco and San Miguel. These remote beaches are oriented toward budget-conscious travelers, with cheap B&Bs and sodas among the otherwise few facilities.

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Costa Rica’s Surf History

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Despite the epic waves around the coast, surfing only arrived in Costa Rica in the 1960s, brought by American tourists. It soon took off. The Costa Rica Surfing Association was founded in 1999 supporting pro-surfers and hosting annual surf championships.

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Playa Flamingo

46 miles (74 km) SW of Liberia @

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t Safe swimming and a beautiful beach at the idyllic Playa Flamingo

With gently curving white sands forming a gleaming crescent between rugged headlands, the gorgeous Playa Flamingo justifies its official, yet less common name, Playa Blanca (White Beach). The large bay is a popular anchorage. Deluxe villas dot the rocky headlands, and most of the hotels are upscale timeshare resorts. As a result, despite its fine beach, Flamingo is shunned by the offbeat and party crowd.

North of Playa Flamingo, Punta Flamingo has surprisingly good point breaks, especially at mid-tide, and few crowds. Carry along to find the estuary of the Río Salinas opening out at Playa Penca, where egrets, roseate spoonbills, and a rich variety of other birdlife can be spotted weaving among the roots of the mangrove trees.

Southwest of Flamingo is Playa Conchal (Shell Beach), with its shining sands; the diamond-like sparkle of the sand is caused by crushed seashells. The beach slopes gently into turquoise waters, which are ideal for snorkeling and other water sports.

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Tamarindo

14 miles (23 km) S of Flamingo ~ @

Once a sleepy fishing village, Tamarindo has developed into the region’s premier resort. This hip surfers’ haven is a great place to learn how to ride the waves. Well-regarded surf schools, such as Witch’s Rock Surf School teach novices, including young children, taking advantage of the consistent waves and winds that sweep the bay.

Tamarindo is also a world-renowned center for diving, snorkeling, and sportfishing. Popular with backpackers, it has a cosmopolitan selection of cafés, restaurants and boutique hotels. The area lies within the pristine Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas (Leatherback Turtle Marine National Park), which was inaugurated in 1990 to protect 85 sq miles (220 sq km) of ocean, as well as 1.5 sq miles (4.5 sq km) of beach – Playa Grande. This beach is a prime nesting site of leatherback turtles, and Pacific ridley, green, and hawksbill turtles occasionally nest here too. During the nesting season, nobody is permitted on the beach after sundown, except for guided groups. The timing of these visits is tide-dependent and so varies from day to day. Places must be booked ahead, by phone or at the park office. Groups are only permitted onto the beach if the turtles are spotted by the guards there; if none appear, you have to try another night.

Witch’s Rock Surf School

witchsrocksurfcamp.com

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Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas

§ 2653-0470

Experience Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Drink

Volcano Brewing Company

Located at the Witch’s Rock Surf Camp, this is the ultimate surfers’ pub, spilling out onto the beach.

Tamarindo volcanobrewingcompany.com


Crazy Monkey Bar

Featuring potent cocktails, the real draw is the live salsa music which will get you moving to the rhythm.

Tamarindo facebook.com/crazymonkeybartamarindo


La Luna Bar & Grill

Sitting atop a beach and river estuary, this cosy bar is a great spot for a sundowner.

Nosara § 2682-0122


Café Tio Leo

Fresh-from-the-estate coffee, by the cup and by the pound. Perfect after a big night out.

Tamarindo cafetioleo.com

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Nosara

3 miles (5 km) S of Ostional ~ @ nosara.com

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t Pausing to watch the spectacular sunset at Nosara beach

This isolated community on the Nicoya coast comprises twin villages. Bocas de Nosara, 3 miles (5 km) inland on the banks of the Río Nosara, is a peasant hamlet where oxcarts still creak along dusty lanes. To the south, the predominantly expat settlement of Beaches of Nosara is all contemporary homes amid forest groves near the shore. It backs the stunning Playa Guiones, a long, calm stretch of white sand and sun-warmed tidepools in which monkeys can sometimes be seen having a soak. Strong tides rule out swimming, but the breakers are perfect for surfing. Farther north, small Playa Pelada is encircled by steep cliffs. Reserva Biológica Nosara, nearby, protects the tropical forest along the Río Nosara estuary. Over 250 bird species nest here, including wood storks, and frigate birds. Crocodiles can also be seen in the estuary.

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Reserva Biológica Nosara

Bocas de Nosara lagarta.com

Did You Know?

Yellow-bellied sea snakes often wash up on Nicoya’s beaches; evolved for life at sea, they cannot crawl.

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Playas del Coco

22 miles (35 km) SW of Liberia @

This wide beach combines the allure of a traditional fishing community with the benefits of a no-frills resort. Although the pelican-patrolled beach is not especially attractive, it is a favorite with Costa Rican families, and has a buzzy nightlife. A party atmosphere erupts at the weekends, when music (and revellers) spills from every bar on the beach.

A number of local outfitters offer sportfishing and scuba excursions to nearby Islas Murciélagos and Isla Catalina, where schools of rays can be seen gently soaring under the waves.Secluded Playa Ocotal, west of Playas del Coco, has the region’s best dive site and world-class sportfishing.

Head to Playas Hermosa and Panamá, curving north of Coco in bite-shaped coves, to enjoy exquisite vistas, with Isla Catalina silhouetted dramatically at sunset.

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t An octopus, found beneath the waves at Playas del Coco

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

EAT & drink

Coconuts Sports Bar

A lively micro-brewery with great beer and the best brew-brined chicken in town.

Playas del Coco coconutzbar.com


Cerveceria Independiente

Awesome craft brews and a street food garden next to the tap room.

1 mile (2 km) NE of Playa Flamingo independiente.cr

Experience Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

ARRIBADAS OF OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES

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t Olive ridley hatchlings emerging from nest and making their way to the sea

Synchronized mass nestings called arribadas (arrivals) are unique to the ridley turtle, and occur regularly at three beaches in Costa Rica – Playa Nancite, Playa Ostional, and Playa Camaronal. On any one night, as many as 20,000 turtles congregate just beyond the breakers.

Arriving en masse

Taking place between April and December, peaking in September and October, these mass arrivals last three to eight days, in two- to four-week intervals that usually coincide with the last quarter of the moon’s cycle. Turtles storm ashore, climbing over one another in a single-minded effort to nest on the crowded sands.

The Nesting Process

Turtles seek sandy sites above the high-water mark in which to nest. Millions of eggs are laid during each arribada, believed to be an evolutionary adaptation to ensure survival in the face of heavy predation. Each individual female lays an average of 100 eggs.Nests are scooped out to a depth of about 3 ft (1 m) using their rear flippers. Flippers then scatter sand over the nest to disguise it from raccoons, coatis, and other animals who dig up turtle nests to feast on the eggs; less than 10 percent of turtle eggs hatch.

Hatchlings

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t An olive ridley turtle pulling herself out of the sea and onto the sands of Playa Ostional

Incubation typically takes around 50 days. The temperature of the nest affects the sex of the hatchling – cooler nests produce males, while warmer ones produce females. Hatchlings emerge together at night for the dangerous run to the safety of the sea. Only about 1 percent survive to adulthood.

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Islita

13 miles (21 km) E of Sámara ~ @ To Sámara, then by jeep-taxi

Set in the lee of the soaring Punta Islita, this charming village is known for its remote, palm-fringed beaches and the Hotel Punta Islita, a hilltop resort home to the Galería de Arte Contemporáneo Mary Anne Zürcher. Artworks in various media by both well-established artists and local hobbyists are available at this delightful spot. The hotel also supports the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo al Aire Libre (Open Air Museum of Contemporary Art). Spread around the village, the “collection” consists of houses, individual trees, and even the soccer field, all decorated with murals and other forms of spontaneous aesthetic expressions. The hotel also hosts the Lapa Lookout education and viewing center, an important breeding center and release site for the Macaw Recovery Network, which works tirelessly to conserve green and scarlet macaws. You can visit the center to learn about their work and watch their released flock swoop in at snack time.

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t Decorated trees and buildings in the “art village” of Islita

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Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional

34 miles (55 km) S of Tamarindo § 2682-0400 @ From Santa Cruz and Nicoya via Nosara

The setting for one of the most remarkable occurrences in nature, Ostional National Wildlife Refuge protects 4 sq miles (10 sq km) of land and sea around Playa Ostional. The beach is one of only a dozen worldwide where Pacific ridley turtles nest in synchronized arribadas. Green and leatherback turtles also nest here in smaller numbers. Ostional is the only place in Costa Rica where residents are legally allowed, under strict guidelines, to harvest eggs during the first 36 hours of an arribada. Visitors, may not access the beach at nesting times unless escorted by a guide. Close contact with the turtles is forbidden, as are flashlights and flash photography.

Ostional is accessed by dirt roads that require 4WD during the muddy wet season. The remote setting and the vast surrounding forests have largely shielded the area from development, though now there are a few hotels.

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Insider Tip

Conservation

There are numerous conservation efforts to help sea turtles across the country. The Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional, near Nosara, is one of the world’s best breeding grounds of the olive ridley sea turtle. Get involved by signing up to join a tagging team, which tags nesting turtles, counts eggs, and protects the site with its very presence.

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Sámara

16 miles (26 km) S of Nosara ~ Carrillo @

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t Palm trees swaying above the white sands of Playa Carrillo, just south of Sámara

Popular with backpackers, surfers, and middle-class Costa Ricans, Sámara is the most southerly of the beach resorts developed for tourism, where life revolves around lazing on the gray sands, or going surfing and riding. At the southern end of Playa Sámara, at Matapalo, villagers eke out a living from the sea. Playa Carrillo, 2 miles (3 km) south of Sámara, is a sportfishing center, while to the north, the Flying Crocodile Lodge and Flying Center sends visitors into the air in an ultralight plane.

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Flying Crocodile Lodge and Flying Center

Esterones, 3 miles (5 km) N of Sámara # 7am–3pm daily hotelflyingcrocodile.com

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Nicoya

50 miles (80 km) SW of Liberia @

Emanating sleepy colonial charm, Nicoya dates back to the mid-1600s, and is named after the Chorotega cacique (chief), who greeted the Spanish conquistador Gil González Davila in 1523. A blending of the indigenous and Catholic belief systems culminate today in the annual Fiesta de la Yegüita, held on December 12. The administrative center and gateway for the Nicoya Peninsula, the town bustles with the comings and goings of campesinos (rural workers) and cowboys. Here life centers around the old plaza, Parque Central. Built in 1644, the intimate, wood-beamed Iglesia Parroquia San Blas, in the northeast corner, has a small museum has a display of religious memorabilia and historical artifacts.

Nature lovers can head about 17 miles (27 km) northeast to Puerto Humo, an affable riverside port town from where boats depart for Parque Nacional Palo Verde. Buses operate from Nicoya. Nearby, Rancho Humo Estancia is a nature conservancy that has superb bird-watching in the wetlands adjoining Palo Verde. It offers hiking and guided tours, on land or by boat.

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Fiesta de la YegÜIta

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Also known as the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe, this fiesta blends Chorotega and Catholic traditions. According to legend, twin brothers were battling to the death for the love of a Chorotega princess. As onlookers prayed to the Virgin to stop the violence, a yegüita (little mare) suddenly appeared and intervened to stop the fight. The festival features traditional Costa Rican food, bullfights, rodeos, street processions, fireworks, music, dance, and ancient rituals.

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Santa Cruz

14 miles (22 km) NW of Nicoya @

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t Chorotega motifs adorning a canopy in Plaza Bernabela Ramos

Steeped in local tradition, Santa Cruz is Costa Rica’s official La Ciudad Folklórica (National Folkloric City). Connected by Highway 160 to Tamarindo and the beaches of the north-central Nicoya Peninsula, famous for their surfing, the city was founded in 1760. Many of the wooden colonial edifices that once graced its historic core were destroyed in a fire, but the overall ambience is still charming. Plaza de los Mangos serves as a focal point for the city’s festivals, which draw visitors from miles around to enjoy traditional marimba music and dance. Topes (horse shows) and recorridos de toros (bullfights) also take place here.

The architectural highlight of Santa Cruz is the landscaped Plaza Bernabela Ramos. On its eastern flank is a modern church with fine stained-glass windows. Next to it is the ruined bell tower of a colonial-style church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1950. The plaza is a pleasant spot to relax and admire the statues, including that of Chorotega cacique (chief) Diría in the southwest corner, and a montador (bull-rider) on a bucking bull in the northeast.

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Guaitíl

7 miles (11 km) E of Santa Cruz @

This small village offers the most authentic display of traditional culture in Costa Rica, with virtually the entire community involved in making ceramics in pre-Columbian style. Even the contemporary pieces draw inspiration from traditional Chorotega designs.

Most households have a traditional wood-fired, dome-shaped horno (oven) for firing potted objects. The town is lined with thatched stores where finished items are displayed. Visitors can watch artisans work the red clay dug from nearby riverbanks, and can even try to make their own in some workshops. In nearby San Vicente, the tiny Ecomuseo de la Cerámica Chorotega has a fine collection of original and replica pottery, and visitors can watch new pieces being made.

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Ecomuseo de la Cerámica Chorotega

1 mile (1 km) E of Guaitíl # 8:30am–4pm Mon–Sat ecomuseosanvicente.org

Did You Know?

Barra Honda’s cave formations have evocative names such as “fried eggs” and “shark’s teeth.”

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

Chorotega Pottery

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Guaitíl artisans use the same simple tools and techniques perfected by their ancestors to craft decorative bowls, pots, and clay figures, bringing their own creative flair to native designs. The finished pieces are polished with zukias (ancient grinding stones) and blessed by shamans, after which totemic animal motifs in black, red, and white are painted on ocher backgrounds. The quintessential Guaitíl piece is a three-legged vase in the form of a cow.

23 " '

Parque Nacional Barra Honda

9 miles (14 km) E of Nicoya § 2659-1551 @ Nicoya–Santa Ana village (half a mile/1 km from park entrance), then by jeep-taxi # Park: 8am–4pm daily (last admission 2pm); caving: 8am–1pm daily

One of the best spots in Costa Rica for caving, this national park was established in 1974, and spreads over 9 sq miles (23 sq km). A tropical dry forest area, Barra Honda was used for raising cattle, but is now in the process of being reforested.

Best accessed using a 4WD, the park is well known for its excellent hiking, with trails leading up to the Mirador Nacaome lookout points atop Cerro Barra Honda (1,450 ft/ 440 m), a massif lifted up by powerful tectonic forces. Cerro Barra Honda is riddled with limestone caverns formed by erosive torrents of water over millions of years. Of the 40 caves discovered so far, only 20 have been explored. Although indigenous artifacts have been found in some of the caves, evidence of pre-Columbian cave art has yet to be discovered.

Most of the caves boast dramatic stalactites and stalagmites, but each has its own appeal. Santa Ana, the largest cave, soars to a height of 790 ft (240 m). A dripstone formation called El Órgano (The Organ) produces musical tones when struck inside Cueva Terciopelo. El Pozo Hediondo (Stinking Well) is named for the droppings of the bats roosting here, while other caves are inhabited by blind salamanders and fish.

It is compulsory to use a licensed guide for descents into the Cueva Terciopelo, which is entered via a 100-ft (30-m) ladder. Access to the other caves requires prior permission. Spelunking equipment can be hired.

Guides are also compulsory when hiking on Las Cascadas trail, which leads to a series of spectacular waterfalls. Hikers must report to the ranger station before embarking into the park, whether or not they plan to follow Las Cascadas.

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t Access ladder leading down into the Terciopelo cave, Parque Nacional Barra Honda

EXPERIENCE Guanacaste and Northern Nicoya

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Capitán Suizo

Escape to this romantic getaway with cute private bungalows, a gourmet restaurant, and a fabulous pool.

Tamarindo hotelcapitansuizo.com

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Tree Tops Beach Front B&B

As the sole guests at this well-appointed clifftop retreat, you’ll enjoy perfectly tailored personalized service.

San Juanillo costaricatreetopsinn.com

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Hotel Punta Islita

The lush hilltop setting yields this boutique hotel awesome views.

Punta Islita hotelpuntaislita.com

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