Most countries set aside natural resources and mandate for their protection. More often, the protected area will be around five percent of the country’s total land area. But Costa Rica does it bigger than any other country in the world. More than a quarter of the land is dedicated to preserving its natural resources. So for tourists who find themselves in Costa Rica, they should check out a few of the nation's 26 national parks as well as some biological reserves and animal refuges.
Tourism is Costa Rica's top foreign economic driver. It used to be banana exportation, but the pull of the country's beautiful volcanoes, stunning coastlines and lush forests have overtaken that. It also helps that Costa Ricans are happy, peaceful people and they always try to be neutral in international conflicts. It is also one of the few countries in the world that doesn’t have a national army. Being happy is innate in every Costa Rican as the nation’s motto is “Pura Vida,” which translates to live life or enjoy life.
Costa Rica has a land area of 51,060 square kilometers (12.6 million acres) with a population of less than five million. While the entire country is smaller than America’s Lake Michigan, Costa Rica is said to house more than five percent of the world's biodiversity, the highest biodiversity density in the world. There have been more than half a million species documented in Costa Rica. So tourists should definitely check out what Costa Rica has to offer in terms of natural resources.
Here are the top 10 unexplored national parks in Costa Rica:
Barbilla National Park
This park is part of the Carribean La Amistad Conservation Area, which is a layer of administration that looks after several protected areas in the Carribean coast or eastern part of Costa Rica. The Barbilla is home to forests, Laguna Ayil and a couple of watersheds: Cerro Tigre and Dantas River.
As one of the country's least-visited parks, the area remains virginal and untouched with development. It has also allowed the park to grow its ecological diversity. It has become a home to some of the world's rarest animals, some of which are even in the endangered list. Lucky Barbilla tourists might spot jaguars, ocelots, pumas, spider monkeys, and tapirs.
The park is not just rich in flora and fauna, it is also culturally significant. Inside the forest lives Costa Rica's second-largest indigenous group: Cabecar tribe. This tribe continues to live the way their ancestors did. They fish in the Chirripo Indigenous River (located next to the park), hunt in the forest, and grow their food.
Barra Honda National Park
Home to at least 42 caves, this national park in the western region of Costa Rica is part of the Tempisque Conservation Area, which is another layer of conservation authority that covers parks, animal refuges, forest reserves, Nicoya Peninsula, Tempisque River, and its nearby valley. This is how serious Costa Rica is when it comes to the protection of its natural resources.
The highlight of this park is the cave systems. The caves are situated under the Barra Honda Peak and were formed some 70 million years ago. One of the best parts of the caves is the calcareous formations. Among the more notable caverns are the Nicoa, which is also archeologically significant because of the discovery of pre-Columbian remains in the area along with various accessories, and the Santa Ana, which is the deepest cave in the park with unique stalactites. As a park with many caves, Barra Honda is also known to host various species of bats.
Other rare animals found in the park are the blind salamanders and an endemic species of fish that live in the cave’s dark waters. Among the animal residents of the park are agoutis, anteaters, capuchins and howler monkeys, deer, kinkajous, peccaries, and raccoons.
While most tourists visit the park for the cave system, the surrounding mountains are also great for hiking. There are several well-maintained trails for the fitness buff. The park also houses one of the world’s last tropical dry forests.
Cahuita National Park
For those rearing to see the most colorful animals, this is the national park for them. It is mostly a terrestrial and marine park, which means visitors can have the best of both worlds: land and water. The park was originally designated as a national monument in 1970 but later established as a national park in 1978. It is the only park in the country that doesn't charge an admission fee but relies on donations.
For those who enjoy to dive and snorkel, the park’s marine segment has at least 35 species of corals in its reef. There are also 140 species of mollusks, 123 species of fish and 44 species of crustaceans. A guide is needed to explore the marine park because the corals and marine life have been extremely threatened due to various human activities. Other underwater tourist attractions in the park include two sunken ships.
The land part of the park is great for hiking, which often translates to wildlife viewing as well. Among the park’s wildlife population are agoutis, capuchin monkeys, eyelash vipers, mantled howlers, northern tamanduas, pacas, raccoons, sloths, and white-nosed coatis. There are also orcas in the park's waters. On the shore, some tourists could spot Atlantic ghost crabs running around. Birders will find some green-and-rufous kingfisher, green ibis, keel-billed toucan, social flycatcher, and yellow-crowned night heron.
Diria National Park
A tropical forest in Guanacaste Province, the park also protects watersheds from the following rivers: Diria, Enmedio, Tigre, and Verde. These bodies of water created deep valleys that added to the park's landscape.
Among the animals found in the park are anteaters, deer, howler monkeys and peccaries. It is also home to some 134 species of birds. The park is also known to host the growth of some rare plant species including the Pitcairnia bromeliad, which is a type of cactus. This plant is only found in the Nicoya Peninsula located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
The park is a great hiking destination with at least three main trails. The trails are not as strenuous because they are mostly flat.
Guanacaste National Park
The reason for the establishment of Guanacaste National Park is to provide a bigger natural habitat for wildlife as it sits adjacent to the Santa Rosa National Park. The park also forms part of the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, a World Heritage Site.
This park was established through the efforts of Dr. Daniel Janzen, an American conservationist, who wanted to show the world how to “grow” a national park. The park was first established through international donations. Janzen’s efforts were successful and now the park hosts a variety of animals including capuchin monkeys, collared peccaries, howler monkeys, long-tongued bats, variegated squirrels, white-nosed coatis, and white-tailed deer. A variety of birds can also be spotted in the park, like crested caracara, orange-fronted parakeets, and white-throated magpie jays.
Irazu Volcano National Park
This park incorporates the Irazu Volcano and the Prusia Forest Reserve, which allows people to enjoy the beautiful sight of the volcano as well as the lush vegetation in the forest reserve. Irazu Volcano is still active and saw its last major eruptions between 1963 and 1965. It is the highest active volcano in the country at 3,432 meters.
The Irazu volcano crater lake known as the Crater Principal Lake looks unique with its vibrant green color. Rainfall which dissolved the minerals along the crater walls is responsible for this unique color. There are also times when the lake's color sometimes turns to rust red. The colors depend on the minerals dissolved by the rainwater. The inactive Diego de la Haya crater, on the other hand, is filled with volcanic ash.
The park is largely flat and bare but the Carribean side has some shrubs and bushes. Due to the lack of vegetation, not a lot of animals live in the park. But lucky tourists may spot some of the following: coyotes, foxes, hummingbirds, owls, porcupines, and spot robins.
La Cangreja National Park
The park is located in San Jose Province and mainly protects the tropical forest. In English, the name means "the crab" and it is because of the unique shape of the hills in the area. The hillsides are said to be shaped like a crab's pincers. The highest peak in the park is at 1,305 meters.
Aside from the hills, the bodies of water in the park are also among the favorite tourist spots: Black River and Quebrada Grande. The latter uniquely flows between rock formations. The forest in the park hosts some 44 species of plants that are endemic to the country. A thriving forest also means a thriving animal population, especially for the birds. There are over 300 species of birds that live in the park. As for the other wildlife residents, there are agoutis, black and green poison dart frogs, coatis, deer, ocelots, pacas, peccaries, and pumas.
The park is also a great way to experience Costa Rica’s rich natural resources as it is among the least visited parks, hence, largely virginal.
Palo Verde National Park
The park is generally a floodplain with some marshes and seasonal pools. The main reason for the park's establishment was due to the variety of birds that took up residence in this protected area, known to have 15 topographical zones. Among the birds that are usually seen in the park are anhinga, great curassow, jabiru, roseate spoonbill, scarlet macaw, white ibis, and wood stork.
During the hot summer months when water is scarce in other parts of Costa Rica, the birds fly to the park’s Parajos Island, which is in the middle of the Tempisque River. Parajos is known as the largest nesting area for black-crowned night herons in the country.
Aside from birding, the park is great for cycling. The plain is vast and the ground is just great for biking without many rocky portions.
Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park
As the name suggests, the park’s centerpiece is the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, which stands at 1,916 meters. There is a beautiful yet tragic story behind the volcano. There was a princess named Curabanda who fell in love with a chief from an enemy tribe, Mixcoac. When Curabanda’s father learned of the affair, he threw Mixcoac into the volcano’s crater. Curabanda was left heartbroken and pregnant. When she gave birth, she threw her son into the crater as well so he will be with his father. Curabanda continued to live on the mountain as a recluse. The volcano's name translates to "The Old Woman's Corner," referring to Curabanda’s home.
There are two other volcanoes in the park: the dormant Cerro Von Seebach and the active Santa Maria. Among the favorite spots in the park are the fumaroles and mudpots. The park is also home to a waterfall with sparse water.
The park is home to at least 300 species of birds, making it a favorite among birders. Some of the resident birds are curassow, eagle, emerald toucanet, three-wattled bellbird, and quetzal. Resident mammals include cougars, jaguars, kinkajous, and monkeys.
Turrialba Volcano National Park
The park is part of the Central Volcanic Conservation Area and Turrialba Volcano is among the active volcanoes in the park. The park is sometimes closed to the public due to this. As one of the least visited parks in Costa Rica, the Turrialba Volcano is one of the best places to experience being near a volcano. There will be no competing crowds in this one.
The Turrialba is Costa Rica's second-tallest volcano at 3,328 meters. It is also known to spew white smoke, which is always exciting for tourists to experience. For those who hike the park, they should not miss some of the old lava flows. It is not always that people get to see what a lava flow looks like.
While the volcano is the highlight of the park, the surrounding lush green slopes are also worth marveling about. The volcano's summit also has a rainforest with various plant species that have become home to thriving wildlife. Among the various animals noted in the park are agoutis, armadillos, giant toads, howler monkeys, long-tailed hermits, and toucans.