RESORTS & EXCURSIONS

RESORTS & EXCURSIONS: One of the Central American states forming the land-bridge between North and South America, Costa Rica has a surprising diversity of terrain (see Geography above). In the cities and towns, the country’s Spanish heritage provides the main features of interest. Elsewhere, Costa Rica’s national parks are its greatest glory.  San José  The capital was founded in 1737 and is a pleasant mixture of traditional and modern Spanish architecture. Places of interest include the Teatro Nacional, the Palacio Nacional (where the legislative assembly meets), and the Parque Central, east of which is the Cathedral. There are a number of parks in the city, including the Parque Nacional, the Parque Bolivar and the Parque Morazan. San José is a good centre for excursions into the beautiful Meseta Central region.  Cartago  This town was founded in 1563, but there are no old buildings as earthquakes destroyed the town in 1841 and 1910. However, some of the reconstruction was in the colonial style. Excursions can be made from here to the crater of Irazú and to the beautiful valley of Orosi, whose church is colonial.  Carribbean Coast  There are a number of beaches, ports and towns worth visiting. The biggest is Puerto Limón; others include Los Chiles, Guapiles, Tortuguero, Barro Del Colorado, Cahuita and Puerto Viejo.  Pacific Coast  Puntarenas is Costa Rica’s principal Pacific port for freight and the beaches around it are rather poor, although San Lucas Island, just off the port, has magnificent beaches. Another island worth a visit is Isla Del Coco where a great hoard of treasure is supposed to have been buried by pirates. Puerto Caldera, a few miles south of Puntarenas, has recently become the country’s premier port of call for cruise liners. Puerto Quepos, Nicoya, Liberia and Samara are the region’s other major towns. There are beautiful beaches in the Guanacaste area and near Quepos in the south.  National Parks  Well-kept and well-guarded national parks and nature reserves cover 27% of the country’s territory. Information and permits can be obtained from: Servicio de Parques Nacionales, Ministerio de Recursos Naturales, Energia y Minas, San José. Tel: 233 4070; or Fundación de Parques Nacionales, PO Box 1108-1002, Paseo de los Estudiantes, 1002 San José. Tel: 257 2239. Fax: 222 4732.  Braulio Carrillo National Park is in the central region of the country just 23km (14 miles) north of San José. It has five kinds of forest, some with characteristic rainforest vegetation. Orchids and ferns, jaguars, ocelots and the Baird tapir may be seen here. There are trails through the park and many lookouts.  The National Park of Poas contains a smouldering volcano of the same name. It contains the only dwarf cloudforest in Costa Rica. The crater of the volcano is 1.5km (1-mile) wide and contains a hot-water lake which changes colour from turquoise to green to grey. Access is possible by road.  Tortuguero National Park protects the Atlantic green turtle egg-laying grounds; it is in an area of great ecological diversity. Its network of canals and lagoons serve as waterways for transportation and exploration. There are camping facilities and lodges.  Santa Rosa National Park has the last large stand of tropical dry forest in Central America. There are ten habitats including extensive savannahs and deciduous and non-deciduous forests. In addition to its abundant wildlife, recreational facilities are provided on some of the beaches.  Corcovado National Park is virgin rainforest containing many endangered species. It has the largest tree in Costa Rica, a ceibo which is 70m (230ft) high. Additionally there is Cano Island Biological Reserve, a bird sanctuary.  Cahuita National Park protects the only coral reef on Costa Rica’s Carribbean coastline. Its other attractions include howler and white-faced monkeys, racoons and 500 species of fish.  Chirripó National Park contains Costa Rica’s highest mountain. Most notably it contains the quetzal, said to be Latin America’s most beautiful bird.  Other parks are the Manuel Antonio National Park, the Barra de Colorado National Wildlife Refuge and the Rafael L Rodriguez National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, many of the tiny islands in the Gulf of Nicoya, near Puntarenas, are ‘biological protection areas’.

POPULAR ITINERARIES: (a) San José–Puntarenas–Jacó–Quepos (Manuel Antonio Beach and National Park). (b) San José–Guapiles–limón–Cahuita–Puerto Viejo–Tortuguero National Park. (c) San José–Palmares–Puntarenas–Monte Verde National Park. (d) San José–Cañas–Liberia–Flamingo, El Coco and Tamarindo Beaches. (e) San José–Arenal Volcano–La Fortuna–Ciudad Quesada–Zarcero.