Costa Rica protects 26% of its country in National Parks, Reserves and Refuges. The areas considered as National Parks have singular characteristics and aspects of International and National Interest, the area must include representative samples of national significance ecosystems, show little evidence of human activity, offer important attractions for visitors and have the capacity of visitation for recreational and educational purposes in a controlled way. Following is a short description of the National Parks of Costa Rica.
Arenal Volcano: Covers the Arenal Volcano area as well as hectares of very moist, rain and cloud forests where many species are being protected.
Barra Honda: In Guanacaste province, it protects networks of caves, dominated by the ones in the Barra Honda Peak, composed of reef-type limestone, where 19 caves have been explored until now.
Braulio Carrillo: The rugged topography and high rainfall average combine to form an infinite number of waterfalls in this Park. About 95% of the park is covered with tall, dense, evergreen forest.
Cahuita: White sandy beaches and a large coral reef of about 600 ha are the landmarks of this National Park, located on the South Caribbean coast of the country.
Carara: Protects important populations of endangered Scarlet Macaws and American crocodiles. Besides a large variety of plant life.
Corcovado: 41,788 ha of enormous biological diversity, it has become an important International research center for the study of tropical rain forest ecology
Chirripó: Protects the highest peak in Costa Rica, Chirripó Peak, with 3,819 meters above sea level. The forests are habitat to several endangered species, such as the harpy eagle and jaguars.
Guanacaste: Protects more than 35,00 ha of dry, humid and very humid forests. It protects one of the few stands of Tropical Dry Forest in the Mesoamerican landscape.
Irazú Volcano: 3,432 meter high active strato volcano. It has a long history of eruptions that typically consist of clouds of ashes along with rumblings.
Isla del Coco (Cocos Island): Located about 500 km off the western coast of Costa Rica, is famous for the buried treasures hidden there between 1684-1821 by pirates. The unique flora and fauna has also attracted many international scientists and naturalists that consider this area a natural laboratory.
La Amistad International Park (Costa Rica-Panamá): The largest protected area in the country, covering 193,929 ha. It protects the country's largest stand of virgin forest and features a great hydroelectric potential.
Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste: A park of very recent creation, with 445 ha of beaches, forests and mangrove swamps in the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Marino Ballena: A Marine Park created in 1990 to protect coral and rock reefs in Coronado Bay, south of Costa Rica.
Manuel Antonio: The main attraction are the white sandy beaches that slope into crystal clear waters, and fringed with tall forest that grows down to the high tide line.
Palo Verde: Marshes, lagoons and floodplains that provide feeding, nesting and rest sites for different species, especially during the Dry Season. Guanacaste Province
Poás Volcano: Composite basaltic volcano and one of the very few, accessible by road, still active in America. A scenic area of the Park is Botos Lake, an ancient water-filled crater.
Rincón de la Vieja: Created in 1973 to protect the flora, fauna and watersheds around the Rincón de la Vieja volcano.
Santa Rosa: Northwestern Guanacaste Province. Protects sites of historical interest as well as a wide variety of wildlife.
Tortuguero: Most important site in the Western Hemisphere for the nesting of the Green Sea Turtle (July - September). Protects a wide variety of wildlife and one of the wilderness areas with greatest biological diversity in the country.
