Posts tagged Wildlife Refuges
Sights You Must See While Visiting Costa Rica
Nov 5th
If you are ever fortunate enough to visit Costa Rica, one of the smallest, but undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in all of the world, be sure to take along a camera and plenty of batteries and film to capture the unforgettable sights and scenery.
La Finca de Mariposas – The Butterfly Farm
At La Finca de Mariposas, a netted butterfly garden housing up to 45 species of over 500 butterflies, you will be delighted at the sights that await. At the farm, which first opened as a tourist attraction in 1990, colors seem to appear from out of nowhere while iridescent jewels take flight all around you.
After making your way through the garden, head over to the laboratory where you will see both larva and pupae being nurtured to maturation. Pay a visit to the farm’s gift shop and stop in The Blue Crowned Motmot Restaurant, which was named after a native bird, for a bite to eat before heading off to the next exciting adventure.
The National Parks of Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s national parks and wildlife refuges are divided into 11 different regions covering one fourth of the country’s total area. For the past 50 years now, Costa Rica has taken an active role as a country to protect wildlife and become a leader in the world of ecotourism.
The national parks of Costa Rica are tucked away in the rainforests, the cloud forests, in both the lowlands and the highlands with something interesting to see anywhere you look. Explore just one or two of the many parks and you’ll see things like canals, caves, lagoons, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and volcanoes along with collections of ancient relics from pre-Columbian days and plenty of flora and fauna.
Located in the central Pacific region is Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most popular in all of the country. This park is open from Tuesdays through Sundays and features activities like hiking, walking, swimming, picnicking, and observing creatures like anteaters, eagles, ocelots, and pelicans.
Another popular tourist attraction in Costa Rica is Tortuguero (turtle catcher, in English) National Park, open every day from 8am to 4pm, and home to animals including sloths and monkeys, birds like the toucan, and aquatic creatures such as the manatee and giant sea turtle.
On the Caribbean coast lies Cahuita National Park, a preserve founded in 1982 that is open every day of the week. Bring your snorkeling gear to Cahuita and head to the sandy, white beaches before exploring beneath the surface of the crystal clear waters.
Nearly all of Costa Rica’s national parks will have at least a few trails that are maintained on a regular basis, save for the rainy season when mud and muck are inevitable. If you aren’t familiar with an area, by all means hire an experienced travel guide or enlist the services of a park ranger before attempting to hike or explore on your own.
Parks like Corcovado or Santa Rosa have excellent trails and if you visit during the rainy season, chances are you’ll see fewer people and more wildlife.
Beautiful Rainforests in Costa Rica
Oct 31st
Costa Rica nature has always been one of the reasons why tourists keep coming back to this tiny country bordered by Nicaragua and Panama. Despite its size tourists and travelers still consider this country one of the best hosts for tourist vacations and that is because of its abundance in natural diversity. More than a quarter of Costa Rica’s total land area consists of natural reserves and conservations, national parks and wildlife refuges.
Costa Rica national parks and rain forest may be the best this country has to offer considering that the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio is the most visited park which was created back in 1972. The land area encompasses 682 hectares which makes it the tiniest national park in the country but is reputable for its spectacular beauty.
Despite numerous rainforest in Costa Rica, the Manuel Antonio National Park is among the rain forest vacations that promises a terrific nature adventure for the entire family. The Manual Antonio National Park located in the Puntarenas province along the country’s Central Pacific coast is pretty accessible for tourists who came from San Jose, the largest and capital city. This park is also near Jaco, one of the most popular beaches in the country situated north of the Puntarenas province. Also near is the popular town of Quepos which encompasses some superb selection of restaurants, hotels, resorts and the best accommodations.
Most rainforests in Costa Rica have gained its popularity because of the gorgeous beaches, lush rainforests, exquisite coral reefs and diverse exotic species including birds and other animal species. The Manuel Antonio National Park houses some of the best beaches in the country that offers exhilarating water activities including surfing and snorkeling but also outlined with lush forestation.
Another popular Costa Rican rainforests is the Monteverde Cloud Forest which is actually called a cloud forest in Costa Rica because of its location at a much higher altitude. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is considered a very important ecotourism destination in the country. Also located in the Puntarenas province, about is 6 km east of Santa Elena and is a 4 hour drive from San Jose. This reserve is considered one of the most breathtaking and dazzling natural reserves in the entire world.
Consisting eight biological zones, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve covers an area of 10,522 hectares of the Costa Rican rain forest and houses more than 2000 plant and tree species, 100 species of mammals, and 400 bird species and about 1200 species of amphibians and reptiles. Its landscape is a healthy habitat for more than 300 species of orchids and 200 species of fern.
Another popular tourist destination among the Costa Rica rainforest is the Tortuguero National Park which gained its reputation for the best nesting site in Costa Rica. The striking Parque Nacional Tortuguero which is the home of the endangered green turtle rests on the country’s Caribbean coast. It protects over 22 miles of beach strip from the end of the river Tortuguero and is the primary nesting spot for leatherback sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles. This park was propped up in 1970 mainly to protect the green turtle population from extinction.
Located in the untamed Osa Peninsula, the Corovado National Park is considered one of the most stunning yet remote parks in the country. It is home to that largest and only tropical primary lowland rain forest in the world. It encompasses an abundance of endangered animal and plant species.
