A magical place where the forest and the beach meet.
It is a region with humid and rainy climatic characteristics, so much so that the beaches and hills near the coast have greater biodiversity.
There are therefore transitional tropical forests. These ecosystems are the habitat of numerous species of plants and animals, which are protected in different wild areas. Also included in this area is & nbsp; the Island of Coco & nbsp; which, despite being almost 600 km from the port of Puntarenas, belongs to this province.
Not to be missed
Carara National Park
The Carara National Park is located southeast of Orotina in Puntarenas. It has an area of 4,700 hectares, which is home to three different types of forests: humid tropical forest, very wet tropical forest and very humid forest. Carara also has a universal trail (1.2 kilometers) built for the time being in a national park, which allows access for both wheelchair users and the blind.
Named after the Huetar Carara word for crocodile, this national park is home to diverse ecosystems such as swamps, lagoons and forests. With a fantastic range of wildlife on display such as monkeys, waterfowl, crocodiles, armadillos, peccaries, possums, sloths, boas, aouti, kinkajou, jaguars, white-tailed deer and as well as a large assortment of birds and other reptiles and amphibians .
Carara National Park is also one of the few places where visitors can see rare scarlet macaws.
This national park protects the river basin of the & nbsp; Rio Tarcoles . At one of the stations, you can even catch a glimpse of crocodiles during the rainy season
Manuel Antonio National Park
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stay a whole day in Paradise, with the ocean in front of you and the rainforest with all its majestic nature behind you? Well, you can find this paradise here, in the Manuel Antonio National Park (closed Tuesdays to the public).
This park is filled with natural attractions and lots of wildlife, rainforest, white sand beaches and rocky coves with abundant marine life.
To access the beach you can take the path, at the same time you will see many animals such as two and three toed sloths, green and black iguanas, agouti, four species of monkeys such as squirrel monkeys, white face capuchin monkeys, spider and howler and more than 350 species of birds.
Very important as animals are so used to humans, this is one of the best places to see them up close but you have to be careful not to leave your things unattended otherwise the monkeys could have a party.
If you plan to visit the National Park, grab your towel, your camera, and get ready to discover one of Costa Rica’s most precious natural jewels.
Playa Barú
Playa Barú is a large beach bordered by very exuberant coastal vegetation. Close to the beach is Finca Barú del Pacífico National Wildlife Refuge, which is a private reserve located 2 kilometers north of Dominical Beach, which has a beautiful mangrove swamp. At certain times of the year (September – October) it is possible to witness the laying of the eggs of sea turtles and Carey turtles. Due to the great natural beauty of the place, it is possible to do mangrove tours, kayaking, trekking and horseback riding.
This reserve is made up of approximately 330 hectares of protected areas of primary and secondary humid tropical forest, wetlands, mangroves and coastline (3km of beach and 1km along the mouth of the Barú River).
It is also part of the Paso de la Danta biological corridor, which runs from the & amp; nbsp; Savegre river & amp; nbsp; to the & amp; nbsp; Térraba – Sierpe river basin .
Río Savegre
The Savegre River originates in the Cerro de la Muerte and descends for several kilometers until it flows into the Pacific Ocean. It has positioned itself as the cleanest river in Costa Rica and we can say that even in Central America.
The river runs through several national parks and nature reserves, home to fauna such as tapirs, jaguars and many species of birds including the quetzal. Just two kilometers from the origin of the river there are three waterfalls of great beauty, in the central part there is rafting and in its lower waters an estuary is formed.
The main sporting activity on the Savegre River is undoubtedly rafting, because in some passages of the river there are rapids of various levels of difficulty, an attraction for many tourists in search of adventure.
The waters of the Savegre with its descents and climbs sliding between rapids and rocks, are an inevitable source of fun and entertainment in the open air, within a magical and natural environment.