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| Tourist Sites in Costa Rica |
Costa Rica boasts an overwhelmingly number of national parks that it’s almost impossible to see them all in one trip.
To set you in the right direction, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best national parks in Costa Rica worthy of a visit during your vacation:
Poas Volcano National Park
Poas Volcano National Park is located right in the heart of Costa Rica and at 50 minutes drive, it's one of the nearest national parks from San Jose.
Poas Volcano National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica because of the Poas Volcano crater, which is the largest in the world.
The fascinating thing about the Poas Volcano is that you can climb to the geyser-like crater and see up-close the beautiful turquoise lagoon and sulphurous steam emitting out of it.
Besides the volcano, the national park is an excellent place to spot Costa Rica's cloud forest birds such as flycatchers and hummingbirds.
Cocos Island Marine Park
Cocos Island Marine Park is without a doubt, one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica for ecotourism. The island boasts an amazing number of plant species and marine life such as the famous cuckoo bird that you won’t find anywhere else in the world!
Besides enjoying wildlife viewing, Cocos Island is one of the best snorkeling and scuba diving spots in Costa Rica as the waters in Cocos Island boasts rare marine life such as whitetip reef sharks and red-lipped batfish.
Arenal Volcano National Park
The Arenal Volcano National Park is by far one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica, as it boasts one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
The Arenal Volcano is truly a breathtaking sight as it spews massive molten lava rocks, which at night time glow beautifully offering an amazing spectacle!
During daytime, you can enjoy guided or self guided hikes along the flanks of the volcano to see the lava up-close.
Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio National Park is besides Cocos Island, one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica to enjoy ecotourism and recreational activities like hiking, kayaking and biking.
Manuel Antonio National Park boasts interesting widlife such as the popular whiteheaded capuchin and howler monkeys, and since the park is located on the coast you can enjoy water sports such as swimming, snorkeling and diving.
Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero National Park is located on Costa Rica’s eastern coast and it’s no doubt, one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica.
Tortuguero National Park boasts stunning forests and rich wildlife, though what makes Tortuguero national park stand out from the rest is being able to see sea turtles lay their eggs.
During the summer and winter months, the shoreline along Tortuguero National Park becomes a nesting ground for all kinds of sea turtles such as loggerheads and leatherbacks.
Another of the attractions of Tortuguero National Park is the availability of boat tours throughout the swamps of the park to see the famous white caiman.
Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica as it's one of the few national parks in the country that allows overnight stays.
The Corcovado Park boasts cabins which are great if you’re traveling kids, as well as camping areas for tents which truly gives you feeling of living in the wild!
Another great thing about Corcovado National Park is its location near the border with Panama. In fact, Corcovado National Park is a popular base for trips to Volcan Baru, which is the tallest mounting in Panama.
Barra Honda National Park
Barra Honda National Park is located in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica and it’s definitely one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica.
The popularity of Barra Honda National Park lies in its well preserved caves which are popular amongst caving enthusiasts.
Having said this, Barra Honda also boasts easily accessible caves such as Terciopelo and La Cuevita which you can explore on guided tours for around $30.
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