This national park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 for its unmatched natural beauty and rich biodiversity. The island is located between parallels 530' and 534' and meridians 8710' and 876' The blue-turquoise water is extraordinarily clear and makes a great habitat for an abundance of marine life, making this island one of the most extraordinary places in the world for diving. It also has beautiful evergreen forests and numerous impressive waterfalls.

Variations in altitude, climate and soil give rise to one of the most ecologically diverse regions in Costa Rica. This park is situated in the Cordillera de Talamanca, which, at 320 kilometers, is the longest mountain range in the country. To get to Chirripo, visitors must travel to San Gerardo de Rivas. From its peak, on clear days, both Caribbean and Pacific coasts may be admired. On the route to the summit, hikers enjoy lush vegetation and bird-watching. Chirripo features various sculpted glacial formations such as U-shaped valleys, lakes (moraines) and terraces.

Carara National Park is located in the Turrubares and Garabito cantons, in the provinces of San José and Puntarenas, between coordinates 9º51' and 9º44' North latitude, 84º36' and 84º29' East longitude. In other words, it is 90 kilometers from San José on the Costanera Sur (southern coastal) highway. The main entrance is located 2 kilometers south of the Río Grande de Tárcoles bridge.

Caño Negro is a RAMSAR site of worldwide importance for wetlands conservation. The refuge is vital to the environmental balance of the country’s Northern Zone. This habitat shelters a wide variety of plant and wildlife species, many of which are unique or in danger of extinction, including seabirds such as the jabiru and reptiles such as caimans and turtles. During the dry season, the refuge becomes an important feeding ground for the thousands of seabirds that arrive at the wetland.

Cahuita is a unique national park in Costa Rica because of its close relationship with the community. It’s an example of shared management for sustainable development between the community and government. The participation of park rangers and community lifeguards stands out through shared governance and management. Discover the most preserved coral reef in the Costa Rican Caribbean and enjoy the scenery, culture and cuisine offered in the area.

Braulio Carrillo National Park is located north of the Central Valley in the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, between the Poás and Irazú volcanoes. This wonderful natural treasure includes Barva and Cacho Negro volcanoes, and extends from Alto de la Palma, north of the canton of Moravia, to the La Selva Protected Zone in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. Its maximum elevation is 2,906 MASL at the peak of Barva Volcano, and has a low temperature of 3° C and a high of 24° C.

This park is located around 12 miles northeast of Nicoya. It measures some 5,000 acres and protects an important geological resource, which is a system of caves with stalactite and stalagmite formations. The Barra Honda Peak is 1,476 ft. high and is made up of old coral reefs that were pushed up by tectonic faults.

 This protected area was first declared a biological reserve in 1982 and later in 1998 it officially became a national park. It holds an important tropical wet rainforest and its 30,000 acres is an important water source. It is located 11 miles from Siquirres and is difficult to access. That’s why there aren’t any of the necessary facilities, so visitors must be used to hiking and use a local tour guide from Las Brisas de Pacuarito community, who can be found in the national park’s administrative offices. The area has primary forests, both wet and very wet tropical rainforests.

Watch in awe as whales and dolphins put on a show as they emerge from the water. This is the favorite spot of humpback whales and several types of dolphins. Depending on the season, the park turns into natural scenery for viewing these animals. Humpback whales arrive every year (from July to October) to carry out their reproductive cycles, at a point in the park with a rocky and sandy formation resembling a whale’s tail. This curiosity is the park’s main attraction.