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Costa Rica National Parks – Guide to National Parks in Costa Rica

The Costa Rica national parks are a web of lands and natural or man-made monuments protected by law and conservation policies. Spread all over the country they are exposed to all sorts of climates. You can find them in places like the marine areas, dry forests, cloud forests and rainforest.

Be sure to dedicate some time to explore at least one national park when you visit this country, since that is basically the major support they receive apart from that of the government’s budget. All the money gathered from entry fees and donations goes to the maintenance and sustainability of the park and local communities.

Just how big are the National Parks in Costa Rica

The national parks of Costa Rica cover over 25% of the entire country along with reserves. Costa Rica national parks are on the top places in the world ranking for dedicating a large part of its landmass to protective areas.

Having 5% of the world’s biodiversity makes it necessary to have enough space to house all species and keep them safe from harm and extinction. The natural habitats have established boundaries set with a lawful shield. Below you’ll find a map of the approximate locations of the National Parks:

Parques-Nacionales-map

Explore all corners of Costa Rica National Parks

  • Arenal Volcano National Park
  • Barbilla National Park
  • Barra Honda National Park
  • Braulio Carrillo National Park
  • Cahuita National Park
  • Carara National Park
  • Chirripo National Park
  • Corcovado National Park
  • Diria National Park
  • Guanacaste National Park
  • Irazu Volcano National Park
  • Juan Castro Blanco National Park
  • La Amistad International Park Costa Rica – Panama
  • Lake Arenal
  • Los Quetzales National Park
  • Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Marino Ballena National Park
  • Marino Las Baulas National Park
  • Palo Verde National Park
  • Penas Blancas National Park
  • Piedras Blancas National Park
  • Poas Volcano National Park
  • Rincon de la Vieja National Park
  • Santa Rosa National Park
  • Tapanti National Park
  • Tenorio Volcano and Miravalles Protected Zone
  • Tortuguero National Park
  • Turrialba Volcano National Park

 

What can you expect to find at the National Parks?

Most of the national parks in Costa Rica offer hike trails, camping and picnic areas along with information booths, souvenir shops, bathrooms and conference rooms. Some even offer guided visits.

Remember that when visiting a Costa Rica national park you are stepping into a protected land and that the operation policies are very strict. Considerable fines are set by law for those who disrespect these grounds and any living creature in them. These areas are managed by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE for its Spanish name) and all of its officers are properly identified and uniformed.

Be amazed by all that Costa Rica national parks have to offer. Learn from wild animals you have never seen before in the most beautiful sceneries hidden in this small jewel of Central America.

The National Park and Volcano of Irazu Costa Rica

Mar 09, 2015
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In the province of Cartago, Costa Rica, the highest volcano (11,260 feet above sea level) in the country is found in a crater at the Irazu Volcano National Park. Volcán Irazú (Irazu Volcano in English) is one of five active volcanoes in Costa Rica along with Arenal, Turrialba,...   [ Read More → ]

Diria National Park in Guanacaste Costa Rica

Mar 09, 2015
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Diria Park in the province of Guanacaste is close enough to the beaches for a day trip, yet far enough into the jungle to get a good amount of hiking done. The lower elevations of Diria National Park is what is often referred to as a dry tropical forest, but the higher elevations...   [ Read More → ]

Santa Rosa National Park in Guanacaste Costa Rica

Mar 04, 2015
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The Santa Rosa National Park encompasses all of the Peninsula of Santa Elena north of Nicoya Peninsula and meets Guanacaste National Park further inland. Santa Rosa and Guanacaste National Park are considered something like a unit with the interior cloud forests of the Orosi...   [ Read More → ]

Guanacaste National Park in Costa Rica

Mar 04, 2015
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A park created with a great purpose in 1989, the serene Guanacaste National Park serves to unify a region and educate visitors and residents alike. Guanacaste National Park is home to the Orosi and Cacao Volcanoes, cloud forests and a surplus of plant and animal species. The park...   [ Read More → ]

The National Park of Peñas Blancas in Costa Rica

Mar 04, 2015
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Somewhere in between the Tilarán Mountain range, Peñas Blancas National Park in Costa Rica is a hidden gem on the outskirts of the province of Puntarenas. Hiking in Peñas Blancas is not for the faint of heart. The trails are not regularly maintained, and the topography of the...   [ Read More → ]
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