Rain Forest Travel: Guanacaste

Destinations

Guanacaste

The northwest region of Costa Rica is the country's driest and least inhabited region, holding only 6.5% of the population. It is known for its cattle ranches and cowboys. The province of Guanacaste gets its name from the large Guanacaste trees seen throughout the region.

Santa Rosa National Park (Parque Nacional Santa Rosa). 30 miles south of the Nicaraguan border, west of the Pan-American highway. This park is a good one for viewing wildlife, like spider monkeys, white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, armadillos, coyotes, tapirs, coatis, and ocelots.

NICOYA PENINSULA
Home to miles of gorgeous beaches and dozens of beach resorts, the Nicoya Peninsula is a surfer's paradise.

	Barra Honda National Park. This park contains a network of caves, including Terciopela Cave.
	Curú National Wildlife Refuge. Here you'll find a beach, forest, and mangroves: pochote and guanacaste trees, banana trees, monkeys, and plenty of birds.
	Cabo Blanco Strict Nature Reserve. This is a tropical moist forest - the vegetation is more lush than at Santa Rosa. There is a diverse assortment of trees, animals, and birds.
	Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. This is a major nesting site for olive ridley turtles.