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Aerial view of a curved beach below wooded hills in Guanacaste.

Costa Rica · Guanacaste

National parks and wildlife

Wetlands, mangroves and dry forest for crocodiles, monkeys, waterbirds and turtles.

8 places1 closed or restricted, flagged

  1. Palo Verde National Park and Tempisque boat trip1

    WildlifeOpen

    Palo Verde National Park and Tempisque boat trip

    About 30 km west of Cañas, Bagaces55.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    $13.56
    Hours
    8:00–16:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Ramsar wetland on the Tempisque plain with viewpoints over the lagoon and river boat trips to see crocodiles, monkeys, jabirus and other waterbirds.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Palo Verde · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Entry: $13.56 adults and $5.65 children for non-residents; card payment only (SINAC, 2026). The boat tour from the beaches costs from $126 plus VAT and includes entry (September 2026).
    Hours
    Daily 8:00–16:00 (SINAC).
    Time needed
    The tour takes about 7 hours door to door, with ~2 hours on the boat.

    Tip: Go in the dry season (February to April), when birds gather in the wetland. La Roca trail (540 m) leads to a viewpoint; a 4x4 is advised in the rainy season.

    Nearby: Tempisque river boat tour (Palo Verde) (8.8 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Palo Verde · Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Palo Verde wildlife boat tour · Wikipedia – Palo Verde National Park

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  2. 2

    WildlifeOpen

    Tamarindo Estuary boat tour

    Departs near the river mouth, on the road from Tamarindo to Villarreal3.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    $50
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Boat ride through the Tamarindo estuary mangroves, a wetland of global importance, to see crocodiles, herons, kingfishers and raccoons.

    Source: Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Tamarindo Estuary boat tour · 2025 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    About $50 per adult and $40 per child 4–11, with transport in the Tamarindo area (July 2025).
    Time needed
    About 2 hours.

    Tip: The departure time depends on the tide: it is best at high tide.

    Nearby: Leatherback turtle night tour at Las Baulas (1.9 km) · Tamarindo nightlife (3.1 km) · Tamarindo (3.1 km)

    Sources: Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Tamarindo Estuary boat tour · SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas

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  3. 3

    WildlifeSeasonal

    Leatherback turtle night tour at Las Baulas

    Playa Grande, Las Baulas Marine National Park3.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Guided viewing of nesting leatherbacks at Playa Grande, Ventanas and Langosta, the reason the national park was created.

    Only in nesting season (SINAC: October to February; its English page gives 20 October to 15 February), with an authorised guide, groups of up to 15 and no photos. Few leatherbacks nest today and you may see none; outside the season, consider the olive ridley arribadas at Ostional.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Booking
    With local guides authorised by the park; SINAC gives a natural-history talk to people joining the tour.

    Tip: Wear long trousers for mosquitoes and do not bring a white torch: only red-filtered light is allowed.

    Nearby: Playa Grande (1.5 km) · Tamarindo Estuary boat tour (1.9 km) · Playa Ventanas (2.2 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas · SINAC – Las Baulas National Marine Park · Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Things to do in Tamarindo

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  4. 4

    WildlifeOpen

    Corobicí or Tenorio river float

    Near Cañas; 1 h from Coco and 2 h from Tamarindo82.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    $167
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A gentle boat float on the Corobicí or Tenorio river, depending on water levels, to see crocodiles, howler monkeys, otters and birds.

    Source: Two Weeks in Costa Rica – River float wildlife tour · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Full-day tour from the coast: $167 plus 13% per adult in a group (2026), with a stop at Llanos de Cortés.
    Time needed
    6–8 hours door to door.

    Sources: Two Weeks in Costa Rica – River float wildlife tour

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  5. 5

    CultureOpen

    Santa Rosa National Park and La Casona

    36 km north of Liberia on Route 164.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    $16.95
    Hours
    8:00–15:30
    Booking
    Not stated

    A ranch house turned history museum, site of the 20 March 1856 battle against William Walker’s filibusters, surrounded by World Heritage dry forest.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Santa Rosa · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Foreigners: $16.95 adults and $5.65 children 2–12 (SINAC, 2026).
    Hours
    SINAC: Wednesday to Monday, 8:00–15:30, with advance booking. A July 2025 guide gave Wednesday to Sunday: confirm before you go.
    Booking
    Book at reservaciones.acguanacaste.ac.cr.

    Tip: The Indio Desnudo trail starts near La Casona. According to a SINAC statement reported by Delfino.cr (3 October 2024), the trail has rest bays every 100 metres, easy-to-read interpretive signs, QR codes with audio, tactile paving and a permeable concrete surface with slopes under 10%. Check with the protected area before you go.

    Nearby: Playa Naranjo (Santa Rosa) (8.5 km) · Witch’s Rock (Peña Bruja) by boat (9 km) · Murciélago sector (Santa Rosa) (14.8 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Santa Rosa · Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Santa Rosa National Park · Wikipedia – Santa Rosa National Park · Delfino.cr – Trece áreas protegidas con sectores de accesibilidad (comunicado de SINAC, 3 oct. 2024)

  6. 6

    NatureOpen

    Diriá National Park

    18 km south of Santa Cruz via Arado30.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    $6
    Hours
    8:00–15:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    A little-visited park in the hills south of Santa Cruz, with forest trails, viewpoints, pools on the En Medio river and a seasonal waterfall.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Diriá · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $6 for foreigners per day (SINAC); a 2025 guide says there is often no ranger to collect it.
    Hours
    8:00–15:00 according to a July 2025 guide.

    Tip: The last 6 km are gravel with a crossing of the Diriá river: SINAC suggests 4WD. The waterfall nearly dries up in the dry season.

    Nearby: Guaitil Chorotega pottery village (14 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Diriá · Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Diria National Park

  7. 7

    NatureOpen

    Murciélago sector (Santa Rosa)

    Santa Elena Peninsula, via Cuajiniquil67.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    $16.95
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Northern sector of Santa Rosa on the Santa Elena Peninsula, with dry forest, rivers, mangrove, trails and beaches.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Santa Rosa · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Same park fee: $16.95 for foreign adults (SINAC, 2026).

    Tip: It is a remote sector: carry water and fuel, and confirm hours with the Guanacaste Conservation Area.

    Nearby: Witch’s Rock (Peña Bruja) by boat (13.1 km) · Santa Rosa National Park and La Casona (14.8 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Santa Rosa

  8. 8

    NatureRestricted access

    Conchal Wildlife Refuge

    Behind Playa Conchal, Cabo Velas11 km from the centre

    Entry
    $10
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A small refuge next to Playa Conchal with self-guided trails through dry forest, mangrove and the Puerto Viejo estuary lagoon.

    Open only Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:00–12:00, arranged by phone or email (SINAC). If the days do not fit, spend the morning at Playa Conchal instead.

    Source: SINAC – Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Conchal · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $10 for foreigners (SINAC, 2026).
    Booking
    Tel. 2654-3067 or refugionatural@reservaconchal.com (SINAC).

    Nearby: Conchal Beach (1.2 km) · Playa Brasilito (2.9 km) · Playa Flamingo (4.8 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Conchal

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