Costa Rica is the perfect place for those who savor the outdoors.

This tiny 51,000 sq km Central American country offers a myriad of thrilling and exciting activities to enjoy. There is plenty to do here from hiking and trekking dense jungles, to surfing some of the most incredible waves on the planet. And with its conservationist attitudes, Costa Rica has a superb array national parks, reserves and protected zones, which are home to the most stunning array of wildlife in the world. With 5% of the earth’s biodiversity found in Costa Rica, it is no wonder then that this country has plenty of outdoor recreation activities for all.

Besides wildlife and bird watching, jungle treks, canopy tours and rappeling through the forest are popular outdoor activities to enjoy. Not for the faint of heart, canopy tours provide some truly spectacular views of the jungle below. If you are looking for some more excitement, try trekking to the summit of volcanoes like the Rincon de la Vieja or the Irazu. Also you can horseback ride along the beach for a more sedate holiday.

For those who prefer water based activities, the surfing in Costa Rica is superb. However, the scuba diving, swimming and snorkeling here is also first rate. If you don’t like getting wet, you can try your hand at sport fishing, which is top class on the Pacific Coast. For more heart pounding adventures, take a White Water Rafting trip and enjoy the scenic beauty of Costa Rica inland.

If for you the outdoors means golf or shopping, Costa Rica has plenty of this as well. There are a number of classy golf resorts springing up all over the country, while shopping in the San Jose area is excellent. You can enjoy a leisurely drive through the countryside or visit beautiful coffee plantations in the lush Central Valley. For those with cash to spare, take a luxurious lunch or dinner cruise on elegant boats in the Golfo de Nicoya on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast.

To narrow down your search for the perfect activity, choose any of the following outdoor recreation links or click on a particular region or city to see all the activities one can enjoy in the area.

Las Baulas de Guanacaste National Park is another of Costa Rica’s important sea turtle nesting sites. Located on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast in the Northern Province of Guanacaste near the tourist town of Tamarindo, this national park is a significant Leatherback sea turtle nesting spot in the world. Created in 1990, this national park was made in order to protect the endangered Leatherback turtles, who come every year to nest on the shores of the beautiful Playa Grande.

Encompassing an area of roughly 445 hectares of mangrove swamps and coastline, the Marino las Baulas National Park is made up of the four beaches, Playa Grande, Playa Langosta, Playa Ventanas and Playa Carbon. The two mangrove estuaries in the park are the Estero de Tamarindo and the Estero de San Francisco, the former of which is the biggest mangrove estuary in Latin America. This national park also extends 12 miles off shore as well, to protect the sea turtles from poachers and tourists alike.

The nesting ground for thousands of leatherback turtles who make the journey every year to this national park, Marino las Baulas National Park also protects 174 species of birds and a number of different animals that live in the estuaries here. Home to the white ibis, the cattle egret, the blue-winged teal and the muscovy duck, this park also looks after capuchin monkeys, raccoons, crocodiles, pacas and grey squirrels as well.
The largest marine reptiles in the world, the Leatherback Sea Turtles or Baulas as they are known in Spanish, come here in huge numbers during the months of November to April to mate and lay their eggs.

Also the world’s largest turtles, Leatherbacks can weigh up to 500kgs. Unlike other turtle species that have a hard shell, Leatherback turtles have a black tough leathery skin.

More information go to : http://www.govisitcostarica.com

North Pacific Coast (Tamarindo Area) Map  
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