Costa Rica Info Link

Location: 8km (5 miles) south of Paquera, in Puntarenas province.
GPS Coordinates: 9.793208,-84.925692 (9°47’35.55″N, 84°55’32.49″W)
Puntarenas Ferry GPS Coordinates: 9.977431,-84.848553 (9°58’38.75″N, 84°50’54.79″W)
Size: 84ha (207 acres) 173 acres
Altitude: sea level to 20m (66ft)
Curú National Wildlife Refuge Telephone: +506 2641-0100 / +506 2641-0590
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Telephone: +506 2686-4967 / +506 2686-4968
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Fax: +(506) 2686-4969
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Paquera, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

The desire of Federico Shutz and his family to spare this beautiful beach area from development and over harvesting of its marine resources, led to the creation of the Curú National Wildlife Refuge on February 25th, 1983, which purpose is to protect tropical dry forests on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, near Tambor, in Costa Rica.

Based on a old Costa Rican hacienda, this small reserve has a variety of life zones, including primary dry forest, mangroves and a beautiful white sand beach on which Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles nest. The largest beach is excellent for swimming and offers good snorkeling possibilities. Humpback whales are often seen offshore in the nearby Bahia Ballena (Whale Bay), being January the best month to appreciate them, while mangroves extend along the small Curu River.

The climate here is hot with sunny mornings, throughout the year. Afternoon showers are a possibility from May through November. The existing habitats include semi-deciduous forest with a mixture of evergreen and semi-deciduous species, low growing forest near the beach, mangrove swamps and littoral woodland. Some of the largest trees in these forests are the silk cotton, the Panama and the redwood.

Despite its small size, it houses a great variety of birds, terrestrial and marine biodiversity. Guided walks are led by the resident scientists and you might see Capuchin, Spider and Howler monkeys, Agouties, Variegated Squirrels, Coaties, Raccoons, White-tailed Deers, Opossums, Coyotes and Armadillos, and there’s also a lot of lizards species, the most common is the Ctenosaura (the green iguana) and Boa Constrictor. The birds are typical of the dry tropical forest and included are the Black-headed Trogons, Turquoise-browed Motmots, Rose-throated Becards, Lesser Ground Cuckoos, Hoffmann’s Woodpecker, Thicket Tinamous, Canivet’s Emeralds and Green-backed Heron, while offshore, Royal Terns, Magnificent Frigatebirds and Brown Pelicans, Laughing Falcons, Broad-winged Hawk and the Cattle Egret are a common sight.

Aquatic life includes nocturnal hermit crabs, which are very numerous on the beach and on land. There is an almost extinct species of oyster (Ocypode occidentalis) that can be found here, as well as lobsters, chitons and mouthless crabs.

The ecological-mindedness of the Shutz family, the farm’s proprietors, has maintained natural habitat along the ridges, river courses, and beach areas in the refuge and the farm. Several trails go all over the area and permit good wildlife viewing opportunities, a map of which is available at the station near the beach at Curu Bay.

Additionally, an area of mangrove swamp and three picturesque beaches are part of the refuge. The largest beach, Curú Beach, is an excellent swimming beach with very little wave action. The crystalline waters off the other two beaches, Poza Colorada and Quesera, offer good snorkeling around some coral formations. On top of Quesera Point a large shell can be seen, that is evidence of pre-Columbian habitation of this easterly end of the Nicoya Peninsula. In the other hand, fishermen from the small fishing village of Tambor in Bahia Ballena run sunset bird watching cruises through the mangroves of the Pochote Creek.

Getting to Curú National Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas, passing through San Ramon and Barranca. Probably the easiest way to get there is by taking the Ferri to Tambor or Paquera. (Tambor Ferri is the largest and most comfortable, we recommend you get to Puntarenas an hour before the ferry leaves), and there you must take the local bus. The entrance to the park is on the road between Paquera and Tambor, 5 km south of Paquera, and from the farm gate (first one on your left after leaving Paquera) to the refuge is another 1.5 km. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway, until you get to Puntarenas. The Caldera trip takes about 2.5 hours from San Jose while the other takes about 4 hours.

From Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR), drive south through Santa Cruz, Nicoya, Nandayure, Lepanto and Paquera until you get to Curú National Wildlife Refuge. It is a very scenic trip as you go down the coast (this route exemplifies rural Costa Rica and is very beautiful).

By bus

Take a local bus from the route San Jose – Malpais – Montezuma, which takes about 5 hours (Transportes Rodriguez, +506 2642-0219). We recommend buying the ticket the day before to secure your space.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tambor Airport, either with Sansa Airlines or Aerobell every day. From here you can rent a car and drive, or take a bus or taxi to Curú National Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes.

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre La Ceiba Costa Rica

La Ceiba Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on July 20th, 1995 in order to research and protect tropical forests and beach area. It is covered by tropical dry forest, is part of the Tempisque Conservation Area, and protects tropical forests on the Nicoya Peninsula, within the Nicoya Protected Zone, near the small village of San Rafael de Paquera in Puntarenas Province.

La Ceiba National Wildlife Refuge has a variety of life zones, including primary dry forest, mangroves and a beautiful white sand beach on which Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles nest. The refuge also houses a great variety of birds and terrestrial and marine biodiversity, such as monkeys, coatis, agoutis, kinkajous, raccoons, squirrels, White-tailed Deer, anteaters, peccaries, coyotes, opossums, armadillos, lizards, ocelots and margays and snakes like Boa Constrictor. The birds are typical of the dry tropical forest and include Black-headed Trogons, Hoffmann’s Woodpecker, Turquoise-browed Motmots, Lesser Ground Cuckoos, Rose-throated Becards, Canivet’s Emeralds, Thicket Tinamous, Magnificent Frigatebirds, Green-backed Heron, Royal Terns, Brown Pelicans, Laughing Falcons, Broad-winged Hawk and the Cattle Egret are a common sight.

The largest beach is excellent for swimming and offers good snorkeling possibilities. Humpback whales are often seen offshore in the nearby Bahia Ballena (Whale Bay), being January the best month to appreciate them.

The weather is typical of the zone, hot and sunny mornings, throughout the year. Afternoon showers are a possibility from May through November. The existing habitats include semi-deciduous forests with a mixture of evergreen and semi-deciduous species, low growing forest near the beach, mangrove swamps and littoral woodland. Some of the largest trees in these forests are the silk cotton, the Panama and the redwood.

La Ceiba National Wildlife Refuge has a small camping site and two cabins inside the reserve used for ecotourism, which helps fund the project. Other nearby Costa Rican parks include Curu National Wildlife Refuge and Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve, Romelia National Wildlife Refuge and Nicolas Wessberg Absolute Natural Reserve.

Getting to La Ceiba Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas, passing through San Ramon and Barranca. Probably the easiest way to get there is by taking the Ferri to Paquera (we recommend you get to Puntarenas an hour before the ferry leaves). Once in Paquera follow the signs to La Ceiba Wildlife Refuge. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway (route 27), until you get to Puntarenas. The Caldera trip takes about 3 hours from San Jose while the other takes about 5 hours.

From Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR), drive south through Santa Cruz, Nicoya, Nandayure, Lepanto and Paquera.

By bus

Take a local bus from the route San Jose – Malpais – Montezuma, which takes about 5 hours, making the stop at Paquera (Transportes Rodriguez, 2642-0219). We recommend buying the ticket the day before to secure your space.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tambor Airport, either with Sansa Airlines or Aerobell every day. From here you can rent a car and drive, or take a bus or taxi to La Ceiba Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 25 minutes.

Location: southern Nicoya Peninsula in Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Paquera GPS Coordinates: 9.821142,-84.935581 (9°49’16.11″N, 84°56’08.09″W)
Puntarenas Ferry GPS Coordinates: 9.977431,-84.848553 (9°58’38.75″N, 84°50’54.79″W)
Size: 273 ha (674 acres)
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Telephone: +(506) 2686-4967 / 2686-4968
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Paquera, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Isla San Lucas Costa Rica

San Lucas Island National Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was declared on February 12th 2001, to protect an island in the Gulf of Nicoya, just offshore from Puntarenas, approximately 550 km (340 mi) from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the largest of the islands in the Gigante Bay.

San Lucas Island has held a fascination on people for many years. Indigenous groups lived on San Lucas and the surrounding islands. In fact, the indigenous people used the island as a burial place from around 1,500 to 800 B.C. There are eight known archeological sites on the island, including apparent houses where stone tools, jade, gold, clay and metal pieces were found in the late 1970s.

The island continues to fascinate, it is a remote and peaceful island. Although, there are many poignant reminders of the brutal past when the island operated as a prison modeled on Devil’s Island. The San Lucas Island was founded by the dictator Tomás Miguel Guardia Gutiérrez as a penal colony from 1873 to 1991, for some of the worst criminals in Costa Rica. It had the reputation of being the roughest jail in Costa Rica, which is why its 117 year history is rich with tales of violence. Being sent to San Lucas Island was a terrible prospect as prisoners lives were short and often spent in torture. Ironically, Guardia was the one who abolished the death penalty a year after establishing the prison. Today the prison walls are crumbling in ruins and a lonely caretaker might let you go around on the island.

The former buildings of the penal island are considered “Patrimonio de Cultura,” or cultural heritage sites. The buildings include a historic dock that is still in use after the first dock was destroyed, a church, a medical building, temporary holding cells, a three story main office, a large concrete disc used to hold a water tank and water pumps. In addition, there are prison cells of varying security levels depending on the prisoners’ crimes. The prison cells contain the typical graffiti of older Latin American prisons, such as religious phrases, pornographic images, signatures and drawings. There are also several water pumps and a cemetery under excavation on the island.

In 2008, Costa Rica declared the island part of the national wildlife reserves, a ceremony which featured a speech by former prisoner León. (José León Sánchez, was a prisoner of the island, who wrote “La Isla de los Hombres Solos,” translated into English as “The Island of Lonely Men,” based on his time in the prison at San Lucas Island. León claimed that he was unjustly imprisoned for a robbery that he did not commit).

It is one of only 2 islands in the gulf of Nicoya with natural fresh water, and this has encouraged the biological diversity you can enjoy today. The island includes a wide variety of wildlife, such as howler or congo monkeys, spiders, pheasants, raccoons, anteaters, peccaries, armadillos, squirrels, skunks and other mammals. Similarly, they have recorded around 17 species of reptiles, including snakes such as the becker (Boa constrictor), the “guardacaminos” (Conophis lineatus) and the Loxocemus bicolor. In addition, over the mangroves you can observe crocodiles.

About 40 species of birds have been identified, 9 are migratory and 31 resident, as the frigate (Fregata magnificens), the pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), the tailed dove (Columbina inca), and the vulture (Coragyps atratus). Also there are at least 8 species of bats on the island, many of whom live in or near the old prison buildings. The waters surrounding the island are home to hammerhead sharks, rays and turtles.

In the vegetation area, around some 90 species have been found, all native to the area, among which stand the mango and “jocote” trees, the matapalo, the Bursera simaruba, the “carao”, the “cenizaro” and the “ceibo”, which are the preferred site of howler monkeys. Now you can visit the island and see for yourself the beauty and history that keeps this wonderful island. A caretaker lives on San Lucas Island, and is available for tours.

Getting to San Lucas Island National Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas exit, passing through San Ramon and Barranca. Probably the easiest way to see the San Lucas Island is to hire a boat in Puntarenas to take you to the island. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway, until you get to Punta Morales, passing through the Puntarenas entrance. The Caldera trip takes about 1 hour from San Jose while the other takes about 2 hours.

From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), drive south on the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas. Probably the easiest way to see the San Lucas Island is to hire a boat in Puntarenas to take you to the island.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Puntarenas, which takes about 2 hours and then hire a boat in Puntarenas to observe San Lucas Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Location: Nicoya Gulf, in Puntarenas province.
GPS coordinates: 9.940639,-84.903817 (9°56’26.30″N, 84°54’13.74″W)
Puntarenas Ferry GPS Coordinates: 9.977431,-84.848553 (9°58’38.75″N, 84°50’54.79″W)
Size: 470ha (1156 acres)
Altitude: sea level
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Telephone: +(506) 2686-4967 / 2686-4968
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Fax: +(506) 2686-4969
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Puntarenas port, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Reserva Biológica Isla Guayabo, Negritos y Pájaros, Costa Rica

These four unpopulated islands (Negritos consists of two islands) were included in the national park system as Biological Reserves on December 27th, 1982, to preserve plentiful populations of marine birds, its flora and fauna, to protect seabird nesting colonies and to spare them from other developments and to guarantee that so much natural beauty could be permanently enjoyed. These four islands are located at both ends of the Gulf of Nicoya. They owe their origin to tectonic movements that led to the creation of this gulf. The climate here is hot and sunny most days of the year, with a small amount of rain falls between May and November.

Essentially steep-walled chunks of rock jutting above the ocean’s surface, these islands support low, scrubby, dry forest vegetation. The thin soil and limited annual rainfall combine to produce harsh conditions for plant growth. However, the western Negritos Island once had someone living on it, as is surmised from the remains of a wooden house and various introduced fruit trees. Pre-Columbian pottery fragments found on the same island indicate that it may have been used as a burial site by the previous inhabitants of the Nicoya Peninsula.

The four islands are refuges for marine birds, especially brown pelicans, sea snipes, laughing gulls, magnificent frigate birds, yellow-naped parrots (Amazona auropalliata) and brown boobies. Amongst the animals, besides the birds, you may see raccoons, white-tipped dove (Leptotila verreaux), red land crabs, Pacific Red Snapper (Lutjanus), spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus), yellow snapper (Lutjanus argentiventris) and the land hermit crabs. In addition, there are some populations of dolphin, tuna and mackerel around the island as well. On the other hand, Guayabo Island is an important breeding center for the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in the country with a population of up to 300 birds. It also allows breeding for several other seabirds species.

The only other alternative for closer examination of these biological reserve would be to hire a small boat to take you out to them. This could possibly be done in the village of Paquera, or to visit Isla Pájaros, in you can do it from the village of Costa de Pájaros located 21 kilometers off the Inter-American Highway, north of Puntarenas. You may need a permit from the Tempisque Conservation Area.

None of the islands maintains facilities or trails for visitors, but in Puntarenas there are hotels, restaurants, markets and it is possible to hire boats, and access all islands by boat from Puntarenas. These islands are in the Gulf of Nicoya. The distance from San José is 118 kilometers via road and boat, and from Puntarenas are as follows: Guayabo 8 km south, Negritos 16.5 km south and de los Pájaros 13 km northweast.

Getting to Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Islands Biological Reserve:

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to the Puntarenas exit, passing through San Ramon and Barranca. Probably the easiest way to see the Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Islands is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway, until you get to Punta Morales, passing through the Puntarenas entrance. The Caldera trip takes about 1 hour from San Jose while the other takes about 2 hours.

From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), drive south on the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas. Probably the easiest way to see Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Islands is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Puntarenas, which takes about 2 hours and then take a boat, preferably to Tortuga Island, to observe Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Islands Biological Reserve.

Location: Nicoya Gulf, in Puntarenas province.
Puntarenas Ferry GPS Coordinates: 9.977431,-84.848553 (9°58’38.75″N, 84°50’54.79″W)
Size: 6.8ha (15 acres), 140ha (350 acres) and 3.8h (10 acres), respectively
Altitude: sea level up to 50m
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Telephone: +(506) 2686-4967 / 2686-4968
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Fax: +(506) 2686-4969
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Puntarenas port, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Click on the links above to learn more about each island:

Guayabo Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica
Los Negritos Islands Biological Reserve, Costa Rica
Los Pájaros Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Reserva Biológica Isla Guayabo Costa Rica

Guayabo Island Biological Reserve Costa Rica located in the Gulf of Nicoya, was included in the national park system on December 27th, 1982, to preserve plentiful populations of marine birds, its flora and fauna, to protect seabird nesting colonies and to spare them from other developments. The island is part of the Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Biological Reserve. The climate here is hot and sunny most days of the year. The small amount of rain falls between May and November.

Guayabo Island is an important block that towers 50 meters high. It’s mostly composed of sedimentary rock amongst 60 to 80 million years old.  It has the shape of a rhomboid and access to it is difficult from the pebble beach, which is the result of a former landslide. The rest of the surrounding area consists of cliffs jutting out into the sea.

The vegetation covering it consists of bushes, shrubs and small plants scarcely over 1m high. It’s importance lies in being the largest of the four known nesting areas for the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in the country with a population of up to 300 birds. Besides, it is also a breeding place for boobies, laughing gulls, frigate birds and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). Near Guayabo, there is a sunken ship, which has enabled a small coral reef and a bank of mussels (Brachidontes puntarenensis) to establish. Except for the birds, the wildlife just includes small insects and crustaceans like crabs. The boat from Puntarenas to Paquera passes close by the cliff-bound rocky islet and you can watch the crowds of circling birds.

The Guayabo Island Biological Reserve service maintains no facilities or trails for visitors on the island, but in Puntarenas there are hotels, restaurants, markets and it is possible to hire boat for closer examination. Also, to visit the island you may need a permit from the Tempisque Conservation Area.

Getting to Guayabo Island Biological Reserve:

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to the Puntarenas exit, passing through San Ramon and Barranca. Probably the easiest way to see the Guayabo Island is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway, until you get to Punta Morales, passing through the Puntarenas entrance. The Caldera trip takes about 1 hour from San Jose while the other takes about 2 hours.

From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), drive south on the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas. Probably the easiest way to see Guayabo Island is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Puntarenas, which takes about 2 hours and then take a boat, preferably to Tortuga Island, to observe Guayabo Island Biological Reserve.

Location: 8 km south Puntarenas, in Nicoya Gulf.
Puntarenas Ferry GPS Coordinates: 9.977431,-84.848553 (9°58’38.75″N, 84°50’54.79″W)
Size: 6.8ha (15 acres)
Altitude: sea level up to 50m
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Telephone: +(506) 2686-4967 / 2686-4968
Tempisque Conservation Area (ACT) Fax: +(506) 2686-4969
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Puntarenas port, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Reserva Biológica Isla Los Negritos Costa Rica

Los Negritos Island Biological Reserve Costa Rica located in the Gulf of Nicoya, was included in the national park system on December 27th 1982, to preserve plentiful populations of marine birds, its flora and fauna, to protect seabird nesting colonies and to spare them from other developments. The climate here is hot and sunny most days of the year. The island is part of the Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Biological Reserve. The small amount of rain falls between May and November.

The Negritos Islands are neighbors of Tortuga Island in the Gulf of Nicoya, and comprise two islands separated by a narrow channel. Consisting of basalts and breaches of the Nicoya complex and are covered in semideciduous forest. The predominant trees are Frangipani (Plumeria rubra), Spiny cedar (Bombacopsis quintanum), lacewood (Calycophyllum candidissimum) and gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba). In some parts, near the rocks, there are homogeneous patches of chira (Bromelia pinguin) and palm (Bactris guineensis).

The waters surrounding these islands are very rich in marine fauna; some of the most common fish are the Pacific Red Snapper (Lutjanus), the Spotted Rose Snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) and the Yellow Snapper (Lutjanus argentiventris).  Some of the animals that live in this island are raccoons, parrots, doves, hermit crabs (which are very numerous), brown pelicans and oysters, and also the Yellow-naped Parrot (amazona auropalliata) nests here.  In addition, there are some populations of dolphin, tuna and mackerel around the island as well.

The Negritos Islands Biological Reserve maintains no facilities or trails for visitors on the island, but in Puntarenas there are hotels, restaurants, markets and it is possible to hire boats, due to every island being accessible by boat from Puntarenas, for closer examination. Also, to visit them, you may need a permit from the Tempisque Conservation Area.

Getting to Los Negritos Island Biological Reserve:

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to the Puntarenas exit, passing through San Ramon and Barranca. Probably the easiest way to see the Los Negritos Island is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway (route 27), until you get to Punta Morales, passing through the Puntarenas entrance. The Caldera trip takes about 1 hour from San Jose while the other takes about 2 hours.

From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), drive south on the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas. Probably the easiest way to see the Los Negritos Islands is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Puntarenas, which takes about 2 hours and then take a boat, preferably to Tortuga Island, to observe the Los Negritos Island Biological Reserve.

Location: 16.5 km south Puntarenas, in Nicoya Gulf.
Puntarenas Ferry GPS Coordinates: 9.977431,-84.848553 (9°58’38.75″N, 84°50’54.79″W)
Size: 140ha (350 acres)
Altitude: sea level up to 50m
Tempisque Conservation Area Telephone: (506) 2686-4967 / 2686-4968
Tempisque Conservation Area Fax: (506) 2686-4969
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Puntarenas port, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Reserva Biológica Isla Los Pájaros Costa Rica

Pajaros Island Biological Reserve Costa Rica located in the Gulf of Nicoya, was included in the national park system on December 27th 1982, to preserve plentiful populations of marine birds, its flora and fauna, to protect seabird nesting colonies and to spare them from other developments. The island is part of the Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Biological Reserve. The climate here is hot and sunny most days of the year. The small amount of rain falls between May and November.

The Pajaros Island is more or less round dome-shaped which can be seen from Costa de Pájaros (Birds Coast). At low tide, it is possible to walk around it along the two small beaches and a narrow platform. It’s composed of the same kind of sandstone as Guayabo Island.

The vegetation consists of a low forest with patches of grassland with shrub. The predominant species is wild guava (Psidium guineense) and crown fig. Many species of marine bird use this island for nesting. Resident animals include rock oysters, crustaceans like barnacles and birds from other groups.

The park service maintains no facilities or trails for visitors on the island, so the only alternative for closer examination of this biological reserve island would be to go to the village of Costa de Pájaros (Birds Coast) located 21 kilometers off the Inter-American Highway, north of Puntarenas. Although, in Puntarenas there are hotels, restaurants, markets and it is possible to hire boats, since every island is accessible by boat from Puntarenas. To visit the island you may need a permit from the Tempisque Conservation Area.

Getting to Pajaros Island Biological Reserve:

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas exit, passing through San Ramon and Barranca. Probably the easiest way to see the Pajaros Island is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway (route 27), until you get to Punta Morales, passing through the Puntarenas entrance. The Caldera trip takes about 1 hour from San Jose while the other takes about 2 hours.

From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), drive south on the Pan-American Highway to Puntarenas. Probably the easiest way to see the Pajaros Island is to take one of the daily cruises from Puntarenas to Tortuga Island, since the route taken on these excursions passes by these islands.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Puntarenas, which takes about 2 hours and then take a boat, preferably to Tortuga Island, to observe the Pajaros Island Biological Reserve.

Location: 13 km northweast Puntarenas, in Nicoya Gulf.
Puntarenas Ferry GPS Coordinates: 9.977431,-84.848553 (9°58’38.75″N, 84°50’54.79″W)
Size: 3.8h (10 acres)
Altitude: sea level up to 50m
Tempisque Conservation Area Telephone: +(506) 2686-4967 / 2686-4968
Tempisque Conservation Area Fax: +(506) 2686-4969
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Puntarenas port, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio de Vida Silvestre Peñas Blancas Costa Rica

Peñas Blancas Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica is located at the southern slope of the Tilarán Mountain Range. It was created on December 13th 1985 to protect the flora and fauna of the high watersheds of the Ciruelas and Barranca rivers. It includes steep slopes and flat and wavy plains, 64% of which is covered with evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, the remainder being grassland.

Peñas Blancas National Park means “white cliffs’ and refers to the diatomite (diatomaceous) deposits in the canyons of some of the river beds or where there have been landslides in the upper regions. Diatomite is a porous sedimentary rock that is whitish in color and formed by the accumulation of siliceous shells left by diatom seaweeds of marine or lake origin. Indeed, the reserve may be more interesting to geologists than ecologists, as there has been much forest clearance and only around 70 species of birds have been recorded.

Peñas Blancas is an area of very abrupt terrain made up of volcanic rocks from the Aguacate Group with peaks that go from 600m to 1.400m. Most of the refuge is covered by forests that have been altered to some extent, although the original forest mass can still be found in the most remote areas and in the river canyons. The vegetation in the lower areas, towards the south, consists of tropical dry forest. Towards the north and upper areas grows a premontane moist forest. A fairly deep canyon can be found in the Jabonal River, which more or less crosses through the center of the refuge.

In fact, the evergreen forests grow over 1,370 hectares that spread around the river canyons and Zapotal Peak. The semi-deciduous and deciduous forests grow in the lowlands, covering only 7% of the refuge. Typical trees here are the Gumbo-Limbo, Spiny Cedar, Freijo, Mayflower and Spanish Cedar. Other plants that are of interest to the botanists and that have been collected in the refuge include ferns, oaks, epiphytes and bamboo, such as Asplenium Cristatum, Dryopteris, Solandra brachycalyx – a shrub that begins as an epiphyte and grows into a bushy clump covered with large yellow flowers –, the Ceiba rosea, an epiphytic tree with strangler roots and stems covered with razor-sharp thorns, specimens of which are not often collected; the Habenaria, a ground orchid with green inflorescences; the Anthurium ranchoanum, a ground cover with bright green, leathery leaves; and the Rhipidocladum pittieri, a bamboo plant of the understorey which flowers in intervals of several years. The Quercus brenesii oak, a tree that only grows about 25 meters tall, can be found in the upper reaches of the refuge. It grows in Costa Rica and Nicaragua and its wood has traditionally been used to make coal, which has placed it in danger of extinction.

As a result, wildlife is scarce. However the forests provide shelter for several species of butterflies, birds and some mammals, mainly pacas, red brocket deers, collared peccaries, howler and white faced capuchin monkeys, kinkajous, raccoons and opossums. This wilderness area has been set aside to protect the watersheds of several rivers, to conserve the forests and to increase the wildlife.

The waterways are fed by heavy and frequent rains, which in turn also wash away the banks and erode the slopes. In fact the entire zone is one of great instability and proof of it can be seen in the solifluction (slow creeping of soil) manifested in mud and rockslides. The weather here is warm in the lower sector of the refuge and starts cooling as you gain elevation, the rainy season is from May to November. There are a few trails and camping is permitted, but there are no visitor facilities.

Getting to Peñas Blancas Wildlife Refuge?

From San Jose take the Pan-American Highway to the Miramar exit (6 km. north of Barranca). From Miramar, take the road out of town to the east (ask directions for Sabana Bonita). Beyond Sabana Bonita, take the left fork at the T-intersection which will bring you to the village of Peñas Blancas. A four-wheel-drive may be necessary, depending on what the current road conditions are. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway, until you get to Miramar, passing through the Puntarenas entrance. The Caldera trip takes about 1 hour from San Jose while the other takes about 2 hours. Or, from San José is 108 km. Between San Ramón and Esparza, at Macacona, follow a 20km road to the refuge. The refuge sits 6km (3.7 miles) to the northeast of Miramar (5 miles, 8 km northeast of the Inter-Americana Highway).

From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), drive south on the Pan-American Highway to Miramar exit (6 km. north of Barranca). From Miramar, take the road out of town to the east (ask directions for Sabana Bonita). Beyond Sabana Bonita, take the left fork at the T-intersection which will bring you to the village of Peñas Blancas. A four-wheel-drive may be necessary, depending on what the current road conditions are.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Miramar, which takes about 2 hours to Peñas Blancas Wildlife Refuge (Transportes Miramar, 2248-0045).

Location: 32km (20 miles) northeast of Puntarenas, district: San Jeronimo, canton: Esparza, province: Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 60205.
Miramar GPS Coordinates: 10.092769,-84.729722 (10°05’33.97″N, 84°43’47.00″W)
Size: 2400ha (5930 acres)
Altitude: 600m (2000ft) to 1400m (4600ft)
Central Pacific Conservation Area (ACOPAC) Telephone: +(506) 2416-7878
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Sabana Bonita, Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps