Puntarenas

Piedras Blancas National Park Costa Rica

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Location: on the shore of Golfo Dulce in southern Puntarenas, district: Puerto Jimenez, canton: Golfito, province: Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 60702.
La Gamba GPS Coordinates: 8.708611,-83.184517 (8°42’31.00″N, 83°11’4.26″W)
Size: 140000ha (34,642 acres)
Altitude: sea level to 1000m (3280ft)
Piedras Blancas National Park Telephone: +506 2741-1319
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +506 2735-5580 / +506 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

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

WAZE location Piedras Blancas National Park Costa Rica  Google Maps location Piedras Blancas National Park Costa Rica

Piedras Blancas was made a national park in its own right in 1999. It used to operate as part of the Corcovado National Park called the Esquinas Sector since July 17th, 1991. It was also once known as the Rainforest of the Austrians (Regenwald der Ósterreicher), because in 1991, the Austrian classical violinist, Michael Schinitzler, founded this organization to raise money to buy land in the Esquinas area to preserve the lowland rainforest.  The Rainforest of the Austrians also administrated La Gamba Biological Section.

Piedras Blancas National Park is a National Park part of the Osa Conservation Area it is found in the Puntarenas Province of southern Costa Rica near the town of La Gamba. It protects rainforests and beaches near the Golfo Dulce Piedras Blancas National Park Costa Rica(Sweet Gulf) on the Pacific Coast. In the east, the park borders the Golfito Forest Reserve and connects in the west with the Corcovado National Park by the forest corridor of Rincon, which unfortunately is highly threatened by illegal logging, until the mid-90s.

The Piedras Blancas National Park covers 30’000 acres of undisturbed humid tropical lowland primary rainforest and 5’000 acres of secondary forests, pasture land and rivers consisting primarily of hills of varied steepness, over one hundred stream valleys, a river plateau and coastal cliffs and beaches.

The streams carry auriferous sands, fortunately with relatively low yields, thus gold mining has been only artisanal and has not inflicted serious damage to the environment. A common feature of the area is the abundance of ground water, sometimes found as shallow as 5 or 6 feet.

The seasons are not clearly defined, although most of the rain (100 to 150 inches) falls during the rainy season from April to November. The average yearly temperature is around 80ºF (26ºC), with minimum and maximum oscillating between 70ºF and 90ºF. The humidity remains at relatively high levels, permitting the growth of a large variety of ferns.

The rugged mountains and watersheds of both the Esquinas and Piedras Blancas rivers are covered in dense evergreen forest that is home to a number of rare tropical trees and the habitat of many species of birds, mammals and reptiles. Hunting has been a problem, but the number of park rangers was increased from 6 to 16 between 2005 and 2007, and poaching has decreased.

Private scientific projects have chosen the remote area of the Piedras Blancas National Park for the re-introduction project by Zoo Ave of highly endangered Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) to establish a third self-sustaining population within the next years to add to the two existing groups in the Corcovado and the Carara Biological Reserve.

With a stunning diversity of flora and fauna, the stunning Piedras Blancas National Park is a significant natural reserve and wildlife refuge located in the Puntarenas province. Neighboring the Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, the Piedras Blancas National Park connects with the Corcovado National Park to form and safeguard an important and ecologically diverse biological corridor in the Golfo Dulce. In fact, this national park is among the last remaining homes of the jaguar in Costa Rica. With its lush tropical forests and plethora of indigenous plants and wildlife, the Piedras Blancas National Park also protects the northern Golfo Dulce beaches and bays.

The fauna is composed by approximately 140 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, over 100 amphibians and reptiles (37 amphibian and 42 reptile species) and several thousands of insects. Some of the more common animals found here include: howler monkey, spider monkey, white-faced capuchin monkey and the endangered squirrel monkey, coatis, raccoons, kinkajous, skunks, anteaters, collared peccaries, pacas or agouties, Red Brocket deers, tayras and long-nosed armadillos, all 5 species of felines: puma, ocelot, margay, jaguar and jaguaroundi. Two-toed-Sloths are rare in the Esquinas forest but can be found in the coastal areas around Golfito. The Northern Tamandua has been sighted near Esquinas Lodge and the Silky anteater was recorded in the mangroves near Golfito. Five species of Piedras Blancas National Park Costa RicaAmerican Opossums have been recorded, including the Mexican Mouse Opossum, the Gray Four-Eyed Opossum and the Common Opossum. Rodents include the Agouti or Paca and several species of mice, squirrels and rats. With 53 different species, bats are the richest mammal group in Piedras Blancas National Park. The Vampire Bat is a real blood feeding animal and was found foraging in open habitats near La Gamba

You can also find various reptiles including various species of poisonous dart frogs (including the endemic), red-eyed leaf frog or poison-arrow frogs, tree frogs, glass frogs, rain frogs and cane toads. Basilisks and iguanas frequent the streams, lizards can be seen in the garden and geckos can be seen chasing insects in the main lodge building at nighttime. The most common and most dangerous snake is the fer-de-lance and the bushmaster snake, but coral snakes, vine snakes, boa constrictors and pit vipers are seen occasionally. Spectacled caimans live in the ponds and American crocodiles can be seen in larger rivers and mangrove swamps.

Considered by many to be one of the best bird watching parks in the country, the Piedras Blancas National Park is an important gathering point for many birds from North and South America; so far 340 have been identified by specialists, including toucans and Scarlet Macaws

With its tall dense forestation, this national park is essentially an evergreen primary forest that is also the habitat of many indigenous trees and plants. Also found here are many beautiful waterfalls and rivers along meandering trials as well as stunning beaches and a coral reef off shore. Research has additionally unearthed clues that in the pre-Hispanic period, this park was the home of many native Costa Rican tribes.

Getting to Piedras Blancas National Park:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama to Palmar Sur. Continue some 20 miles further south to La Gamba village. From here you can easily access the entrance to this park.

By bus

Take a bus San Jose – Puerto Jimenez, which takes about 8 hours (Transportes Blanco, +506 2771-4744). From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Piedras Blancas National Park, which is about 15 minutes. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

You can also ake a bus San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, +506 2221-4214). From here you can take a boat to Puerto Jimenez and then rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Piedras Blancas National Park, which is about 30 minutes. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Puerto Jimenez Airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take taxi to Piedras Blancas National Park, which is about 20 minutes.

RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica

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

RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica created on July 26th, 1995 to protect forested and beach areas on the Golfo Dulce, Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

The refuge is part of the Osa Conservation Area, southern Costa Rica near the town of La Gamba, so the average annual temperature is around 26ºC (80ºF), and humidity is maintained at relatively high levels, allowing the growth of a variety of ferns.

The RHR Blancas National Wildlife Refuge form and ensures a biological corridor and ecological diversity in the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf). With its lush tropical rainforests and the many native plants and wildlife, the refuge also protects the north of the Golfo Dulce, beaches and bays.

With its dense forest, this refuge is essentially evergreen primary forest, which is also the habitat of many native trees and plants, as well as various animals such as sloths, monkeys, agoutis, peccaries, jaguars, parrots, macaws, toucans, trogones. There are also many beautiful waterfalls and rivers along the trails, beautiful beaches and a coral reef on the coast.

There are no public facilities at RHR Blancas National Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby Costa Rica Parks include Piedras Blancas National Park, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, Quillotro National Wildlife Refuge and Corcovado National Park.

Getting to RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Golfito. The total distance is 342km (212 miles). The refuge can be accessed via the Torres Rd. (Calle Torres) near the cemetery or behind Banco Nacional – drive up to the steep, take the exit to the left and access the hiking trail on the right side of the road. It might be best to park in town and walk up to the trailhead or pay a local to park at their home to watch your car and personal belongings. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway to Puntarenas and then follow the Costanera Highway until you get to Golfito.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito Airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to RHR Blancas Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes.

Location: in Osa Peninsula southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
La Gamba GPS Coordinates: 8.708611,-83.184517 (8°42’31.00″N, 83°11’4.26″W)
Size: 60 ha (146 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

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

Golfito National Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica

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

Golfito National Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica protects forested and beach areas surrounding the Golfito harbor on the Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf), in the Pacific coast. This small reserve occupies the forested hills behind the town of Golfito, which was spared deforestation and the planting of oil palms and bananas because of its steep slopes. That’s why the government finally declared it a protected area on November 11th 1988, in order to preserve the water supply of Golfito.

The refuge includes a chain of mountains and highlands that climb 500m above sea level and then plunge abruptly into the sea, forming a very jagged coastline with cliffs 200m high that alternate with tidal plains and estuaries. The ridgeline is the result of the weathering of volcanic and sedimentary rocks of great antiquity.

The Golfito Wildlife Refuge is located in a rugged wilderness area with very heavy rains and dense evergreen forest, making it, undoubtedly, one of the wettest places in the world, as the region receives an average annual rainfall 5076mm (200 in). Rainfall is abundant all year long but in October it can rain over 700mm, this is the same amount it rains in Coco Beach and Cartago during the whole year. An important aspect of the Golfito Wildlife Refuge is its location near the lower basin of the Rio Esquinas (Corners River), a unique area in the Costa Rican Pacific where there is no dry season. It is like a climatic island with conditions that are similar to those on the hot and humid plains of the Caribbean, but on the other side of the central mountain chain.

The heavy, abundant and almost constant rains feed innumerable waterways, which encourage the growth of very tall trees laden with epiphytes. This is why it has one of the tallest canopies in Central America, with some trees, such as Purpleheart (Peltogyne), Butternut or White Walnut (Juglans Cinerea) and the Silk Cotton (Bombax), reaching 43m (140ft) in height. There are also some unusual trees here, such as the Caryodaphnopsis, a very primitive plant that belongs to the Lauraceae family which grows nowhere else in the country, and a “living fossil” a Cycad called Zamia.  The forest in the refuge is thick, very evergreen. A fairly common palm that grows here is the black palm and its dry season goes from January through March.

The Golfito reserve is one of the most accessibles in the country, with a system of hiking trails that is reachable from the town of Golfito, leading to scenic overlooks and beaches. The downside of this is that it has suffered badly from hunting. For this reason, Golfito has fewer species to be seen than Corcovado, despite having similar conditions. Nevertheless a wide range of mammals can be seen. All four species of Costa Rican monkeys live here, plus Agouties, Coaties, Raccoons, Collared Peccaries, Pacas, anteaters and one of the smallest cats, the Jaguarondi. There are also various species of snakes, frogs, butterflies and bats. Nearly 150 species of birds have been identified at Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, including macaws (Scarlet Macaw), parrots, brown pelicans, ibis, herons and owls, Barn Owls, and a number of birds with limited distribution, such as Yellow-billed Cotinga, Orange-collared Manakin, Golden-naped Woodpecker, Riverside Wren and Baird’s Trogon. The refuge also covers part of Golfo Dulce, where ghosts crabs can be seen along the beach and dolphins and whales in the migration season. There is also a small coral reef.

An important aspect of the refuge is that is biologically related to other 2 parks, Corcovado and Piedras Blancas (White Stones). There are also great hiking opportunities on the North side of Golfito off the road to La Gamba. You can park next to the small waterfall on the left side of the road and walk up the river. On the other hand, there are no public facilities at this wildlife refuge, although camping permits can be arranged through the MINAE office in Rio Claro at 2789-9092.

Many species that are threatened or even extinct in neighboring countries still thrive here in the Golfito and Osa Peninsula area. In most of Costa Rica’s National parks it is possible to see several different habitats within the course of a day. An international effort is underway to catalog Costa Rica’s natural assets, but at the last count, this tiny Central American country was calculated to have just over 200 mammals (including six species of felines: jaguar, ocelot, margay, puma, jaguarundi and tiger cats), 857 species of birds, 10,000 insects and over 9,000 species of higher plants, including 1,200 orchids. Most of these species are to be found here, in the Southern Zone and around the Golfito area.

Getting to Golfito National Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Golfito. The total distance is 342km (212 miles). The refuge can be accessed via the Tower Rd. (calle Torres) near the cemetery or behind Banco Nacional – you continue till the slope, the you take the exit to the left and you will reach the hiking trail on the right side of the road. It might be best to park in town and walk up to the trailhead or pay a local to park at their home to watch your car and personal belongings.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 15 minutes. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

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

Location: on the shore of Golfo Dulce in southern Puntarenas province.
Golfito GPS Coordinates: 8.638792,-83.166678 (8°38’19.65″N, 83°10’00.04″W)
Size: 1309ha (3234 acres)
Altitude: sea level to 400m (1312ft)
Schedule: from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Golfito National Wildlife Refuge Telephone: +(506) 2775-2620
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

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

Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica

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Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Donald Peters Hayes Costa Rica

Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge Costa Rica was created on May 20th 1998, to protect forested areas near Golfito, overlooking the Golfo Dulce, Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. In fact, this private wildlife refuge is adjacent to the Golfito National Wildlife Refuge.

The nearby cities of Golfito and Puerto Jimenez need these refuges, as they help to protect the slopes and water. That is why this refuge was created with the goal to conserve the forest and native wildlife, as well as ensure the perpetuation of species, population or wildlife habitats and to serve for scientific or recreational purposes, as long as they don’t go against their main objective.

The National Wildlife Refuge Donald Peters Hayes protects a wide variety of flora and fauna, terrestrial and marine, typical of humid tropical forest of southern Puntarenas, with species of ferns, palms, orchids and tropical trees as the Vaco. The refuge has a large variety of birds such as macaws, toucans, hummingbirds, and mammals like coatis, monkeys and peccaries.

There are no public facilities at Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby parks include Golfito National Wildife Refuge, Corcovado National Park, Piedras Blancas National Park and Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve.

Getting to Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge:

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway south towards Panama. At the town of Rio Claro, take the exit to Golfito. The total trip from San Jose takes about 7 hours.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San Jose – Golfito, which takes about 8 hours (Tracopa-Alfaro, 2221-4214). From here you can take rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Golfito Airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Donald Peters Hayes Wildlife Refuge, which takes about 20 minutes.

Location: Osa Peninsula in southern Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Golfito GPS Coordinates: 8.638792,-83.166678 (8°38’19.65″N, 83°10’00.04″W)
Size: 211 ha (520 acres)
Osa Conservation Area (ACOSA) Telephone: +(506) 2735-5580 / 2735-5276
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192

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

Puntarenas City Marine Historic Museum Costa Rica

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Address: Former Plaza police headquarters building in downtown Puntarenas, district: Puntarenas, canton: Puntarenas, province: Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 60101.
GPS Coordinates: 9.976564,-84.827625 (9°58’35.63″N, 84°49’39.45″W)
Hours: From Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 430 p.m.
Website: www.parquemarino.org
Fax: +(506) 2661-0633
Telephone: +506 2661-5272

WAZE location Puntarenas City Marine Historic Museum Costa Rica  Google Maps location Puntarenas City Marine Historic Museum Costa Rica

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO the Marine Historic Museum of Puntarenas City, Costa Rica at Google Maps

The Marine Historic Museum of the Puntarenas City not only is an aquarium with marine life up to the Cocos Island National Park, full of fresh and salt water species, but it also shows the natural beauty of the Puntarenas Port, the wealth of its history and the Puntarenas people charm. At its different sites on natural history, archeology and history, is reflected the way of life that for thousands of years has developed in this region. Archaeological information has allowed to know about the first settlements of indigenous groups in the region, the way how they got their food, taking advantage of the various resources of the area, types of burial practices and the terms of trade and commerce therein.

The story focuses on the Puntarenas city, although the province includes part of the North, Central and Southern Pacific areas in Costa Rica, it has grown more independent and distinct from the rest of the province. In this same manner we will be taken to the past and learn how the Puntarenas Port became one of the most important in the country and some of the traditions and religious celebrations of the Puntarenas people, characterized by its diverse geographical and cultural origins.

The museum displays the diversity of natural resources of the area, including its wetlands, forests, marine life, land animals and birds. The museum outlines the importance of the Nicoya Gulf and the islands that are in it. Delves further into the natural wealth of the Cocos Island and tells about pirates and their treasures. It is located in the Former Plaza police headquarters building in downtown Puntarenas.

Boruca’s Indian Community Museum Costa Rica

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Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Museo Comunitario Indígena de Boruca en Costa Rica

Boruca is an example of a community who struggles to survive and maintain their traditions and customs, as its inhabitants have a rich artistic heritage which is reflected in their beautiful handmade creations. That is why the community decided to create the Boruca’s Indian Community Museum, a place where history merges with the Indian people and artistic development that they have achieved.

The history of the community museum has its beginnings more than 13 years ago and since then between various problems, they have celebrated major achievements, which has motivated them to continue their museum project. Today, weeks after completing two years of the reopening of the museum, the Association of Craftsmen and Artisans “La Flor” (the Flower), keeps working for their museum space to grow and increase the tissue between the threads of the past, present and future of their community, with which they expect to retain its cultural and natural heritage and to defend their lifestyle, knowledge, identity and values in pursuit of integral development.

The Boruca’s Indian Community Museum is an example of national and international museums of this type. The craft people held together and seek new solutions for changes in museum supplies. Advised by the Program of Regional and Community Museums, they are working on a redesign with its own vision of a new museum, to extend their horizons to integrate all the physical space of the community including cultural and natural values, to introduce new topics not yet integrated, to have an own collection, to collect and investigate their own local history and technological improvements to the procurement of computer equipment.

They are in pursuit of developing new projects to diversify the services they want to offer to the visitor, under a rural community tourism mode, where people can taste traditional foods, live in a local indigenous family home, participate in craft activities and enjoy tours of the lifestyle of the indigenous community of Boruca. The museum has been adapted to the present times, therefore, in compliance with Act 7600, it has made changes to be accessible for people with special needs. There is a space where they sell their handcrafts which fund their projects, maintain the building and pays the person who attends visitors. The entry has no charge but contributions are extremely helpful and important.

The museum seeks to highlight the ancestral construction techniques and natural fabric crafts, particularly woven with threads, vines and carved masks. In also aims to revitalize the traditional culture of Boruca, emphasizing the area’s traditional architecture. The museum’s building is an example of the kind of hut that was used in ancient and traditional Indian homes. The opening of the Boruca’s Indian Community Museum had support from the National Museum and the Central Bank museums, who supported the Indian community in several ways. The museum has a souvenir shop with many different types of Indian handicrafts produced by the same Borucas of the area.

When you have the opportunity to visit the Boruca’s Indian Community Museum, you’ll have the fortune to see a group of artisans weave on a daily basis their products of traditional crafts with determination and love, as well as the living history of a dream of having their own museum.

Address: Boruca’s Indian Territory, canton: Buenos Aires, province: Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Boruca’s Indian Community Museum GPS Coordinates: 9.001622,-83.325855 (9°00’05.84″N, 83°19’33.08″W)
Boruca’s Indian Community Museum entrance GPS Coordinates: 9.001908,-83.322644 (9°00’06.87″N, 83°19’21.52″W)

Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Boruca’s Indian Community Museum in Puntarenas, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Terraba’s Indian Community Museum Costa Rica

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Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Museo Comunitario Indígena de Térraba en Costa Rica

The Terraba’s Indian Community Museum was created as instrument to recover our culture’s historical, handmade, and ecological legacies, to raise awareness for the new generations. The museum is part of the complex of the Terraba Culture, comprising the House of Indigenous Health, Cultural Rancho and cultivation of medicinal plants. The Terraba’s Indian Community Museum shows evidence of the Térraba Indigenous Culture, emphasizing their way of life, vernacular architecture and craftsmanship.

Address: Terraba’s Community, district: Potrero Grande, canton: Buenos Aires, province: Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 60303.
GPS Coordinates for Buenos Aires: 9.171619,-83.334567 (9°10’17.75″N, 83°20’4.43″W)
Schedule: From Friday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Phone: + (506) 2223-4472 / 2771-0511

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

Dominical Little Theater, Costa Rica

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Address: Costa Ballena in Dominical, district: Bahia Ballena, canton: Osa, province: Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 60504.
GPS coordinates for Dominical: 9.250622,-83.858347 (9°15’2.24″N, 83°51’30.05″W)
Website: www.littletheatregroup.org
Phone: +506 2787-8007

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

Founded in 1949 by Bert Williams, Little Theater Group (LTG) is the oldest English-language theater that exists in Central and South America.

Currently, sets to achieve at least four productions a year. Continuing the tradition of its founders, the LTG now strives to help the entire community of Costa Rica. The group regularly donates to charity, sponsors school drama festivals, trains new directors and takes productions to the more remote areas of the country.

Dominical Little Theater is open to all who wish to attend or participate. The strength of this theater comes from those who volunteer their time, imagination and creative energy. From set construction up to concessions, Dominical Little Theater is always looking for energetic fun, to help people with each show. Volunteering is a great way to meet people and connect with other fans of the performing arts.

The community theater is a great vehicle for both, beginners and for veteran actors, who might have what it takes to be a star. The directors are seeking your vision, technicians are required to work between racks, volunteers are needed for all kinds of tasks, from the simple to the extraordinary. It is also an excellent outlet for apparel designers, choreographers, musicians and performing artists.

The theater’s vision is to create an important cultural value in the local community to preserve and perpetuate the tradition of theater, by preparing and offering advice to future participants in the performing arts, and to be a theater that provokes and maintains the interest for performing arts as a source of information about the human condition. Its objectives are the creation of programs with the highest quality sound and within a sustainable financial framework, to create works that entertain and fill our audience with satisfaction. The Dominical Little Theater nurtures from the artistic life of participants and the community.

Dominical Little Theater is located near Costa Ballena, Dominical on the Pacific coast of southern Costa Rica.

Aspinall-Murray Cultural Theater, Costa Rica

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The idea of the Aspinall-Murray Cultural Theater was born from the restlessness and hunger for culture that have many locations outside the central area, which have no state aid for cultural development projects. That is why a group of citizens in Monteverde, with the help, passion and leadership of Gloria Waissbluth, came together, first to create a choral movement, ranging from children to adults. Then, thanks to a Costa Rican-American businessman, they built what is now called the Aspinall-Murray Cultural Theater. It was once a big storage to recycle trash, but today besides having lights, curtain and good acoustics, it also has an old beautiful grand piano, borrowed without a time limit from the Monteverde Institute.

The high quality of it’s presentations has led to forays into various forms of cultural activities. Thus, thanks to the guidance of professionals in various culture areas, today there is a children’s theater group, another for adults, an instrumental ensemble, reading and writing classes for seniors, music workshops, theater, motivation to reading and body expression.

Of course, this would not be possible without the help of the three organizers who work for free, the economic contribution of the National Bank, which funds activities that require payment of fees, and the El Establo Hotel that provides accommodation and food for all artists and teachers who go to Monteverde to enrich activities. The University of Costa Rica and the National University have joined this program, sending groups to provide presentations and teachers from various disciplines. Concerts have included the participation of Big-Band Orchestra, Editus, Miravalles Quintet, Ana Coralia stimulation and storytelling, theater plays like “El Nica” and “La Hoja de Aire” (air sheet) by Alfredo Catania.

This whole program has become a true example of community cooperation, which could be emulated by other towns, bearing in mind the little consideration that our governments have always given to culture. For them, the Ministry of Culture and Youth has been the adrift orphaned and abandoned children. To worsen the situation, culture has not been decentralized from the Central Valley, especially with the establishment of Houses of Culture in various communities.

Just like Monteverde is recycling culture, the question before us is how does our Government can help other communities emulate this wonderful program started by the enterprising violinist Gloria Waissbluth.

Address: Cerro Plano, district: Monteverde, canton: Puntarenas, province: Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 60109.
GPS Coordinates to Santa Elena: 10.317242,-84.824453 (10°19’2.07″N, 84°49’28.03″W)
Phone: +(506) 2245-5003

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