Costa Rica

Las Camelias Lagoon Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica

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The Las Camelias Lagoon Wildlife Refuge was created on January 5th, 1994, in order to protect palustrine wetlands and forests which serve as a feeding area, shelter and breeding area for a wide variety of wildlife in the northern part of Costa Rica, near the Nicaraguan border in Upala, Alajuela. This refuge is part of the Arenal Huetar Norte Conservation Area.

Las Camelias Lagoon Wildlife Refuge is a palustrine wetland that includes this lagoon bordered almost exclusively by Yolillo Palm (Raphia taedigera) and flooded forests. These forests serve as feeding and breeding area for some 240 species of birds, including endangered species such as Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) and the Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria), about 30 species of amphibians and reptiles, including a large number of caimans (Caiman crocodiles) and some 148 species of plants. Also serve as habitat areas to preserve the different species of wildlife such as jaguar, tapir, peccary and the rest of the biodiversity of the Arenal Huetar Norte Conservation Area (ACAHN).

Las Camelias Lagoon Wildlife Refuge aims to recover also the basins of the Pizotillo Gaucalito Rivers which feed the wetland, developing a management plan to reduce sediment and increase economic options and the technical capacity of local people to productive management of natural resources.

The area is influenced by climatic conditions in the Atlantic and, to a lesser extent, of Nicaraguan Lake, which has a regulatory function. The climate here can be classified as tropical rainforest, with annual rainfall between 3,000 and 4,000 mm, with an average temperature of 25ºC (77ºF) and high relative humidity between 85% and 90%.

There are no public facilities at Las Camelias Lagoon Wildlife Refuge. Other nearby Costa Rica parks includes Tenorio Volcano National Park, Miravalles Volcano National Park, Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge, Arenal Volcano Emergency Zone Forest Reserve, Arenal Volcano National Park and Corredor Fronterizo Costa Rica – Nicaragua National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting to Las Camelias Lagoon National Wildlife Refuge:

Take the General Cañas highway (Route #1) towards San Ramón/Puntarenas. Keep driving on the Route #1 and approximately 8 Km beyond the city of Cañas, Guanacaste; make a right at the intersection towards Upala (Route #6). Keep driving on the Route #6 for some 55 km until you get to Las Camelias Lagoon National Wildlife Refuge. Now you can also take the new Caldera Highway. Driving time from San José is about 3.5 hours.

From Liberia (Daniel Oduber Airport) take the road (Route #21) heading towards the city of Liberia. At Liberia’s intersection take the road (Route #1) with direction to Bagaces/Cañas. Keep driving on the Route #1 and approximately 20 Km alter the city of Bagaces, make a left at the intersection heading towards Upala (Route #6). Keep driving on the Route #6 for some 55 km until you get to Las Camelias Lagoon National Wildlife Refuge. Driving time from Liberia is about 1.5 hours.

An alternative approach is to take the Pan-American Highway from San Jose to Ciudad Quesada also known as San Carlos, then drive toward to Upala until reaching the refuge. Driving time from San Carlos is about 2 hours.

By bus:

You can take a bus San José – Upala, which takes about 5 hours (Transportes Upala, 2221-3318).

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Upala or the Arenal Airport, either with Sansa Airlines or Nature Air every day. From the Arenal Airport you can rent a car and drive to the refuge, which is about 2 hours.

Location: 220 km (137 miles) N of San Jose in Upala, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Upala GPS Coordinates: 10°53’46.97″N, 85°01’31.18″W
Size: 64 ha (160 acres)
Altitude: from 30m to 100m (100ft to 330 ft) above sea level
Arenal Huetar Norte Conservation Area (ACA-HN) Telephone: +(506) 2460-0055
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Decreto Ejecutivo No. 22753-MIRENEM

Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Las Camelias Lagoon National Wildlife Refuge in Alajuela, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Costa Rica National Parks

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Costa Rica, with more than 615 wildlife species per 10,000 km2, is located on the top of the list as the most bio-diversify region of the world, because it is home to an incredible abundance of exotic tropical flora and fauna. This small country in Latin America is home of 12 key ecological areas. With an estimated 5% of global biodiversity, makes undoubtedly that many scientists and naturalists from around the world refer to Costa Rica as an “Alive Eden”.

That is why in 1970, Costa Rica established the National Park System to avoid the destruction of wilderness areas, so that 25% of the country’s land, in an effort to preserve much of the natural beauty and its surroundings, has been set aside and turned into parks and protected reserves to safeguard the spectacular environment and beauty, preventing deforestation and exploitation. This means that more than a quarter of Costa Rica has set aside for conservation.

Now 12 percent of the areas in Costa Rica are protected as national parks, and another 16% as biological reserves, wildlife refuges, protected areas and biological corridors. Costa Rica has about 27 national parks, 58 wildlife refuges, 32 protected areas, 15 swampy wetland areas, 11 forest reserves and 8 biological reserves, as well as 12 other conservation areas that protect the diverse natural habitats found throughout the country.

Costa Rica is home to 10,000 species of plants and trees, and at least 850 species of endemic and migratory birds, 205 species of mammals, 220 species of reptiles, 160 species of amphibians, about a 1013 species of freshwater and salt water fishes, and more than 35,000 species of insects. This diversity and richness of natural wildlife, makes Costa Rica a paradise.

Primary forests, rainforests, cloud forests, swamps, mangroves and coral reefs are just some of the habitats protected by Costa Rica national parks and reserves. Areas of geological and geophysical interest as active volcanoes, caves, areas of historical and archaeological sites such as battlefields and Pre-Columbian settlements, areas of beautiful scenery such as beaches, waterfalls and important conservation areas for species such as the Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and the Magnificent Frigate (Fregata magnificens) nesting islands, or recent Mesoamerican dry forest left standing, or beaches where whales of the immense sea meet, are some of the sites are within protected parks and reserves in Costa Rica.

Some of the most popular parks in Costa Rica include the Poas Volcano National Park with its stunning crater and lake; Manuel Antonio National Park is definitely one of the most exuberant in Costa Rica, with spectacular white sand beaches bordered by the lush tropical jungle; Arenal Volcano National Park being the most active volcano in the country; the Tortuguero National Park, where thousands of turtles as the Green, the Leatherback and the Hawksbill Turtle, come to nest along the vast beach; the Chirripo National Park with the highest mountains of Costa Rica; Corcovado National Park, a pristine tropical jungle of undeniable beauty, considered one of the most biologically intense places in the world, as well as one of the most important natural resources of America; the Ballena Marine National Park, where visitors can see large populations of humpback whales and dolphins; and Cahuita National Park, one of the best areas for diving in the world thanks to the extraordinary spectacle of the coral reef and colorful fishes.

Most national parks and reserves in Costa Rica are easily accessible for visitors, where ecotourism is an important factor in generating the necessary funds to continue the protection of the wilderness. Below is a list of parks and reserves in Costa Rica that are running at the time by province:

San Jose:

Braulio Carrillo National Park
Chirripo National Park
La Cangreja National Park
Los Quetzales National Park

Cacyra National Wildlife Refuge
Cataratas Cerro Redondo National Wildlife Refuge
Fernando Castro Cervantes National Wildlife Refuge
Paramo National Wildlife Refuge
Steve Friedman National Wildlife Refuge
Surtubal National Wildlife Refuge
Cerro Las Vueltas Biological Reserve

Alajuela:

Arenal Volcano National Park
Juan Castro Blanco National Park
Miravalles Volcano National Park
Poas Volcano National Park
Tenorio Volcano National Park

Bosque Alegre National Wildlife Refuge
Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge
Laguna Las Camelias National Wildlife Refuge
Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge

Alberto Manuel Brenes Biological Reserve
Arenal Volcano Emergency Zone Forest Reserve
Cerro El Jardin Forest Reserve
Grecia Forest Reserve
La Cureña Forest Reserve

Heredia:

Braulio Carrillo National Park
Cerro Dantas National Wildlife Refuge
Jaguarundi National Wildlife Refuge
La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park and Wildlife Refuge

Cartago:

Barbilla National Park
Chirripo National Park
Irazu Volcano National Park
Tapantí National Park
Turrialba Volcano National Park

Guayabo National Monument
Lankester Botanical Garden
Rio Macho Forest Reserve
Rio Pacuare Forest Reserve
La Marta National Wildlife Refuge

Puntarenas:

Carara National Park
Corcovado NationalPark
Cocos Island National Park
Manuel Antonio NationalPark
Ballena National Marine Park
Piedras Blancas National Park

Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve
Nicolas Wessberg Absolute Natural Reserve
Guayabo, Negritos and Pajaros Islands Biological Reserves
Guayabo Island Biological Reserve
Los Negritos Island Biological Reserve
Pajaros Island Biological Reserve
Caño Island Biological Reserve
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve

Guanacaste:

Barra Honda National Park
Diria National Park (Diria National Forest Wildlife Refuge)
Guanacaste National Park
Las Baulas National Marine Park
Palo Verde National Park
Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Santa Rosa National Park

Bahia Junquillal National Wildlife Refuge
Camaronal National Wildlife Refuge
Cipanci National Wildlife Refuge
Costa Esmeralda National Wildlife Refuge
Curi Cancha National Wildlife Refuge
Dr. Rafael Lucas Rodriguez Caballero National Wildlife Refuge
Iguanita National Wildlife Refuge
Mata Redonda National Wildlife Refuge
Ostional National Wildlife Refuge
Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge
Werner Sauter National Wildlife Refuge

Bolaños Island Biological Reserve
Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve
Taboga Forest Reserve

Limon:

Barbilla National Park
Cahuita National Park
Chirripo National Park
La Amistad International Park in Costa Rica
Tortuguero National Park

Aviarios del Caribe National Wildlife Refuge
Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge
Corredor Fronterizo Costa Rica – Nicaragua National Wildlife Refuge
Dr. Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife National Refuge
Limoncito National Wildlife Refuge

Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve
Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve

Conchal Beach, Costa Rica

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Location: between Mina and Brasilito beaches in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
GPS Coordenates: 10.403061, -85.803356 (10°24’11.02″N, 85°48’12.08″W)
Canton: Santa Cruz
District: Tamarindo

Conchal beach is one of the most exotic and beautiful beaches in Costa Rica all shaded by trees, covered by hundreds of millions of tiny crushed shells (hence the name) and crystalline turquoise waters, Conchal makes a wonderful place to swim and do a little snorkeling.

With a particular variety of marine life, you can swim with many tropical fish. It is only by the time you bathe in its waters that you know why this beach is so special, the soft and crystal clear sea let you see all the little fish swimming next to you.

For those who like a bit more adrenaline in, Conchal beach you can also found other activities such as open sea fishing, diving, jet ski, ATV tours, horseback riding and other water sports.

Getting to Conchal beach in Guanacaste:

From San José

Drive north to Puntarenas and then follow the highway to Liberia until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, turn right towards Conchal and Flamingo for about 4.5 km (3 miles) until you get to Brasilito. Here turn left and continue through Brasilito beach until you reach Conchal beach. This route requires a total of 4 hours from San José.

From Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR)

Drive south until you reach Belen. There, turn right and continue on the road until you get to Huacas. Once in Huacas, turn right towards Conchal and Flamingo for about 4.5 km (3 miles) until you get to Brasilito. Here turn left and continue through Brasilito beach until you reach Conchal beach.

By bus

Take a bus from the route San José – Huacas – Flamingo – Brasilito, which takes about 4 to 5 hours. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Conchal beach, which takes about 5 minutes.(Tralapa, 2221-7202). 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 Tamarindo airport, either with Sansa or Nature Air airlines every day. From here you can rent a car and drive or take a taxi to Conchal beach, which takes about 15 minutes.

Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Conchal beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica at Google Maps