The most beautiful parks and gardens Costa Rica

Specifically: 5 ° 30 ' 34 "north latitude and 87 ° 18 ' 6" west to avoid losing you. 2 400 ha land and 73 100 ha marine. The journey, to get there, can last 36 hours. Anchorage in the Baies and Chatham bays north of the island. This «green bouquet in the middle of two seas» of volcanic origin (3 000 m altitude from the seabed), the dream of any experienced diver, was discovered in 1526 by Juan Cabezas. The island later became a point of fresh water supply and a collection of stolen treasures between 1684 and 1821. The "treasure" of Lima, which included a representation of gold from the Virgin to the Child, was perhaps hidden by the pirate William Thompson. The island's relief descends sharply towards the sea, promoting spectacular waterfalls. Rainfall of 7 000 mm per year provides a green vegetation where there are some 235 different species of plants, including 70 endemic species, 97 bird species, 3 species of which are specific to the island, 2 endemic species of reptiles (the lizard Norops townsendi and the salamander), 450 species of insects and 3 species of spiders. In the marine part of the park, there are 57 species of crustaceans, 120 species of molluscs, 300 species of fish and 18 species of corails. This rather technical list shows the ecological importance of one of the largest virgin islands, which served as a model for Michael Crichton for the Island of Jurassic Park and the Lost World of Sir Conan Doyle. It was classified as a World heritage by UNESCO in 1998 and became even more difficult to reach.

Precipitation: from 2 000 to 3 000 mm.

Average temperature: from 27 to 33 ° C.

Practice: no accommodation because it is forbidden to stay on the island. In fact, you have to stay on a boat. Sentiers trails.

25 ha. To visit this wildlife reserve, a permit must be requested from the National Parks Service in San José Tel 233 4118 or Santa Rosa Tel 695 5598. This small island, located 4 km west of Puerto Soley (Guanacaste) in the bay just before the border with Nicaragua, is one of the driest land in Costa Rica. More than 500 brown pelicans and a thousand frigates spawn there.

Precipitation: 1 500 mm.

Average temperature: from 25 to 32 ° C.

Practice: Hotels and restaurants in La Cruz; restaurants, grocery stores and boats for the crossing in Puerto Soley.

500 ha land and 22 000 ha marine. Famous place that receives ponte turtles, the largest in the world. In dark blue, they can measure more than 2 m and weigh 700 kg. In October and March, lora and carey turtles arrived. Also a mangrove zone.

Precipitation: 1 700 mm. The dry period runs from December to April.

Average temperature: from 27 to 34 ° C.

Practice: Hotels and restaurants in Tamarindo.

Known as the "Insects Park", Lomas Barbudal houses more than 250 species of bees and about different night butterflies.

Precipitation: 1 600 mm.

Average temperature: 25 to 30 ° C.

Practice: Accommodation and restaurants in Bagaces. Possibility of camping with the agreement of the administration. Sentiers trails only practicable during the dry season.

The close for the island are 189 km away and 291 km from San José (Sierpe, Bahía Drake, etc.). 300 ha land and 2 700 ha marine. Still a protective island, but it, apart from giving sanctuary to birds and other animals (few), housed a pre-Columbian cemetery in its time, where the mysterious stone spheres were found, some of which remained in place. The natural forest has disappeared, replaced by a forest of persistent leaves trees, sometimes reaching 50 m high. The coral reef has a very interesting fauna.

Precipitation: 4 500 mm.

Average temperature: 27 ° C.

Practice: access and camping agreement with the administration of the Corcovado Park. Marked trails.

14 256 ha. More than 50% per cent of the protected area, rich in sources, is covered with primary forests, which are covered by clearings intended for regeneration of vegetation (secondary forest). In altitude, it is a dense and dark forest to trees hidden by the enchevêtrement of procedurally and epiphytes plants characteristic of fresh and humid climates. Caimans, peacocks, black turkeys, mountain goats and monkeys have installed their community.

Precipitation: from 2 500 to 5 000 mm.

Average temperature: from 12 to 25 ° C.

Practice: accommodation in Quesada or in villages near the park. Sentiers trails.