The most beautiful natural sites to discover Costa Rica

In front of Puerto Viejo, in the centre, the beach is occupied by fishermen's boats and others. It is grey sand, black on the north side. It is a peaceful beach that is protected from waves by flat rocks in front of the harbour.

2 km from Playa Cocles, this 4 km long beach is ideal for sportsmen and bathing. On each side of the road, there are signs of hotels, restaurants, bars, rental rooms, a food store, a bicycle hire, etc. We have an embarrassment of choice and the names are more surprising than the others. It is a mini-village that has created itself by the roadside with a particularly romantic atmosphere in the evening.

It's the surfers beach, which occupies all the rooms to rent around. If you don't surf, choose Playa Chiquita or Playa Punta Uva.

Between two rocky cliffs in the immediate vicinity of Puerto Viejo, this beach stretches over 2 km of grey-brown sand. Swimming there is easy and the beach is monitored by the rescuers. Beach break for surfers.

It is probably the most beautiful waterfall in Costa Rica, because it is located in a crater with dense vegetation. It is part of a private reservation held by a German and its Costa Rican wife, where it is also possible to spend the night. Very impressive from the top of its 400 steps, this waterfall is the largest in the country with its 180 m high. You can then get down to get closer to it. There are two trails, one in the forest and another classic, with real steps. Before you leave, turn on the garden of des.

This appellation includes several sites that claim the best towers in Costa Rica.

A real leisure centre in which you have to pay the various activities (canopy or horse) in addition to the right of entry which gives access only to the gardens. Basically, to have fun, count at least $ 80 to US $ 90 per person (adult) and US $ 60 per child…

Genesis II, small private reserve (38 ha) east of Cañón, deserves a detour. Its exceptional situation (2 360 m above sea level) allows the development of a forest composed of oak trees and persistent leaves, covered with epiphytes epiphytes, mosses, lichens or ferns, which give this somewhat magical aspect to forests of mountainous humid tropical type. There were 200 bird species listed there (including the quetzal, a magnificent bird tousled with a surprising émeraude mixture). 20 km of trails are built, but remember that it can rain at any time and that it is still a little cold under such dense voûte.

Northwest of San José by Interamericana Norte and Guacimal or Las Juntas. The famous Monteverde cloud forest is composed of a national reserve (Santa Elena) and a private reserve (Monteverde). Its high foliage constantly bathed in moisture that promotes the development of fantastic epiphytes plants houses some 450 species of birds, including quetzal and a variety enriched with migratory birds from North America.

217 ha. A archaeological site whose paved streets, sidewalks and petroglyphs go back more than two thousand five hundred years, the Guayabo National monument is also a conservation area that houses as many orchids as typical forests of the slopes of the Turrialba volcano.

Precipitation: 6 500 mm. March and April are the least rainy months.

Practice: Hotels, restaurants and grocery stores in Turrialba. Marked trails.

On land of volcanic origin covered by dry tropical forests bordered by more humid forests, this refuge was created to save areas threatened by their proximity to the major cities of the Central Valley.

In the face of Isla Terrace well known for the day tours, this refuge protects a 200 m wide coastal strip, which has been preserved as one of the last forests of the very heavily cleared peninsula.

Surrounded by the temporary lake of How Negro, this wetland region is one of the most humid in Costa Rica and most frequented by migratory birds.

1 172 ha. At the south end of the Nicoya Peninsula, this marine bird sanctuary (brown pelicans, frigates, white-fronted gulls…) includes the small rocky island of Cabo Blanco with the blanchies walls by the thousands of birds that are in it. The peninsula promotes vegetation of dry tropical type (arbutus, mahogany cedar, dogwood) and a fauna (deer, hurleur monkey, capuchin, porcupine, coyote…) very abundant. At low tide, the sea leaves small ponds that retain all kinds of marine animals. To visit very early in the morning.

Precipitation: 2 300 mm.

Average temperature: 27 ° C.

Practice: accommodation and catering in Cabuya or Montezuma. Camping with permission from administration. Sentiers trails.

Reserve around a farm.