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Costa Rica is home to 26 national parks which are a safe harbor for
over 75% of the country’s flora and fauna. In an environmentally
progressive move for 1970, the Costa Rican government created the
national park system and allocated 11% of its land for protection.
Today, when factoring in wildlife
refuges, private forest reserves and other protected zones, Costa Rica
has managed to save more than a quarter of its total land from
development. Some of the most visited national parks are Manuel Antonio, Arenal Volcano and Braulio Carrillo, where exotic wildlife and lush landscapes lure travelers year after year.
Read about:
→ About the National Park System
→ Visiting a National Park
→ Entrance fees
→ List of National Parks
Costa Rica's National Parks System:
More than a century ago, long before "saving the planet" became the
fashion, the people of Costa Rica realized that uncontrolled
development could easily wreck the precious and fragile beauty of their
countryside. To save their small corner of the earth from destruction,
Costa Ricans began marking boundaries around forests, wetlands and
coast-side areas they felt should be preserved for all time, for the
pleasure of all people.
Their foresight and sacrifice created a jewel box of natural treasures.
There are parks in Costa Rica where visitors tramp through rain forests
which stand today as they stood a million years ago. There are beaches
where people look down through seawater clear as window glass at fish
the color of rainbows and turtles big as Volkswagens, well almost.
There are parks built
around steaming, grumbling volcanoes; parks alive with bird songs;
parks with whitewater rivers running through them; and parks where you
just sit and read a book.
- There are more than 161 national parks, biological reserves, wildlife refuges and privately protected areas in Costa Rica.
- The most recently designated national park is La Cangreja National Park, as of 2002
- They cover more than three million acres of land.
- They are home to more than 4% of the world's total flora and fauna species.
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Collection of any natural materials--animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.--is strictly forbidden within
Costa Rica's national parks, reserves and other protected areas. If
everyone who visited Costa Rica collected things, there would be
nothing left.
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Visiting a National Park:
National parks are usually open daily from eight to four. The best time
to go is early in the morning. Do not go in the afternoon unless you're
planning to camp there for the night. Some of the parks are closed
Mondays.
Stop at the ICT Office in San Jose for the latest information about any
park you plan to visit. When you arrive at the park, stop at the ranger
station. The park rangers will be happy to answer your questions and
point out the highlights of the place. If nobody's around, call out,
"Upe!" This is a Costa Rican's way of calling out, "Anybody home?"
By the way, it's important to understand that Costa Ricans created the
national parks to preserve the natural resources and wildlife of their
country. Nobody was thinking of tourism when these lands were set
aside. Therefore, don't be disappointed if the facilities are not up to
the standards of the Ritz. Also, be patient. There is no guarantee your
visit to a park will give you an up-close-and-personal look at animals
known to live there.
Collection of any natural materials--animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.--is strictly forbidden within
Costa Rica's national parks, reserves and other protected areas. If
everyone who visited Costa Rica collected things, there would be
nothing left.
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Entrance Fees:
The entrance fee to national parks is three dollars for Costa Rican
citizens and permanent residents and four to eight dollars per day for tourists.
Foreign visitors are encouraged to buy a pass good for four visits to
any national park and to some wildlife and biological refuges. The pass
is good for thirty days from the first time you use it, but it is
transferable. Buy the pass at the ICT office in San Jose. See the Entrance Fee Chart for some of the national parks.
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List of the National Parks:
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