Costa Rica is a small country, occupying only a third of 1% of the world’s landmass. What the country lacks in square miles, it makes up for in biodiversity. The country’s geographical location, between North and South America, its expansive coasts on both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and five mountain ranges, all contribute to creating 12 climate zones that are home to 5% of the world’s plant and animal species.
Costa Rica is serious about protecting its wildlife and has dedicated 25% of the country’s land area to national parks and reserves. Whether you’re looking for a red-eyed tree frog, three-toed sloth, endangered green sea turtle, white-faced capuchin monkey, or a resplendent quetzal, there’s an animal encounter waiting for you in Costa Rica.
Many of these destinations make for excellent day trips from San Jose and the surrounding area. For your Costa Rican adventures, consider a comfortable hotel like AC Hotel San Jose Escazu or Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen as your home base.
Here are the best places in the country where you can get up close and personal with animals. As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park, on the Osa Peninsula, is the largest national park in Costa Rica and is considered the most biodiverse region of its size in the world. Corcovado is home to all six feline species in Costa Rica (including the jaguar), all four monkey species (including the endangered red-backed squirrel monkey) and countless frog, bird, and insect species.
Also be on the lookout for Baird’s tapirs, harpy eagles, scarlet macaws, and white-lipped peccaries.
Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero National Park, on the Caribbean coast, covers 77 acres and you can only reach it by airplane or boat. The park boasts 20 miles of coastline, which gives sea turtles a protected place to lay their eggs.
Green sea turtles, hawksbills, and leatherbacks nest on the beaches year-round (depending on the species) and visitors can see the turtles lay their eggs after sunset. If you’re lucky, you’ll also witness a hatching event and cheer those baby turtles on as they scramble toward the ocean.
Los Quetzales National Park
Your best chance to see the resplendent quetzal is in Los Quetzales National Park in the cloud forest of the Talamanca Mountains. The prime viewing window of these emerald-plumed birds is February through May when their breeding season coincides with the fruiting of wild avocado, one of the quetzal’s favorite foods.
Los Quetzales National Park is a good spot for bird-watching in general, so bring your bird list and get ready to check off trogons, tanagers, and hummingbirds as well.
Manuel Antonio National Park
At just three square miles, Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica’s smallest park, but it’s also one of the most popular with tourists and locals. It is home to hundreds of different mammal and bird species, including sloths, monkeys, iguanas, white-nosed coati, toucans, and motmots (check out those tail feathers!). And don’t forget about the frogs, snakes, and bats.
Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort is closer than San Jose to Manuel Antonio National Park (about 90 minutes by car), so it’s worth considering as your local lodging.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Another natural habitat of the historically revered, resplendent quetzal, which the Aztec and Mayan civilizations considered sacred, is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in the central highlands.
The reserve is home to hundreds of bird species, so if the quetzal is elusive on the day you visit, there will be plenty of other birding to do.
Keep the incredible views going 24/7 by staying in a room with a balcony at Hotel Belmar, a Member of Design Hotels, which is nestled into the cloud forest.
Marino Ballena National Park
Costa Rica has more months with humpback whales in residence than anywhere else in the world. Humpback whales migrate annually to mate and calf at this marine park on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast.
Marino Ballena National Park is one of the most biologically diverse marine habitats in Costa Rica and, in addition to humpback whales, you might also see marine iguanas, dolphins, and olive ridley and hawksbill sea turtles.
Another cool feature of the park is that it helps to form the natural wonder, Uvita’s Whale Tail. This formation of coastline comes together into the shape of a whale tail, exactly where the whales (and their tails) migrate.
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