Sunset Corcovado

ENJOY VIRGIN BEAUTY AND UNSPOILED NATURE AT IT’S FINEST

Traveling to Costa Rica and want to visit a very remote and unique region  know as the Osa Peninsula,  home to the most biologically diverse, and the most beautiful national park in Costa Rica known as the  Corcovado National Park.  However,  it is the most difficult park to get to.  Located in the southwest Pacific area of Costa Rica, most visitors arrive by small planes which fly out of San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital.

Tourists  who travel to Costa Rica  are adventurous and nature loving.  They come to Corcovado National Park to hike and experience the vast diversity of this  beautiful primary lowland rain forest.  The huge trees seem to reach the sky and shade everything below the tree tops which are filled with 116 different species of  birds, the most famous being the Scarlet Macaw. In the early morning it is not uncommon to see a tree filled with ten or fifteen Scarlet Macaws, and  early morning is the best time to explore the park when the forest is filled with the sounds of hundreds of singing birds.

Rare Harbor Squirrel Monkey in Corcovado National Park

There are 500 different species of trees so one could not see them all if you stayed a month just checking out trees.

Oh yes,  the snakes- when I visited I saw a Boa constrictor laying quietly on a bed of leaves, of course we all ran in the opposite direction.  Although the Boa will strike and bite  in self defense, the bite is very painful- but  not deadly.  The fer-de-lance is the most poisonous snake in Costa Rica and is prevalent in Corcovado.  The bite can be deadly although now there is an antivenin which is very successful if the victim can get to a health clinic.

The rare Harbor Squirrel monkey makes his home in Corcovado, along with many  other species of monkeys.

Our morning hike in Corcovado led us thru the dense forest and out onto a gorgeous brown sandy beach with huge crashing waves. Words could not describe its beauty.

Corcovado National Park is huge encompassing 263 square miles with  13 different ecosystems -primary lowland rain forest, lagoons, rivers, mangroves, and swamps.  If one were fortunate enough to stay in the park for a long period of time you would see wild animals such as pumas, jaguars, wildcats, and the tapir which is the largest terrestrial  mammal in Costa Rica.

It is highly recommended not to go into the park without a guide and most tourist purchase a package through one of the many Eco Lodges located near the park.  These can be found on the Internet but  are quite pricey .  These prepaid tours include airfare from San Jose, lodging, food, and a tour of Corcovado National Park.  Tours to Cano Island are also available  (pay extra) at these lodges.  Cano Island is a remote uninhabited island off the  southwest coast of Costa Rica,  reminiscent  of Robinson Crusoe.  Scuba diving is popular in this region where one can see small rock sharks and other  larger species of fish.

Corcovado National Park Climate?    Its hot and humid- temperatures can get up to 90 degrees F.  mid-day.   Rains all year round here, but you can expect to see sunny mornings  if you get up very early-”when the sun rises” and the temperatures are much cooler in the morning, around 75 degrees F.  January and February are the months when there is generally less rainfall, and temperatures are cooler, around 80 degrees F mid -day  with morning temperatures around 70 degrees F.

So get your hiking done in the morning.

How to Get There:  Most tourist purchase a prepaid all inclusive package and fly out of San Jose on small commuter planes like Sansa Air.  Sometimes part of the trip, depending on where the eco lodge is located, is done by boat..You can find all these packages on the Internet.  They are not inexpensive, but remember Corcovado is remote and a long way to get to from the central valley of Costa Rica..  The two entry points into the park are Drake Bay and Puerto Jimenez.

What dangers are there in Corcovado National Park?  There are two rivers in the park that empty into the Pacific Ocean.  The Rio Claro  and The Rio Serena.  The Rio Serena should not be crossed at high tide 1. very swift  current  2. bull sharks in the water  3. crocodiles in the water some 4 meters long!

Another danger in the park are the snakes  1. fer de lance  2 bushwacker    Both are very poisonous and one should wear proper shoes (that cover the ankles) and by all means stay on the trails. We saw a very large fer de lance basking in the sun by a river bed….luckily it was  large and easy to spot…of course we stayed far away,  impressive to see a snake that large and esp a fer de lance.

The large scorpions found in the park do not appear to be poisonous.  I was bitten by one on my  toe.  Severe burning pain followed and of course scared me.  I did not have any medication with me, so borrowed some ice from the lodge where we were sleeping and put an ice bag on it..but took hours for the pain to go away.  I was wearing open toes sandals–a big No No!!

Can I swim in the ocean at Corcovado?  We didnt.  The waves are very ruff, and after the scorpion bite- and seeing the fer de lance- well I was not going to take any more chances with anything!

What should I take with me into the park?  Adequate hiking boots that cover at least up to your ankles..no open toe shoes!  Mosquito repellent, although they did not seem to come out until around 4:30 pm–bottled water,  sun screen, sun hat, backpack…light weight cotton clothes, lightweight rain jacket.. if you like photography or videography this is the place to do it!

Giant fern tree in Costa Rica's Rain Forest

Sunlight Peekiing thru Rain Forest Canopy

Costa Rica is famous among tourist as having beautiful rain forest where hundreds of species of plants and animals live.   The best place in Costa Rica  for a tourist to see a primary rain forest, one that is hundreds of years old and has never been cut,  is  Corcovado National Park in the Southwestern Pacific coastlines.  You have to take a boat or a small plane to get here.    Also in Monteverde is the Monteverde cloud forest reserve which is a primary rain forest.  There is some very beautiful rain forest in the Arenal area of which part is primary.   Also there is a vast primary rain forest in  South Central Costa Rica but the infra structure to get into this forest is very limited.

It always rains in a rain forest.  Sometimes up to 260 inches a year.  The average temperature during the day is 77 degrees F. and around 64 degrees F at night.

Tropical rain forest have many names, among them is “jewels of the earth” and the “world’s largest pharmacy”  One quarter of our medicines come from plants within the rain forest. And one half of the world’s plants and animals live here.

Today only 6% of the earths surface is covered with rain forest due to deforestation.  40% of the earths oxygen comes from these forests.

Trees are the earth’s lungs.  They take in  carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.    So every time you  cut a tree, you are interfering with this cycle.

When a tree within a rain forest is cut down,  the plants and animals who live there have to look for a new home.

Fortunately, in Costa Rica a large percentage of the primary and secondary rain forest are under preservation in the form of National Parks and Wildlife Reserves.  Tourist  have the opportunity to enjoy these parks and see the animals, birds, and plants living there.  Thank you, Government of Costa Rica for having the vision to preserve these natural  wonders.

Squirrel Monkeys are found in Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica.  This is a lowland primary rain forest  located on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica , with few roads and almost no development of the land and little invasion by man.  Tourist come here to Corcovado National Park  but not in large numbers because it is inaccessible except by water or by air ( small airstrips where single and twin engine planes land).

These squirrel monkeys are small, but the  funny thing is the males gains weight during their breeding season, up to 20% of their body weight.  It seems that the females are more attracted to the heavier males.  Opposite from us humans, right.

Squirrel monkeys like to eat small bats and small birds and bird eggs.   And large snakes like to eat the small squirrel monkeys.  They live and travel in large groups, sometimes in the hundreds, and have vocal sounds which warn against impending predators.  To mark their territory they rub their tales and bodies with their own urine.

Captured for the pet trade, these small monkeys are favorites for gaining big profits.   In Costa Rica we don’t see them being captured and sold, but in other countries such as South America these cute little monkeys can be seen in cages in large central markets in the big cities.

These monkeys are very cute with a white mask of fur around their eyes and and dark brown coloration  around their mouth, looking like a beard.  Their strange looking ears are large and pointed and protrude outward.   They playfully jump from limb to limb in the tree tops and hardly ever come down to the ground.

While working many years  as a travel agent specializing in Costa Rica, I have had the opportunity to explore most of this small unique country , now on the forefront of  “World Ecotourism”

I have my special places which I feel are the most Unique  ecotourism destinations for the nature lover  traveling to Costa Rica , and I highly recommend them to every ecotourist.

Nature Lover’s Paradise:  Unique ecotourism Destinations

1. Tortuguero national park on the Caribbean (Atlanta) side of Costa Rica.   Please read my extensive article ( with photos) on Mawamba Lodge and the Tortuguero Canals.  Go to page one of  www.costaricalearn.com  go to the search box and type in tortuguero canals.

Or find them on the web  www.grupomawamba.com

2. Poas Volcano National Park, approximately 15 miles north of Alajuela in the “central valley”  Poas is inactive at the moment.  It is a very large geyser.  You can look down into the geyser which is spectacular.  It is a large blue-green gurgling pool of hot steam.  Please read my extensive article with photos about Poas Volcano.  Go the page 1 of costaricalearn  to the search box, upper right hand side,   Type in Poas Volcano.   OR on the web  www.costa-rica-guide.com/parks/poas.htm

3. Doka Plantation Four Generations Coffee Tour,  Costa Rica , on the road to Poas Volcano, five miles outside of Alajuela.  A must do tour.  Learn all about coffee, how it is hand picked, processed, and packaged up according to its quality.  Taste several varieties and make your own decision and take some  home with  you. Check them out on the web www.dokaestate.com

4. Arenal Volcano National Park and Arenal Lake, Costa Rica.  Most popular tourist destination in Costa Rica.  Read all about it by going to page 1 and in the search box at top of page on right- type Arenal Volcano National Park or find them on the

web   www.costa-rica-guide.com/Natural/Arenal.html

5. Rincon de la Vieja National Park, in north central Costa Rica    A very unique destination!  Please go to page 1 of costaricalearn.  Go to the search box at the top of the page and type in rincon de la vieja.  There you will see my extensive article on this volcano along with photos.

OR find it on the web   www.costarica-nationalparks.com/rincondelaviejanationalpark.html

6. Corcovado National Park and Cano Island  south western Pacific.  One of the most remote national park in Costa Rica.  Filled with wildlife and birds.  Here you will experience a primary   rain forest with unusual trees,  some with buttress of 4 meters in diameter.  It is recommended to explore this park with a guide.  Do not go in alone.  It is dense and unforgiving.  Cano Island can be reached by boat thru a tour company-located out of the jungle lodges around Corcovado.  Uninhabited , Cano Island is a reminder of Robinson Crusoe.  With beautiful long stretches of unspoiled beaches to stroll upon. It is a day trip from the mainland.  One cannot sleep on the island.   Read more about Corcovado on the web     www.costarica-nationalparks.com/corcovadonationalpark.html

Special Interest tours- can be done in 1/2 day or 1 day

1. Rancho Margot- Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal  This is a self sustaining ranch  (learning center) where all the food is grown organically, electricity is by water powered generator,  setting  is a unique rain forest with views to Lake Arenal and a mighty river runs  through the middle of the property.  This is a nature lovers paradise. Take a guided tour of the ranch or  horseback ride to the summit with magnificent views of Lake Arenal.    The ranch has several very nice bungalows to house their guest and an excellent restaurant.  It also has a yoga center situated on the banks of the river.  You can learn all about this unique place on the web  www.ranchomargot.org please read my in depth article  (with photos)   Go to page one of costaricalearn , top right is the search box.  Type in Rancho Margot

2. Sloth refuge, Aviarios  del Caribe located  approx. 19  miles south of Limon on the Caribbean  coast.  Here injured sloths are nursed back  to health  and released into their natural habitat in the Costa Rica jungle.  Judy and her husband Larry, creators of this refuge, offer a tour for around $14 per person.  You see the baby sloths and learn first hand about the strange creature’s life style.   Buttercup, a mature sloth rescued from the middle of the highway when she was only a few months old,  is the star of the refuge. This is indeed a unique place.  Please read my more detailed article (with photos) on Aviarios del Caribe.  Go to the first page of costaricalearn , the search box  at top of page type in Aviarios del Caribe sloth refuge costa rica.

Or find them on the web www.slothrescue.org