Costa Rica Provinces

The Seven Costa Rica Provinces

Costa Rica has seven provinces. These Costa Rica Provinces are: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas and San José. From the golden savannahs of Guanacaste, on the northern Pacific Coast, to the fertile volcanic soils of the central valley to the coastal rain forests of the southern Caribbean, each of Costa Rica’s provinces contains its own unique natural beauty, history and cultural identity. Learn about the climate, history, national parks and points of interest of each.

San Jose Province



General Information:

Climate:
The province of San Jose includes areas representative of practically every climatic regime possible in Costa Rica since its territory extends from almost sea level at several points near the central Pacific coast up to the country's highest peak, Mt. Chirripó, at an elevation of 3,820 m. Additionally, a small portion of the province protrudes down the very wet eastern slopes of the Central Volcanic Cordillera in a section of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Thus, the entire range of temperatures and rainfall patterns that affect Costa Rica can be experienced somewhere in the province. Nonetheless, the majority of the province of San Jose is blessed by a moderate climate where nothing more than a sweater or lightweight jacket and an umbrella are all the protection from the elements you'll ever need. This mild climatic region lies in an altitudinal band between 700 and 1300 meters above sea level and is under the influence of a distinct dry season from mid-November through mid-May and a corresponding wet season during the remaining half of the year -- the characteristic weather pattern for essentially all of the nation's territory on the western side of the continental divide.

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History:
The province of San José is the most populated of Costa Rica's seven provinces and is the seat of the nation's capital, the city of San José. In the early years of the Central Valley's colonization (1560's), families began spreading west from the village of Cartago, and one of the first places settled was the valley of Aserrí (to the south of what is now the city of San José). Some 170 years later, in 1736, the authorities ordered the inhabitants of the valley of Aserrí to move to a site known as "Boca del Monte" and to this end erected a church dedicated to Saint Joseph, which was finished in 1738 -- on a site which is across the street from the east side of what is now the Central Bank. The parish became known as "San José de la Boca del Monte en el Valle de Aserrí". Due to problems with lack of water in the immediate area around the church, however, the inhabitants of Aserrí refused to move to the new site. In 1751, water was finally piped to the area, also known as Villa Nueva, but the residents of Aserrí still had to be almost forced to at last move to the new town.By 1824, the population of San José had grown to more than 15,000 and a year earlier the city had become the capital of the newly independent country -- this came after a brief civil war over whether to remain independent (a view backed by residents of San José and Alajuela) or become a part of the Mexican empire (supported by the citizens of Cartago and Heredia). Following the victory of those favoring independence, the capital was moved from Cartago to San José.

National Parks:

1) Braulio Carrillo National Park
2) Chirripó National Park
3) Carara Biological Reserve

Other Points of Interest:
1) Cerro de la Muerte: Along this approximately 50-kilometer stretch of the PanAmerican Highway, one can see practically all of the country's highland flora and fauna, thus making a drive across Cerro de la Muerte like visiting Mount Chirripó, but without all the strenuous effort.To the North American who is familiar with the vegetation back home, many plants along the Cerro will look familiar. There are alders, blueberries (not a very juicy variety), gooseberries, lady's slippers, Indian paintbrush, giant thistles, and St. John's worts. Nonetheless, botanical surveys of the area show an even stronger affinity with Andean flora.However, as a result of geographic isolation from their ancestral species, a high percentage of the life forms in these highlands have evolved into distinct, albeit closely related, species.In the case of birds, nearly fifty percent of the species recorded from Cerro de la Muerte are endemic, that is, species found in the mountains of Costa Rica and adjacent western Panama and nowhere else. Examples of these endemics include: Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Timberline Wren, Sooty Robin, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and Volcano Junco.Characteristic elements of the forest understory along the roadside are tree ferns, poor man's umbrella (Gunnera spp.), and scandent bamboo (Chusquea sp.). This bamboo is the dominant understory vegetation in many forested areas and becomes the most conspicuous plant once the tree line is reached between kilometers 88 and 90. A gravel road heading off to the right leads up to the summit of the highest peak in this part of the range at over 3,300 meters above sea level. Numerous local television and radio stations have populated the summit with repeaters.Beyond this point the highway begins to drop down into the Valle del General and the county seat of San Isidro at a mere 700 meters above sea level. From San José it takes about two hours (nonstop driving) to reach kilometer 90, and another hour or so to San Isidro.You can walk down any of the side roads going off from the highway and be sure of seeing interesting plants and birds (though, don't leave valuables in an unguarded vehicle). In the last several years a few local landowners have opened their properties to tourists and charge between $5 and $10 a person for guided tours in their forests. The advantage of visiting one of these farms, in addition to helping the local economy, is that your chances of seeing a Resplendent Quetzal at any time of year are exceptionally good.

Getting there:
Take Avenida Central out of town, heading towards Cartago. Upon nearing Cartago, stay on the PanAmerican Highway and follow the signs for Panama. By bus, take the San Isidro del General bus that leaves from near the Coca-Cola bus station. An early start is highly recommended since the mornings are usually sunny and the afternoons are often rainy.One recommended stop en route, either coming or going, or both, is a local version of a greasy spoon truck stop known as "Los Chesperitos." Located near kilometer 76, the newly expanded cafeteria area offers travelers a variety of taste treats, and their hot chocolate is guaranteed to take the edge off of the worst weather conditions one might encounter on the mountain.

Climate:
Sunny mornings can be very pleasant, but overnight temperatures can dip to near freezing, especially from November to January. Bring layers of clothes for being comfortable when out walking around in the varied climate conditions during the course of a day. Take along sun block because if it is sunny the thinner air and cooler temperatures in the highlands can cause you to burn without your even knowing it until it is too late.

History:
The name Cerro de la Muerte, which translates as "Mountain of Death", predates the construction of the PanAmerican Highway and refers to the tragic consequences suffered by many who attempted the arduous crossing from the Central Valley to the Valley of San Isidro del General. This entailed a three or four day journey, on foot or on horseback, and meant spending at least two nights in the cold and often rainy highlands. Many were ill-prepared for the inclement weather and, if they did not succumb to hypothermia on the spot, perished from complications such as pneumonia later on. 2) Los Cusingos Neotropical Bird Sanctuary (Dr. Skutch's farm): This small forest reserve has been the private home of Dr. Alexander F. Skutch since 1941. When Dr. Skutch first purchased the land, the cleared area around the house was one of the few clearings in the entire valley of San Isidro del General. By the close of the 20th century, his property has become one of the last remaining forested patches in this now agricultural landscape, where he and his wife live much as they did when they first settled the land -- without motor vehicles, electricity, or telephones.Visitors to the farm may walk the trail into the forest or along the Peñas Blancas River to personally view some of the many plants and animals, especially birds, that Dr. Skutch has written about over the years. The author of more than twenty books and contributor of countless articles published in the scientific literature, Dr. Skutch is undeniably the foremost naturalist living in Costa Rica.A highlight of any visit to Los Cusingos is sitting on the porch and watching the birds that come to the feeding tray across the yard. Among the most frequent species at the feeder are Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Buff-throated Saltator, Bananaquit, and Speckled Tanager. Most every afternoon (and sometimes in the morning) a male Turquoise Cotinga -- a stunningly plumaged bird -- can be found sitting in the big mayo tree visible from the porch.Admission policy: In 1993, the Tropical Science Center (the same private organization that owns and operates the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve) entered into an agreement with Dr. Skutch to take over the management of Los Cusingos. They now handle reservations for interested visitors through their San José office (tel: 253-3267 / fax: 253-4963). An entrance fee of $8 per person is charged (as of March 1995), and visitation is limited to 15 persons per day.

Getting there:
Solicit directions from the Tropical Science Center when making your reservations.

Climate:
Expect mornings to be hot all year long. Thundershowers are a possibility in the afternoon, even during the dry season (December - April). Insect repellent is recommended since there are frequently small black flies that can be bothersome.

History:
Dr. Skutch bought this piece of land in 1941 for the purpose of being able to study the life histories of the many neotropical bird species that inhabited it. The name Los Cusingos comes from the local common name for the Fiery-billed Araçari, a slender member of the toucan family. Dr. Skutch chose this name because of all the numerous native bird species on the farm this was one that was well known to neighboring residents and also is a species unique to the southern Pacific portion of Costa Rica and western Panama. It has also persisted over the years while other large species have disappeared due to the amount of deforestation in the region. 3) El Rodeo Forest Reserve: Almost 400 hectares of forest still remain on this large cattle ranch in the southwestern corner of the Central Valley. The forest is not all in one block, however, but scattered about the property in patches of varied sizes. Some of the larger sections are across from the old hacienda building and beyond the United Nations University for Peace (the Costa Rican campus of this prestigious institution is also located within El Rodeo land). You have to cross some pasture to get to these forests. Another alternative is taking the gravel road to the right just before reaching the University for Peace and following it down towards the community of Piedras Negras, stopping whenever you come to some forested portions.This area is known by butterfly enthusiasts for having a number of rather handsome species that are not easily found elsewhere in the country. Birdwatchers will find a mixture of middle-elevation and dry forest species inhabiting the different ecosystems in this premontane moist forest, some examples are: Blue-crowned Motmot, Rufous-and-white Wren, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Fiery-billed Araçari, and Red-crowned Ant-Tanager.Getting there: From San José, take the Santa Ana highway west (picked up on the south side of the Sabana Metropolitan Park) to the town of Ciudad Colón, about 17 km. Follow one-way traffic uphill through the town and turn off to the right just before the road resumes two-way traffic. It's about another 6 km. to El Rodeo.

Climate:
At an elevation of approximately 600 meters, this area stays warm throughout the year. The dry season has a pronounced effect from December through April. 4) Simón Bolivar National Zoological Park: This small zoo is operated by the National Park Service, and although it is not on a par with modern zoos in more developed countries, it does provide an opportunity to view numerous species of native wildlife that are not all that easily seen in the wild, even after a week or two of walking trails through different national parks.Admission Policy: The zoo is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., and on weekends and holidays from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Getting there:
From the Morazán Park, take calle 7 north for three blocks and turn right on avenida 11. Bear right at the T-intersection and you'll come to the entrance gate. The National Theater: San José's foremost architectural showpiece, the National Theater is a source of pride to Costa Ricans everywhere. Inaugurated on October 19, 1897 with a performance of "Faust" by the Paris Opera Company, the building's origins date to 1890 when the Italian opera singer, Angela Pelati, gave a number of performances in Guatemala but refused to come to Costa Rica due to the lack of a proper theater. The members of the country's coffee elite proposed that a theater be built in San José to correct this situation and agreed to contribute five centavos per exported sack of coffee to finance the construction.Some parts of the theater were crafted in Europe and shipped to Costa Rica for assembly, such as the metal framework which was cast in Belgium and many of the statues, murals, and ceiling frescos which are the work of Italian artists that never saw Costa Rica. The stunning baroque design features ample use of 221/2 karat gold overlay and Carrara marble.The National Symphonic Orchestra season runs from March to November with performances on Thursday and Friday evenings and again on Sunday mornings. Periodically, other activities ranging from the Moscow ballet and Chinese acrobats to state dinners and Costa Rican theatrical presentations are also scheduled. The coffee shop adjoining the main lobby is a wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by. During the day the building is open to the public for viewing from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Phone: 221-1329. 6) Various museums in San José:National Museum: Best known for the variety of pre-Columbian artifacts on permanent display, the National Museum also has exhibits dedicated to Costa Rican religious art and the history of the country since the Spanish conquest. The building itself has historic significance since it was once a military fortress and after the abolishment of the army, following the Revolution of 1948, was converted into the museum. The museum is located on calle 17, between avenidas central and 2, hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Phone: 257-1433.Gold Museum: Operated by the Central Bank of Costa Rica, this museum houses an extensive collection of pre-Columbian gold in which the level of artistry achieved by native craftsman working with this precious metal is easily appreciated.The entrance to the museum is on calle 5, beneath the Plaza de la Cultura, hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Phone: 233-4233.Jade Museum: Although the numerous pre-Columbian jade pieces on display are among the most impressive anywhere, the museum also features excellent examples of indigenous craftsmanship in stone, ceramics, and gold. Housed on the 11th floor of the National Insurance Company (INS) building, the view of the city and surrounding mountains is an added attraction to a visit to this museum.Located on avenida 7, between calles 9 and 11, hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone: 223-5800, ext. 2581.Costa Rican Art Museum: Rotating selections from the permanent collection together with temporary exhibitions showcase the artwork of Costa Rican painters and sculptors in a building that was once an airport terminal. The Sabana Metropolitan Park which stretches west behind the museum was formerly the international airport landing strip in the days prior to jet planes.Located at the western end of Paseo Colón (avenida central), hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Phone: 222-7155.Children's Museum: Many hands-on exhibits designed to make learning fun are a highlight of this museum which brings science, culture and history to life (or at least nearly so through the use of robotized Costa Rican personalities). One of the country's newest museums (inaugurated in 1994), it occupies what was once a prison.Located at the northern end of calle 4, hours are from 9:00 a.m. to noon and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Phone: 223-7003.Museum of Entomology: If bugs are your thing, or you're just looking for a different way to spend a rainy afternoon in the city, then you'll enjoy trying to find this museum. Located on the University of Costa Rica campus in San Pedro, this vast collection of insects is on display in the basement of the Musical Arts Department (Escuela de Música) -- of all places! Hours are from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone: 207-5647

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Cartago Province

General Information:

Climate:
This interior province consists primarily of the Reventazón River valley and the surrounding high mountains to the north (Irazú and Turrialba Volcanoes) and south (Cerro de la Muerte and Mount Chirripó) and is situated practically entirely on the Atlantic side of the continental divide. Therefore, the moisture brought in by the trade winds directly affects most of the province, although the city of Cartago itself is in the rain shadow of the 3,432 meter high Irazú Volcano and as a result is one of the driest parts of Costa Rica, after the lower portions of Guanacaste province. The overall high elevation of Cartago province and frequent cloud cover combine to impart relatively cool temperatures throughout the year.

History:
The city of Cartago was first established in 1563 by the Spanish conquistador Juan Vásquez de Coronado. The original village was situated between the Coris and Purires Rivers, several kilometers to the southwest of the present day city. This location proved to be poorly chosen, however, since the settlement was flooded so often that it came to be known as the "City of Mud," and in 1572 was transferred to another site closer to what is now San José.

About two years later, the population was again transferred back to the current site of the city of Cartago, which remained the capital of the province of Costa Rica throughout the colonial period. In 1823, two years after independence from Spain, the country's governmental seat was moved to San José and Cartago was left to develop as a provincial capital of the new republic.

When Vásquez de Coronado first explored the eastern end of the Central Valley he found an area populated by numerous indigenous groups, and thus the Spaniards set about the mission of christianizing the native peoples. The first church built in Costa Rica was constructed during the 1560's in the Valley of Ujarrás near the Reventazón River. The settlement was eventually abandoned, however, due to recurring floods and episodes of pestilence. The ruins of the church are still visible on the site and have been declared a national monument.

The fate of the church in the Cartago parish has not been much better. Construction began in 1574, but between then and 1910 the building had to be rebuilt five times because of earthquake damage. Following the massive destruction caused by the Cartago quake of 1910, the church was abandoned and the ruins now form the centerpiece of a park in the middle of town.

Three blocks to the east of the parish ruins stands the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, an impressive Byzantine style church which is the national religious shrine of Costa Rica. Every year thousands of devotees from across the country make a pilgrimage on foot to honor the Virgin Mary and to render homage for favors conceded. This pilgrimage coincides with the feast day of the Virgin of the Angels held on August 2nd to commemorate the miraculous appearance (and subsequent reappearance) of a small carved image of the virgin mother to a young native girl in 1635. The church was erected on the actual site and the rock on which the statue appeared can be seen in a crypt entered from the left-hand side of the church's altar.

National Parks:

1) Irazú Volcano National Park

2) Tapantí National Park

3) Guayabo National Monument

4) Chirripó National Park

5) Braulio Carrillo National Park

 

Other Points of Interest:

1) Cerro de la Muerte: Along this approximately 50-kilometer stretch of the PanAmerican Highway, one can see practically all of the country's highland flora and fauna, thus making a drive across Cerro de la Muerte like visiting Mount Chirripó, but without all the strenuous effort.

To the North American who is familiar with the vegetation back home, many plants along the Cerro will look familiar. There are alders, blueberries (not a very juicy variety), gooseberries, lady's slippers, Indian paintbrush, giant thistles, and St. John's worts. Nonetheless, botanical surveys of the area show an even stronger affinity with Andean flora.

However, as a result of geographic isolation from their ancestral species, a high percentage of the life forms in these highlands have evolved into distinct, albeit closely related, species.

In the case of birds, nearly fifty percent of the species recorded from Cerro de la Muerte are endemic, that is, species found in the mountains of Costa Rica and adjacent western Panama and nowhere else. Examples of these endemics include: Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Timberline Wren, Sooty Robin, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and Volcano Junco.

Characteristic elements of the forest understory along the roadside are tree ferns, poor man's umbrella (Gunnera spp.), and scandent bamboo (Chusquea sp.). This bamboo is the dominant understory vegetation in many forested areas and becomes the most conspicuous plant once the tree line is reached between kilometers 88 and 90. A gravel road heading off to the right leads up to the summit of the highest peak in this part of the range at over 3,300 meters above sea level. Numerous local television and radio stations have populated the summit with repeaters.

Beyond this point the highway begins to drop down into the Valle del General and the county seat of San Isidro at a mere 700 meters above sea level. From San José it takes about two hours (nonstop driving) to reach kilometer 90, and another hour or so to San Isidro.

You can walk down any of the side roads going off from the highway and be sure of seeing interesting plants and birds (though, don't leave valuables in an unguarded vehicle).

In the last several years a few local landowners have opened their properties to tourists and charge between $5 and $10 a person for guided tours in their forests. The advantage of visiting one of these farms, in addition to helping the local economy, is that your chances of seeing a Resplendent Quetzal at any time of year are exceptionally good.

Getting there:
Take Avenida Central out of town, heading towards Cartago. Upon nearing Cartago, stay on the PanAmerican Highway and follow the signs for Panama. By bus, take the San Isidro del General bus that leaves from near the Coca-Cola bus station. An early start is highly recommended since the mornings are usually sunny and the afternoons are often rainy.

One recommended stop en route, either coming or going, or both, is a local version of a greasy spoon truck stop known as "Los Chesperitos." Located near kilometer 76, the newly expanded cafeteria area offers travelers a variety of taste treats, and their hot chocolate is guaranteed to take the edge off of the worst weather conditions one might encounter on the mountain.

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Climate:
Sunny mornings can be very pleasant, but overnight temperatures can dip to near freezing, especially from November to January. Bring layers of clothes for being comfortable when out walking around in the varied climate conditions during the course of a day. Take along sun block because if it is sunny the thinner air and cooler temperatures in the highlands can cause you to burn without your even knowing it until it is too late.

History:
The name Cerro de la Muerte, which translates as "Mountain of Death", predates the construction of the PanAmerican Highway and refers to the tragic consequences suffered by many who attempted the arduous crossing from the Central Valley to the Valley of San Isidro del General. This entailed a three or four day journey, on foot or on horseback, and meant spending at least two nights in the cold and often rainy highlands. Many were ill-prepared for the inclement weather and, if they did not succumb to hypothermia on the spot, perished from complications such as pneumonia later on.

2) Orosi Valley, Cachí Reservoir & Dam: About an hour's drive southeast of San José, just beyond the town of Paraíso, lies this splendorously scenic valley. Taking the road towards Orosi will bring you to a lookout point on the valley rim that is well worth a stop for the panoramic view of the valley below and Irazú Volcano to the north. The town of Orosi is known as the home of the country's oldest church that is still in use. The building dates back to the 1700's. Several natural thermal springs in the area have been made into bathing facilities.

The Orosi River flows out of the Talamanca mountains and Tapantí National Park, and alongside the town before emptying into the reservoir formed by the Cachí Dam. Following the road around the south side of this manmade lake will take you through the village of Cachí and to the dam. One interesting and curious structure between the village and the dam is La Casa del Soñador (The House of the Dreamer), a small house made of coffee trunks--each one sculpted into unique forms and figures.

From the dam, water is piped several kilometers downriver to the actual power generating station (capable of producing 64,000 kW), which can be reached by taking the road to Tucurrique (the turn off is just before the dam, if coming from Cachí). This road provides breathtaking views of the Reventazón River canyon.

Continuing across the dam, you will come to the village of Ujarrás, the site of the ruins of a church built in the 1560's. Although most of the valley is dedicated to coffee production, this particular area produces large quantities of chayote, a pear-sized green squash grown on trellises.

Climbing up out of the valley you will pass another scenic overlook offering a view from a different angle. Nearby is a fairly spectacular waterfall.

3) Reventazón & Pacuare Rivers (white water rafting): Both the Reventazón and the Pacuare Rivers originate high in the Talamanca mountains on the upper slopes of Cerro Cuerici and empty into the Caribbean Sea after having dropped some 3,000 meters. For much of their length, the two rivers parallel each other. The other feature that they have in common is their excellence as rivers for white water rafting and kayaking.

The Reventazón is undoubtedly visited for this purpose by more people each year than any other Costa Rican river. It has an exciting and challenging 14-kilometer stretch of Class III water between Tucurrique and Turrialba. Above and below this section are even more difficult, yet still raftable portions for those with previous experience.

The Pacuare River has been declared the equivalent of a Wild and Scenic River, and it is indeed both. Local white water companies take rafting enthusiasts down a 30-kilometer run from near Tres Equis to Siquirres, often with at least one night of camping on the river banks. Since 1986, the Costa Rican Electric Company (I.C.E.) has been considering putting a dam on this nearly pristine river; however, for the time being, the river still flows wild and free.

4) Lankester Gardens: Some 600 of the country's 1,400 native orchid species are kept in this 11 ha. garden administered by the University of Costa Rica. This was one of three orchid collections amassed during the early part of the 20th century by Charles Lankester, a British coffee plantation supervisor who was duly impressed by the tremendous variety of orchids he found on the trunks and branches of forest trees that were being felled to make way for more coffee plantations throughout the interior valleys and slopes. Although he did nothing to protect the forests (nor did anybody else in those days), his orchid collections formed a basis for the study and appreciation of these beautiful plants.

The varied landscaping of the grounds creates a number of microhabitats ranging from rain forest to almost desert, and each area showcases orchids, bromeliads, and other plants adapted to the specific conditions of light and humidity. If you can get permission to enter any of the several greenhouses, then you are in for a real treat (bring a hand lens to be able to adequately admire the many stunning miniature species).

The Lankester Gardens are reached by taking the road to Paraiso out of Cartago. Look for a large cube balanced on one corner (by the entrance to Campo Ayala) and turn right; follow the gravel road back about 300 m. to the gardens. The gardens are open to the public everyday from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Phone: 551-9877.

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Limón Province

General Information:

Climate:
Limón conjures up images of Costa Rica's coconut-fringed Caribbean coast. Although the province does indeed extend the length of this coast -- from the mouth of the San Juan River in the north, to the mouth of the Sixaola River on the Panamanian border -- the southern sector includes a large area of mountainous terrain that stretches up to the country's highest peak, Mt. Chirripó, in the Talamanca Cordillera. Likewise, the provincial boundaries also climb to over 2,000 m. elevation on the northeastern flank of Turrialba Volcano.

Despite the rise in elevation from sea level to 3,820 meters, Limón is the only one of Costa Rica's seven provinces to be entirely on the Caribbean side of the Continental Divide, and thus its weather is directly affected by the flow of warm, moist air brought in off this body of water by the northeast trade winds. The result is a climate with no pronounced dry season, even though it does tend to be less rainy in the months of March, April, September, and October, and typically rains the most in June, July, August, November, and December. The lowland regions remain warm and humid year-round, while the higher portions are both cooler and wetter.

History:
Christopher Columbus, or Cristobal Colón as he is known in Spanish, and his crew were the first Europeans to lay eyes on the shores and forest-covered mountains of Costa Rica. On the great Admiral's fourth and final voyage to the Americas, in 1502, he anchored near what is now the port city and provincial capital of Limón. His brief dealings with the native people he met on the mainland were apparently good-natured, yet this benevolent interaction was not to be the norm during the centuries to come.

Spanish settlement of Costa Rica came not from the Atlantic but from the Pacific side of the country. Given the mountainous barrier between the Central Valley and the Caribbean lowlands, as well as the dense forests and high rainfall characteristic of the latter region, would-be colonists were faced with a real challenge. The periodic expeditions organized with, at least in part, the purpose of establishing permanent settlements in the Caribbean region inevitably met with failure. Their cruel treatment of the indigenous people did not help the Spaniards in their objective either, since the natives in the area wholeheartedly resisted colonization.

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Thus, throughout the three centuries of the colonial period, while the Central Valley and northern Pacific portions of Costa Rica were being progressively dominated by settlers from Spain, the Atlantic wilderness continued to be an untamed frontier.

The one small exception was the Valley of Matina where a number of farms existed for the purpose of growing cacao -- the source of cocoa and chocolate, which are produced from the seeds. Although it was a long and difficult journey from the Central Valley to Matina, near the Caribbean coast, the merchants from Cartago who invested in the cacao farms considered it a worthy enterprise given the otherwise limited opportunities for commercial trade with other colonies.

Originally, the farms were worked by native people who had been captured and put into slavery. This system met with problems, including legal ones because the authorities officially forbid such treatment of the native population. The solution was the purchase of African slaves from elsewhere in the region. Each worker was given a certain number of plants to tend, and often, after several years service, was given his freedom.

This agricultural activity persisted for about 150 years, but never really contributed significantly to the country's economic progress, and by the time of independence from Spain in 1821 had been all but abandoned. It is interesting to note that owing to the scarcity of coinage in colonial times, cacao beans were sometimes used in lieu of currency, or as a basis for bartering.

The real opening of Costa Rica's eastern frontier did not come until the second half of the 19th century. In 1867, the site for a Caribbean port was chosen, and it is said that growing on the spot was an old lemon tree, or limón.

To make the port accessible from the interior of the country, the government decided to construct a railroad and contracted the services of the North American entrepreneur, Minor Keith, in exchange for 300,000 hectares of land in the Caribbean lowlands, plus other benefits.

Keith established banana plantations on the land and brought in Afro-American workers from Jamaica to tend the plantations and build the railroad, thus changing not only the physical environment -- which for thousands of years had been rain forest -- but also the cultural milieu of the region.

National Parks:

1) Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge

2) Tortuguero National Park

3) Braulio Carrillo National Park

4) Cahuita National Park

5) Gandoca - Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge

6) La Amistad International Park

7) Hitoy - Cerere Biological Reserve

8) Chirripó National Park

 

Other Points of Interest:

1) Canals north of Limón: The so-called Canales de Tortuguero are the result of a dredging operation carried out in the 1960's to link a series of naturally occurring lagoons and river courses, thus permitting inland navigation between the city of Limón and the northeastern coastal villages. Prior to the opening of the canal in 1969, transportation of people and products to and from these villages was in dugout vessels that ventured out the river mouths to the open sea and then up or down the coast. The risk inherent in this method of transportation was greatly reduced once the canal system became functional.

With the growing numbers of tourists interested in visiting Tortuguero National Park, this route has become increasingly more transited, yet it still retains much of its scenic quality. Shortly after leaving the dock at Moín, you pass through one of the few mangrove areas to be found on the Caribbean side of the country. The red mangroves here are impressive with their prop roots dropping sometimes from five meters or more above the water level and the overall heights of the trees reaching to over 15 meters. Both here and along the length of the waterway system you can observe a variety of birds that live in association with riverine habitats, including herons, egrets, kingfishers, ospreys, jacanas, cormorants, and anhingas.

Between the mangrove section and the start of the national park, nearly 50 km. further north, there is not much intact forest left along the canal. However, you can observe the lifestyle of the inhabitants along the way and try to spot sloths and iguanas in any places where there are still trees.

2) KéköLdi Indigenous Reserve: Costa Rica's indigenous population is relatively small and disperse. The Talamanca mountains provided the last refuge for the native people from the relentless advances of western colonization and it is here that the greatest number of reservations have been established. Most of the reserves are still not readily accessible or set up to attend to tourists. However, with prior permission obtained at the ATEC (Talamanca Association for Ecotourism and Conservation) office in Puerto Viejo, a guided visit can be arranged to the KéköLdi Reserve.

A morning walk through a portion of this small reserve is an enlightening experience as you learn about native lifestyles, customs, and beliefs. The two indigenous groups, Bribri and Cabecar, that live in the reserve are descendants of people who have lived in this rain forest region for thousands of years and have developed an environmentally sound approach to life in such conditions. Their way of life in harmony with nature provides a sharp contrast to the bulldozer and chainsaw mentality so evident outside

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Heredia Province

General Information:

Climate:
Like the province of Alajuela, Heredia includes a portion of the Central Valley and the Central Volcanic Cordillera, but the majority of its territory lies in the northern lowlands, south of Nicaragua. The geographical variation contained within this province (the smallest of Costa Rica's seven) gives it as wide a range of climatic conditions as any of the provinces, from warm and humid lowlands, to cool and damp highlands, to the mild but seasonally wet and dry Central Valley.

History:
Within less than a decade after the founding of the Spanish settlement in the Valley of Cartago, other areas in the Central Valley also began to be colonized. Among the first of these areas was the village of Barva -- less than three kilometers north of what is now the city of Heredia.

The construction of churches so that the populace could comply with its religious obligations and ceremonies including weddings, baptisms, and funerals was an important criteria in the development of communities during colonial times (in modern times, soccer fields seem to have replaced this function). In 1706, the first parish church in this region was erected in Lagunilla, near the village of El Barreal, but in 1717 was moved several kilometers to the north to the site that would become the city of Heredia. It is reported that houses in outlying areas were even burned so that their occupants would move closer to the center of the developing town. Variously known throughout the colonial period as Villa Vieja or Cubujuquí, the name Heredia comes from the man who managed to obtain the title of "villa" for the newly formed settlement, don Gonzalo Fernández de Heredia. The present day church in the center of Heredia is one of the oldest in Costa Rica, dating back to 1797.

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With the introduction of coffee to Costa Rica, the fertile southern slopes of Barva Volcano became populated with plantations of this crop. The steep and very rainy northern slope did not become populated until much more recently. The Sarapiquí River, which is navigable upstream from the San Juan River (which flows into the Caribbean) as far inland as Puerto Viejo (Old Port) de Sarapiquí at the volcano's base on the northern side, was an important transportation route for those few hardy settlers who first moved into this region. Although as recently as 1953, a mere three thatched-roof houses were all that comprised the village of Puerto Viejo.

National Parks:

1) Braulio Carrillo National Park (Barva Volcano sector)

2) Barra Colorado National Wildlife Refuge

 

Other Points of Interest:

1) Sarapiquí River: This scenic tropical river has its origins high on the northern slopes of Barva and Poás Volcanoes, but by the time it reaches the San Juan River on the border with Nicaragua, it has received water from as far away as Irazú Volcano via the Sucio River. With so much water flowing into it, the Sarapiquí is navigable downstream from the town of Puerto Viejo, where a number of passenger and local cargo vessels can now be found at the village dock. Wildlife viewing trips for tourists can be arranged using these boats (if you're staying in one of the area hotels, it's easiest to let them set things up). These excursions take you slowly downstream to the confluence of the Sucio River (about 10 km.), before turning around. The trip normally takes between two and three hours (depending on water levels and how much you're seeing). Commonly observed wildlife includes: both Three-toed and Two-toed Sloths, Mantled Howler Monkeys, Southern River Otters, Black River Turtles, American Crocodiles, and a wide variety of birds.

Continuing upstream from Puerto Viejo, the river picks up gradient and becomes one of the country's finest rivers for kayaking and whitewater rafting. The further upstream you go, the more challenging the rapids become. Above the town of San Miguel it becomes suicidal to attempt to run, but from there down to La Virgen it makes an intense Class IV-V run in a kayak. Downstream from the bridge at La Virgen, the river is suitable for inflatable rafts and provides an exciting Class III-IV paddle with plenty of lush tropical scenery to about the village of Chilamate.

2) La Selva Biological Station: One of the premier neotropical sites for biological studies, La Selva is a Mecca not only for scientists, but also hard-core birders and serious naturalists. The state-of-the-art laboratory facilities on the edge of the rain forest have allowed researchers at La Selva the opportunity to make many exciting new discoveries about the workings of this most incredibly complex and biologically diverse of all the planet's ecosystems. The more than 60 kilometers of well-maintained trails that crisscross the 1,536 hectare property allow excellent access to the forest.

La Selva is one of three biological stations in Costa Rica owned and operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies (O.T.S.), a consortium of some 50 U.S. and Costa Rican universities dedicated to furthering tropical research endeavors.

Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted annually at La Selva since 1985 and have produced a total of more than 420 species within a 14.5-kilometer radius that includes the lower portion of the Braulio Carrillo National Park extension as well as lowland areas surrounding the station property. Additionally, within the boundaries of the station, 25 species of lizards, 44 species of frogs and toads, 56 species of snakes, and 114 species of mammals (in large part, bats) have been reported, not to mention a staggering variety of plant and insect life. Some of the more commonly seen organisms include: Poison-dart Frogs, Green Iguanas, Giant Tropical Ants, Central American Agoutis, and the highly venomous Fer-de-lance.

Admission policy: Both day visits and overnight stays are possible, however, prior authorization is required. For overnight stays, contact the O.T.S. office in Moravia at 240-6696. Day visits can be arranged directly with the station at 766-6565. All daily visitors are accompanied by a local naturalist, whose fee is not included in the individual entrance fee.

Getting there:
From San José, take the Limón highway through Braulio Carrillo National Park and upon reaching the lowlands take the first left turn, towards Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. About 28 km. down this road, look for a covered bus stop on the left with the OET logo (Spanish for O.T.S.) around the sides of the roof. Turn left on the gravel road beside the bus stop and follow the road for about half a kilometer to the La Selva gate. (If you come to the bridge over the Sarapiquí River, you've gone too far.)

Public buses to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí from San José will let you off by the bus stop, but make sure the bus goes via the new highway and not the old route through Heredia and Vara Blanca.

Climate:
Very warm year-round, the temperatures are tempered by the amount of cloud cover that affects the area and also brings an average four meters of rainfall. The rains are spread throughout the year, but the rainiest periods are June - August and November - January.

History:
The original 587 hectares that comprised La Selva were purchased in 1968 from tropical forester Dr. Leslie Holdridge, who had owned the property since 1953 and used it for experimentation with timber trees and crops such as cacao and peach palm. Even in 1968 access was an adventure consisting of a tortuous 4-hour drive through the mountains followed by a 4-kilometer ride in a dugout canoe to reach the site of the main building that had minimal creature comforts (but lots of creatures!) and no electricity or phone.

The importance of the site as a place for conducting tropical research inside a rain forest, combined with the urgency to understand these ecosystems caused by their greatly accelerated destruction during the 1970's and '80's, led to the transformation from those rustic beginnings to the modern facility that La Selva Biological Station is today.

The size of the property has tripled since 1968 with the acquisition of eight adjoining parcels throughout the years. Additionally, the creation of the Braulio Carrillo National Park extension in 1986 effectively connects La Selva with a forested elevational transect that stretches right to the top of Barva Volcano. Nevertheless, with rapid colonization of the Sarapiquí lowlands since the 1970's, conversion of rain forests to agricultural land has turned La Selva into a forested peninsula when not long ago it was part of a vast forested region.

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Guanacaste Province

General Information:

Climate:
The weather throughout the province of Guanacaste is characterized by being hot with well-defined wet and dry seasons. The one exception is the highland portion of the province which consists of the upper Pacific-facing slopes of the volcanoes in the Guanacaste Cordillera and the northern half of the Tilarán Cordillera. The cool, moist conditions along these ridges support luxuriant cloud forests. Elsewhere, the natural vegetation type originally found in Guanacaste is (was) tropical dry forest.

This kind of forest extends from parts of Mexico down the western side of Central America to Costa Rica, where it reaches its southern limit in the general area of the Carara Biological Reserve. Due to the pronounced dry season that affects this habitat type for at least six months out of every year, fire works very well as a land clearing tool, and hence, most of the original forests have long since been removed for agricultural activities, principally cattle ranching. Thus, the noted tropical biologist, Dr. Daniel Janzen has described the Mesoamerican dry forests as "an endangered habitat." The parks and reserves in Guanacaste protect much of the remaining examples of tropical dry forest in the entire region.

The annual dry season is caused by the effects of the northeast trade winds that blow in off the Caribbean from November through March. This humid air loses its moisture as it crosses the Caribbean lowlands and the cordilleras. Given that the Guanacaste Cordillera is both the lowest and narrowest in the country, there is little to block the passage of the arid air that comes gusting down the western slopes drying out everything in its path, as well as preventing any breezes from bringing in moist air from the Pacific Ocean during these months.

When the trade winds shift northward, air currents once again bring humidity and life-giving rains in from the Pacific Ocean. It is remarkable to observe how quickly the parched and brown countryside regains its verdant appearance after the first showers of each new rainy season. In Guanacaste, these afternoon showers usually return by mid-May and continue until about mid-November.

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History:
The pre-Columbian inhabitants of Guanacaste are noted for the fine quality pottery that they produced. The variety of ceramic vessels found at archeological sites has led investigators to theorize the existence of a well-developed system of agriculture, and specifically grain production. The fact that as yet no evidence of hunter-gather societies has been unearthed in the region, has been a motive for speculating that the first humans to settle here already possessed a working knowledge of agriculture.

Indeed, the native peoples living in the area at the time of the Spaniards' arrival in 1519, the Chorotega tribe, were a group whose ancestors had emigrated south from Mexico. When Hernán Ponce de León and Juan de Castañeda sailed into what is now known as the Gulf of Nicoya on the last leg of their exploratory voyage from Panama, the name of the regional chieftan was Nicoya. Thus, the origin of the name of both the gulf and the peninsula.

During the first two decades of the Spanish Conquest in this region, the invaders established a lucrative trade: the sale of human slaves to Panama and Peru. This activity, together with untold deaths resulting from disease, decimated the local population.

Spanish settlement of Guanacaste was slow since most of the colonization from 1563 onwards was concentrated in the Central Valley and there was very little native labor force left in the lowlands to be employed in farming activities. The Spaniards brought in zambos, a mixed race of escaped black slaves and indigenous people from eastern Nicaragua and Honduras, to help work the haciendas in Guanacaste, but even so the population was too low to sustain much agricultural production. And so, cattle ranching developed as the most common activity in the region due to the low manpower requirements.

In the 1500's and 1600's, the primary revenue from cattle ranching was the sale of leather and fat to merchants in Panama. By the 18th century, a market for beef existed in Guatemala, but this meant a long and difficult cattle drive from the faraway ranches in Costa Rica. Nevertheless, ranching has persisted to the present day and was given a real economic boost in the 1950's and '60's with the development of the "hamburger connection" and North America's increased demand for cheap beef.

The other agricultural products of relative importance in the province are sugar cane and cotton, and since the late 1980's, with the creation of a large-scale irrigation program (the water comes from Lake Arenal after passing through several power generating stations), rice has become a prominent crop. Tourism, of course, is currently the region's most lucrative activity since Guanacaste is blessed by having many of the country's most beautiful beaches and its sun-drenched dry season coincides with the winter months in northern latitudes.

During colonial times, Guanacaste did not actually form part of the province of Costa Rica, but instead pertained to Nicaragua. Shortly after the nations in the region gained their independence from Spain in 1821, the residents of the communities of Nicoya, Santa Cruz, and Cañas decided that they preferred to become part of Costa Rica and announced their annexation on July 25, 1825. This date is commemorated by a government holiday, even though it was not until 1858 that the change in boundary lines was officially recognized and agreed upon by the two countries involved.

National Parks:

1) Isla Bolaños Biological Reserve

2) Santa Rosa National Park

3) Guanacaste National Park

4) Rincón de la Vieja National Park

5) Barra Honda National Park

6) Palo Verde National Park

7) Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve

8) Las Baulas Marine National Park

9) Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge

10) Ostional National Wildlife Refuge

 

Other Points of Interest:

1) Lake Arenal: This natural depression caused by local geological faults formerly contained a small lake that emptied into the Arenal River which flowed into the Caribbean via the San Carlos and San Juan Rivers. However, in the 1970's, the Costa Rican Electric Company (I.C.E.) began construction of what is currently the country's largest hydroelectric generating project.

An earthen dam was built only seven kilometers to the west of Arenal Volcano--that had erupted violently just a few years earlier. As the waters filled up behind the dam a thirty-kilometer long lake was formed. Water from the lake is tunneled to the Pacific side of the country, passing through three turbine-driven generating stations, before being channeled into a system of irrigation canals that have substantially increased the agricultural productivity of the lower Tempisque basin in Guanacaste.

As well as its importance for energy and agriculture, Lake Arenal provides excellent recreational opportunities, especially for windsurfing and freshwater fishing. The northwestern end of the lake is buffeted by strong winds, particularly from December through March, that make for ideal windsurfing conditions.

Fishing for guapote (Cichlasoma dovii), often referred to as "rainbow bass" even though it is not related to bass, is another popular sport on the lake. The season is open year-round (on this lake only) and there is a limit of 10 fish per day.

Daytime temperatures around the lake are pleasant all year long and evenings tend to be cool. The driest months are March and April. Lake Arenal is reached via the same roads that lead to Arenal National Park.

2) Geothermal Power Plant (Miravalles Volcano)

3) Eco-museum (Las Juntas): In the early part of the 20th century, gold mining was an important activity along the Pacific foothills of the Tilarán Mountains. Discovered in 1884, the mines near Las Juntas de Abangares were eventually sold to the North American entrepreneur, Minor C. Keith, the same person who built the railroad between San José and Limón. In their heyday, the mines employed nearly a thousand workers, but were also the scene of a violent labor dispute in 1911.

The Eco-museum was developed around the ruins of one of the oldest gold mines in the region where some of the old machinery, hand tools, and infrastructure can still be seen. The surrounding area is forested to a large extent and provides good opportunities for birdwatching and other nature observation.

The town of Las Juntas de Abangares is located 6 km. northeast of the PanAmerican Highway (the turnoff is 24 km south of Cañas). Drive through the town and follow the signs for the "Eco-museo", about 2 km. farther on. The museum is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Phone: 662-0129 (in the Municipal Offices of Las Juntas).

4) Indigenous crafts manufacturing in the town of Guaitil: Continuing a tradition that predates the Spanish settlement of Guanacaste, the descendants of the Chorotega tribe living in the village of Guaitil still produce fine quality pottery. Having changed with the times, much the way the oxcart manufacturers of Sarchí have, the ceramic ware made in Guaitil is now destined mostly for the souvenir trade and is not so much a matter of creating vessels for daily usage. Nonetheless, it is still interesting to observe the process of making and decorating the variety of earthenware products.

To reach the village of Guaitil, take the road out of Santa Cruz to the east past the town of Santa Barbara (about 10 km.).

5) Cowboy Museum (Liberia): Known in Spanish as El Museo del Sabanero, the Cowboy Museum is a tribute to the hard-working plainsmen of yesteryear that are such an important part of Guanacaste's past and tradition. The museum showcases all sorts of memorabilia from old photographs to chaps and branding irons, and gives an insight into what life was like on the haciendas in times gone by.

Located 3 blocks south and one block east of the Municipal Building in Liberia, the museum shares space with the Liberia Cultural Center in a restored adobe house that was originally built more than 100 years ago. Hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Phone: 666-1606.

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Alajuela Province

General Information:

Climate:
Many associate Alajuela with the warm and sunny climate that characterizes the city of the same name and the various towns in the western end of the Central Valley that also belong to this large and populous province. However, the vast majority of the provincial territory lies on the other side of the volcanic cordilleras, extending north to the Nicaraguan border. This sprawling area in the northern lowlands is under the influence of weather conditions coming in off the Caribbean Sea and was formerly covered in extensive tracts of majestic rain forest. Recent agricultural colonization of the northern frontier has severely altered the natural landscape (witness the paucity of national parks in the region), and very likely has affected the climate to some degree, resulting in hotter and slightly drier conditions, even though this is still an area of high annual rainfall (local inhabitants claim it rains 13 months out of the year). Even wetter, and much cooler, conditions exist along the Caribbean-facing slopes of the cordilleras, which reach a height of 2,704 meters above sea level on the summit of Poás Volcano.

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History:
Following the establishment of the city of Cartago in the latter part of the 16th century, the incipient population began expanding westward. By the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Heredia had grown such that it became a second base of expansion, again to the west.

To the Catholic colonists one drawback to founding new settlements was the inherent difficulty in attending mass when living far from the established towns. For this reason, in 1782, a new parish that included several small settlements scattered to the west of Heredia was formed in a site known as La Lajuela. Over time this place name evolved into Alajuela, which was also known as Villa Hermosa, "beautiful village."

The settlement of the northern portion of this province only began in earnest in the later half of the 19th century, and even so did not reach great proportions until the second half of the 20th century owing largely to the difficult access. In fact, much of the original colonization (apart from that of the Botos tribes who had inhabited the region for centuries prior to the coming of the Spaniards) came not from Costa Rica, but from Nicaragua since numerous navigable rivers flow north from their origins in the cordilleras and empty into either Lake Nicaragua or the San Juan River. This natural geographic connection was used (and to some extent still is today) by people coming from Nicaragua in search of new land or for exploiting forest products (e.g., hunting, rubber tapping, and extracting ipecac root).

In the last few decades, with an extensive network of all-weather roads constructed in this once isolated region, cattle and crop production have come to dominate the countryside and a thriving agricultural economy now exists which supplies much of the nation's corn, beans, and fruit and vegetable produce.

National Parks:

1) Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

2) Arenal National Park

3) Poás Volcano National Park

4) Juan Castro Blanco National Park

5) Guanacaste National Park

6) Rincón de la Vieja National Park

Other Points of Interest:

1) Topiary in town park of Zarcero: This picturesque mountain town lies 67 kilometers northwest of San José. At an elevation of 1700 meters, the air temperature is pleasantly refreshing. The principal attraction is the town square in front of the church with its amusing variety of forms and figures (elephants, monkeys riding bicycles, helicopters, etc.) that have been shaped out of ciprés, a common type of conifer planted at higher elevations around the country. For admirers of religious architecture, the church is well worth taking a look at.

Taking the PanAmerican highway (Rt. 1) west out of San José, take the Naranjo exit and follow signs (or ask) for Ciudad Quesada. Zarcero is perched on the rim of the Central Valley (17 km. north of Naranjo) before you start to drop down to the northern plains of the San Carlos region.

2) Wood-working and painting in Sarchí: Around the turn of the 20th century, an artistic-minded person working for the La Luisa coffee mill, near the village of Sarchí, had the notion to paint colorful designs on the sides and wooden wheels of an oxcart. The idea caught on and eventually most Costa Rican oxcarts sported gay geometric designs.

Nowadays, this veritable national symbol is becoming a vanishing species due to the greater speed and versatility of pick-up trucks and 4X4 vehicles. However, the production of hand-painted oxcarts is as prolific as ever--only now they come in miniaturized versions destined for the souvenir trade. The village of Sarchí has evolved into the center of this production and numerous shops dot the main road through town. Several of these souvenir outlets have back rooms where the visitor is welcome to enter and watch the local craftspeople at work as they paint the decorative patterns.

The church in the center of town is also noteworthy. Painted in pastel shades of green and pink, it somehow looks more like a wedding cake than a church.

The town is located 53 km. northwest of San José. Driving westbound on the PanAmerican highway (Rt. 1), take either the Grecia or Naranjo exits and follow signs (or ask) for Sarchí. The distance from the highway is less if you take the Naranjo exit, although this means driving a bit farther west and doubling back.

3) La Virgen del Socorro: This is an area at about 700 meters in elevation along the forested canyon of the Sarapiquí River that has been a favorite with birdwatchers and butterfly enthusiasts for many years. Prior to the opening of the road through Braulio Carrillo National Park, this was one of the most accessible mid-elevation Caribbean slope sites for those coming from the Central Valley. Many of the butterfly species found in this altitudinal belt have very limited geographic distributions. Among the birds, hummingbirds and tanagers are particularly plentiful and include the Black-crested Coquette, Green Thorntail, Coppery-headed Emerald (known only from Costa Rica), Crimson-collared Tanager, Emerald Tanager, and Silver-throated Tanager.

The place name actually refers to an agricultural community that a gravel road and an old rusting iron bridge over the rushing Sarapiquí River link with the rest of the world. For the purposes of a natural history outing, all that you need do is park your car just off the paved road and stroll down the gravel road until you feel like turning around and hiking back up. The bridge makes a good goal if you need one, and in addition to being just an incredibly pleasant place to sit and watch the mountain stream, it's also a good place to find American Dippers and Torrent Tyrannulets, two bird species that favor this habitat.

To get there, drive to Vara Blanca -- in the saddle between Poás Volcano and Barva Volcano -- and follow Rt. 9 north. About two kilometers beyond Isla Bonita, look for a sign welcoming you to La Virgen del Socorro and a sharp right-hand turn onto the gravel road (if you come to Cariblanco, you've gone too far).

On the way down from Vara Blanca there are two magnificent waterfalls. The first comes thundering down right beside the road and can't be missed. This is known as Catarata de La Paz, since it is on the Río La Paz (Peace River), which originates near the summit of Poás Volcano. The second falls is farther from the road, but unless it is very cloudy, is not easily missed. Be looking down across the river gorge on your right as you come into the village of Cinchona, and you'll see this impressively high waterfall as it spills into the Sarapiquí River. A small roadside (former) restaurant nearby has a great view of the falls and also has put out several hummingbird feeders, so you can get some terrific close-up views of these swift creatures.

4) Fraijanes Recreational Park: This 18-hectare recreational park, located en route to Poás Volcano, was created by the Tourism Board (I.C.T.) in the early 1980's. It is a popular picnic area among the local populace, especially when the weather is less than ideal at the summit of the volcano.

A small man-made lake forms the centerpiece of the park and a series of trails wind through the partly forested grounds. If the park is not too crowded, the birdwatching here can be productive with such species as White-eared Ground-Sparrow, Yellow-throated Brush-Finch, White-throated Spadebill, Steely-vented Hummingbird, and Greyish Saltator in residence.

The park is located 15 km. north of Alajuela, on the road to Poás Volcano National Park, and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. There is a small entrance fee and charge for using the parking lot.

5) Juan Santamaria Museum:

Located one block north of Alajuela's Central Park (across the street from the Credomatic office), this museum is dedicated to the historic events that occurred in the mid-1850's when William Walker attempted to gain control of much of Central America. Hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free. Phone: 441-4775.

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Puntarenas Province

General Information:

Climate:
Being Costa Rica's largest province (11,277 sq. km.), Puntarenas includes practically all of the climate regimes found in this small, but tremendously varied, country. From tropical dry forest to rain forest, and from mangrove swamp to cloud forest to subalpine paramo, this sprawling province contains at least a little bit of everything.

Although the entire province lies on the Pacific side of the continental divide, much of its land area is not as severely affected by the annual dry season as is most of Guanacaste province (just to the north on the same side of the country). This is due to the topography's effect on the prevailing winds. The northeast trade winds that come in off the Caribbean Sea are to some extent blocked by the higher mountains of the Central Volcanic and Talamanca Cordilleras before they reach much of the province (from the Carara Biological Reserve south); and once on the Pacific side, the turbulence formed in the passage results in a vortex, or reverse flow of air currents, that actually can draw in moist air from the Pacific Ocean and produce scattered rain showers even during the dry season. These occasional rains and associated high humidity keep the forested portions of the southern coastal areas (e.g., Manuel Antonio and Corcovado National Parks) green throughout the year, though some species of trees do briefly drop their leaves in response to the drier conditions from January through April.

In the interior sections of the province that reach up to the ridgeline, luxuriant cloud forests exist owing to the mists that sweep across the mountaintops when the tradewinds' full effect is felt from December through February. Yet it is saddening to see how deforestation has advanced up the steep hillsides, in large part aided by the ease of burning the natural vegetation during the dry months of March and April.

History:
The peculiar shape of Puntarenas province has a very sensible explanation. During the first 350 years of Spanish presence in Central America, the southern Pacific portion of what is now Costa Rica remained quite isolated from the developing population centers of the region. The high mountains between this area and the Central Valley presented a formidable barrier to the available means of terrestrial transportation. Thus, the few early settlers that ventured into the southern region came either from Panama to the south, or by boat from the port of Caldera in the Gulf of Nicoya.

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The dimensions of the province are due to the fact that it includes all the many kilometers of coastline from the Gulf of Nicoya south to Panama, the large inland valleys of Coto Brus and El General, and the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula -- all areas that were once most easily approached by sea.

Despite the use of the Gulf of Nicoya as an entryway to Costa Rica's inland territory, the port of Puntarenas was not developed until 1840 when coffee production in the highlands reached exportable volumes. Originally, the coffee was brought to port in oxcarts via a trail through the mountains. In 1879, a stretch of railroad track was completed which connected Puntarenas with the town of Esparza (one of the country's earliest Spanish settlements, founded in 1554, a decade before the Central Valley began to be colonized) where the oxcart trail came out of the mountains. Eventually, the railroad was built all the way through to San José and service was inaugurated in 1910.

With the railroad connection to the Central Valley, the Pacific port's activities continued to be a major part of the region's economy throughout the 20th century. However, due to the aging and deterioration of the port facilities and the need to accommodate the much larger vessels of modern shipping fleets, a new port was constructed in the 1980's to the south of Puntarenas. The site chosen was Caldera, where ships had anchored during colonial times.

Prior to the Spaniards' arrival, the area that is now Puntarenas province was home to numerous groups of native peoples with varied lifestyles depending on the habitats in which they lived. The coastal inhabitants were no strangers to the sea and ventured out into open water either in dugouts or in balsa wood rafts. In addition to fish, they harvested other marine products such as shellfish (dug from the mudflats at low tide), sea turtles and turtle eggs, and murex shells from which they obtained a purple dye used in tinting cloth.

The greatest of the Costa Rican pre-Columbian mysteries comes from the southern part of the province, near the towns of Palmar Norte and Palmar Sur, where hundreds of large stone spheres have been found. The largest of these granitic boulders measures 2.5 meters in diameter and weighs 13,000 kg. Many, however, are not much larger than bowling balls. How these nearly perfectly spherical stones were shaped with such precision is still a matter of speculation, as is their usage by the indigenous inhabitants of the region.

Unfortunately, the chance for archeological interpretation of the spheres was forever lost when the aforementioned area was converted into banana plantations and bulldozers moved the stones from where they had been placed long ago by the natives.

Settlement of the southern sector of the province was slow in coming, despite periodic expeditions into the region during colonial times. Thus, this area, together with the eastern slopes of the Talamanca Cordillera, was one of the last strongholds of indigenous culture in Costa Rica.

Not until 1870 was a horse trail put through from the Central Valley to the Valley of El General. However, given the difficulty in traveling to this new frontier, colonization did not immediately follow the construction of this trail. In fact, the southern part of Puntarenas province remained sparsely populated by non-natives until the mid-1930's when banana plantations in the Caribbean lowlands were severely affected by a fungal infection known as "Panama disease" leading the United Fruit Co. to abandon those areas and look for somewhere to begin new plantations.

The heat and high rainfall of the southern Pacific lowlands made for an ideal banana-growing climate (again, as in the Caribbean, at the expense of vast areas of tropical rain forest), and so it was that between 1936 and 1955 this area experienced an unprecedented wave of human impact.

Ports were built in the banana company towns of Quepos and Golfito for the purpose of shipping the fruit to markets. The construction of the PanAmerican Highway from San José to Panama in the 1940's further opened the region to agricultural colonization by independent Costa Rican farmers.

In the mid-1950's, disease in the banana plantations again caused serious problems for the local economies that were dependent on the production of this crop. Along the coast to the north and south of Quepos, the banana company actually destroyed the banana plantations and converted them to fields of African oil palm. These are still active today (and still expanding) and produce a vegetable oil used in cooking as well as oils used in cosmetics.

An important aspect of the provincial economy today is tourism. The country's most popular beach resorts, Puntarenas (including Doña Ana and Barranca beaches), Jacó, and Manuel Antonio, are all found in this province, as are 14 national parks and reserves -- more than in any other province.

National Parks:

1) Peñas Blancas National Wildlife Refuge

2) Guayabo, Negritos and Pájaros Islands Biological Reserves

3) Curú National Wildlife Refuge

4) Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve

5) Carara Biological Reserve

6) Manuel Antonio National Park

7) Ballena Marine National Park

8) La Amistad International Park

9) Corcovado National Park

10) Caño Island Biological Reserve

11) Golfito National Wildlife Refuge

12) Cocos Island National Park

 

Other Points of Interest:

1) Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve:
Settled by North American Quakers in the early 1950's, the montane dairy community of Monteverde has become a veritable ecotourist Mecca due to the presence of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (a private reserve owned and operated by the Tropical Science Center).

Established in 1972, the Cloud Forest Reserve protects habitat for one of the world's most handsomely plumaged birds -- the Resplendent Quetzal. Noted for their shimmering green and red coloration and the elongated tail coverts of the adult males, quetzals are seasonally abundant in the reserve and community area (December through August), but many other bird and mammal species can also be seen with relative ease throughout the year, among them are the Emerald Toucanet, Collared Redstart, Blue-crowned Motmot, Black Guan, Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth, Kinkajou, and half a dozen or more species of dazzling hummingbirds. Although, the chance to walk through this nearly enchanted, often mist-enshrouded environment and admire the epiphyte-laden vegetation of the cloud forest is worth the visit alone.

A diverse and well-maintained trail system allows visitors to explore a small percentage of the reserve's total 11,000 ha. without feeling crowded.

(NOTE: The hummingbird show at the Hummingbird Gallery (on the left just before the reserve parking lot) is free and nothing short of amazing. At least six species can be seen in a ten or fifteen minute viewing span on any day of the year, but you can easily find yourself lingering a lot longer as these feathered fireballs zip back and forth between the feeders and frequently hover just inches away from you.)

Getting there:
From San José, take the PanAmerican Highway west for nearly 150 km. until the turnoff for Monteverde, on the right just before coming to the bridge over the Río Lagarto. Continue on the gravel road for 35 km. to reach your destination.

Approximately 4 hours drive from San José, the last 90 minutes or so over gravel road are dusty in the dry season (December through April) and can be muddy in the wet season. Most car rental companies will insist that you take a 4x4 if you are going to visit Monteverde.

Climate:
Monteverde residents refer to three seasons: dry, wet, and misty. The misty season (mid-November through February) is actually the first half of the dry season and is characterized by wind-driven clouds that bathe the forest, and frequently the community, in mists as they are blown across the ridgetop from the Atlantic side of the country. A poncho is definitely recommended during this portion of the year, while an umbrella should do fine for the afternoon rains that typically fall from May through November. Sweaters will handle the evening chill on almost any night of the year. Daytime temperatures vary with cloud cover and wind conditions, so layers are the best suggestion, but on a calm, sunny day shorts and shirt sleeves would be suitable.

History:
Looking for an alternative to the increasingly militaristic U.S. society, a group of 44 Quakers from Fairhope, Alabama pulled up stakes in 1950 and came to Costa Rica -- a nation which had taken the bold measure of abolishing its armed forces two years earlier in 1948. After visiting a number of highland areas the length of the country (climates unaffected by many of the more troublesome tropical diseases that were still a problem in the lowlands at the time), the group decided to settle in Monteverde and purchased 3,000 acres of land near the top of the ridge overlooking the Gulf of Nicoya below. To support themselves with something more than mere subsistence farming, they formed a cooperative cheese factory to take advantage of the excellent natural conditions for dairy farming, but nearly impossible conditions for transporting fresh milk to the San José market. Today, Monteverde cheese is renowned throughout Costa Rica and is also exported.

 

2) Santa Elena Reserve:
In response to the growing numbers of visitors to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, this reserve was created in the early 1990's, just a few kilometers to the northwest along the same mountain chain. The cloud forest habitat that it protects is quite similar to that found at the neighboring reserve, as is the associated wildlife, including Resplendent Quetzals.

One unique possibility at the Santa Elena Reserve, if the clouds permit, is to view Arenal Volcano. Even though the volcano is some 20 kilometers distant from the view points, it is still an imposing spectacle.

The reserve is owned and managed by the Santa Elena Agricultural High School and the trails were constructed with high school volunteers from the Canadian Youth Challenge organization. To get there, take the dirt road out of Santa Elena towards Tilarán and bear right at the first fork beyond the soccer field. Four-wheel-drive could be necessary from May to February.

 

3) Robert & Catherine Wilson Botanical Garden: Now owned and administered by the Organization for Tropical Studies, the garden was begun in 1963 by its namesakes and portions were landscaped by the famous Brazilian landscape architect, Roberto Burle-Marx. The Wilsons originally attempted to grow tea on the property, but with coffee already an established crop in the region, local people weren't interested. Having formerly run a garden in Miami, this was a natural alternative.

The Wilsons' fondness for certain plant families reveals itself in the large collection of palms, bromeliads, heliconias, aroids, marantas, and ferns assembled over the years on the 10 hectares of cultivated area. An adjoining 145-hectare tract of premontane wet forest, the largest remaining patch in the region, adds to the garden's attractiveness. Some 220 bird species, 80 mammal species, and 71 species of reptiles and amphibians have been identified on the property.

At about 1,000 meters above sea level, the daytime temperatures in the garden are warm and evenings are cool. The area receives an average of 4 meters of rain per year, mostly from May through November. From the town of San Vito, drive south to the village of Agua Buena, the garden is 5.6 km. from San Vito. Meals and lodging are available at the gardens. Phone/Fax: 773-3278.

 

4) Gulf of Nicoya:
This extensive inlet of sea water is the result of a geological fault that has caused the land to submerge, leaving exposed only the tops of what were formerly low hills. These are the various islands that dot the gulf and include Chira Island (the country's largest with an extension of 52 sq. km.), San Lucas Island (formerly a prison island), and the biological reserves of Guayabo, Negritos and Pájaros Islands.

The protected anchorages near Caldera and the spit of land that is now the city of Puntarenas provided important access to the Spanish colonists that came first from Panama and later from Guatemala and Nicaragua. These and many other parts of the coastline that are protected from the direct impact of ocean swells support mangroves which in turn furnish the breeding sites that numerous marine organisms depend on. The local fishing industry would suffer greatly if these mangroves were to be destroyed.

Many thanks to Richard Garrigues for this valuable information. You can visit Richard at his site: http://www.angelfire.com/bc/gonebirding/

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