Guanacaste: Protected Areas, Coast and Culture

Guanacaste offers a range of themes for a trip: protected areas with lagoons and volcanic landscapes, coastlines and a rich cultural heritage. Places and activities vary considerably—from birdwatching in Palo Verde and mining history to regional ceramics and cuisine.

Nature, birdwatching and volcanic landscapes

Parque Nacional Palo Verde lies between the Bebedero and Tempisque rivers in the lower Tempisque Basin, in the canton of Bagaces. Two trails offer different experiences: the elevated Sendero La Jacana runs above Palo Verde Lagoon, is 20 meters long and is suitable for birdwatching. The 540-meter Sendero La Roca loop leads to a viewpoint overlooking Lago Palo Verde, Río Tempisque and the Gulf of Nicoya. You can choose between a short trail above the lagoon and a loop with several scenic views.

Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional also brings coastal destinations together with an important conservation topic. It includes Ostional, Nosara, Peladas and Guiones beaches in the cantons of Santa Cruz and Nicoya in Guanacaste Province. It protects the world’s most important nesting and breeding site for the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). The refuge is particularly interesting for travelers who want to focus on coastal landscapes and the conservation of this sea turtle.

Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja is a volcanic massif with nine peaks and a lagoon called La Jilgueros. Destinations along its trails include the Von Seebach and Rincón de la Vieja craters, Las Pailas, the La Cangreja and Escondidas waterfalls, the Río Blanco basin, fumaroles and mud volcanoes. Another trail passes fumaroles, mud pools, water basins and a fumarole lake. It crosses both forested and open areas, where the transition from dry to wet forest can be seen. Check access conditions for each area before your trip.

Coastlines and history

The landscapes of Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas include Playa Carbón, Ventanas and Langosta, as well as Morro and Hermoso hills and the San Francisco and Ventanas mangroves. Visitors can surf at Playa Grande. Travelers comparing this coastal park with another protected area will find a very different feature at Barra Honda: Parque Nacional Barra Honda is Costa Rica’s only national park with an underground cave system.

Parque Nacional Santa Rosa adds a historical dimension to trip planning. It was the site of the Battle of March 20, 1856, and is the only protected wildlife area in Costa Rica that contains a history museum. Playa Naranjo also offers opportunities for surfing and camping, as well as trails near the mangrove area. Nature and history thus come together in this national park, without being reduced to a single type of excursion.

Ceramics, mining and regional cuisine

Founded in 1991, Ecomuseo de las Minas de Abangares explores the history of mining and the region’s Indigenous culture. Historic gold-mining sites include Casa de la Pólvora, the foundations of stamp mills, the walls of a former railway line, a quarry, and machinery used to extract and transport gold. These sites make the museum a tangible destination for anyone interested in Guanacaste’s industrial past.

Ceramics are another cultural theme. Ecomuseo de la Cerámica Chorotega in San Vicente de Nicoya highlights local pottery traditions that have existed for hundreds of years. In Guaitil de Santa Cruz and San Vicente de Nicoya, too, a pottery tradition dating back more than 5,000 years continues using traditional techniques passed down from the Chorotega. Visitors can buy the resulting ceramic pieces there. Together, these two places offer a glimpse into a craft tradition that remains part of Guanacaste today.

Traditional Guanacaste cuisine includes, among other dishes, tortillas guanacastecas, Tanelas, Tayuyas, arroz de maíz, Rosquillas, Bizcochos, Pozol and Chicheme. These regional dishes add a culinary focus to the nature and culture themes; trying a selection can offer another direction for your trip planning.

Choose your hotel location based on your travel interests

When choosing a hotel location, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: birdwatching and lagoons, volcanic landscapes, the coast or cultural heritage. The destinations mentioned can help you tailor your search for a suitable location in Guanacaste to your interests. Then check which places you would like to visit during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Cañas, Potrero, Nicoya, Playa Azul, Ostional, Guayabo, Piedras, Guayabal, La Garita, Nacascolo, Lorena, San Lázaro, Cartagena, Cabo Velas, Coco, Sámara, Tilarán, La Fortuna, Liberia, Tamarindo, Hacienda Santa María, El Real, Santa Cruz, Cuajiniquil, Playa Grande, Santa Bárbara, Punta Islita, Zapotal, Lagunilla, Bejuco, Pijije, Bolsón, Tronadora, Ángeles, Garza, Bijagua, Matapalo, Marbella, La Cruz, Puerto Carrillo, Tortugal, Canas Dulces, Culebra, Playa Flamingo, Panamá, Naranjos Agrios, Santa Elena, Rosario, Arenal, San Juanillo, Nosara, Playa Hermosa, Puerto Humo, Los Andes, Sierra, Huacas, Palmira, Mata De Caña, San Francisco de Coyote, Villareal, Guardia, Sardinal and Bagaces.

For the overarching travel guide: Costa Rica.