Guanacaste is a centre for wellness


Surfing in Playa Grande


The blue waters of Tenorio Volcano National Park


The most popular route takes visitors to the Celeste River and waterfall, famous for its stunning turquoise waters. The aquamarine hue is the result of an optical illusion, as the rocks at the bottom of the river are coated with a white mineral that appears blue to the eye when sunlight refracts off the mineral in the water. It’s a welcome reward for the end of a long hike. Look out along the way for some of Costa Rica’s natural hot springs and bubbling mud pools, which are a result of volcanic geothermic activity. They can be seen in various parts of the country, but Tenorio Volcano National Park has some of the most impressive. The park is also a birdwatcher’s paradise. From trogons to woodpeckers, and toucans to sunbitterns, dozens of species can be spotted here.


Santa Rosa National Park: The really wild show


One of the oldest parks in Costa Rica, Santa Rosa National Park lines the Pacific coast on the north-


western tip of the country, around 25 miles from the capital Liberia. It’s a hidden gem and comprises a variety of habitats and terrains. It’s a rich tapestry of different landscapes, including a savannah, an oak forest, marshlands and mangrove woodlands, which provide habitats for diverse and plentiful wildlife, including more than 100 species of mammals and 250 types of birds.


Come September or October,


it’s all about the turtles. The park’s shoreline is an important nesting ground for olive ridley turtles, and when it comes to prime nesting season, its two main beaches are filled with thousands of tiny turtles hatching from under the sand. One of these, Naranjo Beach, also draws experienced surfers to its shores because of famous surf break Witch’s Rock.


Cowboys: Ranches and rodeos Guanacaste is the home of Costa Rican cowboys, a community with an intriguing history. There might not


Hire a 4x4 to navigate the tough terrain of Santa Rosa National Park and reach the lesser-known parts of the park that many visitors miss


be as many pastures as there used to be, but cowboy culture still runs strong, and they can be seen riding down the main roads towing their horses behind them. To find out more, head for an authentic working ranch outside the city – some of which have been in the same families for generations – for a spot of horse riding and cattle wrangling.


If that whets the appetite, why not add an old-fashioned bullfight? It still goes on in Guanacaste, though it’s more like a US-style rodeo than the savage bullfights seen elsewhere in the world.


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