Parque Nacional Carara — Attraction in Tárcoles

This is a relatively flat walking area with lots of tree and a gentle rainforest experience. We heard lots of birds chirping, and saw a larger group of monkeys passing through. If you aren't able to hike strenuous places, this would be a good choice to go and still be able to experience nature. It is still hot and somewhat buggy but you're also shaded from the sun so you basically just feel the humidity from the rainforest. Unfortunately, we were there after a heavy rain and most of the trails were a muddy mess. The park also closes at 4 and costs $10 per person over the age of 12 and $5 for children 2-5, I think is the ages. You're supposed to buy tickets and make reservations online but we showed up and couldn't get the website to work so the staff helped us using their computer instead of our phones. For some reason, there were at least 4-6 workers just hanging out in the office area at the entrance. We prefer free hikes versus paying but we were trying to go on a short jaunt near to where we were in Jaco, so we ventured here. The nature is beautiful and there are board walk-like trails that are closer and then some less smooth paths as you venture deeper with a few little bridges to cross, some steps and dirt paths that are still easy to walk on but not accessible perhaps for some with difficulty walking. Altogether, the hikes, without trudging through mud, would be less than two hours total and that is if you're venturing slowing and looking at nature. The maps are also...

Visitors beware of the "park rangers"!! Especially if you're coming from the US and are used to park rangers being an eye for safety and security. When we got to the park there were about 15 "park rangers" milling around and when we parked in the middle of the lot, one of the rangers directed us to park along the edge of the parking lot, which allowed our trunk to be obscured by bushes (which we didn't realize at the time). Once we got back from our hike, our car had been broken into and our computer stolen (I know we should have taken it with us!). We had a series of interactions with the park rangers, local police, and US embassy. We were eventually given the okay to search the park ranger area for the computer and though we didn't find our computer, we found a lot of old computer bags, which tells me they've been doing this for a while and have taken advantage of a lot of people. Poor people and I hate that they feel like they have to steal, but I wanted to post this so people know to beware, to take all belongings on the hike with them if visiting this park, and definitely do not trust the rangers and their group of friends milling around the ranger station. It's not like the US, these people are there to take advantage of good, trusting people. The park wasn't really spectacular anyway, maybe it would have been better in the morning, but it looked really run down and uncared for, kind of like the towns along the highway leading up...

This is a spectacular park with good guides, but one in particular sticks out. I'm going to review the guide, because without him I'm not sure I'd have seen any of the animals and birds I saw. This park is covered up awesome animals, but to see them you need a good guide...

The guide's name is Freddy. He is a local but speaks perfect English. He has been guiding in the park since he was a teenager (he's in his 50s now I believe). He has literally crawled over every inch of the park since before it was even a reserve (it was a National reserve before it was a park). I met him in the 90's and visited him again when we went to Costa Rica on my honeymoon in 2006.

We saw tons of Macaws, a wild Muscovy duck, a massive troop of spider monkeys, and some white-faced Capuchin monkeys. He also showed us a Manakin Lek, where you could pop your fingers against your palm and tons of little birds all around you would start popping back in a dominance display. We heard (but did not see) a laughing falcon. It was simply wild. As far as seeing animals, of course your mileage may vary, but if you get a chance, hire this local guide. He is more than worth it!

You may want to call ahead and make sure he is around. If he's not, he lives a few miles away and the park will call him...