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The Guanacaste region, known also as the Gold Coast, is about 4
hours drive time from San José. The perfect time to visit Guanacaste
is, luckily enough, year round. No matter if you visit during the
dry season or during the rain season, both provide spectacular advantages.
The dry season affords the serious sun lover with plenty of tanning
time, while the rain season brings the trees into bloom with explosions
of colors and fragrances. The rolling hills become carpeted in brilliant
green.
No region of Costa Rica displays its
cultural heritage as overtly as does Guanacaste. The culture
owes much to the blending of Spanish and Chorotega, a pre-columbian
culture, descended from the Olmecs of Mexico. Costa Rica's
national costume, music, and even the national tree -the Guanacaste-
all emanate from this region.
Pacific Ridley Sea turtles (the smallest
of the world's six varieties of sea turtles) nest on several of
the region's beaches, two of which are specifically protected:
Ostional and ¨Grande¨ Beach. They nest more or less monthly
in such quantities that the beach is literally covered with female
turtles.
The largest sea turtles in the world
the giant leatherbacks, nest at different beaches on this coast;
the most important ones are protected in
Las Baulas Marine National Park at Playa Grande just north Tamarindo
and Playa Naranjo in Santa
Rosa National Park. They nest nightly during the first portion
of the dry season.
Major attractions: Beaches: Tamarindo, Flamingo, Langosta,
Papagayo, Carrillo, Samara, Nosara and many more for Guanacaste
and Nicoya are justifiably famous. National parks: Santa
Rosa National Park, Palo Verde National Park,
Rincón de la Vieja National Park, Tropical Dry Forest
National Park, Las
Baulas Marine National Park,
Ostional Wildlife Refuge.
Activities available: Sportfishing, diving, snorkeling, surfing,
horseback riding, turtle nesting (November-March), biking, hiking,
birdwatching, windsurfing.
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