- Address: 35 km north from Liberia, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica
- Phone: +506 2666-5051
- E-mail: acg@acguanacaste.ac.cr
- Website: acguanacaste.ac.cr/turismo/sector-santa-rosa
In Costa Rica, there are many diverse reserves and nature reserves , but one of the first officially registered was the Santa Rosa National Park. It was founded in 1971 and occupied an area of 10 thousand hectares. Its main purpose was to protect this area, as well as restore biotopes of tropical dry forest. The reserve is located in the north-west of the country, 35 kilometers from the city of Liberia , in the province of Guanacaste.
The territory of the park is divided into 2 parts: the northern Murcielago (almost not visited by tourists) and the southern Santa Rosa (with amazing beaches). Also there are 10 natural zones: savannah, seashore, deciduous forests, swamps, mangrove groves and others.
Flora and fauna of Santa Rosa National Park
Most of the reserve of Santa Rosa is represented by a dry tropical forest. His territory is constantly decreasing due to human activities. Large trees with huge and wide crowns are common here. For example, the national tree of Guanacaste tree lowers the branches almost to the ground, thereby providing a shadow not only for themselves, but also for their inhabitants. Also worth noting is another representative of the flora - "Nude Indian", the official name of Indio desnudo. This name was given to the tree because of the bronze color of the bark, which is easily separated from the trunk, and below it is green wood.
In total, 253 species of birds, 115 species of animals, 100 species of amphibians and reptiles, more than 10 thousand insects live in the Santa Rosa National Park, of which 3140 species of moths and butterflies.
From mammals here you can find a coyote, a battleship, a white-tailed deer, a jaguar, a white-capped capuchin, a baker, a howler monkey, puma, skunk, ocelot, tapir and others. Of the birds in the reserve, white ibis, blue herons, karakar and a predatory kayak dwell that feed on gophers, chipmunks, squirrels and small birds. In mangrove groves you can see fish-eating bats and even crocodiles. Near the bay of Playa Nancite is one of the largest nesting places on the whole planet of rare sea turtles: the Bissa and Olive Ridley.
During the drought, the rainforest becomes almost lifeless, the animals leave in search of green vegetation and water, and the trees are thrown off the foliage. During the rainy season, nature on the contrary comes alive, in a few days the forest is covered with lush green vegetation, filled with the voices of animals and the singing of birds.
One of the main attractions of Santa Rosa National Park is its chic beaches. The most famous is the beach Naranjo, which conquers holidaymakers silky gray sand. 500 meters away there is a unique natural object - Witch's Rock, which translates as "witch's rock." It was formed more than a million years ago, as a result of a volcanic eruption. Around the rocks, surfing fans noticed the unique ability of water to wrap themselves in a tube. Due to the presence of underwater cliffs to catch a wave in these places is recommended only to experienced athletes. Near this beach is an amazing grove where colorful crabs, iguanas, crickets and turtles live.
Visitors to the Santa Rosa National Park were provided with amenities: benches, booths, pedestrian routes, tent camps and camping sites, as well as special places for recreation. The price for visiting the reserve is 15 US dollars.
How to get there?
In general, during the rainy season, it is almost impossible to get to the territory of the Santa Rosa park, it is better to go in a dry period and on a car with a high ground clearance. The total length of the road in the reserve is 12 kilometers, and it is dotted with trenches and trenches.
You can get here by motorway number 1. Visit Santa Rosa National Park is for those who like surfing, are interested in military history or want to be alone with nature.
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