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EXPLORE
COSTA RICA |
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While Costa Rica's Central Pacific area is less of a geographical or
cultural entity than other regions of the country, it does contain
several of its most popular tourist spots, among them the number-one
attraction, the Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde (Monteverde
Cloudforest Reserve), draped over the ridge of the Cordillera de Tilarán.
Along with the nearby Reserva Santa Elena , Monteverde protects some of
the last remaining pristine cloudforest in the Americas.
The Central Pacific and Southern Nicoya are also home to some of the
best-known beaches in the country, including some which are easily
accessible from San José. Each offers a distinctly different experience.
A former tiny fishing village near the southwest tip of the Nicoya
Peninsula, Montezuma is surrounded by a series of lovely coves, perfect
for sunbathing and hanging out. On the mainland coast, the rough water
and huge waves at Jacó make it one of the best places to surf in the
country. Further south, Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio has several
extraordinary beaches, with white sands and azure waters.
With the exception of the cool cloudforest of Monteverde, the vegetation
is Pacific lowland. The climate is tropical, hot and rather drier than
in the south - about 33°C is a dry-season average. It's not that much
cooler in the wet months, when Quepos and Manuel Antonio, in particular,
often receive torrential afternoon rains.
Of the two routes from the capital to Puntarenas and points south, the
main one is the Interamericana, which climbs over the Cordillera Central
before dropping precipitously to the Pacific lowlands, levelling out at
the town of Esparza, a few kilometres beyond which is the turn-off for
Puntarenas. Buses to Jacó and Manuel Antonio take the slightly shorter
old road via Atenas and Orotina. Visiting Monteverde is always a bit of
an expedition. Although it is just 170km from San José, the roads along
the final 35km or so are unpaved and in poor condition. In the dry
season you can do it with a regular car, but in the wet you need 4WD.
Most people cross over to the southern Nicoya Peninsula from Puntarenas
on the ferries to Naranjo or Paquera. From Paquera there's public
transport down to Tambor and Montezuma. From Naranjo you can continue
south by car or north to Carmona and then up to Nicoya and Santa Cruz,
but you'll need 4WD for either route.
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