Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [100]
Soda Restaurante Nené (2761-1932; mains ₡3000-3500; 8am-5pm) This small tourist complex has stocked tilapia and trout ponds where you can catch your own and then have it fried or grilled up with garlic at the onsite soda (cheap, informal lunch counter).
Hotel y Villas Bajo del Toro (2761-0284; r US$54; ) Four spacious ceramic-tile rooms with bright bedspreads have private balcony, rocking chair and views of a rushing river. Units sleep up to four and come equipped with hot-water bathroom, coffeemaker and minifridge. A small soda (casados ₡2500) serves typical meals. This is a weekend spot, so if you’re visiting midweek, prices may be flexible.
Down the street, in a circular wood building, you’ll find Rancho Típico Toro Amarillo (2761-1918; breakfast ₡1200-1500, casados ₡2300-2500; 6am-6pm), a rustic country eatery – with a changing daily menu – run by a local women’s cooperative. They have two tidy cabinas (double US$22) in the back, both with private bathrooms and hot water.
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Getting There & Away
If driving north from the Interamericana through Zarcero, take a right immediately after the church and head north about 15km. The road is almost entirely paved but the last stretch is steep and rocky; 4WD is recommended. There are daily buses from Zarcero.
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PARQUE NACIONAL JUAN CASTRO BLANCO
This 143-sq-km national park (admission US$10, camping per person US$3) was created in 1992 to protect the slopes of Volcán Platanar (2183m) and Volcán Porvenir (2267m) from logging. The headwaters for five major rivers originate here as well, making this one of the most important watersheds in the country.
The park is in limbo, federally protected but still privately owned by various plantation families – only those parts that have already been purchased by the government are technically open to travelers. As yet, there is almost no infrastructure for visitors, though there is a Minae office (2460-7600) in El Sucre, north of Zarcero, where you can pay fees for camping or day use. However, the office is frequently closed, and fees are rarely collected.
The park is most popular among anglers as each of the five rivers is brimming with trout. The lack of infrastructure and tourist traffic means that your chances of spotting rare wildlife (such as quetzals, black guans and curassow) are very high – but it also means that maintained trails are almost nonexistent. It is best to go with a guide, which can be arranged through tour agencies and hotels in the area.
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PALMARES
pop 8900
Palmares’ claim to fame is the annual Las Fiestas de Palmares, a 10-day beer-soaked extravaganza that takes place in mid-January and features carnival rides, a tope (horse parade), fireworks, big-name bands, small-name bands, exotic dancers, fried food, guaro tents and the densest population of merry Ticos you’ve ever seen. It is one of the biggest events in the country – crowds can reach upwards of 10,000 people – and is covered widely on national TV. For the other 355 days of the year, Palmares is a tumbleweed town, where life is centered on the ornate stained-glass church in the central plaza.
There’s little in the way of accommodations, so unless you know someone with a house, give up any plans on staying here during the party. At other times, a good spot to lay your head is Casa Marta (2452-1010; www.hotelcasamarta.com; d incl breakfast US$70; ), which has a dozen clean, whitewashed rooms with polished