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13km from Turrialba and connected via public buses), an 18km road climbs to the summit. The road is paved for the first 10km, and then becomes increasingly rough; 4WD is necessary. You can also get a 4WD taxi from Santa Cruz for about ₡14,000 each way. There are signs along the way, and this is the official route into the national park.

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Northwestern Costa Rica

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ARENAL ROUTE

CIUDAD QUESADA (SAN CARLOS)

LA FORTUNA & AROUND

PARQUE NACIONAL VOLCÁN ARENAL

EL CASTILLO

LAGUNA DE ARENAL AREA

TILARáN

INTERAMERICANA NORTE

REFUGIO NACIONAL DE FAUNA SILVESTRE PEñAS BLANCAS & AROUND

COSTA DE PáJAROS

JUNTAS

MONTEVERDE & SANTA ELENA

RESERVA BIOLÓGICA BOSQUE NUBOSO MONTEVERDE

RESERVA SANTA ELENA

ECOLODGE SAN LUIS & RESEARCH STATION

PUENTE LA AMISTAD

CAÑAS

VOLCÁN TENORIO AREA

VOLCÁN MIRAVALLES AREA

BAGACES

PARQUE NACIONAL PALO VERDE

RESERVA BIOLÓGICA LOMAS DE BARBUDAL

LIBERIA

PARQUE NACIONAL RINCÓN DE LA VIEJA

PARQUE NACIONAL SANTA ROSA

REFUGIO NACIONAL DE VIDA SILVESTRE BAHÍA JUNQUILLAL

PARQUE NACIONAL GUANACASTE

LA CRUZ

BAHÍA SALINAS

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Iconic Costa Rica lives in the northwest. Whether it’s for a glimpse of Volcán Arenal spitting fiery lava, the flash of green from a quetzal’s wing or the perfect barrel ride at Witch’s Rock, this region is heavily traveled for these and a wealth of other reasons. The landscape ranges from the blazing, dry beaches of the Guanacaste coast to the mist-shrouded heights of Volcán Miravalles (2028m) along the region’s chain of volcanoes. The number and diversity of national parks and reserves alone sums up northwestern Costa Rica’s classic ecodestination status.

Many visitors make Arenal and Monteverde their first and last stops in the region, but if you have more time, it’s worth seeking out the smaller, less-visited spots for a taste of something more authentic. Fumaroles and bubbling mud pots, impossibly aquamarine waterfalls and jewel-toned frogs and toucans add unexpected wonder to swaths of tropical wet forest and the humid slopes of the Cordillera de Guanacaste. At lower elevations, the open stretch of big-sky country along the Interamericana is lined with fincas (farms) and the odd guanacaste tree, for which the province is named. Just short of the Nicaraguan border, a detour west off the Interamericana leads to out-of-the-way bays – some kick up consistent wind for kiteboarding addicts while others shelter tranquil sands for unruffled sunbathers.

While the hot spots in the northwest are undoubtedly well traveled, the infinitude of natural attractions and remote destinations means that the experience can be as small, or as sprawling, as you want to make it. Back roads abound, offering independent travelers endless opportunities to explore the lesser-known, tucked-away treasures of the region.

HIGHLIGHTS

Watching lava light the night above the peak of Volcán Arenal (Click here) from viewpoints in La Fortuna or El Castillo

Waking early to hike in the magical mists of Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde and Reserva Santa Elena before the busloads arrive

Satisfying your need for speed on windy Bahía Salinas (Click here) with a kitesurfing course, or taking the chance to bronze on a deserted bay

Trekking the circuit of waterfalls, thermal pools and volcanic vents of Volcán Rincón de la Vieja (Click here) by foot and horseback

Hiking out to the otherworldly cerulean-blue waters of the Río Celeste at Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio

Watching wildlife at Costa Rica’s largest wetland sanctuary, Parque Nacional Palo Verde

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History

The first occupants of Guanacaste are believed to have been the Chorotega, who inhabited large tracts of land throughout Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua in the 8th century BC. Unfortunately, our knowledge about the group is incomplete due to the lack of extensive ruins typical of populations in other parts of Central America. For more information on the Chorotega, see boxed text.

Although their civilization prospered for over