Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [207]
Hammerhead Shark
Aptly named, this intimidating species of shark has a unique cephalofoil that enables it to maneuver with incredible speed and precision. Scuba divers can see enormous schools of hammerheads around the remote Isla del Cocos.
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Península de Nicoya
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NORTHERN PENINSULA
PLAYA DEL COCO
PLAYA HERMOSA
PLAYA OCOTAL
BEACHES SOUTH OF PLAYA OCOTAL
PLAYA GRANDE
PARQUE NACIONAL MARINO LAS BAULAS DE GUANACASTE
PLAYA TAMARINDO
PLAYAS AVELLANAS & NEGRA
PLAYA JUNQUILLAL
SANTA CRUZ
CENTRAL PENINSULA
NICOYA
PARQUE NACIONAL DIRIá
PARQUE NACIONAL BARRA HONDA
PUENTE LA AMISTAD
NOSARA AREA
REFUGIO NACIONAL DE FAUNA SILVESTRE OSTIONAL
PLAYA SáMARA
PLAYA CARRILLO
ISLITA AREA
PLAYAS SAN MIGUEL & COYOTE
SOUTHEASTERN PENINSULA
PLAYA NARANJO
ISLANDS NEAR BAHÍA GIGANTE
PAQUERA
REFUGIO NACIONAL DE VIDA SILVESTRE CURú
PLAYAS POCHOTE & TAMBOR
CóBANO
MONTEZUMA
CABUYA
RESERVA NATURAL ABSOLUTA CABO BLANCO
MAL PAÍS & SANTA TERESA
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The allure of the Península de Nicoya needs no explanation. Archetypical tropical beaches edge this jungle-trimmed coast, whose shores have been imprinted on the memories of the millions of marine turtles who return to their birthplaces to nest. The travelers, too, descend on these beaches, seeking to witness such magical patterns of nature for themselves. Humans, however, make more of an environmental impact than the leatherbacks do.
Development is the name of the game at the moment, and Nicoya is the high-stakes playing field. That field is in danger of being paved over – in fact, it’s in that very process in various parts of the peninsula – but it’s difficult to call an outcome. Optimists will point out that Costa Rica is one of the most eco-conscious nations on the planet, and grassroots community activism by both Ticos (Costa Ricans) and foreigners is leading to instances of government enforcement of sustainable development. The next moves will require a sustained effort to maintain the peninsula’s intrinsic wildness, but we are betting on the Ticos and local expats to rise to the occasion.
Easy accessibility to all this beauty may be to blame for its exploitation, but who can be blamed for wanting to play, beckoned by waves that never seem to close out, tropical forests teeming with wild things, the slow, sane pace of la vida costarricense (Costa Rican life) and what lies beyond that next turn down a potholed dirt road?
HIGHLIGHTS
Catching the morning swell and perfecting afternoon asanas in Nosara (Click here)
Taking the gringo trail and observing the contrasts between Playa Tamarindo and mellow Montezuma
Hiking to the tip of the peninsula at Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica’s first wildlife park
Surfing uncrowded breaks at Playas Grande (Click here), Avellanas and Negra (Click here)
Kayaking to Isla Chora for a morning snorkel at Playa Sámara (Click here)
Fording rivers on the bumpy route to the ‘bad country’ and good waters of Mal País (Click here)
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History
Following the independence of Central America from Spain, the peninsula (along with northwestern Costa Rica) comprised the bulk of Guanacaste, a province of the newly formed country of Nicaragua. However, on July 25, 1824, guanacastecos voted to secede and join Costa Rica, creating yet another grievance between Nicas and Ticos (see boxed text). Today, some in the region still hold on to the dream of independence, and it’s not uncommon to see the Guanacaste flag flying high – sometimes higher than the national one. Tellingly, the Guanacaste coat of arms states ‘De la Patria por Nuestra Voluntad’: literally, ‘Of the Country of our Will.’
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Climate
The northern Península de Nicoya has one of the driest climates in Costa Rica, with its coastline mostly characterized by dry tropical forest. Moving further south, as the peninsula transitions from dry tropical forest to tropical rainforest, the amount of moisture increases. Rainfall gradually increases