Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [279]
About 1km further south are two loop trails. The first, Sendero Las Araceas, is 1.2km long and can be combined with the second, Sendero Quebrada Bonita (another 1.5km). Both trails pass through primary forest, which is characteristic of most of the park.
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Sleeping & Eating
GARABITO
The area encompassed by Parque Nacional Carara was once home to a legendary indigenous hero, a local cacique (chief) named Garabito. Commanding a vast area from the Golfo de Nicoya to the Central Valley, he led a fierce struggle against the Spanish.
A favorite tactic of the Spanish to weaken native resistance was to decapitate the tribal leadership – literally. In 1560 the Guatemalan high command dispatched a military force to arrest Garabito. The wily chieftain used the forest to elude capture, but the Spanish managed to seize his wife, Biriteka, as a hostage. Garabito countered by having one of his followers dress up as the chieftain who allowed himself to be captured. While the camp celebrated catching who they thought was Garabito, the real Garabito escaped with his wife.
Garabito’s ploy, however, was the exception. The more common fate of captured caciques was to star in an imperial morality play. In Act One, the shackled chief sat through a trial at which his numerous transgressions against God and king were expounded. The chief responded to the charges, then was sentenced to death. In Act Two, a public execution was staged, whereby the guilty chief had his eyes and tongue cut out, was shot with a crossbow, was beheaded with an axe, had his severed head displayed on a pike, and finally had his body burned to ashes. The End.
Camping is not allowed, and there’s nowhere to stay in the park. As a result, most people come on day trips from neighboring towns and cities such as Jacó.
Restaurante y Cabinas El Cocodrilo (2661-8261; d from US$25; ) Located on the north side of the Río Tárcoles bridge, this is the nearest place to stay and eat. Rooms are unexciting, though it’s a cheap and convenient base for getting to the park before the tour buses arrive. Its restaurant has meals for a few thousand colones, and is extremely popular with travelers stopping to check out the crocodiles. It is open from 6am to 8pm. If you’re nervous about leaving your car at the trailhead, there is secure parking here in a guarded lot.
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Getting There & Away
Any bus traveling between Puntarenas and Jacó can leave you at the park entrance. You can also catch buses headed north or south in front of the Restaurante y Cabinas El Cocodrilo. This may be a bit problematic on weekends, when buses are full, so go midweek if you are relying on a bus ride. If you’re driving, the entrance to Carara is right on the Costanera and is clearly marked.
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TÁRCOLES & AROUND
The small, unassuming town of Tárcoles is little more than a few rows of houses strung along a series of dirt roads that parallel the ocean. As you’d imagine, this tiny Tico town isn’t exactly a huge tourist draw, though the surrounding area is perfect for fans of the superlative, especially if you’re interested in seeing the country’s tallest waterfall and its largest crocodiles. Here, intrepid hikers can penetrate virgin forest in search of remote swimming holes and ample wildlife, while aspiring crocodile hunters can get an up-close and personal view of these exquisite predators.
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Orientation
About 2km south of the Carara ranger station is the Tárcoles turnoff to the right (west) and the Hotel Villa Lapas turnoff to the left. To get to Tárcoles, turn right and drive for 1km, then go right at the ‘T’ junction to the village.
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Sights & Activities
A 5km dirt road past Hotel Villa Lapas leads to the primary entrance to the Catarata Manantial de Agua Viva (8831-2980; admission US$20; 8am-3pm), which is a 200m-high waterfall, claimed to be the highest in the country. From here, it’s a steep