Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [458]
BUS
Right across from the park, the bus terminal (2233-4242; 5am-7pm) sells tickets and stores backpacks (₡870 per day). Local buses run frequently between La Virgen and Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. The 30-minute trip costs ₡350.
Ciudad Quesada/San Carlos via La Virgen (Empresarios Guapileños) ₡1230; three hours; departs 5:30am, 8:30am, 10:30am, 12:15pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm and 7:10pm.
Guápiles (Empresarios Guapileños) ₡780; one hour; departs 5:30am, 6:45am, 7:10am, 9:40am, 10:30am, 12:10pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm, 4:45pm and 7pm.
San José (Autotransportes Sarapiquí) ₡1650; two hours; departs 6:30am, 7:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:30pm and 6pm.
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SOUTH OF PUERTO VIEJO DE SARAPIQUÍ
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South of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, banana and other plantations line Hwy 4 and sprawl all the way to the marshes and mangroves of the Caribbean coast. To the west, the rugged hills of the Cordillera Central mark the northeastern boundary of Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. Most travelers on this scenic stretch of highway are either heading to the Caribbean coast or to the Central Valley. However, some are pulling off the road to visit the working research center Estación Biológica La Selva, the world-class botanical garden called Heliconia Island, or Rara Avis, one of the most isolated lodges in Costa Rica.
About 12 smoothly paved kilometers from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí is the village of Horquetas, around which you’ll find the turnoffs for Heliconia Island and Rara Avis. From Horquetas it’s another 15km to Hwy 32, which connects San José to the Caribbean coast and bisects Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo on the way to San José.
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ESTACIóN BIOLÓGICA LA SELVA
Not to be confused with Selva Verde Lodge in Chilamate, Estación Biológica La Selva (2524-0697, 2766-6565; s/d incl meals US$88/166; ) is a working biological research station that is well equipped with laboratories, experimental plots, a herbarium and an extensive library. On any given day, the station is usually teeming with scientists and students, who use the station as a headquarters for researching the nearby private reserve. Although most guests are affiliated with an institution of higher learning, La Selva does welcome drop-ins, though it’s best to phone ahead and reserve your accommodations. Rooms are simple but comfortable, and rates include all meals and guided hikes.
La Selva is operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS; 2524-0607; www.ots.ac.cr), a consortium founded in 1963 to provide leadership in the education, research and wise use of tropical natural resources. In fact, many well-known tropical ecologists have trained at La Selva. Twice a year OTS offers a grueling eight-week course open mainly to graduate students of ecology, along with various other courses and field trips that you can apply for.
The area protected by La Selva is 16 sq km of premontane wet-tropical rainforest, much of which is undisturbed. It’s bordered to the south by the 476-sq-km Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo, creating a protected area large enough to support a great diversity of life. More than 445 bird species have been recorded at La Selva, as well as 120 mammal species, 1850 species of vascular plants (especially from the orchid, philodendron, coffee and legume families) and thousands of insect species.
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Hiking
Reservations are required for guided hikes (adult/child full day US$43/32, half-day US$34/25;8am & 1:30pm daily; ) with a bilingual naturalist guide. You’ll head across the hanging bridge and into 57km of well-developed jungle trails, some of which are wheelchair-accessible. Unguided hiking is forbidden, although you’ll be allowed to wander a bit after your guided tour. Make reservations for the popular guided bird-watching hikes, led at 5:45am and 7pm, depending on demand.