My Costa Rica
Visiting Palo Verde National Park
Palo Verde National Park is located on the banks of the Tempisque River, in the Nicoya Peninsula. As part of the Guanacaste province, the park is just over an hour removed from Liberia’s international airport (LIR). Palo Verde is a birdwatcher’s paradise. It is the meeting place of the largest concentration of aquatic birds and migratory birds of the Central American Pacific Coast. During the rainy season (or wet season), the lowlands are transformed into huge wetlands which attracts even more diversity of life. Palo Verde is protected by the Ramsar Convention. An international treaty ensuring the conservation of wetlands. This elevated status has supported a stable growth of the wildlife population and makes Palo Verde a top destination in Costa Rica.
During the rainy season there can be a great access of water. As a result, the floods of the Tempisque river have created lagoons, lakes and mangrove swamps that now so uniquely define Palo Verde. These wetlands are a huge draw for many bird species and a paradise for birdwatchers. Be prepared to spot birds like the toucan, scarlet macaws, the roseate spoonbill, wood storks, tanagers, orioles, black-bellied whistling duck,… and many more. In total, Palo Verde is home to 279 different species of birds!
You can discover Palo Verde and its wildlife in a wide variety of tours. Next to the impressive avian population, the Tempisque River also has the largest concentration of crocodiles in the country. The best way to spot these creatures is by taking a boating tour on the Tempisque river. On your boat ride you won’t only see crocodile, of course. Prepare to see monkeys like howler monkeys, anteaters, bats, iguanas, white-tailed deer, and many more! Some tours can also take you by the Isla de los Parajos, a major nesting colony for wading birds. Tours are available in combo options. We recommend you certainly explore these. They will provide you with a thorough insight into this park, its life and its workings!
Palo Verde National Park is not only a magnificent bird sanctuary, it is also an important refuge for one of the last remainders of the deciduous dry forests of the Neotropics. This is a great place to discover exactly how a dry forest maintains itself. Due to the lack of rainwater, the dry forest has to survive in other ways. The bushes shed their leaves to save water and the photosynthesis takes place in the bark of the tree, which gives them a rare green color. Curious to discover more? Then you will definitely enjoy a guided hike through the park!
Palo Verde is part of the Tempisque Conservation Area, and you can visit other parts of it as well. This area includes the Caballero Wildlife Refuge, 
The Nicoya Peninsula is more than just an amazing collection of parks and reserves. As one of the Blue Zone areas of the world, health as well as Costa Rica’s slower pace of life found their roots here. By visiting coastal towns such as 
You can reach Palo Verde from the international airport in Liberia (LIR). From here, it will take you just over an hour to reach the park. If you are traveling from San Jose, you can take private shuttle, rent a car or fly to Liberia. Keep in mind that if you drive, it will take you around 4 hours. That being said, driving in Costa Rica has become very easy with the newly paved roads even in more remote areas.
If you want to go out and not stay at your hotel for dinner, pass by Restaurante Comidas Palo Verde. This little gem is the kind of place tourists happen upon by accident and are blown away by the charming atmosphere and the quality of the food. Highly recommended!
Rancho Huma Estancia
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