by Frances Stanford

Created on: November 21, 2010

The Barra Honda National Park is a great idea for a day trip when you are visiting San Juan, Costa Rica. There is no direct way to reach this park by bus, so you will have to rent a car and drive, if you did not bring your own vehicle into the country. It is located in the western part of the country at the point where the Nicoya Peninsula connects to the mainland.

There is an extensive network of caves in the Barra Honda National Park due to the erosion over the centuries from the water cutting through the limestone rock. This is one of the major geological features of the park that attracts millions of visitors throughout the year. There is a dry rainforest within the confines of the park and since it is one of the last of its kind on the earth, it is protected by government regulations. In all there are more than 40 caves where you can see stalagmites, stalactites, cave grapes and more natural attractions.

The caves in the park are in generally good condition, but the entrances may be a bit tricky to navigate, especially if you are not in good physical shape. Climbing gear and a guide is essential if you want to explore any of the caverns – in fact, they are required by the park before you can enter any of them.

Hiking in the park is an experience that you don’t want to miss if you enjoy getting your exercise by walking. You do have to hike to the caverns, and while some of the trails are taxing, there are easy hikes for those who are not veterans in this sport. You can use the trails to explore the sights and sounds of the forest to see rare sights that can only be found in this part of the world. Maps of all the trails are available at the Ranger Station located at the entrance of the park.

The Barra Honda National Park is open every day from 8 in the morning until 8:30 at night. There is an admission fee of $7 per person. You can spend part of the day or a full day here, or if you wish you can even spend the night to truly have the rainforest experience. It is one of the few parks in the country where you can spend the night in one of four rustic cabins and not overstretch your budget because the prices are very inexpensive.

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