Carara National Park

Carara sits exactly where the dry forest of the north Pacific gives way to the humid forest of the south, and that transition is why it holds species from both, packed into a small park with an unusually high diversity for its size. The reason most people come is the scarlet macaw: this population, based around the Tárcoles river mouth, is the largest and most reliable on the Pacific side, recovered from near-extinction, and the birds fly noisily overhead in pairs morning and evening. Trails are short and flat, including a fully accessible paved loop, which makes Carara one of the easiest serious wildlife sites to visit.

What you actually see

• Scarlet macaws - the most reliable Pacific population, flying at dawn and dusk.
• The transition zone - dry and humid forest species in one park.
• The universal access trail - a paved loop suitable for wheelchairs.
• The Tárcoles river mouth - mangrove and estuary at the park's edge.

When to go

December to April is drier. Macaws are most active and visible in the early morning and again in the late afternoon as they fly between roosting and feeding areas. Guided walks improve the wildlife hit rate considerably.

Honest expectations

It is small and the trails are short; two hours covers the network. It sits directly on a busy highway, so traffic noise carries into part of the park. Wildlife density is high but the forest is dense and much goes unseen without a guide. It is very close to the coast, so it is hot and humid.

Nearby

The Tárcoles bridge crocodiles are five minutes; Jacó is twenty minutes south.