Diria National Park

Diria covers around fifty square kilometres in the hills of the Nicoya peninsula above Santa Cruz, and the interest is the transition: from tropical dry forest on the lower slopes, which loses its leaves in the dry season, up to premontane wet and cloud forest on the ridges, so several forest types are crossed in one park. It protects the headwaters of rivers supplying the Guanacaste lowlands. Trails from the ranger station lead to the Brasil river waterfalls and to viewpoints. Howler and white-faced monkeys, coatis, and a bird list including trogons and motmots are present. It receives very few visitors compared with the coastal parks.

What you actually see

• Forest transition - dry forest below giving way to cloud forest above.
• The river waterfalls - the falls on the Brasil within the park.
• Viewpoints - the outlooks over the Guanacaste plain from the ridges.
• Monkeys and birds - the wildlife along the trails.

When to go

December to April in the dry season for the roads and trails, though the lower forest is leafless then. The wet season greens it but makes the access road difficult. Early morning is best.

Honest expectations

The access road needs four-wheel drive. Facilities are a basic ranger station. Trails are limited and marking is patchy. The dry forest is bare for much of the dry season, which surprises visitors.

Nearby

Santa Cruz lies west; Nicoya is south.