Barra Honda National Park

Barra Honda National Park is in the northern Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste province, Costa Rica. The park protects a densely forested mountain but is most famous for its extensive underground world of limestone caverns, formed by water erosion over millions of years. Most of the caverns remain unexplored.

Barra Honda

Understand

History

The park became part of the Costa Rica national parks system in 1974. It was created primarily to protect the mountain's cave system.

Landscape

The park covers an area of 2,295 hectares (5,670 acres). Most of this is the forested rocky slopes of the mountain, but includes areas of scrubby brushland and open fields.

Flora and fauna

Mother howler monkey with young

Several colonies of bats nest in the caves. Due to the perpetually dark underground environment, a number of amphibian and fish species in the underground rivers and pools are completely blind.

More than 150 bird wpecies, both permanent residents and migratory birds, can be spotted in the forests and scrubby brushland of the park. One of the most spectacular avian residents is the scarlet macaw.

Get in

Getting into Barra Honda is probably going to require a 4WD truck, though you could probably do it with a motorcycle too. The roads are extremely bad with dirt surfaces and potholes larger than Botswana. To get there, drive west on highway CA-18 into the Nicoya Peninsula of Guanacaste to the town of Quebrada Honda. To get to the park ranger station, contine along CA-18 for about 8 km until you see the signs for Santa Ana and Barro Honda pointing towards a dirt road on your right.

Fees and permits

The park entrance and ranger station is open daily from 8AM to dusk. At the entrance, you will find potable water and restrooms.

See

Amazing geologic formations in the underground caverns:

• Nicoa Cave - pre-Columbian human remains were found in this cave along with artifacts and jewelry that dated to approximately 300 BC

• Santa Ana - is the deepest known cave in the complex with a depth of more than 240 meters, it is famous for its numerous formations including stalactites and columns

• Hall of Pearls - a chamber with a remarkably large number of stagmites, stalactites and unique formations

• Hall of Caverns - a chamber filled with twisty rock spires

Do

• Hiking
• Birdwatching
• Caving

Buy, eat, drink and sleep

There are no stores in the park. Bring anything you need. You can get food and drink in the village of Santa Ana, about 1 km from the park entrance.

• 1 Casita Barra Honda, Santa Ana, ☏ +506 8937 2611. Family-run small lodge featuring a restaurant with home-cooked Costa Rican cuisine. Camping area available as well. Must call in advance to inquire about availability of food or lodging since it is seriously off the beaten path. (updated Aug 2024)

• 2 Villa Nico y Anita, El Plave, ☏ +50683263294. Hostel with cabins and spacious, clean rooms with hot showers. Swimming pool and hammocks available, no extra charge for all the monkeys entertaining you from the perch up in the trees. (updated Aug 2024)

Go next

• Chira Island
• Tamarindo
• Nicoya