Wildlife & Nature

Los Sueños Resort is built into rainforest, so wildlife encounters happen daily without leaving the property. Scarlet macaws fly over the golf course in pairs; morning and late afternoon are most reliable. Three-toed sloths live in trees near villas and the beach club. Howler monkeys wake you at dawn with territorial roars that sound like something from Jurassic Park. White-faced capuchin monkeys travel through in troops, occasionally raiding terraces for fruit. Resort naturalist guides offer free wildlife walks for guests. Carara National Park is 15 minutes away for guided birding and croc-spotting at the Tárcoles River bridge.

Jacó is the base camp for wildlife tours to Carara National Park and mangrove kayaking in the estuaries south of town. Carara's primary rainforest trails offer guaranteed scarlet macaw sightings (early morning is best) plus poison dart frogs, agoutis, and over 400 bird species. The Tárcoles River bridge (20 minutes south of Jacó) has 12-15 massive American crocodiles visible from the roadside, some exceeding 15 feet. Mangrove kayak tours launch from nearby estuaries, paddling through tangled roots where herons, kingfishers, and caimans hunt. Tour operators in Jacó run all these excursions with naturalist guides.

Playa Hermosa's claim to wildlife fame is the protected olive ridley sea turtle nesting beach. From July through December, female turtles crawl ashore at night to dig nests and lay eggs. Guided nighttime turtle-watching tours operate through local conservation groups; book through your property manager or connect with @ReservePlayaTortuga on Instagram. Baby turtle releases happen at dawn in October-November and are magical. The beach is a critical nesting site, so respect roped-off areas and never use flashlights or phone lights near nesting turtles. Beyond turtles, the coastal forest backing the beach has monkeys, sloths, and excellent birding.

Herradura's position between Los Sueños and Carara gives easy access to both resort-based wildlife (macaws, monkeys, sloths) and national park day trips. The hills above Herradura Bay have resident howler monkey troops that vocalize at dawn and dusk. Iguanas are everywhere, basking on rocks and sidewalks. The bay itself attracts pelicans, frigatebirds, and seasonal humpback whales (July-October and December-March). For serious wildlife excursions, Carara National Park is a 10-minute drive; go early (7am) with a guide to see macaws, toucans, and forest mammals before the heat sets in.

Santa Teresa sits within one of the Nicoya Peninsula's richest wildlife corridors. Howler monkeys are a daily presence: their dawn roars carry across the jungle canopy backing the beach and through hillside property grounds. White-faced capuchin and spider monkeys travel through beachside trees regularly. Tropical birds are abundant at dawn: scarlet macaws, parrots, and dozens of coastal species. Iguanas bask throughout the village. For sea turtles, Montezuma and Cabo Blanco beaches to the south (30-45 minutes) have active nesting sites. Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve (Costa Rica's oldest protected area) sits at the southern tip of the peninsula and offers the highest species density in the region with pristine primary forest trails and isolated beaches accessible only on foot.