Barra Honda National Park

Weekend fun at the Whimsical Caves in the Barra Honda National Park !

x

Barra Honda National Park has a unique and singular characteristic which differentiates itself from the rest of the parks in Costa Rica: a wonderfully complex system of limestone caves! Its 42 caves are described as stunningly spooky given the whimsical forms and figures which have formed inside.

This National Park is located near the city of Nicoya in Guanacaste. Out of the 42 caves, only 19 of them have ever been explored, and only one is open to the public. These caves were discovered in the late 60’s and have been exceptionally conserved due to their vertical entrances.

You can make this a great weekend trip with family or friends. A ride to the beach and a visit to one of Costa Rica’s most awesome caves sure sounds like a great mini-holiday! The Barra Honda National Park is open from 7am to 1pm. Our first recommendation: remember to bring plenty of water bottles and comfortable clothes that can get wet. Also, if you are planning to hike, make sure you bring sunscreen.

There are numerous caves in the park, all with their special attractions. For example there is one called “Pozo Hediondo” (Fetid Cave) which is packed with bats. When the sun sets, you are able to see the colony of around 5000 bats leave the cave and disappear into the night. There is also one called “Santa Ana”, which is the park’s deepest cave with a drop of around 250 meters.

The only caves open to the public are “Terciopelo” and “La Cuevita” which interconnect. It is said that both of these are considered the most beautiful caves in the entire National Park.

On every single tour you must be accompanied by a guide, these are located at the entrance of the Barra Honda park. And don’t think for a minute that there is any boring part to this cave tour. Since the beginning of the journey you are provided with a rappelling harness and helmet as the entrance of the cave has a 17-meter descent on an aluminium ladder.

As a second recommendation, make sure you plan this trip during the dry season, as the caves are not open during the wet season. This is mainly due to dangers of flooding caused by rain within the caves.

A weekend full of beach and cave fun!- you couldn’t ask for anything better!

Sources:

Photo:

http://www.agenciadeviajespremier.com/Tours/Tour%20de%201%20dia/fotos%20tours%201%20dia/BarraHonda.jpg

http://costaricabedfinder.com/fotos/themes/19/toucan.jpg

http://www.agenciadeviajespremier.com/Tours/Tour%20de%201%20dia/fotos%20tours%201%20dia/BarraHonda%20(1).jpg

http://www.costaricainfolink.com/es/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/barra-honda-parque-nacional-entrada3.jpg

Video: