Costa Rica Travel Hub

Location
Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve, also known as "White Cape", is located along the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. This National Reserve is the oldest protected area in Costa Rica.

Key Features
Regardless of restrictions set up by the administrative category, Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve still allows the visitors in large numbers, disregarding of the fact that only one of the existing trails is permitted.

Flora and Fauna
The reserve has sprawling belt of evergreen forests, a couple of magnificent beaches and a host of animals. The most prominent trees are that of strawberry, apamate, brazil wood, cow tree, capulin, pochote, and sapodilla. Also, the park is frequented with evergreen species, however, dry forest species are found as well. Common trees include lancewood, bastard cedar, wild plum, gumbo-limbo, trumpet tree, dogwood, frangipani and spiny cedar.

The park has several miles of trails, which offer tourists with some of the fabulous sight seeing. Commonly occurring species of animals include monkeys, squirrels, sloths, deer, agoutis, and raccoons, besides ocelots, margays and wild cats. Armadillos, porcupines, spotted skunks, grey foxes, coatis, peccaries, snakes, and anteaters are also present.

The coastal areas of Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve are also a sanctuary to popular seabirds including brown pelicans and frigate birds. You can enjoy fresh water and marine life that includes starfishes, sea anemones, sea urchins, conchs, lobsters, crabs, and tropical fish, besides others.

Other birds and animal species include white-tailed deer, pacas, armadillos, anteaters, howler, spider and white-faced monkeys, collared peccary, coyotes, porcupines, raccoons, besides diversified families of coatis.

Tourists feel the delight of watching ocelots, jaguarundis or margay cats. The rare species of birds that dominate the surroundings of Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve are magpie jay, motmot, long-tailed manakin, cattle egret, crested caracara, elegant trogon, white bellied chachalaca, ringed kingfisher and sulphur-winged parakeet.

Activities
Fishing is a prime activity carried out at Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve. This is primarily owing to concentration of nutrients brought by the seabirds. The nutrients provide rich opportunity for thriving fish life. Also, strong ocean currents provide an impetus to marine forms namely, billfish and tuna, thus making it an ideal place for fishing opportunities.

How to reach
Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve is approachable on ferry from Puntarenas and Naranjo Beach. Other ways of reaching the park is ferrying Tempisque, San Pablo, Jicaral, Naranjo Beach, Paquera and Cobano.

Costa Rica National Parks

Arenal National Park Ballena National Park Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge Barra Honda National Park Braulio Carrillo National Park Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve Cahuita National Park Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge Carara National Park Chirripó National Park Corcovado National Park Curú National Wildlife Refuge Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge Golfito National Wildlife Refuge Guanacaste National Park Guayabo National Monument Hitoy-Cerere Biologic Reserve Isla Bolaños National Wildlife Refuge Isla del Caño Biologic Reserve Isla del Coco National Park (World Heritage status) Islas Guayabo, Negritos and Pájaros Biologic Reserves Juán Castro Blanco National Park La Amistad International Park Las Baulas Marine National Park Lomas Barbudal Biologic Reserve Manuel Antonio National Park Orosi (Tapantí) National Park Ostional National Wildlife Refuge Palo Verde National Park Rincón de la Vieja National Park Santa Rosa National Park Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge Tortuguero National Park Volcán Irazú National Park Volcán Poás National Park Irazu Volcano National Park