Barra Honda National Park is located in the northeastern portion of Costa Rica, not far from the city of Nicoya. Also known as Barra Honda Caverns National Park, this 2,295-hectare expanse is unique among the areas in the national park system.

 

Barra Honda is known for its magnificent limestone caves, which are believed to date back some 70 million years. To date, about 45 caverns have been discovered and many have been explored since the mid-1980s. These explorations have resulted in the finding of many artifacts, ornaments, utensils, and other items that scientists have dated back to about 300 BC.

 

Any visits to the caves should be by those who are experienced in spelunking. Access to the caves is difficult and though the view inside is tremendous, inexperienced cavers may have problems handling this risky sport at this challenging sight.

 

If you do make the trip to the caves, however, you’ll be rewarded with plenty of amazing sights, such as The Hall of Pearls, a stalactite and stalagmite forest found in the Santa Ana Cave, the deepest of all the caverns. Mushroom Hall is known for the unique shape of its formations while other caverns are known for their extensive bat population.

 

Descents are made only during the dry season and groups who wish to explore Barra Honda’s caves need to seek permission from the National Parks office before taking the plunge.

 

Outside the caves, Barra Honda is home to kinkajous, anteaters, deer, howler monkeys, and agoutis. Bird species are many and varied as well. Visitors can also hike to the top of Mount Barra Honda, where – from 442 meters in the area – they can have a great view of the Gulf of Nicoya and the surrounding areas. For any travel within the park, it’s best to hire a guide as trails can be confusing.