The National Park is comprised of the
50-meter zone
of four beaches (Carbón, Ventanas, Grande and Langosta), as well
as the Tamarindo
estuary and mangroves at the mouth of the Matapalo River and the San
Francisco
River Estuary. To the north, the Cerros Morro and Hermosa are also
included. (see park map above)
From the intersection on
the PanAmerican Highway at Liberia, drive west towards the Pacific
coast.
At the town of Belén, take a right turn and continue on paved
road
for 15 miles, until reaching the community of Huacas. Here follow a
gravel
road 5 miles further through the town of Matapalo and on to Salinas,
where
you enter the national park on Playa Grande. (see park map above)
The
ranger station at Playa Grande is open from 8 am to 4 pm. Guided tours
are available with bi-lingual park employees. For minimum impact, a
limited number of visitors is allowed each evening.
Costa Rica Map
