Barra Honda National Park - Costa Rica

The limestone caves are the attraction of the Barra Honda National Park. There are more than 40 caves in the park, but only half of them have been explored.

The Tercipelo cave is one of the most thoroughly explores ones. Inside there are huge stalagmites and stalactites, they exist in bizarre shapes. One looks like popcorn, another one like scrambled eggs and one like the teeth of a shark. At the end of the cave there is a stone formation that is called the "Organ". Depending on where you touch it makes different noises.

All of the caves can only be reached through vertical chutes. One has to do some rappelling to get inside.

The cave with the deepest entrance is La Trampa. The name stands for The Trap. With 52 meters it is not only the deepest entrance, the rooms of this cave are the biggest ones, too. The deepest cave that has been explored is the Santa Ana Cave. It has been explored to a debt of 170 meters. Researchers assume that it goes down till 400 meters!

Another cave that has been researched in the Barra Honda National Park is the Pozo Hediondo Cave. It consists of 3 rooms that are inhabited by a vast number of bats. Some of the animals can only survive in the darkness of the caves. There are blind salamanders and fish in some of them.

Rappelling into the limestone caves of the Nicoya Peninsula...

The Nicoya Cava can be entered through 2 entrances. In 1970 human bones and pre-Columbian ceramics were discovered here.

The terrain of the national park measures 2295 hectares. Howler monkeys and ant eaters can be observed from the hiking trails.

This is a great place to just relax, sit back, and enjoy the serene nature and breathtaking mountain views

The top of the ,442 meter high, Mount Barra Honda is a great place to just relax, sit back, and enjoy the serene nature and the view over the Golf of Nicoya.

Barra Honda National Park on the map

Barra Honda National Park on the map

Facts about Barra Honda National Park, Costa Rica

  • There are more than 40 caves in the Barra Honda National Park.
  • The Terciopelo cave is the most visited cave.
  • It is not allowed to explore the caves without a guide.