Palo Verde National Park covers an area of over 45,000 acres, much of the Tempisque Conservation area which includes the valley and the river. This national park is one of the most important in the country because it contains one of the most endangered ecosystems in C. America – tropical dry forest. Tropical dry forest are now less than .1% of their original size and it is crucial to protect these lands as they are home to thousands of birds and other animals and plants.
In this area alone, over 250,000 thousands birds flock here to migrate and there are 15 different kinds of habitats from mangroves to swamps. During rainy season the river overflows which creates the perfect habitat for thousands of animals to spent their winter months.
If you want to see wildlife in northern Guanacaste, visiting Palo Verde National Park is a top choice. Check out our guide for tips on visiting.
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Palo Verde National Park Boat Tour
They have found over 250 different species of bees in this area which is a quarter of the entire bee species and the Rio Tempisque has the largest amount of crocodiles in Costa Rica. These facts alone rightly name it as one of the most diverse biological sites in Costa Rica. You can imagine the birdwatching and animal watching is one of a kind!
The best way to experience the national park is by taking a boat tour down the river to go wildlife watching. Rio Tempisque is fairly large and they take you all throughout to see the various wildlife in the park.
The boat ride lasts a couple hours and we saw so many different types of birds such as storks, iguanas, lizards, the white face monkeys, and crocodiles!
The Palo Verde National Park usually adds a visit to the Guatil indigenous village to check out some of their famous pottery. You can watch one of their pottery-makers make their clay pots and they explain to you the type of paint they use and how they burn it. They also sell their pottery which makes for a nice souvenir.
Directions and Location
From Playas del Coco: Head towards Liberia toward Bagaces on Inter Americana highway. Turn onto the main road across from Bagaces and continue for about 28 km to the biological station. The road is a little rocky but passable all year round. A 4×4 is not absolutely necessary.
Entrance Fee/Park Hours
Palo Verde National Park entrance fee is $10 per person. The tour can cost from $60-$80 depending on the tour company and if you get the lunch. The lunch is an extra $13 per person.
Palo Verde National Park is open Tues through Sunday from 7AM to 4PM. The last boat leaves at 1PM.
What To Bring
For the Palo Verde National Park boat ride, definitely your camera! DSLR would be perfect for this trip to capture those great shots and bring the big zoom lens. A light jacket (during rainy season in case), binoculars if you have one to get a close up view, a wildlife field guide if you want, sunscreen and bug repellent.
If you don’t have transportation and need recommendations for a tour company, feel free to contact us.
Want to read about other national parks in Costa Rica? Here you go!
Eva says
I’m confused about where to find the boat tours. This suggests you can go right into the park, another site says boat tours start in Puerto Humo outside the park. Could you explain? Thanks!
Sammi says
There are several places to do boat tours down Rio Tempisque. You can do it in the national park or there are other private boat docks like El Viejo. I’m not sure about Puerto Humo but I know when you are in the park, you can hire a boat.
Eva says
Perfect – thank you. We will follow your directions to get to the biological station and go from there.
Leah says
Sorry – one more question: Is there anywhere to stay near Palo Verde? We were hoping to do one day at Catarata Llanos de Cortes, spend the night somewhere nearby, and then do a boat tour in Palo Verde the next day.
Sammi says
Not really… Palo Verde is in a local town called Filadelfia and there’s not really anything there. Liberia would be a good option though, close to both.
Leah says
I’m really interested in seeing the Guatil indigenous village! Is this something that tours offer, or is it something I have to find myself? Any other info or tips about this? Thank you so much!
Sammi says
Hi Leah! Most of the tour companies combine the Palo Verde and Guatil visit together so you can ask them if they have any tours running for the day you want to go. It’s a popular tour so there’s a good chance to join one if you’re a solo traveler as most companies require a minimum of 2 -3 people for this tour.
yeison says
Hello Dyana, Another activity that you can do is to visit the Catarata Llaonos de Cortes Waterfall. It is very nice and great for children since it’s a beautiful waterfall with lots of places to have a picnic and enjoy. The only thing is that it is about a 1 hour drivef rom Playas del Coco but you can book a tour or rent a car which we recommend. You can stay at the waterfall for a whole day or half day. If you’d like to rent a car, we have an exclusive discount for our readers which includes free delivery and pick up at Playas del Coco. You can make a reservation or quote here: Costa Rica car rental discount.
Dyana says
I’m going in a couple of days with my family! I have one son (3years) and daughter (1 year) what would you recommend beside going to the beach? we will be near Playa Panama and Playa Cocos. Thank you very much for your recommendations!
Caroline says
Thanks for a great website.
Are there hiking Maps somewhere online for this park?
Sammi says
There isn’t but most people take the boat ride as the hiking trails are fairly short and not well maintained. You can ask for a map at the park entrance office
Mike says
Going down in June, the rainy season. Can you recommend a specific tour company? Ant other tips?
Sammi says
Yes! Randall from Shaman tours is excellent, I went with my parents and grandmother with him to Palo Verde and he’s super knowledgeable and an excellent naturalist guide. You can email him here to inquire about tours and book with him: shamantours@live.com
yeison says
You will find boats ready to go most of the times, you just have to show up but you need to go in the morning, they stop running boat tours in the afternoon.
Linda says
Where is the best place to find a tour?
Sammi says
You can show up at the national park and hire a boat there, but if you don’t have your own transportation you’ll need to book a shuttle or go with a tour company.
Joan says
Hi There – Last year we drove on our own to Palo Verde and got a boat tour. The cost of the boat tour was $15 us. I would like to do that again but can not find out what time the boats leave the dock. Would you know where I could find a departure time ?
Thanks
Daniel says
Everyone seems to be quoting in USD but I would imagine they take their local currencies too 🙂 Do most places have prices in both as I don’t plan on bringing USD with me, would that be a problem?
Also regarding the Palo Verde NP, how are the tours organized? Can I find a tour in the park upon arrival or do I need to book a guide with someone outside of the park who will take me on the tour of the park. Also is there any decent hiking trails in the park to see the wild life?
Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Daniel! Yep you can pay with colones or USD and you can ask them how much it will be in both currencies. You can book the Palo Verde tour with a tour company beforehand if you like and they will take care of the transportation and be your guide. We went with a tour company since we wanted transportation and a knowledgeable guide but I think you can go there yourself and book a boat. I’d suggest booking a tour since boat tours only run certain time of day and can fill up fast during high season. There are quite a few hiking trails in the park, but I’d check beforehand if you’re going in rainy season since it can get flooded with the river rising. It’s a great place to see tons of birds and wildlife!
Daniel says
Thank you for quick reply. Is there any tour companies that you would recommend?
Rachel M says
Nice article. BTW, do they charge different entrance fee rates between foreigners and locals in Costa Rica?
Sammi says
Yep! It’s $10 for foreigners and I think $1 or $2 for residents/citizens, they do this for all national parks too.