Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Hacienda Barú
A national wildlife refuge north of Dominical covering rainforest, mangroves and beaches. Trails and canopy observation platforms are great for birdwatching and monkey spotting.
Hacienda Barú was originally a cacao and cattle ranch. In the 1990s its owner converted it into a protected area of about 330 hectares, with more than 300 bird species recorded, along with sloths, howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins and anteaters. You can walk the trails on your own, or join guided bird-watching, night walks or canopy platform climbs. In the right season, sea turtles nest on the beach. Admission is about USD 10-20. It is about 3 km from Dominical and about 45 minutes by car from Quepos.
Opening hours
Approx. 07:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Playa Dominical
- Nauyaca Waterfalls
- Villa Vanilla Spice Farm
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- Playa Espadilla
- El Avión Bar & Restaurant
- Playa Biesanz
- Quepos