Location Costa Rica Established 1991 | Area 28 km² (17.4 mi²) | |
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Governing body National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) Address Guanacaste Province, Santa Cruz, Costa Rica Similar Hotel La Calle de Alcala, Hotel Río Tempisque, Tamarindo Diria, Conchal Hotel, Casino Diria | ||
The Diria National Park, until 2004 the Diria National Forest Wildlife Refuge, is a National Park of Costa Rica south of Santa Cruz in the Guanacaste Province, and forms part of the Tempisque Conservation Area. It protects both dry and at higher elevations humid tropical forest in the central highlands of the Nicoya Peninsula, including the watersheds of the Diria, Tigre, Verde and Enmedio rivers which have been created a terrain of deep valleys with steep slopes.
The 12,000-acre (5,500-ha) park has a ranger station which is open daily from 8am to 4pm for visitors and tourists, and contains species such as deer, howler monkeys, anteaters and peccary, besides 134 known species of birds. There are several rare tree species, as well as endemic plant species, including the Pitcairnia bromeliad and a type of Stenocereus cactus, which are only found on the Nicoya Peninsula. It was originally designated as a protected zone in 1991 and then two years later it became a National wildlife refuge.
The park has two trails that leave the ranger station, one of which leads to the Brasil Waterfall. There is a basic dormitory at the ranger station where travelers can stay overnight.