Costa Rica Guide
Guanacaste
Reserva Biológica Lomas Barbudal
The RESERVA BIOLÓGICA LOMAS BARBUDAL (daily 8am–4pm; $6) is an impressive, though small-scale, initiative about 20km west of Bagaces, just north of Parque Nacional Palo Verde. Home to some of the last vestiges of true tropical dry forest in the region, Lomas Barbudal means "bearded hills" and that's just what they look like, with relatively bare pates surrounded by sideburns of bushy deciduous trees. Stretches of savannah-like open grassland are punctuated by the thorny-looking shoemaker's tree and crisscrossed by rivers and the strips of deciduous woods that hug their banks. The reserve also features isolated examples of the majestic mahogany and rosewood trees, whose deep blood-red timber is coveted as material for furniture.
Lomas Barbudal is also rich in wildlife. If you don't spot a howler monkey, you'll at least likely hear one. And, this is practically the only place along the entire Guanacaste coast where you have a reasonable chance of seeing the scarlet macaw. Like Parque Nacional Santa Rosa to the north, Lomas Barbudal hosts an abundance of insects – some 200 to 300 bee species alone, around 25 percent of the species of bees in the entire world. Those allergic to stings or otherwise intolerant of insects might want to give Lomas Barbudal a miss; they're everywhere, including the aggressive Africanized bees.
Although you could take a taxi (about $30 round-trip) to Lomas Barbudal from Bagaces, it's best reached with your own transport. Take the road north from Bagaces, and after about 7km follow the road off to the left; note that it's in pretty bad condition. The administration office lies 6km further, prettily set on the banks of the Río Cabuyo. You can camp ($2 per night), but bring your own water and food; there are no lavatories. There are also two swimmable rivers, a small network of trails designed and cleared by local volunteers, and a visitor centre.