{"id":5627,"date":"2026-04-15T14:48:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T14:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/costa-rica\/regiones-de-costa-rica\/llanuras-del-norte\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T15:45:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T15:45:42","slug":"northern-plains","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/costa-rica\/regiones-de-costa-rica\/northern-plains\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Plains"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Northern Plains\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The northern region is known for its seasonal rains, which have become a local problem due to rivers and lakes growing too large, turning the area into a wet swamp.<\/strong><\/p>

Farmers cultivate the land with corn, rice, beans, and sugarcane. The national alcoholic beverage, “Cacique” (known as “guaro”), is made from sugarcane. This is the least visited region in the country, frequented only by tourists for day trips, not for extended stays.
Vara Blanca<\/p>

Vara Blanca is located between the Po\u00e1s and Barva volcanoes. It’s a picture-perfect landscape, with towering mountains covered in trees and lush greenery. About 8 km from Vara Blanca lies the La Paz River and its surrounding waterfalls.
San Carlos Pier<\/p>

San Carlos Wharf is famous for its vast sugar plantations and important shipping. Drivers are advised to exercise caution in the area as tired truckers often stop to eat and rest, parking their large trucks on the roadside next to the wharf.
Venado Caves<\/p>

These caves were discovered in 1945 when a farmer accidentally fell into a hole in the ground and found himself in the Deer Caverns. This area is made of soft, malleable limestone and is home to spiders, bats, and eyefish. It’s important to bring lights, helmets, and a good shower afterward. There’s a general store outside the caves.
Upala<\/p>

It is located 9 km south of the Nicaraguan border, in the northwest corner. Upala is a small city with 15,000 inhabitants. This is the country’s main cattle and rice-producing region. Many businesspeople visit this area to exchange ideas and conduct business. Today, people drive through this area to reach Ca\u00f1o Negro and Los Chiles.
Ca\u00f1o Negro National Wildlife Refuge<\/p>

This refuge covers an area of \u200b\u200b102 km\u00b2 and the beauty of its landscapes is defined by the R\u00edo Fr\u00edo. Ca\u00f1o Negro is popular for its fishing activities (although it is closed from April to July) and as a place for migratory birds.
Los Chiles<\/p>

It is located 70 km north of the San Carlos dock, very close to the Nicaraguan border. The main road is lined with sugarcane plantations. Its main activities are agriculture and fishing, due to its proximity to the San Juan River.<\/p>

Los Chiles is a very popular tourist destination, as well as a transit city for many other attractive regions.
North Region: Puerto Viejo, Sarapiqu\u00ed<\/p>

Sarapiqu\u00ed is the tenth canton in the province of Heredia and is located near R\u00edo Fr\u00edo. The main agricultural activities in the region are cattle ranching, corn, cacao, citrus fruits, plantains, palm trees, fruit trees, and coffee plantations. Southern Sarapiqu\u00ed lies partially within the Central Volcanic Mountain Range Forest Reserve.<\/p>

The Sarapiqu\u00ed River has a history relevant to Costa Rica, mainly for two reasons:<\/p>

It was the first trade link between Costa Rica and Europe.
It played a very important role in the defense of national sovereignty when the filibusters, led by William Walker, arrived in Costa Rica via the Sarapiqu\u00ed River in 1856.<\/p>

La Virgen, a small town within Sarapiqu\u00ed, is another well-known attraction. Locals say the Virgin Mary used to appear to religious people, making it a popular place for visitors to come and pray. Sarapiqu\u00ed also boasts beautiful scenery and local entertainment activities.
South of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqu\u00ed<\/p>

Thousands of banana plantations dot the landscape of the Caribbean coast. It is a very accessible area with 3 land routes:<\/p>

1) The traditional route or the Heroes’ Route (Rod Blancas), where you can see the waterfalls, mountains, rivers, and volcanoes of San Fernando and La Paz.
2) The road through Braulio Carrillo National Park, an area of \u200b\u200blush wildlife and landscapes.
3) Through San Carlos, an agricultural region with pineapple crops, palm trees, and ornamental plants.
La Selva Biological Station<\/p>

This site is well-equipped with biological laboratories, experimental plots, and an extensive library. Visitors are primarily scientists and students. It offers a hotel specially designed to meet the needs of its visitors.
Heliconia Island<\/p>

It is best known for its serenity thanks to its beautiful gardens. This place was created in 1992 by Tim Ryan, an art and design professor from New York. It boasts over 2 hectares of tropical flowers, plants, and trees, more than 80 species of heliconias, over 228 species of birds, and four species of resident monkeys.
Rare bird<\/p>

It covers 1,335 hectares and is located in a high-altitude tropical rainforest. This place was founded by Amos Bien, an American biology student, in 1977. This reserve borders Braulio Carrillo National Park, where you can enjoy birdwatching and towering waterfalls. Accommodations in the area are charming and rustic.
Arenal Route<\/p>

This route begins in Ciudad Quesada. It’s not as frequently used by travelers since the opening of the Pan-American Highway.
Volcanoes and rainforests are part of the road’s scenery, as are small towns like Tilar\u00e1n and Nuevo Arenal. Notable restaurants, luxury hotels, and art galleries can also be found along the way.
Ciudad Quesada-San Carlos:
San Carlos is the tenth canton of the northern province of Alajuela. Most of its population lives in Ciudad Quesada, its main city. With an area of \u200b\u200b3,347 square kilometers, Ciudad Quesada is one of the largest cities in the country, surpassing the cities of Cartago and Heredia in size.<\/p>

The city was founded in 1911 and consists of 13 districts.<\/p>

1-Quesada
2-Florencia
3-Buenavista
4-Aguas Zarcas
5-Venecia
6-Pital
7-Fortuna
8-La Tigra
9-Palmera
10-Venado
11-Cutris
12-Monterrey
13-Pocosol<\/p>

San Carlos is considered part of Costa Rica’s rural area. It is the main city of the Huetar Norte Region and includes other cantons such as Los Chiles, Guatuso, Upala, Sarapiqu\u00ed, and Tilar\u00e1n.
La Fortuna<\/p>

It’s a relaxing place to stay for a few days. Waterfalls and hot springs surround this area, and it’s very easy to get around town, as thousands of tour operators are happy to offer their services.<\/p>

La Fortuna is one of the most visited destinations and has many natural attractions for tourists, thanks to its proximity to the majestic Arenal Volcano.
Arenal Volcano National Park<\/p>

It is located in the central part of the country and is part of the Arenal-Tilar\u00e1n Conservation Area. The park surrounds Arenal Volcano, the most active volcano in the country. Lake Arenal is home to the largest hydroelectric project in the country.<\/p>

There is also a second volcano in the park called Chato, and a lagoon inside the crater, called Monte del Chato.
Arenal Lagoon Area<\/p>

It is located 18 kilometers west of La Fortuna. This lake is the largest in the country, covering 88 km\u00b2. It was created by expanding an existing lake of the same name with the construction of a dam in 1979. It is located near the Arenal Volcano and the Monteverde Cloud Forest.<\/p>

Lake Arenal is the key component of a nationwide hydroelectric project that currently produces most of the nation’s electricity. The water depth typically ranges from 100 to 200 feet. The communities of “old” Arenal were submerged in the expanded lake.<\/p>

From November to April, reliable strong winds attract windsurfing enthusiasts to its western end.<\/p>

Real estate around the Arenal Lake region is growing, due to the low prices compared to beachfront and oceanfront properties in the country.<\/p>

There are two species of fish in the lake: the Machaca and the Bajo. Bird species found in the area include hummingbirds and woodpeckers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Northern Plains The northern region is known for its seasonal rains, which have become a local problem due to rivers and lakes growing too large, turning the area into a wet swamp. Farmers cultivate the land with corn, rice, beans, and sugarcane. The national alcoholic beverage, “Cacique” (known as “guaro”), is made from sugarcane. This […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":5604,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5627","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5627"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6513,"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5627\/revisions\/6513"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crguides.proyectoscoralcr.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}