Tenorio Volcano National Park, Protected rainforest and volcano area in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica.
The national park contains four different life zones, from lowland rainforest to cloud forest, with trails leading to waterfalls and thermal springs.
The Costa Rican government established Tenorio Volcano National Park in 1995 to safeguard the active volcano and preserve the surrounding natural environment.
Local inhabitants share stories about the Rio Celeste, explaining that it obtained its color when the gods dipped their paint brushes while coloring the sky.
The park maintains daily visitor limits of 1000 people and operates from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with the last entry permitted at 2:00 PM.
At El Teñidero, two clear streams merge and transform into the bright blue Rio Celeste through a natural reaction between sulfur and calcium carbonate.
Location: Guanacaste Province
Inception: 1976
Operator: Area de Conservación Arenal Tempisque (ACAT)
Phone: +NPVolcánTenorio:22000135RegionalACArenalTempisque:26955908/26955180/26955982
Website: https://sinac.go.cr/ES/ac/acat/pnvt/Paginas/default.aspx
GPS coordinates: 10.70051,-85.02663
Latest update: May 12, 2025 01:30
Costa Rica spans 19,700 square miles (51,100 square kilometers) between the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, offering photographers a concentration of varied landscapes within a compact area. The country maintains over 30 national parks and protected areas, including Arenal Volcano, whose near-perfect cone rises 5,479 feet (1,670 meters) above surrounding rainforest, and Monteverde Cloud Forest, where mist drifts through canopy vegetation supporting rare species such as the resplendent quetzal. Rio Celeste flows through Tenorio Volcano National Park, displaying its characteristic turquoise color from volcanic minerals, while Tabacon Hot Springs delivers naturally heated water from underground sources. Coastal regions present diverse subjects, from the beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park, where white-faced capuchin monkeys move through trees, to Cahuita National Park on the Caribbean coast with its coral reefs. The Nicoya Peninsula and Papagayo Peninsula provide access to Tamarindo Beach and Santa Teresa Beach, while the southern zone includes Marino Ballena National Park, named for its whale-shaped sandbar visible at low tide. Tortuga Island, off the coast of Puntarenas, serves as a day-trip destination. Inland, San Jose Central Market documents daily commerce, the National Theater displays neoclassical architecture from 1897, and Guayabo National Monument preserves pre-Columbian ruins. Cerro Chirripó rises to 12,533 feet (3,820 meters) as the country's highest point, offering views of both oceans in clear conditions.
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