Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
biological station at Gamba, the biodiversity of trees in Piedras Blancas is the densest in
all of Costa Rica, even surpassing Corcovado.
Activities
Because Piedras Blancas is so remote and so little visited, it is the site for several ongoing
animal projects, including the reintroduction of scarlet macaws with the hopes of estab-
lishing a self-sustaining population, as well as the reintegration of wild cats like ocelot and
margay, which were confiscated from private homes. Look for all of the wildlife that you
might see in Corcovado: big cats and all four species of monkey, herds of collared and
white-lipped peccary, crocodiles, various species of poison-dart frogs (including the en-
demic Golfo Dulce poison-dart frog) and more than 330 species of bird.
Sleeping
Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
LODGE
( 2741-8001;
www.esquinaslodge.com
;
s/d incl meals US$161/256; )
Accommodations at Esquinas Lodge are in spacious, high-ceilinged cabins with ceiling
fans and private porches. The lodge's extensive grounds contain a network of well-marked
trails and a welcoming stream-fed pool. This lodge was founded by the nonprofit Rain-
forest of the Austrians, which was also vital in the establishment of Piedras Blancas as a
national park.
Now, surrounded by the primary and secondary rainforest of the park, Esquinas is integ-
rally connected with the community of Gamba, employing local workers and reinvesting
profits in community projects. By offsetting development with tree planting, it has become
100% carbon neutral. Gamba is 8km north of Golfito and 6km south of the Interamericana.
Information
Parque Nacional Piedras Blancas does not have facilities for visitors. However, it is pos-
sible to access the park from the Esquinas Rainforest Lodge in Gamba, as well as any of
the coastal lodges lining the beaches north of Golfito.
Getting There & Away
