Fiery-billed AracariPhoto: Tom
Central and Southern Pacific Lowlands
The lodge is inside the refuge, so the trails start at the door. Barú keeps 330 hectares just north of Dominical, and in that one piece of land there is rainforest, mangrove, wetland, riverbank and beach, which is why one morning here gives a longer list than a morning in forest alone. The refuge says birders have seen more than 365 species on it.
The tower is the thing to plan round: seven metres high on a hill, with the view at the level of the treetops, and the refuge says it is best before eight in the morning or after three in the afternoon.
The guided bird walk goes at six, through forest that grew back over old cacao plantations. The long version keeps going for six hours, up to a ridge over the lowlands and the Pacific, with breakfast at a camp with hammocks on the way.
The refuge lists eleven outings, among them the guided bird walk at six with a naturalist guide, the six-hour long walk to the ridge, a night walk where the lodge names owls, and self-guided trails: the Chirincoco, Pizote and Saíno trails are flat. The 7-metre observation tower stands on a hill at canopy level; access can be restricted in some seasons, so ask at reception. The refuge is part of the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor, and the owner has written a book about the place.
Photo: Hacienda Barú Lodge
Dominical
A Superb Lodge with Eco-Excellent Ethos in a Natural Reserve
★★★
A lodge inside the Barú National Wildlife Refuge just north of Dominical, 330 hectares of rainforest, mangrove and beach with 7 km of trails and a bird watching tower. "Lots of birds, butterflies, monkeys and sloths", as one reviewer put it, and the owner has written a book about the place.
The lodge's bird walk is for trogons, motmots, antshrikes, manakins, tinamous and curassows. On this stretch of coast, look first for the Fiery-billed Aracari, the regional endemic the whole zone is known for, from the tower or in the fruiting trees, and Baird's Trogon, another found only on this side of the country.
In the mangroves the Yellow-billed Cotinga, white and very rare, with the Riverside Wren calling from the thickets along the water. A short drive south round Bahía Ballena, the Golden-naped Woodpecker and the Orange-collared Manakin, both regional endemics, the Turquoise Cotinga in the canopy and the Ornate Hawk-Eagle overhead.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiery-billed Aracari | Pteroglossus frantzii | Tucancillo Piquianaranjado | Regional endemic |
| Baird's Trogon | Trogon bairdii | Trogón Vientribermejo | Regional endemic |
| Yellow-billed Cotinga | Carpodectes antoniae | Cotinga Piquiamarillo | Regional endemic |
| Riverside Wren | Cantorchilus semibadius | Soterré Pechibarreteado | Regional endemic |
| Golden-naped Woodpecker | Melanerpes chrysauchen | Capintero Nuquidorado | Regional endemic |
| Orange-collared Manakin | Manacus aurantiacus | Saltarín Cuellinaranja | Regional endemic |
| Turquoise Cotinga | Cotinga ridgwayi | Cotinga Turquesa | Regional endemic |
| Ornate Hawk-Eagle | Spizaetus ornatus | Aguilillo Penachudo |
Barú is a refuge first and a lodge second. There are only twelve places to stay: two- and three-bedroom cottages with a living room and terrace, and pool view rooms facing the pool with the forest 25 metres behind. None has air conditioning or a TV; the pool view rooms have two ceiling fans, hot water heated by the sun, wifi and a small fridge. Meals are at the Jaguarundi, an open-air restaurant near an old cacao plantation where capuchin monkeys come for the pods, with vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. The lodge runs its own walks, a night tour and a zipline, and the beach is a short walk through the refuge.
Meals. Jaguarundi Restaurant, open-air, Costa Rican food with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Breakfast inclusion and meal times are not stated.
Perfect for: a family who wants a cottage with room to spread out and a wildlife refuge outside the door.
330 hectares of rainforest, mangrove and beach north of Dominical, 7 km of trails and a bird watching tower, and one of our lodges inside the refuge.
See the placeBahía Ballena and the Marino Ballena park at Uvita: over 200 species on our lodge's hill, the Fiery-billed Aracari, whales from December to March.
See the placeWant to add a luxury stay to your trip? See every hotel we represent on CostaRica.Org (opens in a new window). We plan birding lodges and beach resorts in one trip.
Tell us the birds you want, your dates and how you like to travel, and we will come back with a first itinerary: the lodges in the right order and how many nights each one really needs. That first version is just a place to start.
Or call us: 1 (800) 996-1139 from the US and Canada, +506 4052-2140 in Costa Rica.
Keep going: add more birds, lodges or tours, then turn your Wishlist into a trip.
