Photo: La Ensenada
Playa Blanca
La Ensenada
A Secluded Ranch for Nature Lovers
★★★
A 1,000-acre sanctuary on the Gulf of Nicoya coast that the lodge calls ideal for birdwatchers, with bungalows facing the gulf.
La Ensenada, a 1,000-acre sanctuary on the Gulf of Nicoya coast
La Ensenada is a sanctuary of 1,000 acres on the Gulf of Nicoya coast, in Puntarenas province, and the lodge itself calls it ideal for birdwatchers.
It is 1 hour 25 minutes from Liberia, which makes it a realistic first or last night for a birder landing on the dry side of the country rather than in San José.
The lodge's own page gives us the size and the intent. It does not give a species count or a guide service, so this page is short on purpose.
At a glance
- Habitat
- sanctuary on the Gulf of Nicoya coast, dry-side Pacific
Birding on the property
The lodge describes a 1,000-acre sanctuary it calls ideal for birdwatchers, on the Gulf of Nicoya coast in Puntarenas province, 1 hour 25 minutes from Liberia. Guides, trails and species counts are not stated on the page we read.
The birds to look for
The birds below come from our zone page for the dry Northern Pacific, not from the lodge. The Turquoise-browed Motmot, the White-throated Magpie-Jay in noisy family groups and the Long-tailed Manakin are the regulars of that country.
After dark and at dusk the Double-striped Thick-Knee, and in the forest two trogons: the Black-headed Trogon and the Elegant Trogon.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turquoise-browed Motmot | Eumomota superciliosa | Momoto Cejiceleste | |
| White-throated Magpie-Jay | Cyanocorax formosa | Urraca Copetona | |
| Long-tailed Manakin | Chiroxiphia linearis | Saltarín Toledo | |
| Double-striped Thick-Knee | Hesperoburhinus bistriatus | Alcaraván Americano | |
| Black-headed Trogon | Trogon melanocephalus | Trogón Cabecinegro | |
| Elegant Trogon | Trogon elegans | Trogón Elegante |
Staying at La Ensenada
La Ensenada is a farm first, so the stay is about open country: pasture, salt pans, mangrove and dry forest running down to the gulf. The bungalows look out over the Gulf of Nicoya, each with two beds, a bathroom and a wide terrace with a hammock for the afternoon heat. The restaurant serves an Italian and Costa Rican menu. Days are slow and outdoors: a horseback ride through the ranch, a walk around the salt flats, or the guided boat trip of about 2 hours into the Abangares River mangroves. Our About text describes the comfort as rustic, which fits a working ranch rather than a resort.
Rooms
- Gulf-view bungalow: two beds, private bathroom, large terrace with hammock, facing the Gulf of Nicoya
- Rooms for 1 to 4 guests (single to quadruple options on the booking form)
Meals. On-site restaurant with an Italian and Costa Rican menu. Meal inclusion is not stated.
Good to know
- Dry, hot lowland; air conditioning and hot water are not mentioned on the site.
- Guests under 18 must carry a document showing they travel with a parent or authorized adult.
- Children welcome, with age bands 0 to 4, 5 to 9, and 10 and up.
Perfect for: a family who want horses, mangroves and a big open farm within easy reach of Liberia.
Trips that stay here
No fixed trip stays here yet; we build it into a custom trip.
Want 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.
Which of these fit your list?
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.