City: Province of Puntarenas
Top Things to do in Province of Puntarenas
Top Restaurants in Province of Puntarenas
What to do and see in Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica: The Best Zoos & Aquariums
Puntarenas (Spanish pronunciation: [puntaˈɾenas]) is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the western part of the country, covering most of Costa Rica's Pacific Ocean coast, and it is the largest province in Costa Rica. Clockwise from the northwest it borders on the provinces Guanacaste, Alajuela, San José and Limón, and the neighbouring country of Panama.
Restaurants in Province of Puntarenas
1. Ave Azul de la Osa
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 49 reviews
Ave Azul de la Osa is a federally licensed Avicultural compound, supporting conservation through captive propagation.Owner / Director of Ave Azul de la Osa, Patrick S. Dunn was director of Kauai Zoological Gardens and curator of birds for 8 years while managing the parrot park for near 17 years simultaneously. Now with Ave Azul he prevents endangered birds from extinction.
Reviewed By busysuzy
A trip to Osa is not complete without meeting Patrick. If you want to meet a true ambassador of the natural world then you must take the adventurous road to Ave Azul de la Osa. Patrick's wealth of knowledge, his impressive birds and his extraordinary museum of specimens were a highlight of our time on the Osa Peninsula. Our three boys were in awe of his commitment to rehabilitation and conservation as well as his extensive experience with and knowledge about birds, snakes, and insects. We highly recommend, to anyone who has the chance, to drop in and have a visit.
2. The Bat Jungle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 752 reviews
# 85 live bats free-flying in our huge enclosure, designed to resemble the cloud forest at night# Guided tour by professional guides takes about 45 minutes# The tour is both informative, educational and entertaining, with a focus on biology and conservation# Cleverly designed interpretive exhibits, like our giant ears, huge bat heads, and bat skeleton.# You will see, at close range, 85 tropical fruit-eating and nectar-feeding bats from the Monteverde area# Our bats fly, eat, socialize, and even give birth before your eyes
Reviewed By alicew239
Located on the way to Monteverde reserve from Santa Elena there is a poster/inyetactive exhibit on the walls about bats & a dark room in which you can see about 100 bats (5 species) up close. They are behind glass (obvs so they don't escape) but can get good photos. It's a lot more to have a guide but felt worth it for the extra facts & probably helps support a small quirky business. Takes an hour max.
3. Neo Fauna CR
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Neofauna is a conservationist project focused on the reproduction, rescue and release of wild animals; this a private project financed by the sale of tours.
Reviewed By 928ilanah - Toronto, Canada
The place is a pretty little refuge in Jaco down a cute little street past a local school. The surroundings are lush and in March the shade was a blessing and there was a breeze! When we arrived there was someone there to greet us and to tell us what animals they had, how much it cost (25 USD per person) and where the money went to. As it was a conservation effort to save species we were fine with the amount! We set off with our guide who was kind and very knowledgeable. Our 3 year old daughter is normally quite shy but his demeanor quickly won her over. When we visited the different animals he told us why they were there and the treatments they were receiving. The butterfly area was gorgeous and beautiful- so many butterflies! Our guide went above and beyond to show us the animals and make us all so happy. I can't wait to go again! It was my daughter's favourite excursion in Costa Rica- including Manual Antonio!
4. Butterfly Garden at Selvatura Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 97 reviews
Reviewed By Fun_St_Paul_Nurse - Minneapolis, United States
When you visit this region and want to see butterflies, you have a choice between this place and Selvatura's butterfly garden. Hands down, you choose the Monteverde Butterfly Garden. Because they have amazing tour guides who are passionate about their work, they have 4 gardens, 3 of which are climate controlled so that butterflies are active way more often and dependably observable. By contrast, if it's a chilly cloudy day, you will see very little at Selvatura which feels more like a factory, commercialized experience. I don't understand those who are complaining about the price of admission. It was a magical, delightful experience and they let you return as many times as you like on your trip. It was the highlight of my trip to Monteverde. Thank you to all of the dedicated staff here.
5. Parque Marino del Pacifico
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 43 reviews
