The Guide To Cahuita National Park

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Cahuita National Park is located on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, just north of Puerto Viejo. The park offers the perfect one-two punch of unspoiled natural beauty and abundant wildlife. Anna and I first visited in September 2023 and have returned as recently as February 2026. It’s always a great time exploring by ourselves, but this visit we hired a tour guide, which took our experience to the next level. It was such a good experience we even booked him for a tour of the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge a few days later. This post will cover what you need to know for a visit to Cahuita National Park, from getting there to exploring the different entry points and connecting trails. Let’s go!

Getting to the Park

There are two entrances to Cahuita National Park. The most popular entrance is the Kelly Creek Ranger Station in Cahuita Town, and the second is the Puerto Vargas Station. You can visit both entrances separately, and they usually connect within if you’d like to explore the whole park. In February 2026, a big storm washed away some of the beach and connecting trails. This can happen from time to time and is usually fixed within a few weeks.

We recommend starting at the Kelly Creek Station for a full park adventure. It takes 3-4 hours to walk from there through the trails to the Puerto Vargas Station. Normally, taxis are waiting for visitors who need to be shuttled back to the main entrance, so you don’t have to walk back.

Kelly Creek Station Entrance

If you’re staying in the Puerto Viejo area, reaching the Kelly Creek entrance is really straightforward. It’s around 20 minutes of diving on Highway 36, and you’ll turn off into Cahuita. Getting into town, you’ll pass by a few small private paid lots before you get to the park. There’s some street parking right out front if you get there early enough, and also a big parking area behind the cafe at the entrance.

The entrance fee at this entrance is by donation. With a minimum expected of ₡1000 per person, we encourage you to leave a little more. It’s not much money and your donation helps keep the park funded. You’ll be asked to write your names and contact info in the park registry and then you can enter.

Puerto Vargas Station Entrance

The Puerto Vargas Ranger Station is about 15 minutes from Puerto Viejo town. The entrance fee is $10 and is required. Continue in, and you’ll see a path that leads out towards the beach and trails connecting to the Kelly Creek Station. You can take a quick taxi back here if you make it through the whole park.

Exploring The Park

The park’s trails are relatively easy to walk and offer direct access to beaches and a view of the local wildlife. The Kelly Creek path follows the coastline, combining ocean views with dense jungle scenery. Common animal sightings include Howler and White-faced monkeys, sloths, birds, iguanas, snakes, and even sleeping bats if you’re lucky. We strongly recommend hiring a guide if you’re goal is to see as much animal life as possible. Sloths especially, can be hard to see up in the dense foliage.

Expect humid conditions and occasional rain, typical of a rainforest environment. Start early to get a jump on the heat, and then head over to the BriBri Waterfalls for a swim.

Hiring A Guide

Here’s a quick fact when comparing our first visit in 2023 and our most recent one. We saw more animal life in the first 15 minutes with a guide than we did in the entire 2-hour park visit the first time.

So, definitely consider hiring a local guide to enhance your visit. They usually have a telescope and can help spot animals and plants easily missed by untrained eyes. You may want to bring a lightweight phone adapter like this that will allow you to take pictures through their telescope. We did that during a night tour of Rainmaker Park in Manuel Antonio and got some fun shots. The guides will also share stories and facts about the park’s history and conservation work.

Our guide was Shailo and his independently owned guiding, Laka Lakas Tours. Use the button below to message him on WhatsApp to book a tour of Cahuita National Park and other adventures in Puerto Viejo.

Park Beaches

Playa Blanca

Accessible from the Kelly Creek entrance, Playa Blanca is the initial stretch of picturesque white sand beach that’s most visited by travelers. You can bring in a towel and go for a swim if the ocean conditions permit. There can be waves and strong currents, so be cautious if you’re jumping in for a cool down.

Puerto Vargas

Puerto Vargas beach is most easily reached by entering from the Puerto Vargas gate. Otherwise, you’ll need to walk the entirety of the park to get here if coming from the Kelly Creek entrance.

Snorkeling

The months of August and September offer the best conditions for snorkeling. Ocean swells are less, and fewer intense storms keep sediment from clouding the shallow waters. The park’s coral reefs host diverse marine life, including colorful fish and sea turtles. You’ll need to join a guided tour because snorkeling on your own isn’t allowed in the park.

Regrettably, we didn’t snorkel when we had the chance during the calm waters of August and September. We had too much planned, and it was a rookie move missing that opportunity.

Tips for Visiting

Don’t bring a camera drone

Aerial drones are prohibited in the park. I experienced this first-hand when the ranger checked my backpack before entering. I offered to give them my batteries so I wouldn’t have to walk back to the car, but that was a no-go.

Bring the essentials

Like all parks in Costa Rica, there’s standing water and mosquitos. Pack some mosquito repellent, reef-safe sunscreen, water, and snacks for your visit. There are a few little markets outside of the main gate if you need to buy any last minute items, but it’s better to come prepared. Check out our complete Costa Rica packing list here.

Practice sustainable tourism

Cahuita National Park is a beautiful place, so help preserve it. Minimize your environmental impact by staying on the marked trails and disposing of trash responsibly.

Respect the wildlife

White-faced monkeys may come up pretty close to scope out if you have any food. Keep a safe distance from animals and never feed them.

Hire a Guide

Hire a trained guide to see the most animal life. We didn’t on the first visit and wished we did afterwards. Some guides were kind enough to show us a yellow eyelash viper and sloths that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Now we have our tour guide guru, Shilo, and he’s #1 on our Cahuita speed dial going forward.

Don’t Forget

You can buy almost anything you need in the area, but the prices of some items may surprise you. Sunscreen can cost upwards of $20 USD for a normal size tube at the local market. Some of our don’t forget items are listed below.

Sunscreen – Reapply all day when you’re outside. The sun is no joke here!
Bug Spray – Bugs are minimal in the day but mosquitoes often come out in the evening.
Quick-dry towel – These quick-dry towels are also sand free.
Waterproof hat – I like this floating hat, but anythig works.
Polarized sunglasses – They don’t have to break the bank. Check out these polarized sunglasses by Blenders.
Waterproof phone case – Great if you’re going to be on the ocean.

Let’s go!

Visiting Cahuita National Park is a straightforward way to experience Costa Rica’s biodiversity and natural beauty. Whether you’re there for the trails, the wildlife, or the snorkeling, Cahuita offers a glimpse into the rich ecological environment of the region without the need for excessive planning. Want to crush two epic nature walks in one day? Try this in the morning and then hop over to the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge in the afternoon.

Don’t miss the guide to our favorite activities and restaurants in Puerto Viejo, including two of our favorites near Cahuita National Park.