Heredia, Costa Rica
About 15 minutes separate San Jose from this beautiful province in the Central Valley, Heredia is well-knowed by its coffee plantation covering national parks and volcanic zones. This region counts with stunning waterfalls, tropical forest, rainforest and amazing rivers converting Heredia in the ideal destination for mountain tourists offering both adventure and nature. Heredia definitely shoul be a must to visit while in Costa Rica.
Heredia is located just 10 km north of downtown San Jose. Commonly used as a base of tourism of San Jose (sharing all its facilities without being inmerse in the crowdly town of San Jose) Heredia is one of the elegant cities in Costa Rica with many accommodation options and resort hotels to choose according your budget, tourists of Heredia can choose between modern mountain hotels and small hostels in the heart of the city.
Several touristic attractions are in Heredia. Options goes since climbing Barva Volcano (with wonderful cloud forests and wonderful green pastures), in the Braulio Carrillo National Park to a more relaxing trip in the nord where you can find great views of the Central Valley and amazing landscapes enjoying of the nature for those who wants to spend relaxing and quiet vacations in touch with the nature.
Located in the north of Heredia, Tapanti National Park and Braulio Carrillo National Park host wildlife, stunning waterfalls and rare birds (quetzal, one of the most culturally significant birds of Central America) converting these national parks in other attractions to visit in Heredia. Also many other animals can be see in these parks, tapirs and pumas live in the dense forests of these places. Other points to visit in Heredia include the Zoo Ave, "El Mundo de las Serpientes" (World of Snakes) and The Butterflie Farm, these places offer to its visitors a close and dangerous but equal fantastic view of Costa Rica's wildlife.