Barra Honda is a National Park located on the Nicoya Peninsula in the Guanacaste region of western Costa Rica. As you wait for the ferry to take you from Port Nispero toPort Moreno you can see the karst topography surrounding you. The park consists of 2295 hectares of ancient reef-type limestone that has been uplifted from the Pacific Ocean. Barra Honda Peak rises some 300 meters above sea level like a vast fortress overlooking the Costa Rican landscape.. An interesting feature as you walk on the trail to the vista is the sound of your footsteps. It is much easier to hear and feel if you stomp your feet. Barra Honda is peppered with caves and you are bound to be walking over one at any moment. A stamp on the ground is followed by a vibration and a hollow thump. This can be a little unnerving knowing that you are walking over empty space, but that is why we go to Barra Honda, isn't it? The vista of the Gulf of Nicoya past the low farmlands is beautiful and is a great place for lunch.
After heading west from Port Moreno, follow the signs to the park. At the end of the dirt road (4WD recommended) you come to the ranger station. There are three hostel-type cabins at a reasonable rate, at the time of this writeing about US$ 5.00 per person for two days, including park entrance fee. There is also a restaraunt and educational facility, however these stand idle due to lack of funding. If you want to go caving in the park you are going to need a permit. This is for protection of the caves and the cavers. These caves are not for beginners. Barra Honda was described to me as a giant swiss cheese. The caves become acessible only after a section of roof collapses, popping the bubble, so to speak. Therefore, all the known caves require a vertical entry of at least thirty meters. There are some guides who can take you to Terciopelo Cave (named for the spanish name for the poisonous Fer de Lance snake found at the bottom of the cave by the discoverers), but I don't know how to reach them, and I am not sure if they still get permits. They throw a cable ladder into the cave and belay you down with a rope around a tree. The scars are visible all over the tree.
There are many caves in Barra Honda, most of them unexplored. They are highly decorated and some are quite deep. The park itself is a place to see if you are coming with people who do not cave. There is an abundance of flora and fauna and my favorite thing is to look at a howler monkey eye to eye and have a howling contest. There are waterfalls including the "La Cascada" with beautiful tiers of travertine dams.
We at the Groupo Espeleol�gico Anthros believe that the goals of conservation and education being promoted by the directorship of the Barra Honda Park are worthy of consideration. We therefore have retained an attorney to setup a foundation to preserve the park. The goal of this foundation will be to solicit funds from interested parties in conservational and educational matters, with an emphasis on cave preservation. For more information on helping, getting a permit or other matters e-mail me here in Costa Rica at:� [email protected]�
To go to the Terciopelo page with numbers for permits and guides CLICK HERE or go� BACK