GANDOCA MANZANILLO (National Wildlife Refuge)


In the southern town of Puerto Viejo, the Caribbean shoreline extends over 12387.39 acres (5,013 hectares) of land including approximately 5,5 miles (9 km) of beautiful beaches and 10.962 acres (4436 hectares) of protected sea area extending to the Panama border including the village of Manzanillo, consisting in a school, a lobster restaurant and small houses of fishermen. A trail runs along the beach for 6 miles to Punta Mona, another west to Gandoca. The reserve is home to numerous creeks and lagoons, and the only variety of this mangrove oysters in the mangroves of Central America. Waterways host manatees, crocodiles, caimans. Four species of turtles including green turtles and Baulas come to nest on these beaches. There are also many dolphins in the warm waters. Jaguars and tapirs are found in this exceptional reserve several switches as well as howler monkeys (congas), capuchin and spider. 300 species of birds have been recorded in the refuge. A unique park that combines the pleasures of the sea to discover the wildlife.