Protocols are ready and the reopening is expected to take place on the first day of June.

After several meetings and a search for the well-being of all, it was determined yesterday that the Protected Wilderness Areas of Santa Rosa National Park (via sea), Las Baulas Marine National Park and the Playa Guiones, Camaronal, Ostional and Playa Grande Wildlife Refuges will have their reopening this coming June 1st, as reported by Alejandro Masis, Regional Director of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and Nelson Marín, Regional Director of the Tempisque Conservation Area.

“We have been working on the protocols for the reopening of parks and reserves, and we hope that this will take place on June 1st in the sectors that fall under the Tempisque Conservation Area, barring any unforeseen circumstances. It is very important to emphasize that measures and regulations must be maintained to avoid gatherings of people who are not part of their social bubbles, thus preventing infections and respecting the guidelines established by the Ministry of Health,” stated Nelson Marín, Regional Director of the Tempisque Conservation Area .

The opening hours of the beaches belonging to the Tempisque Conservation Area will remain as established by the Ministry of Health on the first day of June.

An interview was also conducted with Juan Carlos Carrillo, Coordinator of the Ecotourism Program of the Guanacaste Conservation Area, to expand information on the reopening of only the marine sector of the Santa Rosa National Park; however, this comprises a total of 163,000 hectares, which extends from the marine area around the archipelagos of the Bat Islands in the Pacific Ocean, passing through the Santa Rosa plateau to the top of the Orosí, Cacao and Rincón de la Vieja volcanoes of the Guanacaste Volcanic Mountain Range and continuing to the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica.

What procedures have been carried out for the reopening?

The protocols requested by the Ministry of Health have been developed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These protocols are closely related to hygiene measures for the sites and social distancing.
With the aim of also supporting the reactivation of the economy in the country, the necessary efforts are being made to make available the natural sites for the practice of surfing, diving and marine tours in the protected marine sector of the ACG.
The visit has therefore been organized so that in the first stage, which begins on June 1st, access will be only by sea.

What do I need to do to visit the park?

All information for organizing the visit to the marine sector of the ACG will be provided virtually, following this procedure.

1. All visitors will be assisted via email marroyo@acguanacaste.ac.cr, by phone 2670-0512 and Whatsapp 8735-8976 from Monday to Friday from 08:00 am to 04:00 pm.

2. Updated information on the availability of spaces for each day will be kept on the following website https://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr/turismo/sector-santa-rosa/sector-santa-rosa .

3. Payment will be made by bank transfer and you will be instructed to contact us beforehand as indicated in the first point.

What will be the technical specifications for visiting Santa Rosa National Park via the maritime sector, and what activities will be permitted there?

The authorized entry hours will be from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, with a maximum capacity of 60 people per day, and payment will be by bank transfer. Return to the coast will be verified with the payment receipt at the park entrance.

The permitted activities will be those of:
1. Surfing (25 people maximum): Peña Bruja and Potrero Grande
2. Diving (25 people maximum): San Pedrillo (Gran Susto), Bajo Negro and Los Arcos.
3. Recreational walks and landscape observation (10 people maximum).
Staying on the beach is not allowed.

Why will visits by land not be allowed?

We are still working on the reception and orientation protocols for visitors on the land side, and also, as the rainy season has already started, the access route to Playa Naranjo (Peña Bruja surf spot) is practically impossible.

What are the expectations of visitors to these destinations in the park for surfing?

We hope users understand that they are not just entering a surf spot, but a protected area that is a World Heritage Site. Therefore, access must be regulated, and visitors must help to protect it. That is why only 25 people per day are allowed to surf.

• We expect a lot of help from surf operators to avoid overcrowding at the main surf spots and prevent any signs of virus spread.

• We trust that all visitors will not generate waste, much less leave it in the sea.

It is important to highlight that the reopening of Santa Rosa National Park (via sea), like the other sectors of the Tempisque Conservation Area, may remain open based on the protocols (the protocols will be made public in the following days) as long as they are respected and in case of non-compliance measures must be taken.

Writing and media: Enrique Hernández

General Management: Marco Montero