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Self-Guided Attractions
In addition to the guided tours Hacienda Barú offers a number of attractions you can enjoy by yourself at your own pace. Both the guided tours the self guided attractions are open to everyone including lodge guests and day trippers.
Butterfly Garden -- In the Hacienda Barú butterfly garden you will see a representative sample of local butterflies along with some basic information about them. You will walk through the lush tropical vegetation that provides food for the butterflies and the medium on which each species deposits its eggs. In the laboratory you will see how the eggs hatch, the larvae eat and grow, and the pupas transform into butterflies.
Orchid Garden – The Hacienda Barú orchid garden contains only local species. Some orchids are large and others tiny, some are colorful and others plain. You will walk on a winding path through what was once a cacao plantation and which today has been arranged to show you some of the most interesting plants in Costa Rica.
Bird Watching Tower – On top of a small hill sits a seven meter tower. The combined height of the hill and the tower puts the top floor at tree top level, a perfect place for the observation of birds. For the best birding we recommend visiting the tower before 7:00 AM or after 3:00 PM.
Nature Trails in the Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge – The nature trails at Hacienda Barú pass through a wide variety of habitat including primary forest, secondary forest, swamp forest, wetlands, pastures and tree plantations. Some of the trails are short and some long. Some go to the beach and some to the mountain. All of the trails have informative signs with information about the flora and fauna. They will show you a wide diversity of tropical nature.
The self guided attractions at Hacienda Barú are free for lodge guests. For outside visitors the rate is $6 for the whole day. The trails are open from daylight to dark. Special permission is needed for nocturnal hiking.
A ball of fluff called Equinox
– by Jack Ewing
Equinox is a Latin word meaning “equal night.” Twice each year, when the sun shines directly over the equator, day and night are the same length all over the globe. These two dates are called the March equinox and the September equinox. The March equinox, which marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere, always falls on March 20 or 21, and the September equinox, which marks the beginning of fall, always falls on September 22 or 23. The March equinox in the year 2009 fell on March 20, and that was the day that a little ball of fluff came walking into my office at 6:30 in the evening just as I was thinking about closing up and going home. It was obviously a very young owl, nearly ready to fledge, but not yet able to fly. We had heard an owl calling near the office on quite a few occasions, and I surmised that this youngster had fallen out of it's nest, and that its chances of getting back were almost nil.
Buy Jack's book
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Discover the mysterious and fascinating ways in which animals and plants-and people-interact with one another in the rainforests of Costa Rica. Author and naturalist Jack Ewing shares a wealth of observations and experiences, gathered from more than three decades of living in southwestern Costa Rica, home to some of the most prolific and diverse ecosystems on Earth. More than just a simple collection of essays, Monkeys are Made of Chocolate is a testament to the wonder of life in all its countless guises, as seen through the eyes of a man with a gift for subtle discernment and a natural flair for storytelling. |
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Ocelot
Our trail camera located in the primary forests of the upper slopes of Hacienda Barú captured this photo of a mature Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis).
Chocolate Monkey Gift Shop
Our Gift Shop is well known in the area for having a wide variety of gifts. Not only will you find T-Shirts, Hammocks and Jewelry, but also a beautiful selection of Costa Rican made Arts and Crafts. Our policy is to buy (as much as possible) from local artisans who work with local materials of a sustainable resource.