– Places of Interest:
– Tamarindo, Santa Cruz, Nosara, Sámara, Naranjo
– Ostional Wildlife Refuge – second largest turtle nesting beach
– Nancite beach at Santa Rosa National Park also crucial for turtle nesting
– Nesting turtles include Olive Ridley, leatherback, and Pacific green turtles
– Nesting period usually lasts 3 to 5 days
– Conservation:
– Nature reserves and wildlife refuges like Cabo Blanco, Camaronal, Cueva Murciélago
– Curú, La Ceiba, Romelia, and Diriá National Park
– Projects on islands in the Gulf of Nicoya support conservation efforts
– Efforts to protect Olive Ridley sea turtles in Ostional community
– WWF’s involvement in Ostional Wildlife National Refuge
– Notable Features:
– Nicoya Peninsula recognized as one of the Blue Zones for longevity
– People often live active lives beyond 100 years in this region
– See Also:
– Related to tourism in Costa Rica
– References:
– Adam Stater’s work on transportation to the Nicoya Peninsula
– Dan Buettner’s book “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest”
– Positive links between Ostional community and Olive Ridley sea turtle conservation
– WWF’s involvement with Ostional Wildlife National Refuge
– Articles by Anne Casselman and Dan Buettner on longevity in Nicoya Peninsula
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2009) |
The Nicoya Peninsula (Spanish: Península de Nicoya) is a peninsula on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is divided into two provinces: Guanacaste Province in the north, and the Puntarenas Province in the south. It is located at 10°00′00″N 85°25′00″W / 10°N 85.4166667°W. It varies from 19 to 37 miles (60 km) wide and is approximately 75 miles (121 km) long, forming the largest peninsula in the country. It is known for its beaches and is a popular tourist destination.
The main transport and commercial centre in the region is Nicoya, one of the oldest settlements in Costa Rica. Ferries run between the town of Puntarenas on the mainland and the Nicoya Peninsula. There is an international airport in nearby Liberia and small domestic airstrips in Nosara, Carrillo, Tamarindo and Tambor. The region was also featured in the book Blue Zones, by Dan Buettner, which focused on the longevity found among Nicoya's residents.