This Saturday, August 24 we celebrate National Parks Day and Costa Rica offers free entrance to any of its 29 National Parks.

Beach or mountain destinations, Costa Rica has a variety of options to offer, some just an hour away from the capital city.

Costa Rica has 169 protected areas that represent 26% of the country’s total area; these protected areas include national parks, national monuments, wildlife refuges, biological reserves, forest reserves, among others.

The Ministry of Environment and the National System of Areas of Conservation promote the visitation to National Parks and raise awareness to the numerous needs and the dangers these areas face, which include illegal hunting, logging, fires, and the limited resources to handle the security and surveillance of the parks.

This year Costa Rica inaugurated is national park number 29, the Miravalles Protected Zone: the country has referred to protected areas as National Parks since August 24, 1945, on this day Costa Rica made a commitment to protect areas of biological importance to improve the quality of life of current and future generations.

Costa Rica has been highlighted as one of the best destinations in the world for birdwatching and botanical tourism.