Veragua Rainforest

Escape to the Wonders of the Tropical Rainforest

A sound similar to deep breathing captured our attention as we visited the serpentarium, the park’s first surprise. The noise was coming from a tiger rat snake, which produces strange sounds and inflates its neck to intimidate predators. Its vivacious coloring does not allow it to camouflage itself, making it one of the most endangered snakes in the world.

Nearby, we observed the northern birdsnake, the galliwasp snake and the boa constrictor, not to mention the venomous matabuey (or bushmaster) and the fer-de-lance, which has the curious ability to decide whether it will inject
venom with its bite.

At the Veragua Rainforest, inquisitive minds can also discover many of the secrets these serpents keep: the time of day they may emerge, the geographical zone of Costa Rica they inhabit, their normal diet, their sizes and methods of reproduction, where they live and how they defend themselves. Of the 136 species found in the Costa Rica, only 18 are poisonous.

Frog or Toad?

Can you tell the difference between a frog and a toad? One way to differentiate between the two is that the skin of a frog is smoother than that of the toad, which has rough skin with more warts. Frogs also move by jumping, sometimes as high as 20 times their body length, while toads move about by walking. The green toad, which moves by jumping, is the only exception.

Visitors to Veragua will have the opportunity to experience these slippery creatures up close. From the most colorful frogs to the most unattractive of toads, anyone can admire and listen as they sing (or croak) within their natural habitat.

From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Butterflies abound at Veragua, a testament to the fact that 9 percent of these winged creatures call Costa Rica home. Starting off as caterpillars and emerging from their cocoons in full bloom, butterflies inspire awe and fascination as visitors here gaze upon their rare and undeniable beauty.

But Veragua offers more animals. Visitors to the park can also immerse themselves in nature while riding inside a cable car or zipping across the forest’s tree canopy at full speed, where they just might be joined by interested monkeys or sloths. Guests can also use their own two feet to walk through the forest to El Puma Waterfall, a wonderful downfall of water located near Moin.

The Veragua Rainforest encompasses 1,300 hectares of tropical rain forest terrain, all of which await travelers looking for an all-natural adventure.