Established in 1994, and consisting of 4498 acres, the Montes de Oro Protected zone is located within the Guanacaste Province. The purpose of this protected zone is to protect several tropical forests, which are a mixture of dry and rainforest making this a unique habitat.
The Penas Blancas Wildlife Refuge is also located within the limits of this protected zone. To reach the area, visitors must take an unpaved road from Miramar. This is on the northern most section of the Gulf of Nicoya, near Puntarenas.
There are no public facilities in Montes de Oro Protected Zone. Visitors should go with a guide for safety and all around experience as wildlife is camouflaged.
Central Pacific temperatures remain the same nearly year round with average day time highs in the upper 80s to low 90s and night time lows in the upper 70s. Precipitation varies by month with the months of December through April being the driest.
Visitors should pack a bathing suit, towel, shorts, tee shirts, appropriate shoes, rain gear, sun block, and insect repellent.
Fun Fact: The name is quite ambiguous as Montes de Oro means Gold Mountains, and that could be taken as referring to the gold that can be found here, or from the golden color of the hills in the dry season.
| Monteverde | 60 km |
| Puntarenas | 25 km |
| Alajuela | 89 km |
| Jaco | 77 km |
| Manuel Antonio | 146 km |
The Penas Blancas Wildlife Refuge is also located within the limits of this protected zone. To reach the area, visitors must take an unpaved road from Miramar. This is on the northern most section of the Gulf of Nicoya, near Puntarenas.
There are no public facilities in Montes de Oro Protected Zone. Visitors should go with a guide for safety and all around experience as wildlife is camouflaged.
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