Ostional Wildlife Refuge
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional · Wildlife refuge
Before you go
Days and hours
De lunes a domingo de 5:00 am a 9:00 pmOur translation Monday to Sunday, 5:00 am to 9:00 pm
Entry fees
No residentes $ 13,56Our translation Non-residents: $13.56
Residentes Adultos ₵1808Our translation Resident adults: ₡1,808
Durante las arribadas de tortugas marinas, el ingreso deberá realizarse obligatoriamente con el acompañamiento de una persona guía de turismo local. El costo de este servicio no está incluido en la tarifa de ingresoOur translation During sea turtle arribadas, entry must be with a local tour guide. The guide's cost is not included in the entry fee.
Tickets and reservations
Asociación de Guías Locales de Ostional (AGLO): 2682-0428/6252-7412Our translation Ostional Local Guides Association (AGLO): 2682-0428 / 6252-7412
Check before you go. Hours, fees and rules change. Confirm on SINAC: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional; we last found these words there on October 16, 2026.
Planning a visit to Ostional Wildlife Refuge
Ostional is the arribada beach. SINAC describes mass nesting on about 800 meters of Playa Ostional, once or twice a month all year, with fifteen thousand to two hundred thousand olive ridley females. During an arribada, entry requires a local guide, hired separately from the entry fee, and SINAC lists the local guides' association phone numbers.
The refuge also covers Nosara, Peladas and Guiones beaches and is open every day from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. The night rules are specific: no reflective clothing, no flash photography, no campfires and no motor vehicles on the sand.
Our explanation of the quoted facts on this page; it adds no facts of its own.
What it's known for
Playa Guiones : cuenta con 7 km de arena blanca, conocida por su oleaje consistente ideal para surfear.Our translation Playa Guiones: 7 km of white sand, known for consistent waves for surfing.
Las arribadas, fenómeno de anidación masiva, ocurre en aproximadamente 800 metros de la playa, se producen durante todo el año, una o dos veces al mes y llegan entre quince mil y doscientos mil hembras.Our translation Arribadas, mass nesting events, happen on about 800 meters of the beach, all year round, once or twice a month, with between fifteen thousand and two hundred thousand females.
What it protects
El Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional está conformado por las playas Ostional, Nosara, Peladas y Guiones.Our translation The refuge is made up of the Ostional, Nosara, Peladas and Guiones beaches.
Tiene una extensión de 468 hectáreas terrestres y 8.000 hectáreas marinas.Our translation It covers 468 hectares of land and 8,000 hectares of sea.
El RNVS Ostional fue creado en 1983 con el objetivo principal de proteger una de las seis especies de tortugas marinas existentes en Costa RicaOur translation Ostional was created in 1983 mainly to protect one of the six sea turtle species found in Costa Rica.
El RNVS Ostional protege el principal sitio en el mundo de anidación y reproducción de la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea).Our translation Ostional protects the world's main nesting and breeding site of the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea).
Check before you go. Hours, fees and rules change. Confirm on SINAC: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional; we last found these words there on October 16, 2026.
Visiting at night
Si va de noche, no vaya con ropa reflectiva.Our translation If you go at night, don't wear reflective clothing.
Es importante tener presente que en RNVS Ostional no se permite: El ingreso de vehículos motorizados (incluyendo motos y cuatrimotos), que dañan la arena y afectan gravemente los ecosistemas y las especies protegidas. Tours a caballo en la arena, ya que ponen en riesgo los nidos de tortugas y afectan su hábitat. Generación de basura, que contamina las playas y pone en riesgo a la fauna silvestre. Actividades como fogatas, uso de flash para fotografías nocturnas y presencia de animales domésticos en áreas protegidas.Our translation Keep in mind that the following are not allowed at Ostional: motor vehicles (including motorcycles and ATVs), which damage the sand and seriously harm ecosystems and protected species; horseback tours on the sand, which put turtle nests at risk; littering; and activities such as campfires, flash for night photography and domestic animals in protected areas.
Other protected areas on this site
A plain list in alphabetical order, not a recommendation.
Source for this page: SINAC: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional. Quotes are SINAC's words in Spanish; the English lines under them are our translations.