Situated in the southeast of the Nicoya Península, just 45 minutes from Montezuma, is the Curú Wildlife Refuge, famous for its pristine white sand beaches and abundant wildlife.

This area, sometimes overlooked, is an obligatory stop for Eco-tourists. To get here you must take Route 27 to Puntarenas and head to the Pacquera ferry which will take you across the Nicoya Gulf in just about one and a half hours, from here it just takes a 15 drive to arrive at the refuge.

The Curú refuge covers an area of 3,707 acres and it was originally recognized as such in 1983. It has 17 trails, and it is the home of some 78 species of mammals, 87 species of reptiles, 232 species of birds and over 500 species of plants.

Most of the tours here are handled by the company TurismoCuru.com, rub by descendants of the founder of this refuge, Federico Schutt.

The Islas Tortuga (Turtle Islands) are located just 3 kilometers from the main beach at Curú Refuge, about 10 minutes by boat, this is one of the most popular tours since the Tortuga Islands are a great place to practice snorkeling.

Tortuga Beach is where most of the tours arrive so it tends to be crowded, but an experienced tour guide will take you to other close beaches that are considerably less crowded such as Playa Tropical.

Playa Quesera is one of the most beautiful beaches in this area, and a very special one, since here you can witness the phenomenon of bio-luminescence, the emission of light by a living organism, which in this case takes place at the sea offering the most amazing neon light spectacle. You can get to this beach by boat, kayak or walking through one of the trails in Curú.

The trail that leads to the viewpoint is a must do, since it provides a perfect view of the entire Curú beach.

The refuge offers all main services and even cabins if you want to spend the night surrounded by the amazing nature.

For this and other nearby tours, see: Bright Star Trips.