Diriá National Park seasonal timing guide for Guanacaste Province conditions

Dry forest and cloud forest meeting point on the Nicoya Peninsula

Diriá National Park

Diriá National Park occupies a distinctive geographic position in northwestern Costa Rica, forming part of the Tempisque Conservation Area within the Guanacaste Province. The park's terrain is defined by a complex system of valleys carved by the Diriá, Tigre, Verde, and Enmedio rivers, creating a landscape of steep slopes and deeper drainage channels that descend from the central highlands of the Nicoya Peninsula toward the lower-lying coastal zones. This topographic variation supports an ecological gradient that transitions from seasonally dry tropical forest in the lower elevations through transitional forest zones to humid montane forest at higher elevations. The park was originally designated as a protected zone in 1991, subsequently upgraded to national wildlife refuge status in 1993, and ultimately redesignated as Diriá National Park in 2004, reflecting Costa Rica's ongoing commitment to protected area management and expansion. The protected area serves as an important watershed for the four river systems that originate within its boundaries, providing downstream water resources for surrounding agricultural lands and communities.