guayabo national park and monument

This small national park is very interesting with very good birding. The self guided trails were in excellent condition and there was very good signage in both Spanish and English. We almost missed this wonderful place because the guide books tend to talk it down, one saying that it isn't Tikal, and if you'd been to such places that you would be disappointed. Well, we have been but we loved this very unique park.

We were truly suprised at the excellent display panels showing the renovations in 2013 that make this easy to imagine what it looked like.The stone roadway leading to the ceremonial mound [and leader's lodging and tomb] was long and well preserved/renovated. Considering these aqueducts and amphitheater date back to A.D. 100 or earlier, this is remarkable. Sure it is not Egypt's Giza, but it is worth the trip!While the trip to the location is a bit long, it is beautiful countryside, so you won't mind the drive.

I enjoyed the trail through the forest where we saw sloths and lots of birds. The clearings where the pre Columbian ruins were well maintained and interesting to see with clear information boards relating to the ruins and their excavation. At the entrance to the park was a picnic sight with some very clean and well kept toilets and washing facilities.

I think the comparisons to Chichen Itza and Macchu Pichu are overdone but it is still a very interesting place to visit.I liked the drive there too !The setting in the jungle was what made it for me. A real sense of history and mystery!

With bi-lingual interpretive signs this archological site was a fascinating visit which revealed a history we previously knew nothing about. The paths throughout the surrounding rain forest were well mantained and the walk itself was worth the visit. The revealed parts of the site are said to date from 1000BC until it was abandoned for unknown reasons in around 1400AD. The viaduct system which captures streams from the slopes of the nearby volcano is amazing. The ancient cobbled roads leading to this site lead straight through the jungle with a solid construction that would give the romans a run for their money - and put the 'modern' Costa Rican roads to shame!The drive over the mountains to Guayabo National monument is a thrilling, mountain top route and there are excellent restaurants along the way.

Still rather undeveloped but the areas that have been excavated and exposed reveal a civilization that parallels Machu Pechu.

We visited this monument with a guide, it would have been difficult to get the best out of this attraction without one. The forest surrounding the monument is an excellent area for birding. The ruins of the pre-columbian city are impressive. The monument is well worth a visit

Excellent English and Spanish interpretative signs. Unique in this country for archeology. A very nice picnic area with clean restrooms and even grills for cooking. A small interpretative center was under construction.

The site is little visited by foreign tourists. The morning we went tree were only Costa Ricans there. The guides are all good but we used a private guide who took more time, so we spent all morning investigating the history, architecture and engineering of the site as well as flora and fauna.

A fascinating tour back in the history of Central America. The wildlife was an added bonus! Canyoning in Turrialba was an adventure to behold. XXXXXXX

I was surprised to learn there are ruins here in Costa Rica, as my misunderstanding was there were no ancient cultures here. Our guide, Elizabeth, was from the area, and so proud of the heritage. She shared her knowledge of the site, and what has been learned from the excavations.The jungle there is beautiful, with well maintained trails for hiking.

The first thing you see when you enter the park, is a wide smooth stone road (all excavated, and rebuilt by volunteers) which is better than many of Central America’s national highways. The ancient people who used this road built it for show. They didn’t have domestic animals yet, or carts but wanted to show off to surrounding towns. The road led from a guard station, to the town behind which the city aqueduct filtered and fed water from an underground spring to the centre of town. While small compared to other sites we have visited, the advanced nature of the aqueduct system made it worth the trip. Make sure you get a guide, it’s well worth the extra money. Our guide had lots of interesting information, and I don't think we would have appreciated the significance of the place without her.

One does not expect archeological sites in Costa Rica and clearly this is not Tikal but there is agreat feeling of serenity about it,and the whole situation breathes calm and beauty.It is advisable to hire a guide who will show you the site and a few additional tidbits (engraved stones).One istaken in by the quiet majesty of the surroundings,the beautiful layout,the song of nature and thesophisticated approach to "urbanism" shown by people who conceived the site, apparently at thetime when early Mayas were setting up their sites.It is a place that will linger in your mind...Along the road leading to the Guayabo site you'll find places where to eat simply.

It was a nice day trip from San Jose, its a quick visit as there is not much to see, but the monument is interesting and very nice to see a little of the past of our country and see how smart and resourceful people were. This site was declared an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers and its very cheap to get in (I think it was $2-3), so I think its a good value. Also the ride getting there is very nice, you can stop and take some pics if the scenery or have coffee or lunch along the way.

I did not really know what to expect and had read some poor reviews about this park.To be honest I enjoyed the visit a lot. Park entrance is cheap and for $10 extra you can have a private guide walk you through and share part of their historical knowledge. Apart from the ruins and impressive aqueduct structure we enjoyed nature a lot. Air is as fresh as you can get, we were able to see many different birds, butterflies and bugs, and the sound of the river is as relaxing as can get.I recommend it as a short half a day trip. Outside of the park locals sell traditional goodies. Great experience to try different snacks (like honey covered cheese) and help them out at the same time.