Isla Bolaños (seabird refuge)
Nature spot · Guanacaste · hidden gem
A small rocky island in the middle of Bahía Salinas, protected as a national wildlife refuge since 1981 because it shelters nesting colonies of magnificent frigatebirds and brown pelicans. Nobody lands here – you see it from a boat or kayak circling at a respectful distance, or from the beaches of Puerto Soley, Copal and Bolaños.
- Time there
- 2 h
- Best time
- morning
- Kids
- 6 / 10
- View
- 8 / 10
- Crowds
- 1 / 10
- Swimming
- 6 / 10
- Effort
- 3 / 10
- Location
- 11.04836, -85.709019 — Google Maps
Before you go
- Tickets
- Better to book ahead
- Swimming
- No swimming
- Bring
- binoculars, sun hat, water
- Checked
- 2026-10
Tip
Bring binoculars and ask local boat operators or fishermen in Puerto Soley or El Jobo for a trip around the island; mornings are calmer before the wind picks up.
Be careful
Landing is prohibited to protect the colonies – keep boats at a distance and don't fly drones over the island.
Getting there
Only by boat or kayak with a local operator from the Bahía Salinas beaches below La Cruz.
Sources: OpenStreetMap way/19783103 · Wikidata Q23745197 · https://delfino.cr/2021/01/el-corredor-turistico-costero-en-la-cruz-la-nueva-opcion-para-disfrutar-guanacaste · https://www.visitcostarica.com/sites/default/files/2024-10/INGLES%20LA%20CRUZ.pdf · https://www.routard.com/fr/guide/ameriques/costa-rica/l-arenal-et-le-nord-ouest/bahia-salinas · https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/19783103 · https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23745197