If you’re looking to get lost in a bit (or a vast amount) of history and nature and to catch some gnarly waves, look no further than the Parque Nacional Santa Rosa. The 38,674-hectare stretch of national reserve is one of the oldest and largest reserves in Costa Rica, preserving not only nature, but also the national pride of the native Ticos, who battled over the land for hundreds of years, winning every time at the point of Santa Rosa. Although Santa Rosa is both a historical and natural preservation site, it has become a hot spot for tourists and biologists alike, providing some of the best waves and observation grounds in Costa Rica. Santa Rosa preserves the Playa Nancite, a popular nesting ground for olive ridley sea turtles that, between July and December, can be seen by the thousands hanging out on the beach. At Playa Naranjo, avid surfers can catch the big breaks created by Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point. And if you’re into wildlife, you can see 250 bird species, 60 bat species, 115 mammalian species, dozens of reptilian species, including 4 species of turtle, and thousands of insect species including 4000 different moths and butterflies. Although the bugs are numerous and annoying, the park is fairly quiet and has little traffic during the week, making it the perfect spot to go camping overnight and leave your worries behind.