This 14-hectare island and the surrounding marine environment were included in the country's wildlife refuge system in 1981, primarily to protect one of the few nesting sites for Brown Pelicans and Magnificent Frigatebirds in Costa Rica. Some 200 pairs of pelicans nest in treetops on the northern side of the island, while about half as many frigatebirds use similar nest sites on the island's southern cliffs. Isla Bolaños is also the only place in the country where American Oystercatchers have ever been found nesting.

The waters around the island are a beautiful clear blue and support abundant marine life.

Admission policy: No visitation is permitted from December through March so as not to disturb the nesting seabird colonies. At other times of the year, prior permission must be obtained from the Park Service, either in San José (Phone: 192).

To get there: Located in Salinas Bay near the border with Nicaragua, Isla Bolaños is only accessible by boat. Transportation may be hired in Puerto Soley for the three-kilometer voyage to the island.

Climate: The island receives less than a meter and a half of rain annually, making it one of the driest places in the country. The low shrubby vegetation that dominates the island is a result of the dry climatic conditions and poor, rocky soil.