Hacienda El Viejo Wetlands

Hacienda El Viejo Wetlands is one of the most memorable wildlife and cultural experiences in Guanacaste. The property is stunning—wide, open wetlands full of birds, monkeys, reptiles, and the kind of raw nature that makes Costa Rica so special. The boat tour is the highlight, offering close-up views of crocodiles, iguanas, herons, roseate spoonbills, and dozens of other species. It’s peaceful, educational, and perfect for photography. But what truly elevates the visit is the cultural side of the hacienda. The sugarcane and rum experience is incredibly well done, blending history, storytelling, and hands-on demonstrations. The guides are knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly proud of the traditions they’re sharing. And yes—the tastings are excellent. The hacienda itself is beautiful, with a classic Guanacaste feel and warm hospitality that makes you feel at home. The staff is friendly, attentive, and genuinely committed to creating a memorable experience. Whether you come for the boat tour, the rum tasting, the wildlife, or all of the above, everything is well organized and thoughtfully presented. If you’re exploring the Liberia area or staying in Papagayo, Tamarindo, or Playa Hermosa, Hacienda El Viejo Wetlands is absolutely worth the trip. Ideal for families, couples, and anyone who loves wildlife, culture, and authentic Costa Rican experiences.

We had a group tour of both the Hacienda as well as the river tour. It was a fun day for all ages. Our guides Abel and Carlos were very knowledgeable and super friendly and helpful. We saw lots of wildlife and enjoyed the demonstrations of the traditional sugar cane process, tortilla making and the pottery.

Loved it start to finish. Our friend had been trying to find how the locals lived historically and we got a bit of everything here. I learned a great deal about the labelling on rum.

Our guide was amazing!! He took photos of all the wildlife using the binoculars! We saw a lot of crocodiles, iguanas, monkeys & birds!

A wonderful experience on the river, a delicious lunch, and very friendly people. Without a doubt, I highly recommend this place. A big shout-out to "Chepe," the local cultural guide—very funny and with good English. My children picked apples and tamarinds, made tortillas, and we learned a lot from his family. I am very grateful for everyone's hospitality, especially José and his family.

The river boat tour was excellent. We saw: many crocodiles, various herons, swallows, the Jesus Christ lizard, bats, and learned about the trees and geographical area. I don’t know how we scored the specific boat we were on, but it was the nicest boat on the river. The other boats were the more traditional “bench”-style river tour boats, but ours was a new pontoon-style boat with great shade and cushioned seats. Felt VIP. Ask for this when booking!

Okay, there is a lot to address about this piece of Costa Rican history. First, the house is over 150 years old, and it has been updated to maintain its characteristics. The staff members that were encountered were attentive. The guides were unique and full of knowledge that enlightened your cranium. Hernan was awesome, earning an A+ for the boat tour. Alonso was knowledgeable and explained the making of ron/rhum/rum ( learn the difference) A+. The food served was above average A. The maintenance team should be acknowledged as well because the cleanliness of the grounds A+.

Great tour of the river, saw crocodiles, birds, monkeys, was really fun and interesting. The tour guides did a great job stopping and pointing things out. Was very impressed with the food, the steak was delicious and the service was great. The last stop was the rum tour and enjoyed learning so much about Rum from and tasting it made it even better. We got to make our own rum which was so cool and they give let us choose a label for it! Worth the drive out here to this beautiful land!