Jardín Botánico Lankester

Jardín Botánico Lankester Review

At the basílica in the center of Cartago, turn right, and then left onto the busy road to Paraíso and Orosi. After 6 km (4 mi), a blue sign on the right marks the short road (500 meters/1,640 feet) to the lush gardens of Lankester Botanical Garden, one of the world's foremost orchid collections, with more than 1,100 native and introduced species of orchids. Bromeliads, heliconias, and aroids also abound in the 7-acre garden, along with 80 species of trees, including rare palms. A new Japanese garden has a graceful bridge and a teahouse. The best time to come is February through April, when the most orchids are in bloom. The garden's gift shop is one of the few places in Costa Rica to buy orchids that you can take home legally. (They come in small bottles and don't flower for four years, so you'll need some serious patience.) The garden is wheelchair-accessible and has excellent restrooms.