This wildlife refuge consists of 92.000 hectares of very hot humid tropical forest with swamps lands without wooded areas, canals, and holillo palms. It has the largest extensions of wetlands in the Caribbean coast in Costa Rica, including seasonal flooded lowlands of the San Juan River, swamps, lagoons and pools. It is the only settlement of any size, a small village by Afro-Caribbeans, Miskitos. It is divided in two parts: Barra Norte and Barra Sur, opposite each other near the mouth of the river Rio Colorado. Most of businesses cater to tourism and spiny lobster craft fishing since agricultural and livestock businesses are not suitable for the area.