La Merced National Wildlife Refuge is situated on the Pacific Coast near Punta Uvita and the Ballena Marine National Park.The reserve has an area of 1250 acres which is comprised of a forest reserve with both primary and secondary tropical wet forest as well as pasture, mangrove estuary, frontage on the Morete River and beach. It offers a wide variety of environments for you to explore to find amazing birds, reptiles, insects and mammals.

Here you can enjoy hiking around the trails of the reserve, enjoy the tropical rain forest, the mangrove, go horseback riding for pleasure, or visit the Ballena Marine National Park which is located adjacent to the refuge. La Merced has been protected from hunting for many years and is an active member of Asociacion de Amigos de la Naturaleza del Pacífico Central y Sur (ASANA). It is part of the Tapir's Path Wildlife Corridor (Corredor Biológico Paso de la Danta).