As the tourism website of Costa Rica the territory of this American country stretches from coast to coast, from the Caribbean to the Pacific, presenting a series of wonderful landscapes and microclimates that make it a tourist wonder.
It only has 51 thousand square kilometers but in that area you will find from tropical forests, through waterfalls and volcanoes, to beautiful beaches. Today we will focus on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica and its coast on the Caribbean
The country's coast on the Caribbean Sea is concentrated in the province of Limón It runs about 200 kilometers from the northern border with Nicaragua to the southern border with Panama.
The truth is that Limón is a very interesting region. For a long time it was hardly given importance, until the construction of a port, Puerto Limón, on the central coast, considering that it was good to export bananas through the Atlantic.
The subsequent construction of the railroad linking Puerto Limón with the city of San José ended up connecting a virtually forgotten area of the country with "civilization."
What to visit on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica
Beach beautiful, natural reserves spectacular, wild life surprising, banana plantations, rain forests and picturesque villagesbasically.
You can rent a car and follow the route of Route 32, the artery that connected Limón with the rest of the country before the arrival of the train. You will discover everything I have just said, although it is not convenient to make this little trip in the rainy season, April to DecemberIt is the time of the so-called «Atlantic storms».
Puerto Limón to the south It has the Talamanca mountain range that when we see it on a map we discover that it travels right to the sea. On its slopes there are some villages and there is also the Cahuita National Park, a destination of turquoise waters and corals that is a great destination for snorkeling and diving. Cahuita, the town, is also a super relaxed destination and I would say, half hippie.
If you go a little further south you get to Puerto Viejo considered by all best place to surf in this part of the country. Vast waves form along the shoreline and when the surf ends the social life in the own village of Puerto Viejo, and at night ... to pure music and parties among surfers.
To the north of Puerto Limón are located banana plantations and rainforests, dense and well green. It is the home of Tortuguero National Park, among the most famous in the country and only accessible by boat or plane, the National Wildlife Refuge or Colorado bar.
The best of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica
- Cahuita: the village is great, of Creole, Afro-Caribbean culture. It is only 43 kilometers south of Puerto Viejo and is a magnet for the young tourists. Most of its 4 inhabitants are descended from Jamaican workers who worked on the plantations and that is still palpable. Black beach It is very close, with black sands and ideal for swimming, and the white beaches of the Cahuita National Park are also close. There are many tours available.
- Puerto Viejo: surf destination, impossible to miss because they combine the Creole culture with hippie with India. Very rare, but very attractive. This just 18 kilometers from Cahuita and you arrive either by walking along the beach or by highway 36. It has white beaches and tropical vegetation plus some national parks very close as the Cahuita National Park or the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Reserve. The Talamanca Ecotourism Association takes care of many tours and promotes the sustainable tourism.
- Tortuguero: it is a city and a national park and the Afro-Caribbean influence it is also felt here in the culture and gastronomy. As there are no routes that connect this part with the rest of the country You can only get there by boat or plane. By boat from the city of Moin, near Puerto Limón, navigating a canal, and by plane from San José. The national park is incredible, with beach, rain forest and a wild view of the sea of varied with turtles, monkeys, alligators and birds. Hiking and kayaking are famous.
- Pacuare: If you like green turtles It is a great destination because they and other species of turtles arrive at its beach to lay eggs. It happens between May and October. There are boating or kayaking through canals that end near the beach and also nearby is the Pacuare river, great for rafting. If you visit Tortuguero Park you can get closer because it is not far.
- Manzanillo: within the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge is the village of Manzanillo, destination of palm fringed white beaches and with calm waters. Rides are made in kayaking and snorkelling and there are also many trails to do Hiking or go fishing at sea.
- Cocles Beach: It is a village to the south with a lot of green, great beaches and very relaxed atmosphere, with mestizo culture. Reggea reigns at night, there are shops selling surfing things, restaurants, bars and different accommodations. If you rent a bike it is the best to know everything. Can you do Mountain biking, kayaking and going fishing.
- Rainforest Tram Atlantic: if you are around here you cannot miss this little walk. It is only 50 kilometers from San José and is located at one end of the Brauilio Carillo National Park. It is a gondola tour of an hour and 10 minutes, canopy through the forest, how are you? A safe and fun way to see monkeys, snakes, tropical birds, and bears.
Finally, we cannot stop renaming the city of Puerto Limón or as they say around here Limón to dry. It is the largest city in the region and about 85 thousand people live. Almost all are of African descent so they are all mixed race.
Here in Limón there are open air markets, parks, museums, a nearby beach, Playa Bonita, and what else is there to say, it is the gateway to all the adventure that I told you about before. From San José you arrive on Highway 32, it is barely two hours and 50 minutes of travel, or you arrive by plane and after taking the map ... to enjoy the Caribbean region of Costa Rica!