Costa Rica Caribbean Coast
Enchanting Costa Rica’s Caribbean Region has it all: wonderful tropical rainforest, overflowing vegetation, a great diversity of wildlife, excellent eco tourism opportunities, world-class fishing for tarpon and snook, and miles of breathtaking wild beaches, where endangered sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs; combined with the rich flavor of the region’s culture and the warmth of its people.
One of the country’s most popular eco tourism destinations, the canals, rivers, wild beaches, and lakes of Tortuguero National Park (“Costa Rica’s Amazon”) are a working laboratory of rainforest, freshwater, and marine biology. In one of Nature’s most amazing expressions, Green Turtles nest along the beaches each year from July to October.
Barra del Colorado in the northern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica near the Nicaraguan border boasts superb tarpon fishing that draws fishermen from around the world. Other fishes caught in the area include snook and calba, which run upstream from December to January.
The port city of Limon is Caribbean flavor all the way. Capital of the Afro-Caribbean culture in Costa Rica, Limon possesses English-based dialects that have survived over the years. If a stop in Limon produces a little culture shock, it is a good equalizer for the journey ahead.
About an hour south of Limon there is Cahuita, another charming Caribbean town adjoining the Cahuita National Park. Known for its marine wealth, Cahuita’s reefs also hold one of the greatest varieties of live coral along the white-sand seashore. Half an hour is drive south of Cahuita is Puerto Viejo, the perfect place to kick back and relax for a few days or weeks, with miles of unspoiled beaches running south from town.
Manzanillo is literally the “end of the road” and the beginning of many great adventures. From here, you can take a boat, a horse, or set off on foot. This area is part of Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, one of the most scenic regions in Costa Rica and one rich in flora and fauna. With offshore diving as good as any in Costa Rica and enviable weather all year round, Manzanillo is as close to the lost tropical land of your dreams as you are likely to discover!
Though the mainstream hotel industry has not yet come to the Caribbean, small and rustic family-owned lodges or simple accommodations are available.
