Sun, sand, sea... and beaches to share!

One of the greatest advantages that Costa Rica has to offer tourists looking for sun, sea, beaches and fun, are the short distances that separate the San Jose capital, and the surrounding area, with the main beaches and the coastal areas. For example, a person in Puerto Limon on the Caribbean coast can enjoy a beautiful dawn and then at about 10 in the morning undertake the trip towards Puntarenas on the West coast, have a swim in the warm Pacific Ocean, admire the mountains on the Nicoya Peninsula and enjoy the sunset, all in one day!

Magical geography

Two coasts on two different oceans; two cultures and many climates, offer magical images to the traveler from the beach topography of palms and sand to the forests that descend to the edge of the sea, From the mouth of the San Juan River on the border with Nicaragua on the Caribbean side, to the delta of the Sixaola River on the border with Panama, you will find 215 kilometers of coastline, ample coves of surging waves and a Caribbean flavor that you can breathe in the air. On the other hand, the Pacific coast, from the border with Nicaragua in the north to Burica, on the border to the south, is irregular and sinuos, with hundreds of small beaches, formed like rock horseshoes and bordered by great waves where one can hide. With a tropical climate that is capricious and changes during the day, from good to better., the Pacific coast totals 1.015 kilometers where colored clouds drop like curtains on the majestic expanse of the ocean.

From hotels to a hammock between coconut palms, these 1.230 kilometers of coastline add to the wealth of the country. The unique coral reefs, the beaches for egg laying turtles and the birthing of jorobadas whales, the kilometers of mangroves, national parks, nature sanctuaries and the small islands off the coast for scuba and snorkeling, make this a popular tourist destination. There are enormous and modern hotel complexes as well as small hotels and cabins hidden between exuberant vegetation, all offering the best for surfing, diving and sport fishing. In addition, there are commercial ports on both coasts that can berth both cargo and cruise ships. There is no doubt as to why we are called Costa Rica the ‘Rich Coast’.

The beauty of the north Pacific coast starts in north, where the irregular beaches and ample coastline and pearly grey sand, serve as a great jumping off point for lovers of sport fishing. Once there, towards the south, the peninsula of Guanacaste, formed by more than 100 beaches, offers the best conditions for a great vacation. The tourist infrastructure offers hotels of international quality to small cabins in the picturesque neighboring towns. The beaches bathed in sunshine, the mangroves and rivers make the North Pacific one of the most important areas for national and foreign tourism. During the months of April, May, June, July and August, nature plays with the colors in the flowers and the egg laying turtles reflect the wonder between the flora and fauna and vegetation of the tropical dry forest.

The Canals of Tortuguero

The “zigzag” canals of Tortuguero in the north east sector of Costa Rica, are one of the jewels of the Caribbean. Tortuguero is an unusual combination of tropical rain forest and sea channels where you can meander gently along whilst taking in the glory of the flora around you. The open, ample and humid beaches are reminiscent of the Caribbean coast; calmer, a little sleepier but also mysterious, and very different from the Pacific coast. The 47.000 acres of Tortuguero National Park with its lagoons and canals that can only be accessed by boat or airplane, offer to calm the tourist with its romantic beaches and the impressive spectacle of the egg laying green turtles.

Central Pacific

We return to the Pacific, but this time to the central Pacific. Traditionally, Puntarenas was a special crossing point for reaching Costa Rican beaches. Being the capital of the largest province in the country, it serves as center for discovering tens of different activities in the area: scuba diving, surfing, sailing, for example, or to admire the old architecture and to delight in the wide selection of good restaurants in which to enjoy an assortment of seafood. From there, it is possible to cross by “ferry” to go on a visit to the pleasant beaches of the interior of the Gulf of Nicoya. You can also visit the islands of the Gulf: Cedros, Venado, San Lucas (where the old state prison is located), Chira, and Tortuga, as well as the Bahias de Ballena y Tambor.

Or travel further south towards the beaches of: Doña Ana, Boca de Barranca, Mata de Limón and Tivives. The most well known beaches in the area, of course, are the beaches at Jaco, even further south.

Puerto Limon

As the door to the Caribbean, Puerto Lmon is unique in the country. The mixture of its black, Hispanic, Indian and Chinese descendants, who built the railroad at the end of 1890’s, are a main characteristic of this city/port and the most important Caribbean port for the export of bananas and coffee. It is also a major port for the arrival of imported goods and the docking of cruise ships.

In October, the carnival of Limon is celebrated to commemorate the arrival of Columbus in 1502. The neighboring beaches are perfect for the quiet contemplation of the sea and its immensity. While in Limon do not miss the opportunity to try the Caribbean flavor of the local cuisine.

South Pacific

Here, one does not know if the sea wants to enter into the forest or the forest into the sea. This zone of the country is the most “natural” one, as tourist development has been more in harmony with its surroundings and nature.

The south Pacific area starts from Manuel Antonio and continues south to the border with Panama. The omnipresence of the forest on this coast allows one to observe gigantic herds of howling Tití monkeys and groups of parrots and macaws fly over the beaches to sleep on the sand, all the while listening to the sound of monkeys and other animals of the tropical rain forest.

From the Parque Marino Ballena, you can observe the birth of sperm whales and the Jorobada Whale and, more to the south, the beaches of Carate, Drake, Playa de Corcovado y Llorona, are the main options for two groups of tourists; the ones that are looking for a closer contact with nature and to observe in more detail the local wildlife and, the other ones, who are looking for more adventure, either surfing, kayaking, marine diving or other marine activities.

The South Caribbean

Cahuita is like a hallway that opens onto a different world, where silence and solitude allow communication with nature. Also in Cahuita is the chance to observe the coral reef that extends throughout the Central American Caribbean coast. It is an ideal site for diving as the transparent waters allow one an extended view of schools of octopus, forests of seaweed and incredibly colorful shoals of all the species of tropical fish known in Caribbean waters.

The wild beaches of this zone are reached by going through Puerto Limon. And in between the beaches of the south, you can also visit and fall in love with Puerto Viejo, Gandoca/Manzanillo, Punta Uva, la Reserva Biológica Hitoy Cererey, and el Refugio de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo.

The whole of the southern Caribbean area is the home of monkeys, macaws, parrots, crocodiles, tapir and small and medium sized rodents that are easily visible on the beaches and along the highways of the region.