The South Caribbean: An entire paradise… just for you!

From the first moment that you start a journey towards the Costa Rican Caribbean … You do not cease to be surprised, and after each kilometer that you approaches to Limón the more that region get under your skin …

The high mountains and the im­pressive views of the Braulio Carrillo National Park are left behind yourself, to arrive to the humid low plains of Guápiles, Siquirres and closer to Limón: the vast banana plantations that spurt of gilded fruits almost to all the corners of the planet. Costa Rica, in special the Caribbean zone, is among the first three banana exporting countries to the North American and European markets. Being this one activity along with the tourism the two sources of income and work for the Caribbean region of this country.

Puerto Limón: A cultural jewel, where the Caribbean Sea decorates the eastern coasts of Costa Rica with turquoise tonalities in its waters and golden and violets tones in the sky of its dawns. Puerto Limón, the capital of the province, is a magical and charming city. Facing to the sea, it is worthy to cross its sidewalks and in the horizon look at the Uvita island; also the huge ships and boats that arrive at the port, main route to import and export products to this nation. Limón is a cultural mixture: Blacks, Indians, Chinese, Panamanians, Nicaraguans and white people are some of the nationalities, ethnic groups and cultures that can be seen and be listened to in several points of Puerto Limón. Due to this characteristic, it is very attractive to admire and to photograph the colorful atmosphere that is breathed in its Market (and why not to give your self a treat at any of the food stands?). Besides to visit the Ethnographic Museum where all the cultural contribution of these peoples is represented and explains why they have made of Limón a jewel of the national culture.

Also, discover the Vargas park, a sam­ple of the tropical exuberance of the Caribbean: with enormous trees, amounts of flowers, birds and beautiful views of rocks and the sea. About four kilometers out of the city, you can take a trip to Playa Bonita where the white sands beach and transparent waters invite to take a good refreshing swim.

The Caribbean Cuisine is very well recognized, all over Limón and out of it: due to the mastery in the preparation of delicious dishes.

Making use of rich condiments and ingredients characteristic of the African legacy they are combined with the flavors of different regions that, like their people, obtain an exquisite mix. The traditions have been transmitted of one generation after another one, and still the youngest and modern generations know and maintain the traditional and authentic flavor of their meals.

To travel to Limón and not to taste its delights is as if you have not gone. In order to try the true Limón taste you must have a “rondón”, “rice and beans”, “patí”, and the “Agua de sapo” (water of toad) a refreshment prepared with lemon juice, molasses, ginger root and something else … family secret, so they say.

We do not have to recommended a restaurant to try the Limón delights, at any small “Soda” (cafeteria) you can have a great fish with Caribbean sauces, patíes and sweet dessert home made. The locals in every town are the best gastronomic guides and they can recommend the best places and foods to order.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca … A real wonder! It is a locality of great enchantments. It is located just in the middle of two immensities: Sea and forest. The town of Puerto Viejo is one of greater tourist attractive in the zone of the South Caribbean. A clean and calm turquoise sea allows all kind of water sports, such as fishing and deep sea fishing, diving, kayaking, windsurfing, swimming and to tan yourself on a calm beach … or just to seat under a palm and to enjoy the beautiful and natural panorama of this region. The forest, on the other hand, allows you do experience a long, long list of activities inside the mountain: long walks by footpaths and trails, to climb to a tree to take photos, horse back rides, birds watching, or simply to go into trail and seat down to listen to the sounds of the wild… You will be surprised of how close “the wild thing” is to the “the civilized thing” of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

And it is that,” the civilized thing” exists in this clean and ordered town where the inhabitants and the tourists respect their individualities and the collectivity.

Plenty of small sites where to make your shopping, to drink something or to spoiled yourself with the Caribbean flavors.

Puerto Viejo offers everything to everyone and something special to each one of its visitors … the native say well:” He who comes once …will keep coming back to Puerto Viejo“. And it is that this distant and natural place of the South Caribbean has its enchantment!

Bribri … An indigenous legacy! As well as Puerto Viejo is an international mixture of cultures and colors: Bribri is known to conserve its flavor and traditions. This indigenous town is located to about 18 kilometers to the south of Cahuita, turn right at the Puerto Viejo cross.

Bribri is the home of about 5500 bribris that live at the hills and low territories of the Eastern South part of Costa Rica and part of Panama.

It is the cultural crossing of the American natives with the Jamaicans that arrived at these lands by the construction of the railroad at the end of XIXth Century.

The main activity is this community has been agriculture; nevertheless, their products offer alternatives for the traditional medicine, the construction and the commercialization outside the indigenous Reserve. A small tribe of the Bribri: The Kekoldi has dedicated they efforts to a iguana’s farm. This group of 200 Kekoldi has specialized themselves in the reproductive techniques of the iguanas to repopulate the forests, due to the importance that these iguanas has for the forest and the ecological balance: The farm is 11 years old and maintains 2.000 iguanas and an average of 2.000.000 of eggs that after being 5 years in the farm are released to the forest. A place that is worth to visit!

In the surrenders of Puerto Viejo … There is much, much more! Several gorgeous places stand out: For all those people who look for the beach to rest under the sun, to enjoy its warmth and the sea: Playa Cocles and Playa Chiquita. Punta Uva, with natural places of great beauty, is one of the places that offer the best panoramic views and for the lovers of the natural photography. Further south, is Manzanillo: This town is considered “the front door to the Natural Reserve of Gandoca Manzanillo”. Within this reserve are two places of magnificent beauty: Punta Mona with the best coral line reef of the Caribbean de Centro America, those measures near 200 meters and a site of visit for the scuba diving fans. And the other: the swamp of Punta Mona: The resting place and reproduction of hundreds of species of birds that pass part of the year in their waters and flying over the zone... The place to observe birds!

Cahuita National park is located to about 40 kilometers to the south of the city of Puerto Limon. The town of Cahuita is located and dedicated to the secondary activities to the National Park. In addition, being a very old town, still it conserves numerous samples of the Creole culture and some of the constructions display the architectonic legacy of the colonial in heritance. To the northwest of the city one of the paradise corners of the region is located: Two long white sand beaches and warm waters, united by a small reef of chorale.

Since its opening to the public, in 1970, and due to this well developed chorale reef is that Cahuita is one of the most visited parks of the Caribbean coast. It is conformed by 1.067 hectares more than 23.000 hectares are form by the marine park which includes the system of the reef and the rest is a sanctuary for species of mammals that within the tropical humid forest can be observed: monkeys, pizotes, tigrillos and some dantas.

The Biological Reserve Hitoy Cerere is the place if you want to escape of the noise and to be in contact with nature: We invited you to walk by the trails of the Reserve Hitoy Cerere. The road to access the park is not easy, but once you are there you will be glad for the additional effort. The park holds 9.050 hectares and throughout protects a humid tropical forest that stays beautiful, the year round. The forest of Hitoy Cerere has no season. The forest grows in a exuberant way and provides an enchanted atmosphere to long, long walks. The wild fauna is abundant and it is possible to observe margay, pecarís and the monkeys. The birds are omnipresent in all the reserve.

And, according to some guides of the park, they say that there are zones of the park that still are unexplored, where gilded harpies can be seen. The station of the center will receive a quota of admission and will be able to coordinate a guide.

In order to visit this zone, we recommended to have at least about 5 days of your agenda... but if you can not remain much time, it does not matter, remembers that: “Who comes once … will keep coming back to Puerto Viejo.”