Travel to Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast

Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast map

If you choose to travel to Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, you will be pleasantly surprised by this diversity both geographically and culturally.

Costa Rica's Caribbean coast is about 200-km (120 mi) long and is sparsely settled with tiny villages spaced far apart. It is distinctly different from the remainder of Costa Rica. Not only is it geographically different, it is culturally distinct.

The Cordillera Talamanca splits Costa Rica in two and impacts the Caribbean in a unique way. There is no dry season. There are wetlands and lush rain forest throughout the Caribbean. The jungle descends on the sandy beaches in an area that is inhabited by Afro-Caribbeans who came as workers in the banana industry.

The indigenous people of the area live along side a wave of immigrants from Panama, China and Nicaragua. Recently, there are arrivals from Europe and North America and this makes the Caribbean particularly diverse compared to other regions of Costa Rica. Read more about Costa Rica's culture & people.

The Caribbean coast is not well developed and is a popular travel destination for surfers and eco-tourists. The pace of life is slower than in the rest of the country. Tourism is giving this area an economic boost.

Travel highlights on the Caribbean

  • Rainforest Aerial Tram: A ride through the rainforest canopy on a tram provides a fabulous introduction to the tropical ecology of the region.
  • Tortuguero National Park: Teeming with wildlife, this watery world is an eco-tourists paradise. Everyone gets around by boat at this park. The beach is a prime nesting site for marine turtles. The national park is tops for wildlife viewing and birding.
  • Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge: This is an anglers prime destination for catching big fish.
  • Cahuita & Cahuita National Park: This small village has a charming character, great beaches, diverse wildlife, and great local cuisine; the nearby national park is easy to access and fun to explore.
  • Puerto Viejo: A low-key funky spot, this town is one of the most happening — spots in Costa Rica.
  • Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Reserve: Crocodiles, monkeys, manatees, turtles and more. This reserve is a great destination as it encompasses several ecosystems and can be reached by bike.

Safety concerns

This region is experiencing increasing trouble with the drug trade and there has been a considerable amount of crime against tourists.

It is important to be cautious and take care in this area, as there is increased activity with local youth selling drugs to tourists. There are many undercover policemen.

The crime around tourism persists with tourists being attacked by robbers and many men are very forward toward women. There are some women who are found on the arms of local males and other women travelers may have to contend with the advances of these men who charge for their services. It is important to be aware of this situation.

Rainforest Aerial Tram

The Rainforest Aerial Tram is on 475-hectares (1,200-acres) of land and is a private reserve that shares its northeastern boundary with Braulio Carrillo National Park.

This tram was constructed by Dr. Donald Perry who was the author of Life Above the Jungle Floor. The tram takes visitors on a 90-minute guided tour of the canopy and, then, 2.6-km (1.6 mi) of cable car giving visitors a spectacular view of the hanging gardens at the level of the canopy.

A zip line with six platforms offers the adventurous an adrenaline rush, while naturalists can find a serpentarium, butterfly and frog garden.

The tram is located on Highway 32 at 4-km (2.5 mi) past the Braulio Carrillo ranger station.

Puerto Limon

Costa Rica's Caribbean coast is removed from San Jose, especially from its sphere of influence and this is the great city of the region. This is a hard-working port city and is not particularly targeted at tourists. The streets are lined with run-down buildings and there are numerous over grown parks. Shoppers and street vendors crowd the sidewalks.

The Atlantic coast of Costa Rica was left unexplored by Spanish settlers until the 19th century. The railroad began construction in 1987 and brought in freed Jamaican slaves for cheap labor.

At the same time, the United Fruit Company began growing and exporting bananas making it a booming business. In 1913, the banana industry moved to the Pacific coast but the workers were restricted by visa regulations from following the employment opportunities. Without employment, locals turned to subsistence farming, fishing and working on cocoa plantations.

An uprising in 1948 lead to a 40-day civil war and in 1949, a new president gave blacks the right to work and travel freely throughout Costa Rica.

Travel sights & activities in Puerto Limon

  • Walking on the bench-lined sidewalks on the waterfront in Parque Vargas is the city's main attraction.
  • Shopping on the pedestrian mall and mercado central where local Latin-reggae fusion and hip-hop music can be purchased.
  • Visiting Museo Etnohisortico de Limon has exhibits of Afro-Caribbean artifacts.
  • Boating out to Isla Uvita to catch the country's most powerful lefts is also an option.

Parismina

A friendly village located at the southern end of Tortuguero National Park and at the mouth of Rio Parismina, this village attracts turtle and tarpon lovers. Accessible by boat only, Parismina has a remote a island atmosphere.

The beach is the breeding ground of hundreds of leatherback, green and hawksbills turtles. They come to nest from late February to early October with the peak season in April and May.

The waters are also filled with record-breaking Atlantic tarpon. It is popular with anglers, as the tarpon season is from January to mid-May and snook can be caught from September to November in the Rio Parismina.

Travel sights & activities in Prismina

  • Volunteering with the local turtle hatchery allows tourists the opportunity to learn about turtles and to get involved with the community.
  • Swimming at the nearby lagoon known as Barrita is a chance to cool down, as the beaches are rough.
  • Visiting the Jardin Tropical, a heliconia farm, is a traditional Tico farm where one can ride horses.
  • Fishing outfitters operate out of Parismina. There are a number of luxury lodges who cater to every need. Rio Parismina Lodge caters to top-end toursits with all-inclusive vacations.

Tortuguero Village

Accessible only by air or water, this beautiful place is known for the hordes of hatchling turtles found in the sands. Tortuguero means turtle place and turtles come to lay eggs from late July through August.

This is one of the rainiest regions in Costa Rica. Tortuguero is a quieter destination than others on the Caribbean. The amount of water and rain makes it difficult to see the difference between land and sea. Because it is so wet, it is possible that this is the reason that turtles come to lay their eggs here.

The amount of water makes this travel destination fabulous for fishing. Fishermen originally settled this area because of the amount of fish in the waters.

Travel sights & activities in Tortuguero Village

  • Visiting the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, a research station, which has a small visitor center and museum exhibits turtle-related things.
  • Touring the Canada Organization for Tropical Education Rainforest Conservation, 7-km (4 mi) north of Tortuguero Village, is a chance to see the collection of biological specimens from the area, including a collection of skulls, insects, seeds and fruits.
  • Boating through the national park, either via one's own power or hire a motorized boat. This is a fabulous way to see the surrounding ecology and scenery.
  • Hiking in the park to the pinnacle of Cerro Torguguero, an extinct volcano about 6-km north of the village. Visitors will need to hire a boat to get tot his spot.
  • Touring the canals with a guide to look for turtles.

Tortuguero is accessible by boat from Caribari or Moin. If you are traveling to Parismina, you should be able to get one of the boats in Moin to drop you on the way. You can get to Cariari by bus from San Jose or Puerto Limon.

Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero National Park is located on the Caribbean coast in a remote 31,187-hectare (77,000-acre) national park. This park is largely made up of a coastal rainforest which has what seems to be an infinite maze of canals. These canals are an engineering marvel. A trip on the canals of Tortuguero has been likened to a dreamy lazy float on the Amazon. It is a lyrical trip where visitors are rewarded with glimpses of sloths, iguanas, crocodiles, numerous species of birds and freshwater turtles. This park contains 11 ecological habitats and an abundance of wildlife. Read more about Tortuguero National Park.

Barra del Colorado

The National Refuge of Vida Silvestre Barra del Colorado is the biggest national wildlife refuge in Costa Rica and includes 90,400-hectares (223,000-acres). It forms a conservation unit with the adjacent Tortuguero National Park.

This refuge has a similar landscape to the neighboring national park and has kilometers of canals, lagoons, rivers and marshes. The only way to get around is by boat.

Barra is much more remote, more expensive and more difficult to visit that Tortuguero but it is adventurous and rewarding.

In Barra, the there an incredible list of wild and marine life and some of them are as follows:

Travel activities

  • Fishing offshore for tarpon from January to June and year-round for barracuda, mackerel, and jack crevalle.
  • Fishing inshore for bluegill, rainbow bass and machaca.
  • Fishing deep sea for marlin, sailfish and tuna.
  • Canoeing and kayaking the waterways to explore the backwater canals and lagoons.

Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve

A 9,950-hectare (25,000-acre) reserve located in the southern Caribbean, this is one of the most rugged and least visited reserves in Costa Rica.

This reserve is named for two rivers. The hitoy which means woolly and refers to its moss-covered rocks and the Cerere which means clear waters. These rivers receive an incredible amount of rain each year (between 4-6m/10-15 ft) and rush down the side of the mountains making the rainforest moist, humid and picturesque.

Wildlife sightings have included the woolly and grey four-eyed opossum, tayra, howler and white-faced monkeys. The keel-billed toucan, spectacled own and green kingfisher are birding highlights.

The biological reserve is surrounded by remote indigenous reserves which can be visited with a local guide.

There are no facilities and few trails in this reserve except a ranger station at the entrance.

Cahuita

This is a laid-back spot on the Costa Rica's Caribbean. Travelers can find perfect beaches with trails through protected jungles. Cahuita is in the middle of a beach to the north of town and a national park to its south nestling it into a small point that sticks out into the Caribbean Sea.

There are only two gravel roads leading through town and, as a result, Cahuita sees little traffic.

Travel activities in Cahuita

  • Swimming in Playa Negra, a long black-sand beach, is a top swimming spot/ beach in the area.
  • Surfing at Playa Negra where there is an excellent beach break and few surfers to compete with.
  • Snorkeling on one's own or with a tour outfitter at a local reef.
  • Sport fishing is available with local outfitters.
  • Touring with a local tour company to Hitoy-Cerere Reserve or Bribri indigenous Reserve.
  • Horseback riding tours along the beach or to jungle waterfalls are available.
  • Biking with a rental to nearby natural attractions.

Cahuita National Park

Famous for its fine sandy beach and coral reef, this national park is located on the Caribbean coast. It is 1,067-hectares (2,600-acres) in size and is one of the smallest parks in Costa Rica. It is also one of the most visited parks in Costa Rica. The park has a lovely rainforest that reaches the beach and from the beach, the reef extends 500m (1,500 ft) out to sea.

Teeming with wildlife, the forest and waters are full of viewing opportunities. There are tropical fish, crabs, lobsters, sponges, sea fans, marine creatures, anemones, seaweed and much more. Mammals include monkeys (white-faced and howlers), raccoons, coatis and sloths.

Hiking in Cahuita National Park

A 7-km coastal trail is easily navigable and leads through the jungle from Kelly Creek to Puerto Vargas. Parks of the trail follows the beach while other parts are in the forest. There is a river crossing on this trail. The trail meets with a road that leads to the Puerto Vargas ranger station. From the ranger station, it is 2-km (1.25 mi) to the park entrance where it's possible to hitch a ride to town.

Weather on the Caribbean

Hot, humid and rainy. The dry season is from mid-February through April and can be drier in September and October. The best time to travel to the Caribbean coast is during dry season.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a Caribbean dream travel destination of perfect beaches, fabulous surfing and a laid-back attitude. There is a good nightlife and restaurant scene in Puerto Viejo and a significant number of expats are moving here.

The Afro-Caribbean presence is strong here and the smells of coconut and sounds of reggae is part of the charm in Puerto Viejo.

This is a small town with one long paved road that follows the coastline. It is crowded with surf shops, open-air bars and ice-cream parlors. There are many kilometers of beach stretching in both directions from town.

Travel services in Puerto Viejo

  • Internet access is available at several locations in town.
  • Money can be accessed at the ATM or exchanged at a couple of private businesses.

Travel sights & activities in Puerto Viejo

  • Visiting the tropical work farm of Finca la Isla Botanical is an opportunity to see tropical fruit and ornamental plants where birds and wildlife hangout.
  • Touring the small tropical nursery called Jungles of Talamanca offers a chance to try delicious chocolate or rich cocoa butter
  • Surfing one of the local beaches including the famed Salsa Brava or impressive Playa Cocles.
  • Swimming the entire southern Caribbean coast where there are picture-perfect beaches such as Playa Negra, Cocles, Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo.
  • Snorkeling at Punta Uva or Manzanillo when conditions are calm.
  • Diving at the coral gardens where hundreds of species of fish including angelfish, parrotfish, triggerfish, sharks and jack and snapper can be seen.
  • Hiking is best at nearby Cahuita National Park and the National Refuge of Vida Silvestre

Punta Uva

Punta Uva is known for having the most swimmable beaches in the area. The beaches along this stretch are lovely and located about 7-km (4 mi) east of Puerto Viejo.

Some describe this stretch as heavenly because the waters are crystal clear and the beaches are lined with palm trees. Water temperatures are better than bath water at 27°C (80°F).

It's possible to rent a bike in Puerto Viejo and ride to Punta Uva.

There are a number of good quality and affordable accommodation options on the road to Punta Uva.

Manzanillo

This region of the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica remains one of the most pristine. The little village is idyllic and is off-the-beaten-track with few visitors. The beaches are postcard perfect.

Wildlife, not nightlife, is the main attraction as the locals established the National Refuge of Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo. Along with wildlife viewing the activities include sunning, snorkeling and surfing.

Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Reserve

National Refuge of Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo protects nearly 70% of the southern Caribbean coast and encompasses 5,013-hectares (12,400-acres) of land plus 4,436-hectares (11,000-acres) of sea.

One of the main attractions is the long stretch of beach with coral reef where one can find lobster, sea fans and long-spined urchins. The endangered manatee is also found in this reserve.

Mostly a rainforest, this refuge is filled with a variety of trees and vegetation. Many tropical birds are attracted to this reserve and the area is known for the raptor migration where millions of birds fly overhead in the fall.

This corner of Costa Rica is considered on of the most scenic spots in the country. There is no administration of the reserve at this time, which means little signage, no official park entrance and no entrance fee.

Travel activities in Manzanillo

  • Snorkeling in the living coral reefs where there are five different types of coral and 400 species of fish and crustaceans. Try Punta Mona or Manzanillo for snorkeling right near shore. Snorkel rental is available.
  • Diving in the same area is also available with Aquamore Talamanca Adventures.
  • Kayaking the wildlife refuge or padding on the reef with a local outfitter is possible.
  • Sport fishing is offered by several outfitters and charters in town.
  • Observing dolphins with a local guide where there are three species and one that was recently discovered in Costa Rica.
  • Watching turtles, especially leather backs, green hawksbill and loggerheads which nest on the beach. From March to July, the leatherbacks nest. April and May is the peak season.
  • Volunteering to collect nesting eggs is also possible through the Asociacion Nacional de Asuntos Indigenas.
  • Touring the local reserve with a guide offers the opportunity to identify medicinal plants, exotic birds and animals. Treks last from four to five hours.

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