Caribbean
The soul of Costa Rica!
Costa Rica’s Caribbean region offers a mixture found nowhere else in the country, with its beaches and Afro-Caribbean culture, all of which are on display in the towns of Tortuguero, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo. The beaches of Tortuguero National Park and Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Reserve host the green sea turtle nesting season, one of the area’s main attractions.
The area’s top-quality beaches are fringed by exuberant vegetation, allowing for a mix between adventure, leisure and natural activities complemented by the local culture, cuisine and music. Popular options in the area include its coral reefs, multi-color sand beaches (black, yellow and grey) and its coastal and mid-altitude forests.
Cahuita National Park and the Gandoca-Manzanillo Reserve are internationally renowned not only for their natural beauty, but also because they showcase the state of conservation in the Greater Caribbean Region.
The Barra del Colorado sector has been ranked as a top site for sport fishing of species including sea bass and Atlantic tarpon. Additional activities also include birdwatching and observing the region’s flora and fauna. The system of river canals that link Puerto MoÃn with Tortuguero and Barra del Colorado are a unique attraction that is also the area’s main modes of transportation.
Limonense cooking has been significantly influenced by Afro-Costa Rican and Chinese culture. In addition to their food preparation methods, these groups also introduced a variety of plants that are not found elsewhere. The Caribbean hosts an impressive offer of cultural, athletic, civic and artistic activities, including the carnivals of Limón, which are held in October to mark the Day of the Cultures. These celebrations reflect Caribbean history, culture and idiosyncrasy.