Caribbean Costa Rica – A Vacation Paradise!
The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica stretches 212 km from its border north with Nicaragua south to Panama, and is home to some of the most gorgeous national parks in the country. Cahuita National Park is located between Cahuita and Puerto Vargas, Tortuguero National Park in the Northern Caribbean, and the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge is located between the towns of Manzanillo and Gandoca. The area offers something for everyone – be it nature, adventure, hikingor just the laid-back living of the Caribbean towns and the beaches.
Downtown Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo , located just south of Cahuita, boasts a rich, Afro-Caribbean influence. The vibrant town is home to people from all over the globe, and has an excellent choice of both local and international cuisine, art galleries, nightclubs and gift shops. The majority of people opt for bicycles as their main form of transportation. As the sun sets, the sound of reggae, calypso and reggeaton can be heard as the locals gather in small groups to enjoy a drink, conversation or even a game of dominoes outside of one of the liquor stores or bars.
The beaches to the south of Puerto Viejo are some of the best in the country, with Playa Cocles offering the only lifeguard tower on the coast – marking the safe areas to swim with green flags. The beach is also known as Beach Break, and has a good, consistent surf – perfect for surf lessons. A few kilometers down from Cocles is Playa Chiquita, which has many natural pools on secluded beaches protecting you from the currents. It is ideal for families and is home to a sizable expat community. Punta Uva is arguably the most beautiful beach on the coast, if not the country, and has become very popular with the scuba diving world and with snorkelers exploring the various species of coral and fish found on the reef. The town at the end of the road is Manzanillo – a small Caribbean fishing village which lies at the entrance of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.
Adventure on the Caribbean
White water rafting on the R
