Caribbean
From the canals of Tortuguero and the multi-colored sand beaches
lined with towering coconut palms to the rugged mountains of Talamanca,
adventure and discovery await all visitors.
Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast runs two hundred kilometers between
Nicaragua and Panama extending inland as far as Braulio Carrillo
National Park and narrowing in the south where the Talamanca mountain
range sweeps toward the coast.
Typically different from the rest of the country, life in the Caribbean
is a mixture of influences. Indigenous heritage combines with African,
Oriental and Spanish bloods, offering as a consequence a rich combination
reflected in spicy foods as well as "spicy" cultural expressions.
On the northern end of this zone is a long, straight coastal strip
separated from the sea by a series of freshwater lagoons extending
to Tortuguero and the Colorado River.
The city of Limon is capital of the province of the same name and
marks the border between the north and the south. It is also the
main port of access to the country on this coast and one of the
preferred destinations for cruise ships navigating the Caribbean.
As an example of unique culture that reflects in language, food
and dance, the Caribbean also offers world-class fishing, bird watching,
horseback riding and all types of water activities including white-water
rafting, ocean and river kayaking, first-class surfing and diving,
snorkeling and canoeing. In the Talamanca region-yesterday’s land-add
hiking and camping in uncharted wilderness and visits to various
Indian reservations. In one word, "abundance".
The Atlantic slope is an area of great biodiversity that the country
is endeavoring to retain through several protected zones. Perhaps
Costa Rica’s most well known area is the northern coast where Tortuguero
National Park and Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge protect a vast
alluvial flood plain and the famous Tortuguero canals. A peaceful
boat ride through these canals reveals abundant animal life and
a multitude of birds in the exuberant foliage lining the waterways.
The fishing lodges of Barra del Colorado take advantage of the world-class
tarpon fishing available in the area.
The beach at Tortuguero is the most important nesting site in the
western Caribbean for the green sea turtle. The giant leather back
and the hawksbill turtles also nest along these shores.
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui
A transitional zone located between the Caribbean and the Northern
Plains, the Sarapiqui area however offers a better and quicker access
through the Caribbean region. Puerto Viejo, the main village in
the Sarapiqui area is located an hour and half from San Jose, on
a paved road that leads through the Braulio Carrillo National Park
then via Las Horquetas. The trip is very scenic.
The Sarapiqui river and others crawl sinuously across the landscape,
vast sections are waterlogged most of the year and the water canals
are still vital means of communication in the entire area.
Much of the area is still covered with tropical rainforest and several
private reserves established in the area offer nature lovers a true
paradise for birding and nature contemplation. Fishing is excellent
in this territory, crocodiles and water birds abound along the water
canals together with turtles, monkeys and sloths.
Several lodges scattered along the area offer the visitor excellent
shelter, good food as well as knowledgeable guides from the zone
in charge of making worth the visit to this territory that lies
between the northern arm of the Braulio Carrillo National Park and
NicaraguaÕs southern lowlands.
The village of Puerto Viejo is located in the confluence of the
Sarapiqui and the Puerto Viejo rivers. In Costa Rica’s colonial
times this river port due to its proximity to the San Juan river
was the main shipping port. Nowadays, most of its income still comes
from the river traffic.
Some of the attractions in the area for nature lovers are: Selva
Verde, locted in Chilamate de Sarapiqui, a private reserve well
known for its birdlife such as Oropendolas and others. La Selva
Biological Station is another attraction. Managed and operated by
the Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS). Located 2 miles south
from Puerto Viejo, this reserve is particularly interesting due
to the profuse birding life that protects through its 1,500-hectare
extension. More than 420 species of birds have been identified.
There are trails spreading along the reserve leading, to fantastic
scenerarios suitable for research purposes or simply nature admiration.
Between beaches and forest reserves
If a stop in Limon produces a little culture shock, it’s a good
equalizer for the journey ahead. Following the coastal road south
of Limon quickly leads to the laid-back tropics envisioned in dreams.
A good paved coastal road leads south from the city of Limon to
Cahuita and then to Puerto Viejo and Gandoca-Manzanillo. These are
three fantastic beach areas where white as well as black sandy beaches
enhance the rustic lifestyle of the wild Caribbean. The choice of
where to play is up to you.
Small lodges and imaginatively decorated hotels are lined up along
these beaches to welcome visitors. Time can be divided between beach
relaxation, nightlife, surfing, sailing, fishing, hiking and much
more. Cahuita National Park protects Costa Rica’s true coral reefs
while Gandoca- Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, a bit further south,
is still very much a wilderness. Backed by the Talamanca mountain
range, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Gandoca-Manzanillo are true sanctuaries
for nature lovers and water sports fans.
An interesting thing about the Caribbean region is that visitors
can easily move from a seashore landscape to forest reserves within
a few kilometers and be sure that vegetation and landscape radically
change.
Selva Bananito Private Reserve
One of the clearest examples of private efforts to preserve the
beauty and the purity of nature in the Caribbean region is Selva
Bananito, a private reserve located 15 kilometers inland from the
coastal road leading to Cahuita.
The reserve is a family-owned farm encompassing 850 hectares of
untouched vegetation. Bordering La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, the
area is a sanctuary for bird and animal species located on the slopes
of Cerro Muchilla. The reserve extends from 100 meters above sea
level to 800 meters, assuring a variety of wildlife habitats. This
"green belt" running from east to west in the southern part of Costa
Rica is perhaps the largest unexplored territory in the country.
It is a mystery indeed for scientists and a paradise for nature
lovers.
Selva Bananito Lodge is built on a farm that belongs to the Stein
family. Only one-third is used for farming, leaving the remaining
land completely untouched. That one-third currently being exploited
for farming purposes supports organic banana plantations and a cattle
breeding program intended to produce dual-purpose breeds: cattle
as useful for milk production as for meat.
Visiting Selva Bananito Lodge is a privilege that visitors shouldn’t
miss while on the southern Caribbean coast. Lifestyle goes slowly
but smoothly here. Food is a blessing and friendly conversation
with other visitors sharing a common love for nature is something
that stays with you once you leave.
Tortuguero National Park
There is only one thing in Costa Rica that can rival watching the
mother sea turtle lay her eggs and that is getting to the nesting
site. Tortuguero National Park is one of Costa Rica’s essential
destinations. The wildlife is unsurpassed in its diversity and its
plenitude.
Boats leaving from Freeman, a small river port a few miles before
Limon, in the Bataan region, take visitors on the ride of a lifetime
up man-made canals that have become home to hundreds of species
of wildlife.
A trip through the canals is made more interesting as knowledgeable
guides point out animals, birds and landmarks along the way.
Floating for nearly three hours through beautiful, serene canals,
incredible quantities of birds and other animals exhibit their beauty
and pride. Several types of monkeys, bats, wild parrots and toucans
are evident and you can pass so close to crocodiles that you can
see the brown stains on their teeth.
A daytime tour through the canals at Tortuguero reveals a multitude
of wildlife and an abundance of verdant tropical vegetation. A hike
to the summit of an ancient volcano, dormant for more than one thousand
years, allows a chance for intimate contact with this natural zoo.
Tortuguero is an amazing destination in Costa Rica no one should
miss. Hundreds of miles of untouched beauty await visitors at this
aquatic park located along Costa Rica’s northern Caribbean coast.
One way or another, the contrasting Costa Rican Caribbean will indeed
amaze you and perhaps will make you yearn to return as soon as you
can. Just try it out and let us know.
The above information is courtesy of Costa Rica Institute of Tourism
(ICT)