A Naturalist's Costa Rica
Around 12 to 14 nightsCaribbeanMonteverdeOsa
Canals and turtle beaches on the Caribbean, the cloud forest, then the deep rainforest of the Osa. Built for people who travel with binoculars.
Limón provinceInclude in my trip
TheCaribbeanCoast
Region
Limón province
Landscapes
Canals and coastal lagoons, Turtle-nesting beaches
Pairs well with
Arenal, Osa
WelcomeToCaribbean
- Canals and coastal lagoons
- Turtle-nesting beaches
- Reef and shoreline forest
Cross the mountains to the east and Costa Rica's character shifts. The Caribbean coast has its own history, shaped by Afro-Caribbean communities whose families arrived from Jamaica and elsewhere in the late nineteenth century, and by the Bribri and Cabécar peoples of the Talamanca mountains. The food, the music and the pace are all different here.
Tortuguero
In the north, Tortuguero is reached by boat or small plane, through a network of canals and rivers lined with forest. Its beach is one of the most important nesting sites for green turtles in the Western Hemisphere; nesting peaks from around July to October, and night visits to the beach are guided and regulated. By day, the canals are explored slowly by boat, kayak or canoe: herons and kingfishers, caimans on the banks, monkeys moving through the trees above.
Thesouthcoast
South of Limón, Cahuita National Park protects a coral reef and a trail that follows the shoreline through the forest. The towns of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manzanillo sit among beaches backed by green, with an easy, outdoor way of life.
Atthetable
Plan a visit
Rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, rondón stew of seafood and root vegetables, spiced patí pastries and Caribbean-style chicken: the coast's cooking is one of the clearest expressions of its heritage, and one of the best reasons to spend time here.
DiscoverCaribbeanYourWay
Start planningIsItRightForYou?
Another rhythm entirely. Turtle beaches and canals in the north, reef and forest in the south, and a culture shaped by Afro-Caribbean and Indigenous communities.
- Who it suits
- Travellers who value culture as much as scenery, and anyone who wants a coast that feels distinct from the Pacific.
- Fitting it in
- The Caribbean works as a first chapter or as a contrast to time on the Pacific. Combining both coasts takes more travel, so it suits longer trips.
- Weather + seasons
- The Caribbean doesn't follow the Pacific pattern: September and October are often among its drier months, just as the Pacific reaches its wettest.
- Things to do
- Canal trips at dawn · Turtle nesting in season · Snorkelling at Cahuita · Caribbean cooking · Cacao farms in Talamanca. Availability varies by season and conditions.
JourneysThroughHere
All journeys- JourneyFull, with early morningsView
NearbyAndOftenCombined
All regions- RegionNorthern lowlands
Arenal and the Northern Plains
ViewVolcanic cone and old lava flowsFoothill rainforestLake Arenal
A volcano that holds the view, and warm rivers at its feet.
- RegionSouth Pacific
The Osa Peninsula
ViewPrimary lowland rainforestWild Pacific beachesThe sheltered Golfo Dulce
Remote, raw and astonishingly alive.
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Costa Rica
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