The Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s eastern-most province of Limón runs 125 miles (200 km) north to south starting at the Nicaraguan boarder, near Punta Castilla, and finishing at the headwaters of the Sixaola River on the Panamanian boarder. With its monopoly on alluring Caribbean beaches, dense inland wet-rainforest, and unique Afro-Caribbean culture, Limón offers a side of Costa Rica not found outside the province. Rains spawned by trade winds off the Caribbean, fuel the dense forests that envelop the region, thus providing sanctuary for the region's biologically diverse flora and fauna. These Atlantic fronts—referred to as temporales del Atlantico—often last for days, especially during the rainy season, which stretches from mid to late April through December. Here, humidity is more pronounced, the result of heavy moist air hovering over the Caribbean.

In spite of the constant storm fronts whisking over the region, Limón is frequented by enough pleasant sunshine to forgive all of the rain. In fact, the months of February and March may be spared of rainfall altogether—the dry season often experiences week-long periods devoid of even a single drop of rain.

Once a completely isolated frontier land, the province of Limón was given a breath of life after the establishment of a seaport at Puerto Limón on the central coast. It was decided by authorities in 1867 that an Atlantic port was needed to export bananas from the region’s booming plantations to markets around the world. And, as the story goes, growing at the site of the newly proposed port was a solitary lemon (limón in Spanish) tree which lent its name to the new port. The consequent establishment of Puerto Limon opened the near-abandoned province to the rest of the country after the construction of a railway from San José which served as a vital passageway to the region. While the railroad no longer exists, the paved Guápiles Highway (Hwy 32) makes for easy transport, linking the Caribbean to the rest of the country.

Northbound along the Caribbean coast from Limón, forlorn Beaches and exotic nature Reserves beckon adventurous travelers to explore the often overlooked beauty and wildlife which abounds. The smooth alluvial plain that extends westward from the Atlantic coast to the mountain ranges of Costa Rica’s heartland provide the ideal location for many of Limón’s villages which dot Highway 32 as it descends from the Central Highlands. Banana plantations envelop much of the surrounding terrain, as well as thick Rainforests which grow in density with every step northbound. This climate is undoubtedly sustained thanks to the highest annual averages of rainfall in all of Costa Rica. It’s no wonder why some of the most ecologically diverse national Parks in all of the country are located in Limón’s northeast—Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre, Barra del Colorado and Parque Nacional Tortuguero. Here, the swampland encompasses such an immense area that both parks, including their adjoining towns of the same name, are only reachable by plane or motorboat.

The Talamanca Mountain Range makes its way toward the coast south of Puerto Limón, confining the coastal plain by way of its broad peaks that seem to collide with the ocean, yet never quite do. The region derives its name, Talamanca, from these overbearing Mountains, forever casting their shadow on the coastal hamlets below. Cahuita National Park hosts a stunning coral reef for those interested in snorkeling or Scuba Diving within its translucent blue-green water. The costal village of Cahuita is heavily influenced by its inhabitant’s Jamaican roots.

Puerto Viejo prides itself as the best Surfing spot on Coast Rica’s Caribbean coast, which it certainly is, thanks to the fabulous surf that barrels its way ashore along Viejo’s coastline. This tiny coastal hamlet is popular with the alternative crowd, as well as surfers, to which the beaches are famous. Night life here is good; an interesting mix of Afro-Caribbean, indigenous, tico, and foreign cultures that mesh at the town’s discos.

Probably the biggest draw for visitors to Limón is its distinct multiculturalism, unique to the region. Approximately one-third of the population is black, primarily of Jamaican descent. Also, many indigenous Bribri and Cabecar people inhabit the Talamanca region, adding to the multicultural dynamic found up and down Limón’s coast.