Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast is everything and more that we dreamt it would be. The Limon region is less developed than the Pacific side, which means less tourists, definitely a plus for us and for others seeking out adventure. The Caribbean coast offers endless tropical beaches, an enchanting national park, chances to see lots of wildlife like sloths and toucans, snorkelling coral reefs, exploring rainforests and connecting to the afro- Caribbean culture with reggae parties.
We spent hours relaxing on the white sandy beaches, looking at the jungle shore line whilst swimming in the Caribbean sea, we had to keep pinching ourselves. Limon itself is a busy city, we spent no time there, we got a bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo, a laid back small island vibe village. This wasn’t our final stop though, we got a rickshaw further down the coast to Cocles, a real quiet part of the coast, hardly any tourists, a beautiful beach at the end of the road, and even a resident sloth in the tree opposite our Airbnb, it couldn’t get much better. This was where our adventures in Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast started and were gunna share with you the best places to explore!
1. Puerto Viejo
If you’re seeking out the party and the surf vibe, this town is for you. It’s this region’s main hub for tourists, so it can get crowded with backpackers. If you’re travelling alone, it’s the place you’ll want to be to meet like minded travellers. There are local vendors selling everything from clothes to massages and the long white sandy beach is perfect for surfing, snorkelling and just soaking up the sun.
Explore the unique blend of Afro-Caribbean, Bribri Indian, and Tico influences, infused with a touch of Western hippie spirit, found in the Puerto Viejo de Talamanca culture. Immerse yourself in a tour to uncover the rich local indigenous heritage of this region.
2. Playa Cocles
This golden sand beach is a piece of paradise, surrounded by natural beauty, it was our base during our time in the Caribbean Coast. We rented a cute Airbnb which had a resident sloth living in a tree opposite, it was surreal seeing this amazing slow creature doing his thing every day.
We rented bikes and cycled up and down the coast, easily exploring other villages and immersing yourself in the laid back jungle lifestyle .
The beach in Cocles has an amazing coral reef to explore, it’s also popular with surfers from the months of December through to June due to the Salsa Brava, Costa Rica’s best wave, Cocles is the perfect beach break location for surfers to catch the heavy wave.
3. Manzanillo
This is the end of the road on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast, a small fishing town a part of Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Lined with Coconut palms and almond trees against the white sandy beach , it is pure paradise. It has 2 miles of coral reef to explore, you can hire a local guide to do snorkelling or scuba diving, you can also hire a guide for turtle nesting tours from February to May.
There are amazing hikes from here into the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca, a beautiful national park with chances to see sloths, howler monkeys, iguanas and much more, it offers beach hugging trails. The entrance is free, but it’s good to leave a donation for the maintenance of the park.
If you like a good hike and adventure then Punta Mona is an incredible beach, isolated from the rest of the beaches, it requires a 6km trek through the jungle or a 45 minute walk from Manzanillo beach, you’ll be greeted to a secret haven and it will be worth the sweaty walk!
4. Cahuita National Park
This was one of the highlights of our trip the magical national park offers beautiful trails through the jungle, hugging the most pristine white sandy beaches. The park was created in 1970 to protect beaches and lowlands, it is a part of the conservation area in Costa Rica.
For those who like to explore the underwater world, it offers a 600 acre coral reef, two shipwrecks and hundreds of tropical fish species, it’s truly a marine paradise, you have to pay for a guide to snorkel here as it’s a protected area.
Walking through the jungle, you’ll get the chance to see many types of animals such as, sloths, white-faced Capuchins, howler monkeys, raccoons, king fishers and toucans. there’s also a chance to see turtles nesting if it’s the right time of year.
It has the least touristy beaches in the whole of Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, as your hiking alongside the jungle and the beach, the sea will be calling you for a dip, you’ll easily find a secluded spot and it will feel like you have this piece of paradise for yourself.
5. Tortuguero
The remote area of Tortuguero offers an abundance of wildlife, you’ll spot sloths, monkeys, anteaters, sea turtles and a lot of butterflies. You can only reach this national park by boat or plane, the boat leaves from La Pavona. The park is rich in biological diversity with over eleven different habitats, including mangrove forests, rainforest, lagoons and beaches. In the 1950’s Dr. Archie Carr created a wildlife refuge, to offer protection and a tagging programme for the turtles. Today you can visit the Sea Turtle Conservation visitor centre, it is one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites in the world.
There are many hikes to explore the national park but it’s best done by boat to access the waterways, you can pay for a guided canoe tour or hire your own. You’ll cruise down the maze of waterways and see an abundance of wildlife, it will be a truly magical experience. Just don’t drop your camera in the water!