Visit Limon, Costa Rica!!

Limón is the province where most of Costa Rica’s “black” population resides.
Today, in a major initiative to combat discrimination, each August 31st, Costa Rica commemorates El Día del Negro or Black’s Day. On that particular day, there are parades, ethnic music and food festivals, meetings, and other activities that strive to showcase the role that the Afro-Costa Rican culture has played on the country’s history and development.

For many years I have heard people say they will not or have never visited the Limon Province in Costa Rica. Not only do I hear this from the native Costa Ricans but quiet often from American Expatriates. Many people do not want to visit Limon simply because of the concentration of Afro-Caribians residing in the area. If you do not visit Limon because you are afraid of darker skin tones you’re making a huge mistake. If you have not visited Limon, you are not getting the full picture of Costa Rica. This unique and beautiful area is a must-visit if you are a truly global traveler.

The remarkable east coast of Costa Rica including places like Cahuita, Puerto Limon, Tortugeros and Barra del Colorado is a different thing then the western seacoast.

You can fly here or take highway 32 out of San José and delight in the fantastic landscapes while riding. You can drive through Braulio Carillo National Park and straight down to limón or go north and pass by the Volcano Barva, followed by Puerto Viejo and Sarapiqui.

The temperature level stays around the high 20s all year; however, because of rain almost the entire year, the clouds will give some defense from the burning sun. The best time on the year (to stay clear of rain) is in February to Mars, and August to October.

When exported, Limón is also the place where nearly all of Costa Rica’s bananas are shipped.

The Beaches.
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Four kilometers north of Puerto Limón are two small beaches. Playa Bonita with fine yellow sand, palm trees, and some hotels. The water is not ideal for tourists. Playa Portete has a dock where local fishers land with their catches. Even further north is Moín where the government built an industrial harbor for freight ships back in the 1980′ s.

Cahuita is a quiet sizable village with thousands of residents. The area is a hot target for backpacking tourists. It can be hard to find a rental in Cauhita. White sand beaches fringed with coconut palms, a relaxing atmosphere, and a calm Caribbean way of life attract many tourists.

Sights of Limón.
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Cahuita National Park offers over 1000 hectares of land and more than 14Km of beaches. All with beautiful mixes of coconut palm trees, mangroves, and dense forests, Snorkeling is provided all over the coast for those who would like to try it out.

In the south, the Gandoca-Manzanillo Game Preserve is of interest. You can visit punta mona (Monkey Point), said to have received its name from Columbus himself.

Plan a visit to Tortugeros and a trip on the canals. You’ll most likely have to set aside 1-2 days for this trip as it is a long way to go. Make sure you bring clothes to change (after rain), insect repellant and clean drinking water and you’ll have a much nicer time!

Not only will you find an extreme jungle here, but you may also be lucky enough to encounter a sea turtle or two.

Parque Vargas in Puerto Limón with its tall attractive palms and other tropical trees, animals, and flowers close to the waterfront is a pleasant way of enjoying the beauty of the tropics.
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