Southern Caribbean Attractions
Southern Caribbean stretches from the city of Limon to the Sixaola River which borders Panama. Along the route is a unique blend of Afro-Caribbean people, music, cuisines, and villages such as Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Gandoca Mazanillo. This area is not only culturally fascinating but offers adventure, natural history and postcard-perfect beaches. There are colorful coral reefs and sandy beaches ranging from black, gray, yellow to white; and dense vegetation spreading from the coastline up to highland rainforests.
Cahuita National Park and the Gandoca Mazanillo Reserve are two pristine areas recognized for their scenic beauty and state of conservation. Here, beaches such as Cahuita, Puerto Vargas, Punta Cocles, Punta Uva, Manzanillo and Punta Mona are protected by coral reefs populated by a variety corals, mollusks, sea fans, crustaceans, turtles and brightly colored tropical fish.
VIZCAYA BEACH
Located just off the highway to Cahuita, this gray-sand beach covers a large area of vegetation and coconut groves. This beach is a favorite for Limon residents for swimming.
CARIBBEAN AVIARIES
One of the best spots to meditate and admire nature, this beach includes a private reserve of approximately 100 hectares where you can observe wildlife on foot or take a boat tour through meandering channels to spot birds and sloths.
CAHUITA
The rich cultural mix and the wide variety of local and international gourmet cooking make Cahuita a mandatory stop for vacationers. In the Cahuita National Park, tour guides take visitors out to the coral reefs and to the Talamanca areas. Afro-Caribbean music resonates in the bars and restaurants throughout Cahuita village.
PLAYA NEGRA (CAHUITA)
North of Cahuita, Playa Negra as its name implies is made up of black volcanic sand. The beach is long and is covered with exuberant tropical plants. There are different areas with inlets, coral shelves, coves and sandy beaches. The beach is ideal for rest and relaxation, sea-gazing, walking or horseriding.
PLAYA BLANCA (CAHUITA)
Located inside Cahuita National Park, Playa Blanca is aptly named for its white sand. It extends from about 3 km after the park entrance to Cahuita point. This is a beach with strong currents and swimming is not recommended. After crossing the estuary of Rio Suarez, the closeness of the coral reefs to the shore transforms the sea into a large lagoon which beckons onlookers to dive in. From here it is about 2 km to Puerto Vargas.
PUERTO VARGAS
This is one of the most beautiful beaches on this coastline and is also within the Cahuita National Park. It is several kilometers long, stretching from Cahuita point to the mouth of the Rio Carbon. It has three distinct sections: the first section, from north to south, extends from the point to the promontory known as Puerto Vargas. The water here is crystal clear and clam, sheltered by the coral reef. The second section has darker sand and moderate currents and stretches from Puerto Vargas to the beach entrance. The third section extends from the beach entrance to the mouth of the Rio Carbon where the currents are strong. This beach has been given the blue-flag status.
PUERTO VIEJO
The village of Puerto Viejo, like the community of Cahuita, offers visitors multiple options on how to spend the day. There are many lodging and travel services as well as an association of tour guides who offer tours and trips to Talamanca. There are also excellent national and international restaurants and night time entertainment which revolves around traditional Costa Rican-Caribbean music and dance. Visitors from around the world are attracted to this small village because of the community’s life-style and over time the influx of foreigners has transformed this town into a global village; approximately 60 nationalities live here and along with their numerous cultural manifestations the migrants are as much an attraction for new visitors.
BLACK BEACH (PUERTO VIEJO)
This beach stretches from the center of Puerto Viejo to the northern entrance to the village and is well known for its black sand. The beach forms a long curve and the waves here can be strong at times. Instead of vegetation this beach has the main street as its backdrop. It is popular for sunbathing, swimming and long walks towards the Carbon River where it empties into the sea.
BEACHES OF PUERTO VIEJO
Puerto Viejo is situated on a headland made up of coral shelves which make certain areas not swimmable. However, there are pockets of beaches with white or gold sand that are alright for swimming. The small local beaches here are conveniently named after well-known persons or businesses; for instance, the beach in front of a Chinese store will be known as the “Chino’s beach.” From here heading south you will find the famous “Salsa Brava” surf in a place called Pirripli Point, reputed to be one of the best surfing areas along the entire Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. International surfing tournaments have been hosted here. It is also possible to find diving companies on this beach that offer tours to the reef.
KEKOLDI INDIGENOUS RESERVE
The Bribri Indians who live in the Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve breed green iguanas and produce handicrafts such as bows and arrows, bags, nets, hammocks, baskets, etc. There are observation trails in the reserve for nature lovers as well as observation towers for bird-watchers, especially during the month of January-February and October-November when migratory birds stopover during their epic journey between north and south of the continent. Eagles, sparrow-hawks and falcons are frequently sighted. Within the reserve there is a beautiful waterfall over the Cocles River which can be accessed with the help of local tour guides.
YORQUIN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
Yorquin or Yorkin is the name of a river that begins in the La Amistad (Friendship) International Park on the Panamanian side of the border. Located upriver is the Yorquin indigenous community who welcome visitors and tourists lured by the beauty of the river. This is an exemplary community where residents grow their own food and trade bananas and cocoa for other products. The community is also sustained by the sale of handicrafts and souvenirs. From here visitors can enjoy the hills of Buena Vista, thermal pools and waterfalls.
COCLES BEACH
Towards the north of this long and wide beach facing Pirripli point there is a small rocky island called Cocles which is a scenic attraction. The beach is perfect for sunbathing, swimming, walking, horseriding, volley ball and even soccer. There is a small coral reef at Cocles Point. Along the length of the beach you will find numerous tourist services, including surfboard and bicycle rentals. You can rent horses and motorcycles in Puerto Viejo to explore this and other beaches further in the south.
PUNTA UVA
Punta Uva is a wide and sandy jetty that extends to the northeast until it meets the promontory that is located at the end of Playa Chiquita. To the south, the coast curves until it reaches Manzanillo. Bordering this point, which forms a natural arch, are the coral reefs sought after by divers and those who snorkel. It is possible to walk from Punta Uva to the beaches of Chiquita and Manzanillo.
MANZANILLO BEACH
From the village of Manzanillo this crescent shaped brown-sand beach stretches north for about 3,500 meters to Punta Uva. There is a great deal of coastal vegetation and a great number of palm trees, a great beach for walks, horseback rides, sunbathe, swimming or diving. Manzanillo is 12 km south of Puerto Viejo and it is here that the road that connects all the beaches ends. Tourist services such as rental of diving equipment, dive trips and boat tours for sighting dolphins are available.
MONA BEACH
This beach is 5 km from Manzanillo with no vehicle access road, but is exceptionally beautiful with forest and ocean merged in one. Offshore from Punta Mona is a small island completely covered by vegetation which accentuates the coastal scenery.
PLAYA GANDOCA
This blue-flag beach with gray sand extends south from the village of Gandoca to the mouth of the Sixaola River which forms the border between Costa Rica and Panama. This last stretch of the coast is a little more than 8 km long and offers excellent opportunities for viewing the rich biodiversity of Costa Rica and the ecosystem. Between April and August Leatherback turtles can be spotted when they come onshore to nest. Walking from Gandoca to Manzanillo takes about three hours.
