... Soak it Up,
The Caribbean coast offers a different portrait of Costa Rica ...
by Costa Rica Traveler Magazine

The province of Limón’s two hundred kilometers of Caribbean shoreline are just the beginning. Exhuberant rainforests, idyllic beaches, and a Jamaican-accented culture make for one of the most intriguing destinations in Costa Rica, where Caribbean vibes permeate every corner of the province. Here’s a little background info on the region:

PUERTO LIMÓN: Alternately charming and shanty, Limón is the only city of any size in the province. Limón has grown from a small banana port to a bustling city of 85,000 inhabitants, and strolling through downtown is pleasant. Visit the central market, where you’ll see every type of fruit and vegetable imaginable. You can also find good hand-made articles here, and plenty of cheap sodas offering local fare. Practice normal safety precautions, and you’ll be fine. We recommend visiting the Hotel Colón Caribe (256-5520), Hotel Casa Camarona (750-0151), or the Pacuare Lodge (225-3939) for a great stay.

HISTORY LESSON: English-speaking afro-Caribbean people moved into the coastal areas in the mid-1800s, and even more came in the end of that century to construct the railroad. Mainly of Jamaican
descent, these people have customs with both British colonial and African roots combined with local traditions to form its own identity. English is still widely used, heard as a musical Caribbean-tinged
dialect. Patois, a local Creole dialect, is also spoken.

THE BEAT: You’ll find groups at local bars on the weekends, in central parks, or at local parties. Limón’s music transforms a simple night at the beach into something you’ll tell your friends about for years to come.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Calypso: Old Caribbean slave songs used chants to transmit news and messages to the black community, without being detected by their masters. These chants survive today in an indigenous English-language music form known as Calypso, and reflect the reality of their composers today. Limón has produced several important artists, including Walter Ferguson, Joseph Darking and Edgar Hutchinson. Groups frequently form on families’ front porches, where a guitar, some boxes for drums and a group of friends are enough to get the party started.
Reggae: The quintessential Caribbean rhythm, this music began in the 1960s in response to Marcus Garvey’s ideas of returning to Africa. Bob Marley popularized the genre, and the music has grown over the years to include many different forms. Costa Rica has its own brand of reggae, and the music remains very popular throughout the country.

MAIN DISH: You gotta try the food. No stay in Limón is complete without sampling one of their many flavorful Caribbean dishes. Ask around for a good restaurant; the locals know best. Some favorites:
Rice and Beans: The name doesn’t say it all. Costa Rica’s staples are cooked with coconut milk and several local spices, making a tasty twist on a traditional dish. Order it with some spicy jerk chicken or fresh seafood for a real treat.
Rondón: A local specialty, the name comes from “Whatever the cook can run down.“ Indeed, this dish includes a base of coconut milk, local spices, and pretty much whatever else is at the cook’s hand.
You may need to order it a day in advance, as it takes a long time to prepare.
Patí: A flaky pastry with spicy meat and peppers inside.
Pan Bon: A sweet bread with chunks of local fruits baked in, in fruitcake form but with much more personality.
Agua de Sapo (Toad Water): Refreshing against the humid air, this drink is made with lemon juice, molasses, jengibre and a secret ingredient that local cooks are reluctant to reveal.

THE SPOTS:
CAHUITA: Lazy, sweaty drinks flow to steel-drum rhythms as the locals lounge near the town center. Cahuita is famous for its laidback feel and the national park of the same name, which protects the only mature marginal reef on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. This underwater world is a maze of intricate coral formations and colonies of brightly colored fish. When the sea is calm and rainfall light, go in the morning with waterproof sun block. Ask around for guides and equipment. The park is also great for hiking and seeing wildlife, including three species of monkeys (white-face, howler and spider) along with sea birds, wetland species and other rare birds. Start at the southern entrance and walk a few easy kilometers along the beach back into town for a nice hike. Bring water and binoculars.

PUERTO VIEJO: South of Cahuita lies Puerto Viejo, the Caribbean coast’s party hotspot. Several easy-going bars and hip clubs offer entertainment, and there are accommodations for on-the-cheap backpackers and luxury seekers alike. A wide variety of restaurants serve local and international cuisine. Surfing is excellent, and worldfamous Salsa Brava draws experts from around the world.

TORTUGUERO: Canals form the main transportation network, and taking a guided boat tour through the jungle is a great way to experience this slow-paced island town. The town is basic in structure but well developed in character. It’s definitely worth checking out, and is the base for exploring the national park.

Tortuguero National Park is the hemisphere’s most important nesting site for the endangered green turtle. The Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) uses sustainable development practices to involve the locals in protecting the green turtles in addition to the leatherback, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles that nest there as well.

The turtles annually draw crowds to experience the awesome, timeless sight of the arribada, or mass nesting of turtles. The park has an information kiosk, natural history museum and visitor center which describe the sea turtles’ story.

Apart from the beach, the area is a dense swap and low-altitude rainforest. Roads are scarce and the main transportation system is a vast network of canals. To arrive, you must fly in and then navigate the canals, or drive until the road runs out and grab a boat (recommended, as you intimately see the countryside). Within these canals you can observe some 57 species of amphibians, 111 different reptiles, 60 types mammals and over 300 different classes of birds all within a canopy that stretches over 200 feet into the air. Check out
Hotel Samoa (258-6244) when you’re in the region.

BARRA DEL COLORADO: Hop a plane in and move around by boat, as there are no roads in this inaccessible region. Once you’re there, you’ll be in the middle of one of the most preserved wilderness
areas on the continent. At 92,000 hectares (240,000 acres) there is plenty of room for outdoor exploration, but the main attraction of Barra is the fishing. Adventurous anglers looking for world-class tarpon and snook will not be disappointed, and there are plenty of lodges catering to that crowd. Bluegill, rainbow bass, alligator gar, machaca, barracuda and mackerel are also fished there.

Use of this article was granted by Costa Rica Traveler Magazine