Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. La Selva Biological Station
At the confluence of the Puerto Viejo and Sarapiquí rivers, La Selva packs about 700 bird species, 700 tree species, and 500 butterfly species into just 15 square km (6 square miles). Sightings might include the spider monkey, poison dart frog, agouti, collared peccary, and dozens of other rare creatures. Extensive, well-marked trails and swing bridges, many of which are wheelchair accessible, connect habitats as varied as tropical wet forest, swamps, creeks, rivers, secondary regenerating forest, and pasture. The site is a project of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), a research consortium of 63 U.S., Australian, South African, and Latin American universities, and is the oldest of three biological stations OTS operates in Costa Rica. (OTS also operates one research station in South Africa.) To see the place, take an informative three-hour morning or afternoon nature walk with one of La Selva's bilingual guides, who are among the country's best. Walks start every day at 8 am and 1:30 pm. For a completely different view of the forest, set off on a guided two-hour walk at 5:45 am or the night tour at 7 pm. If you get at least seven people together, you can enroll in the daylong Bird-Watching 101 course, which can be arranged anytime for $80 per person; if you have at least six, you can tag along with one of the resident research scientists for a half day. Young children won't feel left out either, with a very basic nature-identification course geared to them. Even with all the offerings, La Selva can custom-design excursions to suit your own special interests, too. Advance reservations are required for the dawn and night walks and any of the courses.
41001, Costa Rica919-684–5774-in North AmericaSight Details
Rate Includes: From $40 -
2. Rain Forest Adventures
Nature Preserve/Wildlife RefugeJust beyond the northeastern boundary of Braulio Carrillo National Park, about 15 km (9 miles) before the Caribbean-slope town of Guápiles, a 1,200-acre reserve houses a privately owned and operated engineering marvel: a series of gondolas strung together in a modified ski-lift pulley system. (To lessen the impact on the jungle, the support pylons were lowered into place by helicopter.) The 21 gondolas hold five people each, plus a bilingual biologist-guide equipped with a walkie-talkie to request brief stops for snapping pictures. The ride covers 2½ km (1½ miles) in 80 minutes. The price includes a biologist-guided walk through the area for ground-level orientation before or after the tram ride. Several add-ons are possible, too, with frog and butterfly exhibits, a medicinal-plant garden, and a zip-line canopy tour on-site, as well as a half-day birding tour. There is also on-site lodging. You can arrange a personal pickup in San José for a fee, or there are public buses (on the Guápiles line) every half hour from the Gran Terminal del Caribe in San José. Drivers know the tram as the teleférico. Many San José tour operators make a day tour combining the tram with another half-day option; combos with the Britt Coffee Tour, near Heredia, are especially popular. The company also operates parks near Jacó, on the Central Pacific coast, as well as in Panama and the Caribbean-island nations of Jamaica (Ocho Rios), and St. Lucia.
Rain Forest Adventures, 10 km (6 miles) northeast of Braulio Carrillo National Park along Rte. 32, Braulio Carrillo National Park, San José, Costa Rica-2257–5961Sight Details
Rate Includes: $67; $112 includes all attractions -
3. Tortuguero National Park
There is no better place in Costa Rica to observe sea turtles nesting, hatching, and scurrying to the ocean. The July–October nesting season for the green turtle is Tortuguero's most popular time to visit. Toss in the hawksbill, loggerhead, and leatherback—the three other species of sea turtle that nest here, although to a lesser extent—and you expand the season from February through October. Hatching takes place September to December. You can undertake night tours only with an authorized guide, who will be the only person in your party with a light, and that will be a light with a red covering. Photography, flash or otherwise, is strictly prohibited. The sight of a mother turtle furiously digging in the sand to bury her eggs is amazing, even from several yards away, and the spectacle of a wave of hatchlings scurrying out to sea is simply magnificent. This outstanding natural resource is also home to 138 mammal species including manatees, monkeys, and jaguars. For more information see the highlighted listing in this chapter.
South of Tortuguero village, Tortuguero, Limón, 70205, Costa Rica2709–8086-Tortuguero National ParkSight Details
Rate Includes: $17 -
4. Ara Manzanillo
An ambitious project begun two decades ago has slowly improved the survival prospects for the once-endangered great green (Ara ambiguus) and scarlet macaws (Ara macao). A daily 3 pm tour of the field station here acquaints you with the breeding and reintroduction into the wild of these colorful birds. Throughout the 98-acre property are approximately 100 macaws. Advance reservations are required.
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5. Barva Volcano
This 9,500-foot volcanic summit is the highest point in Braulio Carrillo National Park. Dormant for 300 years now, Barva is massive and easily visible from downtown San José: its lower slopes are almost completely planted with coffee fields and hold more than a dozen small towns, nearly all of which are named after saints. On the upper slopes are pastures lined with exotic pines and the occasional native oak or cedar, giving way to the botanical diversity of the cloud forest near the top. The air is usually cool near the summit, which combines with the pines and pastures to evoke European or North American mountain landscapes. If you feel intrepid enough to make this trip, bring rain gear, boots, and a warm shirt. Stay on the trail when hiking anywhere in Braulio Carrillo; even experienced hikers who know the area have lost their way up here, and the rugged terrain makes wandering through the woods very dangerous. In addition, muggings of hikers have been reported in the park (this is the closest national park to San José and its attendant urban problems). Always go with a ranger.
Access via the park's Barva ranger station, Braulio Carrillo National Park, San José, 40202, Costa Rica1192-national parks hotline in Costa RicaSight Details
Rate Includes: $12, Tues.–Sun. 7–4 -
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6. Braulio Carrillo National Park
In a country where deforestation is still rife, hiking through dense, primary tropical cloud forest is an experience to be treasured. The park owes its foundation to the public outcry provoked by the construction of the highway of the same name through this region in the late 1970s—the government bowed to pressure from environmentalists and, somewhat ironically, Braulio Carrillo is the national park that is most accessible from the capital, thanks to the highway. Covering 443 square km (171 square miles), the extremely diverse terrain ranges from 180 feet to about 9,500 feet above sea level and extends from the central volcanic range down the Caribbean slope to La Selva research station near Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. The park protects a series of ecosystems ranging from the cloud forests on the upper slopes to the tropical wet forest of the Magsasay sector; it’s home to 6,000 tree species, 500 bird species, and 135 mammal species. Despite the park's immense size and proximity to the capital, visitor facilities are extremely limited. Stories abound of visitors becoming lost trying to do Braulio Carrillo on their own. Few venture deep into the park beyond the highway that cuts through it.
Braulio Carrillo National Park, San José, Costa Rica2290–8202-Sistemas de Areas de ConservaciónSight Details
Rate Includes: $12 -
7. Cahuita National Park
With rain forest extending right to the edge of a curving, utterly undeveloped 3-km (2-mile) white sand beach, this popular national park is the stuff of picture postcards. The park was created to protect the 2½-square-km (1-square-mile) coral reef that encircles the coast and offers excellent snorkeling off Cahuita Point. Trails into the rain forest reveal a wealth of wildlife. February through April and September and October are slightly drier months, and offer the best visibility for snorkeling. A nice touch to the infrastructure here is the "plastic walk," a boardwalk path made of recycled plastic. Visitors in wheelchairs can be wheeled down to the surf in the park’s own chairs. The location means you’ll find a great selection of in-town dining and lodging options within a few blocks of the park’s northern entrance, making this one of the country’s easiest protected areas to visit. Choose from two park entrances: one is in downtown Cahuita; the other is at Puerto Vargas, just off the main road, 5 km (3 miles) south of town. If you don't have a car, you can get here easily via bike or taxi.
Southern end of Cahuita, Cahuita, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica2755–0461-Cahuita entranceSight Details
Rate Includes: Donation at Cahuita entrance; $5 at Puerto Vargas entrance -
8. Caribe Shuttle
This company offers three-times-daily van/boat-shuttle service between Puerto Viejo de Talamanca or Cahuita and Bocas del Toro for $34 one way. Caribe also offers multiday packages from Puerto Viejo to Bocas that include accommodations.
Inside Rockin' J's hostel, 1 km (½ mile) southeast of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, San José, San José, 70403, Costa Rica800-274–6191-in North America -
9. Cemetery
On the left side of the highway as you enter Limón is a large cemetery. A glance as you pass by is probably enough, but notice the "Colonia China" (Chinese colony) and corresponding sign in Chinese on the hill in the cemetery: Chinese workers made up a large part of the 1880s railroad-construction team that worked here. Thousands died of malaria and yellow fever.
Limón, Limón, 70101, Costa Rica -
10. Chocorart
Cacao once ruled the Talamanca region, but few plantations are left these days. One friendly Swiss couple continues the tradition and shows you the workings of their chocolate plantation on their chocolate tour. Follow the little-known life cycle of this crop from cultivation to processing. There's sampling at the tour's conclusion. Call or email to reserve a 2-hour tour, and aim to come with a group to avoid the $80 minimum tour fee. Since these folks are Swiss, they can tailor the commentary in German, French, or Italian, in addition to the standard English or Spanish.
6 km (4 miles) southeast of Puerto Viejo at Playa Chiquita, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica8866–7493Sight Details
Rate Includes: $25 per person; minimum of $80, Closed weekends, By appointment only -
11. Consulate of Panama
The Panamanian consulate in San José can provide more information about travel in Panama.
San José, San José, Costa Rica2280–1570Sight Details
Rate Includes: Weekdays 9–3 -
12. Finca la Isla Botanical Garden
At the Finca la Isla Botanical Garden, you can explore a working tropical-fruit, spice, and ornamental-plant farm. Sloths abound, and you might see a few poison dart frogs. A guided tour (three-person minimum, must be reserved in advance) lasts two hours and includes admission and a glass of the farm's homemade fruit juice. Tours can be arranged in advance on days outside the Friday through Monday opening hours. You get the fruit juice if you wander around on your own, too (a $1 tour book is available in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and German). Watch the demonstration showing how cacao beans are turned into chocolate, and sample some of the product at the end of the tour.
½ km (¼ mile) west of Puerto Viejo at Playa Negra, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica8886–8530Sight Details
Rate Includes: From $6, Closed Tues.–Thurs. -
13. Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge
The refuge stretches along the southeastern coast from southeast of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to the town of Manzanillo and on to the Panamanian border. Its limits are not clearly defined. Because of weak laws governing the conservation of refuges and the rising value of coastal land in this area, Gandoca-Manzanillo is less pristine than Cahuita National Park and continues to be developed. (Development thins out the farther you get from Puerto Viejo and the closer you get to the village of Manzanillo.) However, the refuge still has plenty of rain forest, orey (a dark tropical wood) and jolillo (a species of palm) swamps, 10 km (6 miles) of beach where four species of turtle lay their eggs, and almost 3 square km (1 square mile) of cativo (a tropical hardwood) forest and coral reef. You'll most likely spot monkeys, sloths, and perhaps even snakes. The Gandoca estuary is a nursery for tarpon and a wallowing spot for crocodiles and caimans.
15 km (9 miles) southeast of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica2750–0398-for ATECSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closes daily at 3 pm -
14. Green Iguana Foundation
You’ll no doubt see Costa Rica’s ubiquitous iguanas scurrying across roads on your travels around the country. A project of the nearby Tree House Lodge acquaints you with the lives of these fascinating animals. The green iguana—one of eight species and the most common found on the Caribbean coast—grows up to 6 feet in length, with two-thirds of that span consisting of the tail. The goal here is the breeding and raising of iguanas with their release into the wild in the adjoining Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Admission goes to support that work.
Punta Uva, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica2750–0706Sight Details
Rate Includes: $15, Tours Tues., Thurs., Sat. 10 am -
15. Heliconia Island
Some 70 species of the heliconia, a relative of the banana, are among the collections that populate 5 acres of botanical gardens on this island in the Sarapiquí River. Expect to see ample bird and butterfly life, too.
La Chaves, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Heredia, 41001, Costa Rica8331–9929Sight Details
Rate Includes: From $12 -
16. Parque Vargas
The aquamarine wooden port building faces the cruise terminal, and just to the east lies the city's palm-lined seaside park, Parque Vargas. From the promenade facing the ocean you can see the raised dead coral left stranded by the 1991 earthquake. Ten or so Hoffman's two-toed sloths live in the trees of Parque Vargas; ask a passerby to point them out, as spotting them requires a trained eye.
70101, Costa Rica -
17. Playa Chiquita
Nothing against Puerto Viejo, but the farther you get from town, the quieter things get—to put it bluntly, the "riff-raff" factor lessens out here. The downside is that you'll find fewer visitors congregating on dark-sand Chiquita, and isolated stretches of beach can spell trouble. Stay only if you see a lot of other people around. The undertow is strong out here. Swim at your own risk, preferably in company, and don't venture out too far. Amenities: none. Best for: sunrise; surfing; walking.
6 km (4 miles) southeast of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica -
18. Playa Manzanillo
Ensconced within the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, this beach comes close to being picture-perfect with the lush green forest—and its resident howler monkeys—bordering the edge of the sand. The in-town stretches put you close to food and drink. A few reports of bag snatchings have occurred here when visitors weren't paying attention. As always on this stretch of coast, avoid walking on the beach alone and be careful about going into the water, where the undertow can be strong. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; surfing; walking.
Manzanillo village, Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica -
19. Playa Negra
Cahuita's Playa Negra—it's not the same as the beach of the same name in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca—fronts a narrow road heading north out of the town center. Depending on the stretch of sand, it puts you a few steps from eateries. Your fellow beachgoers will likely be surfers. Remember: the waves that make for good surfing conditions cause problems for swimming. Most stretches of black-sand Playa Negra feel isolated. If there aren't visitors around, don't linger. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunrise; surfing; walking.
Cahuita, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica -
20. Playa Negra
Not to be confused with Cahuita's beach of the same name, Puerto Viejo's black-sand Playa Negra lies close to town but is relatively undeveloped. That situation is expected to change in coming years, but for now you'll likely have this stretch of sand north of town to yourself. While this sounds idyllic, remember that there's always safety in numbers on beaches in this area. Be careful about going into the water; the undertow can be strong. Amenities: none. Best for: sunrise; surfing; walking.
1 km (½ mile) north of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón, 70403, Costa Rica
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