Caribbean Tropical forests with
Afro-Caribbean flavor, a beautiful paradise and tourist destination.
In 1502 Christopher
Columbus discovered Costa Rica arriving for the first
time to these lands of the tropical humid forest, with
its great exuberance and coral reef clear waters. Today
this natural charm remains, in a region characterized
by the coexistence of diverse cultures that have left
their print on Costa Rican history: Caucasian's, Chinese,
the Indigenous population and the Afro-caribbean. The
latter, with their rich coconut flavored culinary traditions,
their rhythm and their language, offering visitors a
very different experience from the rest of Costa Rica's
regions.
Thanks to the rich
flora and fauna of the region, the variety of aquatic
ecosystems and the black and white sand beaches; this
destiny is ideal to practice activities focused on nature
and sea, among them fishing Tarpon, Wahoo and the Barracuda;
diving in clear waters, and surfing. Puerto Viejo constitutes
one of the main locations for surfing, where the most
avid surfers are attracted to conquer Salsa Brava, one
of the most famous waves in the world, which surprisingly
ends up reaching a height of up to 40 feet. Other prized
beaches are those of Playa Bonita, Westfalia and Isla
Uvita. White Water Rafting is another of the region's
most popular activities, thanks to the presence of the
mighty Sixaola and Pacuare rivers.
The
Caribbean region in Costa Rica embraces the province
of Limón with its principal towns of Guácimo,
Matina, Talamanca, Pococi, Siquirres and Limón.
This last one is the country's port of export. Port
Limón unites with the capital, San Jose, by means
of an excellent highway that takes the visitor through
the mountains of Braulio Carrillo's National Park, amid
exuberant landscapes continuing through tropical banana
plantations and farms that produce, ornamental plants,
pejibaye, heart of palm and cocoa, flowing finally into
the beaches of our Caribbean Coast, skirted by infinite
arrays of coconut trees.
The region possesses
a humid tropical climate and presents temperature changes
that oscillate from 95° F during the day and 70°F
during the night. The Caribbean Rain Forests reflect the
perfect idea of the tropical forest, with immense evergreen
trees, adorned with lianas and plants of exuberant height.
These characteristics, and the presence of species such
as the rainbow-beaked toucan, the wild turkey, the spider
monkey, the opossum and the tapir; are a results of the
presence of a great quantity of fall throughout the year,
with drier periods in the months of April and October. Coincidentaly,
in October the Carnival of Limón dazzles visitors
with its colorful and rhythmical parades and musical groups.
Some of the
protected wildlife areas that offer the opportunity to visit
the region's rain forests, as well as their diverse aquatic
ecosystems are: Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Hitoy
Cerere Biological Reserve, Cahuita National Park, Barra de
Colorado Wildlife Refuge and Tortuguero National Park. The
lattest, famous for the marine turtle arribadas and the natural
canals that harbor threatened species such as the manatee,
the otter and the crocodile.
The Caribbean
will always await the visitor with its exuberance, to explore
a National Park, to enjoy the main warm ocean or flavor the
delicious "ricen bean" consisting of rice and beans
with coconut oil.
