Cahuita
At the northwestern end of Cahuita, Playa Negra is a long, black-sand beach flying the bandera azul ecológica, a flag that indicates that the beach is…
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Caribbean Coast
The wildness of the Caribbean Coast thwarted 16th-century Spaniards in their quest to settle here and isolated the region for centuries afterward, making it distinctly different from the rest of Costa Rica. Influenced by indigenous peoples and West Indian immigrants, the Caribbean's culture has blended slowly and organically.
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Must-see attractions for your itinerary
Southern Caribbean
Off a dirt road marked by Punta Uva Dive Center is a quiet, idyllic cove that could double for a scene in the film The Beach. When the water is calm, it…
Southern Caribbean
Playa Cocles has waves for surfers who aren't keen to break skin and bones at nearby Salsa Brava (Costa Rica's biggest break). Instead, it has steep lefts…
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo
Southern Caribbean
This little-explored refuge – called Regama for short – protects nearly 70% of the southern Caribbean coast, extending from Manzanillo all the way to the…
Caribbean Coast
This misty, green coastal park sits on a broad floodplain parted by a jigsaw of canals. Referred to as the ‘mini-Amazon,’ Parque Nacional Tortuguero is a…
Southern Caribbean
Named in honor of its original resident, a jaguar, this well-run wildlife-rescue center in Playa Chiquita now focuses mostly on other animals, including…
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Nestled into the Cordillera de Talamanca, 15km outside Puerto Viejo, this private 135-hectare reserve is centered on a former finca (farm), on land…
Reserva Biológica Hitoy-Cerere
Southern Caribbean
Only the most intrepid of nature enthusiasts will make the journey to Hitoy-Cerere, about 60km south of Puerto Limón and only accessible by 4WD along a…
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Wildlife & Nature
Exploring Tortuguero: Costa Rica's remote wildlife hotspotNov 16, 2015 • 6 min read
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