The port city of Limon, about 3 hours drive from San José, is Caribbean flavor all the way. Capital of the Afro-Caribbean culture in Costa Rica, Limon possesses dialects based on English that have survived thanks to the natural barriers between the Central Valley and the Caribbean coast. Every October the city dresses up to celebrate its annual Carnival, which transform the streets into rivers of colors, drumbeats and dance for an entire week.
The Caribbean coast is generally hot and wet (averaging 300-500 cm annually). Fortunately, light breezes blow consistently year-round on the coast, helping keep things relatively cool along the shores.
The zone is divided into two distinct regions. North of "Puerto Limon" is a long, straight coastal strip of broad alluvial plain separated from the sea by a series of freswater lagoons and extending to Tortuguero and the Rio Colorado. South of "Puerto Limon" is the Talamanca coast, a narrow coastal plain brokeen by occasional headlands and coral reefs and backed by the looming "Cordillera Talamanca".
Perhaps the most well-known area is the northern coastal, where Tortuguero National Park and the Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge protect a vast alluvial flood plain and the famous Tortuguero Canals. Due to the swamp conditions of much of the area, there is no road access; only can be reach by boat or plane.
Limon Province boasts a higher percentage of its area preserved in national parks and reserves than any other region of Costa Rica.
Major attractions: Cahuita National Park, Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Tortuguero National Park, Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve, Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Reserve.
Activities available: Hiking, Bird watching, boat tours, sport fishing, Snorkeling, Scuba diving, white water rafting, ocean and river kayaking, first-class surfing, canoeing and much more.... |
