Manzinillo – Beachcomber Pete Costa Rica

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Located on the shores of the Caribbean Sea in Limon province, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a vibrant seaside town with magnificent beaches. It has quickly become one of Costa Rica’s number one tourist destinations. International surfers from all over the world come to defeat the famous Salsa Brava waves. Simply referred to as Puerto Viejo by the locals, this quaint village has a relaxed atmosphere with a unique blend of Bribri, Afro-Caribbean and Latino indigenous cultures.

Puerto Viejo features a wide variety of restaurants, discos and bars throughout the village. In addition, there are many good shopping venues. Besides the golden sand beaches and tropical vegetation, there are many interesting attractions, such as the Gandoco Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, the Talamanca Indian Reserve and the Cahuita National Park. Although most of the roads are dirt paved, it adds to the rustic charm of the village.

While many surfers flock to Puerto Viejo for the great surf, there’s a plethora of activities is you’re looking to enjoy the outdoors in the great tropical climate. Horseback tours, scuba diving, snorkeling, mountain biking and kayaking are just a few of the fun activities available in the village. Puerto Viejo’s tropical temperature is approximately 80 degrees year round, which makes it a pleasure to be outdoors.

It was difficult to reach the Talamanca coast until the 1970s. The far distance of San Jose and difficulty of travel by canoe caused the coastal villagers to be somewhat isolated from the mainstream of Costa Rica. As a result, the villagers developed customs and cultures that were unique to themselves. Roads were built in 1979 and connected the village to Limon. Today, it is only a 3 hour drive from San Jose.

In the 1800s, English speaking Afro-Caribbean people came from Jamaica to settle along the Talamanca coast. They brought an African based culture of culinary arts, fishing, and farming that are reflected in Puerto Viejo today. British colonial customs from generations of slavery were retained and cricket and May Pole dances still played a role in their activities. These Caribbean farmers also brought cacao, coconuts and cola nuts. They planted the coastline with these cash crops and facilitated local development by establishing commercial ties.

The interesting cuisine in Puerto Viejo seen today was greatly influenced by the Afro-Caribbeans. Patacone, a French fried style, is still a favorite of the locals and tourists. Spicy patti and jerk chicken is commonly offered by street vendors and restaurants.

With its beautiful beaches and quaint charm, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a great retreat for a perfect vacation.

Filed Under: Cahuita National Park, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Featured, Gandoca-Manzanillio National Wildlife Refuge, Manzinillo, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Travel Photos

Manzanillo-Gandoca National Wildlife Refuge

Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, in southeastern Talmanca area of Costa Rica, is a set of rainforest and wetland environments including a coral reef. The refuge has over 20,000 acres and starts south of Punta Uva that is three miles south of Puerto Viejo and continues to the Sixaola River near the border with Panama. The only other coral reef in Costa Rica is in Cahuita.

The small beach village of Manzanillo is found inside the park and has white sandy beaches of the Caribbean. Trails reach up six miles from the town to Mona Point. Close by are the red mangrove swamps, the only one on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica. Two palm swamps that harbor tapirs within the marshes are found inside the park.

The park’s tropical plant life and isolation attract more than 350 species of tropical birds including the harpy eagle. This is a major feature for birding.

Examples of marine turtles – Green Sea. Leatherback and Hawksbill- nest on the southern beaches of the park. While not a main nesting site for turtles because of people using the beach, conservation authorities have increased plans to preserve the area for nesting.

The Kekoldi Indian Reserve shares land with the Gandoca-Manzanillo Reserve to preserve the indigenous Cabecar and Bribri native tribal areas. The tribes live in the park, subsisting off the land.

The Reserve has a diverse number of animals including eagles, manatees and dolphins. Other examples of wildlife are caimans, tapirs, tarpons, and crocodiles. Visitors who snorkel or scuba dive will be able to view the tropical fish in the coral reef.

The dry season, March to April and then from September through October, is the best time to visit Gandoca-Manzanillo as the park gets high rainfall. Both towns of Manzanillo and Gandoca have entrances to the park. Local accommodations are limited. Visitors will find lodging in Puerto Viejo.

Gandoca Manzanillo Refuge is 73 km in distance from Limon. It is not easily reaches because most of the roads are dirt, so the best route is to drive from San Jose to Limon and then drive south to the town of Cahuita. Pass the town of Puerto Viejo for 12 km and then reach the entrance of the reserve.

The small towns of Punta Uva, Punta Mona, Home Creek and Manzanillo are located in the refuge.

Filed Under: Caribbean, Costa Rica, Featured, Gandoca, Gandoca-Manzanillio National Wildlife Refuge, Manzinillo, National Parks

Caribbean

Costa Rica’s Caribbean coastline, the least visited yet maybe the most beautiful section of Costa Rica. Extending from the northern border with Nicaragua southward to the border with Panama, the lush Caribbean region of Costa Rica offers adventure seekers as well as nature lovers a land filled with indescribable natural riches. From unbelievable pristine white sand beaches to lush tropical rainforest teeming with countless species of wild life, the Costa Rica Caribbean coastline is just waiting to be discovered.

The gateway to Costa Rica’s Caribbean region is the port city of Puerto Limon, a three hour drive from Costa Rica’s capital city of San Jose will take travelers over the Central Mountain Range, passing through Zurqui Tunnel, the only tunnel to be found in the country, dense tropical rainforest will give way to banana plantations and palm tree lined roads leading to Puerto Limon. Puerto Limon is also home to Costa Rica’s only Caribbean cruise port.

The Costa Rica Caribbean region can be divided into two main areas; the northern Caribbean coastline is home to some of the best wildlife viewing in all of Costa Rica, home to two of the country’s finest national parks, Tortuguero National Park and Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge. Travel to Tortuguero is mainly from Puerto Limon via excursion boats or from San Jose by air. Several lodges will make arrangements to pick up their guest in Puerto Limon. Tortuguero National Park is inundated year round by migrating turtles, June to November will find upwards of 30,000 green turtles making their way onshore to lay their eggs, while the months of February till July will see Giant Leatherback turtles nesting along the same beaches. Headed north from Tortuguero National Park is Barra del Colorado National Wild Refuge extending north to the Nicaraguan border. With less amenities than Tortuguero the area is mainly known for its fishing.

The southern Caribbean coastline is known for its clear blue waters attracting snorkelers and beachcombers alike. Cahuita National Park, with its many coral reefs is a big draw. The southern Caribbean area host some of Costa Rica’s most unspoiled rainforests, nature lovers will find Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve a treasure drove of wildlife. Puerto Viejo, just 30 minutes south of Cahuita National Park is known for its Caribbean flavor, with descendants of Jamaican heritage that came to work the banana plantations and Costa Rica’s railroad during the late 1800’s , the area is deep in Creole traditions that travelers will find evident in the local food, music and Mardi Gras celebrations. The end of the road leads to Manzanillo, the southernmost reaches of the Caribbean coastline is an area that time has forgotten. Adventure seekers will find Gandoca-Manzanillio Wildlife Refuge the perfect launching point for adventures into the jungles, with boating, horseback riding or just hiking to enjoy this area rich in wildlife and scenery that should wet any appetite.

Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast sees the heaviest of the countries rainfall, over 200 inches of rain a year is not uncommon for this region , yet compared to the rest of the country, the rain is spread out through the year. July and December will find the heaviest months with August through October the least amount. Temperatures will average 75 to 85 degrees year round and are kept pleasant by tropical winds coming from the Caribbean waters.

Filed Under: Cahuita, Cahuita National Park, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Featured, Gandoca, Limon, Manzinillo

Gandoca, Costa Rica

A tiny coastal village that gazes on the Caribbean Sea, Gandoca, Costa Rica may be one of the tropic’s most untapped treasures. Tucked amid lush jungle foliage, silky-sanded beaches and unspoiled wilderness, it is near Panama’s border and home to commercial banana plantations that serve as the area’s main employer and represent an industry that has been present in Central American for over 100 years.

Gandoca is best known for the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refugeand is located at the southern end of it. Here is where some sole survivors of Costa Rica’s wildlife and rain forest ecosystems are protected. Residents include crocodiles, sea turtles, manatees, dolphins, eagles, toucans, lobsters, exotic fish and numerous other inhabitants of sea, land and air. The refuge has several rare habitats including a natural mangrove swamp and a lowland rain forest.

From March through July, a visit to Gandoca offers an opportunity to witness turtle nesting season, one of nature’s most fascinating events. A nighttime stroll on the beach may come to a mesmerized halt as huge leatherback sea turtles emerge from the turquoise water and use their flippers as shovels to dig pits into the pristine sand. These large holes are where they settle their 1000 pound bodies to lay as many as 80 to 120 eggs before returning to their tranquil, underwater world. This has drawn a turtle conservation project to Gandoca, where turtle eggs are a delicacy and vulnerable to human poachers. Project members relocate the eggs to safer ground, patrol the site from dusk to dawn, keep the beach clean of debris and build hatcheries. Prior to this project commencing in 1986, almost all eggs fell prey to poachers. The survival rate is now 90 percent, making Gandoca’s beach one of the world’s few to see nesting numbers rise. Volunteers are welcome to join the project’s mission to help hatchings make a safe run to the sea.

Gandoca is a humid rainforest with February, March, June, September and October comprising the dry seasons, making them the recommended time for nature lovers, hikers, dolphin watchers, kayakers and snorkelers to visit the area and refuge.

Located a short seven miles from the popular tourist town of Puerto Viejo, Gandoca is close to restaurants, accommodations and shopping. Gandoca itself, though, truly is a secluded and remote paradise that some might say is best experienced in a hammock.

Filed Under: Caribbean, Costa Rica, Featured, Gandoca, Manzinillo, Travel Photos

Cahuita, Costa Rica

Cahuita is a small, secluded village in the southern part of Costa Rica on the Caribbean coast and it is 43 kilometers or 27 miles from Puerto Limón. Most of Cahuita’s 4000 people are of Jamaican heritage, many having migrated in the early part of the 20th century to work on the banana plantations.

Weather in Cahuita is very rainy and hot but there is a period of time when it is a little less rainy. Between the middle of February and April there is less rain, and sometimes it rains less during September and October. The sun shines more than 12 hours a day in Costa Rica.

Cahuita National Park, Cahuita, Costa Rica

On the coast, there is a beach with black sand and a beach with white sand. Between them is one of the best coral reefs in Costa Rica. Cahuita is the gateway to Cahuita National Park which is 2,635 acres, with one tenth of that being offshore. It was formed in 1970 in order to protect the coral reef there. It contains a beach with white sands and marvelous coral reefs. Snorkeling is excellent here and there are hiking trails. Camping is allowed in one section of the park but there are no facilities. The habitat there is a rain forest and some of the animals are: blue fiddler crabs, herons, toucans, ibis, iguanas, monkeys, sloths, tamandua, and coati.The Tree of Life Wildlife Rescue Center and Botanical Gardens rescues displaced animals, rehabilitates them, and returns them to the wild, if possible. They also breed turtles and iguanas and place them in the wild. There are 10 acres of gardens that include native plants, palms, bromeliads, heleconias, and more. They are closed in May, June, September, and October.

11 kilometers from Cahuita is the Aviarios del Caribe Sloth Sanctuary. It was established to protect and rehabilitate sloths. During the tour, you will go on a canoe ride in the rainforest, return to the education center to learn about sloths, and then meet some of the babies.

Another attraction is Willie’s Tours where you can tour the Bri Bri Reserve and learn about pre-Columbian culture and cocoa processing. Another choice is rafting on the Pacaure River or hiking through the rainforest. Other guided adventures include snorkeling, fishing, or dolphin watching.

If you wish to spend the night in Cahuita, you will find five hotels there. They are the Atlantida Lodge, Hotel Magellan Inn, Hotel National Park Cahuita, Playa Negra Guesthouse, and Suizo Loco Lodge.

Filed Under: Cahuita, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Featured, Limon, Manzinillo, Travel Photos

Manzanillo, Caribbean, Costa Rica

Manzanillo, Caribbean Costa Rica is a tiny fishing village residing within the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife and Marine Refuge. Manzinillo is part of the awe inspiring cost of the Caribbean. This idyllic village is best known for gorgeous white sandy beaches dotted with palm trees.

Manzinillo is just a short drive from San Jose. Boasting unmatched weather year round, this quiet little village hosts only a small number of tourists yearly. Tradition and customs are a daily part of Mazinillo life offering friendly faces and delectable cuisine to its tourists. Manzinillo is the ideal location for a low key and tranquil vacation spot.Manzinillo received its name after the ancient tree that grew in the center of the village until the late 1940′s. Manzanillo offer locals and travelers lovely markets to shop and dine. Restaurants serve a bounty from the ocean depths with seafood that is the most delectable in the country. This tiny village is renowned for its seafood cuisine.

Manzinillo, Costa Rica has an astonishing array of beautiful accommodations for the vacationer. Small hotels and resorts dot the lovely little village. Traveler’s will wish to take part in snorkeling and swimming among the reefs. Scuba diver enthusiasts will be gratified to witness all the underwater beauty that Manzinillo has to offer. Dolphin tours are readily available for vacationers to watch any of the different species of dolphins that call the coastline home.

Avid fishers will appreciate all of the fishing opportunities available in Manzinilllo. Charter fishing trips are available on an almost daily basis allowing fishers to have the guided fishing trip of their dreams. Small charter boats are available for rental to travelers wishing to explore the sea and fish quietly among the waters of Manzinillo. Nature enthusiasts are able to hike to Monkey Point. Hikers will be able to observe some of Costa Rica’s native monkeys in their natural habitat and surroundings. Monkey Point is a trip of a lifetime. Locals believe that Monkey Point was named by Christopher Columbus after discovering the area during his expeditions. Tropical jungles are on the village edge for locals and travelers to explore and discover.

Filed Under: Caribbean, Costa Rica, Featured, Manzinillo