When You Think Caribbean Costa Rica Beaches, Do You Think Fantastic?

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When You Think Caribbean Costa Rica Beaches, Do You Think Fantastic?

By now almost everybody is sick of winter and thinking about some place where shorts, not overcoats, can be worn. Costa Rica has become the vacation place of choice, in part, because of its reputation for being one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This small Central America country is easy to reach and has spectacular tropical mountains and volcanoes, and some of the best beaches anywhere. Travelers come for its great surfing beaches, beach communities with daytime fun and adult nightlife, and deserted beaches where verdant mountains meet the shore.

Christopher Columbus was the first Old World adventurer to explore the Caribbean beaches of Costa Rica. He was so enthralled he named his discovery Costa Rica meaning the Rich Coast. He was mistakenly sure that the land was filled with gold but the name stuck, even as its true treasures, incredible diversity and fullness of life, were discovered.

Despite so many years passing there is still a lot for travelers to discover on the Caribbean coast. This coast is much more undeveloped and has a very different ambiance from the Pacific. Think reggae.

For more and more people, a Costa Rica vacation is not complete without seeing Tortuguero National Park along the northern Caribbean coast extending to the southern border of. This is virtually a roadless park so most folks go to Limon and travel north to the park by boat, although there are small airfields as well. Despite its remoteness, this park is one of Costa Rica's Seven Wonders. Originally set aside as the world's largest green sea turtle nesting area, today it hosts many lodges and tours servicing fishermen and ecotourists.

Limon is typically the jumping off point to head north by boat or small aircraft to Tortuguero or along the Costa Rica Caribbean highway to great beaches south, including the beach where Columbus named the country. Limon is not a favorite vacation destination and is best thought of as the place to go north or south. Heading south will take travelers to Puerto Viejo. This little town is world famous for surfers and a favorite trip to Costa Rica. Between November through April, it is often filled with surfers. The best-of-the-best head for the world-famous three-mile long La Salsa Brava wave. A short distance south beginners and intermediates can have lots of fun surfing at Playa Cocles.

Between Limon and Puerto Viejo is the little community of Cahuita, primarily a stop for snorkeling and beach walks. There are white and black sand beaches here and good snorkeling. The coral reef is just offshore and has two shipwrecks to explore. At night, vacationers find this place very quiet and many head down to Puerto Viejo for its restaurants.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Gandoco-Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve nearly at the Panama border. When Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica, this is where his boat landed. In this magical place you will find crystal clear waters perfect for swimming and scuba diving (you can rent equipment and even get PADI certified). Or, if you like, snorkeling at Costa Rica's largest coral reefs. Plus, kayaking, hiking, and seeing monkeys, sloths and some of the 350 species of birds nearby.