To get here, you take the Braulio Carrillo Highway , that connects San José and Limón. Along the trip, you will breathe clean, fresh air as you admire the scenery of great tropical banana plantations.
In 1502 Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica, arriving for the first time to these tropical humid forestlands, with its great exuberance and coral reef clear waters. Today this natural charm remains, in a region characterized by the coexistence of the different races that have left their mark on Costa Rican history: Caucasian's, Chinese, Indigenous, and Afro-Caribbean. The latter, with their rich coconut flavored culinary traditions, rhythm, and 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, the region is ideal to practice activities focused on nature and sea, among them Tarpon, Wahoo, and Barracuda fishing; 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 reaches a height of up to 40 feet. Other prized beaches are those of Bonita, Westfalia and Uvita Island Beaches. 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 embraces the province of Limon with its principal towns of Guacimo, Matina, Talamanca, Pococi, Siquirres and Limon.
The region possesses a humid tropical climate and presents temperature changes ranging 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 huge evergreen trees, adorned with lianas and plants of exuberant height. These characteristics, and the presence of species such as the rainbow-beaked toucan, wild turkey, spider monkey, opossum, and tapir, results from the presence of a great amount of rainfall throughout the year, with drier periods during the months of April and October. Exactly in October when the Carnival of Limon dazzles visitors with its colorful and rhythmical parades, and the musical groups.
Some of the protected wildlife areas that gives the chance 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 latter, well known for the marine turtle nesting and the natural canals that harbor endangered and threatened species like the manatee, otter, and crocodile.