Costa Rica - Tortuguero and the Caribbean Southern Coast - Pura Vida!
The Caribbean side of Costa Rica is different from the rest of the country. With a blend of Afro-Caribbean roots, predominantly Jamaican and Latino, the area offers a unique taste of Costa Rica found nowhere else in the country.
The main attraction here is Parque Nacional Tortuguero (TNP), a protected wilderness area on Costa Rica's northern Caribbean coast. It's the Costa Rican version of the Amazon rainforest and dominates the northern coast of the country. This massive area is a series of rivers and canals that crisscross the jungle. Tortuga is Spanish for turtle and Tortuguero is Costa Rica's "region of turtles". It's the most important nesting site of the endangered green sea turtle in the Western Hemisphere. Leatherback, Hawksbill, and Loggerhead turtles also nest on these beaches. The village of Tortuguero is positioned on a narrow strip of land between the lagoon and Playa Tortuguero.
Despite its remote location, reachable only by airplane or boat, TNP is the third-most visited park in Costa Rica. The park has a large variety of biological diversity due to eleven different habitats, including rainforests, mangrove forests, swamps, beaches, and lagoons. Located in a tropical climate, it is very humid and one of the rainiest parts of Costa Rica, which contributes to its rich biodiversity.
In TNP the network of canals, rivers, lagoons, beaches, and dense rainforests are interlinked. This is one of the few Costa Rican National Parks where walking quietly isn’t necessarily the best way to see things. Exploring these canals and observing the wildlife by boat, kayak, or canoe is a wonderfully relaxing and peaceful way to experience nature. The park’s freshwater creeks and lagoons are rich with wildlife, including manatees, caimans, and crocodiles. The dense rainforest has three of Costa Rica's four species of monkey: spider, howler, and white-faced capuchin, and is home to at least four Costa Rican cat species: jaguars, ocelot, jaguarundi, and puma, plus many bird species. Other mammals include three-toed sloths, Agouti, Tapir, and white-tailed deer. The amount of wildlife here is amazing.
Turtle nesting walks can be arranged with a licensed guide from your lodge. These tours are led at night and are about 2 hours in duration. Cameras and lights are not permitted on the beach and guests should wear dark clothing to avoid disrupting the turtles. Turtles come to nest for a few months each year, before booking a trip or upon arriving at your lodge, check to see if it is turtle nesting season. If you are lucky during your visit, you might get a chance to see an even more spectacular event, the newly hatched turtles race to the sea. There is some overlap in the nesting and hatching seasons for the different varieties of turtles.
Although the beaches are beautiful, do not swim at TNP. The currents are strong and toothy barracudas and sharks roam the brackish waters, while caimans and crocodiles inhabit the inland waters. If you are going to swim, do it in the pool at your lodge.
South of TNP, the Caribbean Southern Coast has a reggae-Rasta vibe. This vibe begins in Cahuita, 45 kilometers south of the port city of Limon, and continues down the coast to Puerto Viejo, Punta Uva, and the end of the road, Manzanillo. This area has become a popular destination for those seeking an alternative to the more touristy Pacific side.
The beaches here are stunningly beautiful and nearly empty. The beach towns of Cahuita and Puerto Viejo have many restaurants, bars, and shops. What laid-back beach town isn’t complete without people riding their bikes through town and the aroma of jerk chicken (and other aromas) filling the salty air?
Set along the turquoise Caribbean Sea, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a laid-back beach town with a distinctly Caribbean feel. With residents of both Afro-Caribbean and indigenous descent, Puerto Viejo offers a unique culture that can be found only in this port of Costa Rica. We loved the vibe of this town, easy to explore on foot, and the many places to grab a bit to eat or relax at a bar and people-watch.
Cahuita is a popular destination for those seeking quiet jungle-lined beaches and access to Cahuita National Park, which protects coral reefs just off the beach and the rainforest in front of it.
Punta Uva is one of the most beautiful, yet least visited beaches in Costa Rica. We didn’t make it to this beach, but it will be at the top of our list next time we are in this area.
A note about sea turtle conservation
Green Sea Turtles neared extinction due to hunting of the adults for meat (they are easy prey when they nest) for turtle soup, and poaching of eggs for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities. Although hunting turtles for meat and shells has been mostly eliminated by laws preventing imports to the U.S. and Europe, egg poaching is still quite common. Thanks to the work of organizations like the Sea Turtle Conversation (STC), and the Costa Rican government, the population of green sea turtles nesting in the area has increased over the last couple of decades. As part of their conservation strategy, STC began working with villagers to promote ecotourism as more sustainable use of the sea turtles that nest at TNP each year. Licensed turtle guides must go through an STC training program to receive certification. Gradually, turtle tourism began offering a steady source of income as each year, tens of thousands of tourists come to Tortuguero (and pay guide fees) to see the nesting sea turtles and the other natural treasures of the national park. STC’s sustainable development work with the Tortuguero community has demonstrated that live sea turtles on the beach have greater value for the villagers than dead turtles in the stewpot.
How to Get to Tortuguero and the Caribbean Southern Coast
The best ways to get to Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast are either by plane, by bus from San Jose, or rent a car and drive yourself. For flexibility, we always prefer to drive.
However, since there aren’t any roads in Tortuguero, you arrive either by boat or plane. You can take a long boat ride from Moin, or from La Pavona harbor you can take a scenic 45-minute boat ride through the canals. It’s a three-hour drive from San Jose to La Pavona, sometimes longer if traffic is bad. The road has lots of twists and turns, is steep in some places, and has some occasional fog. Don’t rush this drive. Enjoy the scenery, pull over and get out of the car to take it all in!
After landing in San Jose we picked up our rental car and headed to La Pavona harbor. (I guess it’s technically a harbor, but there aren’t any docks). La Pavona (Embarcadero a Tortuguero) is a parking lot, bus dropoff spot, restaurant, bar, and waiting area for people and supplies going to or coming from Tortuguero.
Where to Stay in Tortuguero and the Caribbean Southern Coast
While there aren’t any major hotel chains in Tortuguero or along the Caribbean southern coast, there are lots of jungle lodges in Tortuguero and smaller lodging options in and around Puerto Viejo. As mentioned above, it's tough to get to Tortuguero. Supplies have to arrive by plane or boat, which isn’t cheap. While not overly expensive, this isn’t a budget destination. We stayed at Mawamba Lodge, which was a beautiful property. The cabins here will meet all of our basic needs, and there's a beautiful pool. Plus, the lodge can arrange all of your excursions while in Tortuguero.
The southern Caribbean coast has lodging options for all budgets. Some are in the towns, others are built in the jungles outside of towns. We stayed at Umani, just a few blocks from the main road in Puerto Viejo. This small boutique hotel had beautiful clean rooms, served breakfast each morning, and had a nice little pool for cooling off during the day or a relaxing swim in the evening.
What We Did in Tortuguero
Tortuguero Boat Tour - Take a boat tour that is offered by your lodge to explore the canals of Tortuguero. Your guide will help you spot the different species of birds, crocodiles, caimans, sloths, monkeys, and more. You’ll learn about the diverse and incredible wildlife you discover along the way. Aside from admiring the wildlife, the beauty and peaceful feeling of the canals is something special to behold.
Tortuguero Night Hike - As the day draws to a close, the nocturnal animals and insects come to life. A guided hike along a land trail is an amazing adventure. In the darkness of the jungle, you’ll see snakes, reptiles, and insects. The highlight of our night tour was seeing the female Brazilian Wandering spider, the most venomous spider in the world. Our guide flashed his light on her, as she was chilling out on a plant leaf. These spiders are very aggressive. And dangerous. We made sure to keep a comfortable distance between us and her.
Tortuguero Village Tour - The village is the only permanent area where Costa Ricans live in Tortuguero. The village is built on the strip of land between the Caribbean Sea and Tortuguero Lagoon. It’s only a couple of blocks at its widest and the main street stretches between guest houses, tourist shops, mini-supermarkets, and restaurants. The village is very remote, and if you’ve made it this far, it’s worth walking around and stopping for an authentic Caribbean meal.
Katonga Floating Restaurant - This is a floating restaurant, which is operated by Mawamba Lodge, which has a bar, a small kitchen, and 8 - 10 tables. We slowly went down a Tortuguero canal, reaching the mouth of the Pacific Ocean before turning around and heading upstream. During our slow canal ride, we spotted some eagles and other wildlife, while enjoying a tasty meal and having some good drinks.
Turtle Nesting Visit - Turtles were the main reason why we came here. Mawamba Lodge arranged a tour with a naturalist guide to walk the Pacific beaches. There are strict rules that don’t allow for taking pictures with a cell phone, as the light from a cell phone can disrupt the egg-laying process. Our guide led us to a spot where a turtle was laying her eggs. With the red light from his flashlight, we were able to see a green sea turtle dropping her eggs into a hole she had dug in the sand. Seeing a huge turtle drop her eggs was an incredible experience! Our small group was mesmerized, watching her dig a nesting hole and deposit her eggs. Hopefully, her eggs will hatch, the young turtles will make their way to the ocean waters, and those baby turtles will come back to this same beach later to lay their own eggs, continuing the process that lets the green sea turtles continue to exist!
What We Did in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and surrounding area
Beaches -The biggest draw to this area is its beautiful beaches. Along the road that runs to Manzanillo are smaller dirt roads that lead to secluded beaches, each with its own distinct feel. Play Nega in Puerto Viejo is a lovely black sand beach that is usually calm enough for swimming. Playa Cocles to the south is a surfing beach that, while not the best for swimming due to rip currents, is a great place to relax on the sand and people watch. Playa Punta Uva is by far the favorite. Its clean ivory sand, aquamarine water, and tall palms make this cove the perfect place to waste away the day. Playa Salsa Brava in Puerto Viejo has long attracted the surfer crowd with its famous swells. This beach has some of Costa Rica’s most powerful wave which breaks off the shallow reef.
Surfing -The biggest draw to this area is its beautiful beaches. Along the road that runs to Manzanillo are smaller dirt roads that lead to secluded beaches, each with its own distinct feel. Play Nega in Puerto Viejo is a lovely black sand beach that is usually calm enough for swimming. Playa Cocoles to the south is a surfing beach that, while not the best for swimming due to rip currents, is a great place to relax on the san
Cahuita National Park - We saw raccoons, sloths, monkeys, lizards, and many types of birds. To see the most wildlife, we recommend hiring a guide. You can see a lot on your own if you go slowly, but a guide will be able to spot more with their trained eye. On our last visit, a guide pointed out an eyelash pit viper snake that we never would have seen on our own as it was hidden deep in the bushes. Plus, it helps support the local community, and you’ll learn a few things about the park and local life.
From the entrance near the town, a trail runs along the coast and then crosses a river. After the river, the trail continues to a point, turns, and eventually reaches the southern entrance (about 8.3 km/5.2 miles in total, each way). Entering from the southern entrance, a new raised walkway meanders through a forested wetland and then along the beach, around the point, passing the river, and eventually back to the town of Cahuita.
Jaguar Rescue Center - The Jaguar Rescue Center (JRC) is a temporary or permanent home for ill, injured, and orphaned animals. With a focus on monkeys, sloths, other mammals, birds, and reptiles, the JRC provides veterinary services, round-the-clock care, and comfort to animals that would otherwise be unable to survive in the rainforest or the waters of the Caribbean.
The JRC is located in Playa Chiquita, about 4 miles south of the center of Puerto Viejo, and is where injured animals are first brought for treatment, rehabilitation, and love. It is here the animals are cared for and brought back to health so they can be released back to their homes in the jungle.
Where We Ate Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Cafe Viejo - Owned by three brothers from Italy, they serve up authentic Italian dishes, exceptional pizza, and delicious cocktails.
Restaurant Tamara - Authentic Caribbean food with indoor and outdoor seating areas.
Puerto Pirata Tiki Bar - This is a fun bar on the beach to have a snack or drink and spend your time people-watching.
Grow Puerto Viejo - Beachfront vegetarian restaurant and bar that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Noa Beach Club - Located on Playa Cocles, this restaurant serves modern cuisine made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.