Caribbean side of Costa Rica with blue sea, skies and jungle
Costa Rica,  Latin America

Costa Rica’s Caribbean Side: Incredibly Beautiful

Costa Rica's Caribbean side is usually said to be less beautiful than its counterpart on the Pacific coast.

But let me tell you right away: the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica has some incredible places to show off its wild beauty.

Be it the truly amazing nature in the National Park of Tortuguero, the laid back attitude in the quirky town of Puerto Viejo or the crystal clear waters in Cahuita National Park.

The Caribbean side of Costa Rica is magnificent!

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Costa Rica's Caribbean side: what they say


We got warned before heading to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica: a lot more rain, a lot less wildlife and the beaches aren't that beautiful either.

Lets be honest right away: it sure does rain more. But choose your month wisely and you will actually have LESS rain than in the rest of the country at the same time!


Costa Rica's Caribbean side: what it's really like


If you don't have time to visit the whole Caribbean side of Costa Rica extensively, here are the three best places you definitely should add to any itinerary:

Why these three? Simply because they showcase what the Caribbean side of Costa Rica is all about: incredible wildlife (despite what you heard) in Tortuguero, beautiful white sand beaches in Cahuita and a mix of Afro-Caribbean flair in Puerto Viejo. 

Also: the food is amazing! That mix of Caribbean flavours like coconut milk and curry with the typical ingredients of Costa Rica is sublime! 

Think Caribbean chicken marinated in coconut milk but with patacones, which are chips made from fried green plantain and rice! 

Costa Rican caribbean styled food with rice and patacones

Caribbean chicken in Puerto Viejo

Shrimps with patacones in coconut curry in a plate

Shrimps with Patacones

Costa Rican sea food platter 

1 - Tortuguero National Park


Paradise beaches? 

Not really because that's not what Tortuguero is all about.

Think lush green rainforest divided by several river branches and canals, densely populated by Costa Rican wildlife.

No wonder they call it 'Costa Rica's Amazonas'. 

The northern part of Costa Rica's Caribbean side is widely dominated by this pretty spectacular jungle.

Yes, it does rain a lot - agreed! But Tortuguero is not the place you'll look for crystal clear water, white beaches and yummy cocktails to bathe in the sun. No.


Then why bother visiting?


Tortuguero is adventure, wildlife and an incredible phenomenon: turtle nesting.

They do this between February and November, the months depending on which variety of turtle is nesting at that moment: Green, leatherback, hawksbill or loggerhead sea turtle. 

We witnessed not only the nesting but also the hatching of cute tiny baby-turtles as well! 

A boat trip on the canals is quite fun too. If you're fond of exotic birds, that's definitely a thing to do! You might spot a few monkeys and caymans as well - we did.

Tortuguero National park on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica

Boat tour on the canals

Baby turtle in sandy beach on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica

Baby turtle hatching


How to get there?


That's a bit complicated, I admit. If you're starting from San José it's a 2h30 to 3 hour drive to get to the 'Embarcadero La Pavona'.

From here, boats will take you to Tortuguero in about 1 hour. There are no roads leading to the National Park.

There is a tiny airport, though. But the cost of a little plane taking you here is way too high in our honest opinion. Plus: you can already spot wildlife on they way to the only town in the National Park.


Where to stay?


Did I say only town? Well... technically, yes. There is one other tiny village, though, called San Francisco de Tortuguero

With only about 100 inhabitants, San Francisco is the quieter alternative when you don't want to stay in the (usually) more crowded Tortuguero.

Check out the Chinitas Eco Lodge we stayed at: budget-friendly, a lovely jungle-garden, hammocks and the cutest hosts you can imagine. Ana Rita and Gerardo attended to every one of our needs.

2 - Puerto Viejo: Caribbean lifestyle


Surfer-dudes, Afro-Caribbean music, laid-back mentality and a mix of tico* and Caribbean cuisine: this pretty much sums up this quirky little town.

You'll find a huge amount of stores selling everything from beachwear to souvenirs and the restaurant scene is even more diversified: sodas** offering local Costa Rican cuisine, Asian food, vegan cafés and french bakeries. 

*tico is what a Costa Rican calls himself

**a soda is a smaller Costa Rican restaurant, budget-friendly


What to do?


Although the town is rather small, you'll probably get caught up in the reggae and surfer scene very quickly.

If that's too 'alternative' for you, Puerto Viejo has some really cool beaches and pretty amazing snorkel spots.

Also, the Jaguar Rescue Centre is worth a visit. Unlike what the name might suggest, you'll find other wildlife like monkeys here as well. The animals are in captivity, yes. But only for the amount of time they need to get 'back on their paws' to head into the wild again.

Other then that, just enjoy the breezing life and EAT! So many delicious choices, you can easily spend a few days here just trying out different cuisine-styles.

Restaurants on the beach

Sandy beach and sea on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica in Puerto Viejo

Caribbean vibes, much?

Little blue boats at a beach in Puerto Viejo

One of Puerto Viejo's beaches


Where to stay?


We found this lovely little hotel with only a few rooms: Cabinas Montesol.

Very cheap (Puerto Viejo is not that budget-friendly regarding accommodation), super fast internet, a lovely sitting area that has this jungle-feel you might want.

Plus: it's outside the centre so you won't be bothered by constant car noise or loud music but still only a 15 min walk from the bruising beach front.


3 - Cahuita National Park


Fauna & flora


Cahuita National Park, located in the southern part of the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, is both a terrestrial and marine park.

You'll find around 35 coral species, more than 120 types of fish, crustaceans and molluscs in these waters: talking about an ideal place to snorkel!

And the terrestrial part ain't bad either: coatis, pacas, sloths, racoons, howler monkeys, Capuchins and so on. Not to mention plenty of birds like kingfisher, ibis, toucan.

And don't forget the iguanas... they do fall from their tree from time to time. Happened to me. That was quite a scare as it was a huge one and it landed right before me.

It was veeeeery fast too, rushing to the water as soon as it landed.

Plenty of wildlife, right?

Capuchin monkey sitting on a thick branch in Cahuita

Cute Capuchin monkeys in Cahuita National Park


Little paradise: beaches & hiking


Yes, here you will absolutely find the typical Caribbean paradise beaches you have dreamed about! White or black sand, depending what side of the park you are at that moment, crystal clear blue waters and green palm trees. 

All of it right next to a densely populated rainforest.

Said rainforest offers several hiking trails that are very easy to manage. People even did them in flip-flops as they planned on spending a few hours at one of the deserted beaches afterwards.

Good to know:

Cahuita National Park is the only park in Costa Rica that doesn't have an entrance fee but relies solely on donations.


White sandy beach, turquoise water and marvelous Cyn in a blue dress on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica

Little piece of paradise

Where to stay?

Less than 1 hour from Puerto Viejo, this is obviously a must-do when visiting the latter. But you could also choose to stay in the teeny-tiny town of Cahuita, there are a few hostels and hotels here, check them out:

Booking.com


Conclusion: the Caribbean side of Costa Rica is a beauty!


This part of the country should absolutely figure on any itinerary for Costa Rica!

It has everything Costa Rica stands for: a rich fauna and flora, beaches, coral reefs, lovely restaurants and accommodation options.

Why would anyone leave out this side when visiting Costa Rica?

Speaking of which, check out this 10 days in Costa Rica itinerary where you'll find even more incredible places to visit.

And don't forget to check out our tips for driving in Costa Rica if you plan on doing it all in an epic road trip.

I hope this mini-guide could persuade you to add the Caribbean side to your Costa Rica trip. Feel free to comment, share and pin this article for later use.


As ever

xx

Cyn

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