Central Pacific

Costa Rica Regions / Central Valley / Caribbean Coast / North Pacific / Northern / South Pacific

It has a double climate, dry and wet. The Central pacific Coast is the first place for tourists in North America. Thousand of plants species and wild animals will cover this zone. It is a very central place, normally Costa Ricans enjoy weekends in this beaches because they are very near from San Jose. Most of these places are civilized, with nice restaurants and fashion malls. Like all beaches of Costa Rica many commercial places are from foreign people. Things are changing quickly in San Jose surrounds.

Puntarenas

Puntarenas is one of the seven providence of the country. It is located in the western area and covering most of the country's Pacific coast. It borders on the province of Guanacaste, Alajuela, San Jose and Limon. Coco’s Island is part of this province.

One of the best tourist sites in the city is “Paseo de los Turistas”, which is a kind of pedestrian avenue that borders the ocean and with all sorts of businesses: hotels, bars, ice cream parlors, discos. Also in this province the Marine Historical Museum and Marine Park are new attractions on this place.

The city has a hospital named Monseñor Sanabria, one stadium named Miguel "Lito" Perez and football team in first division. Another important thing is that Puntarenas has all the basic services (police, telephony, shops).

The main economic activities are tourism, fisheries, agriculture. The province offers the tourist sun, sand, tropical beaches, fun, parties, music and good food. Here is the Manuel Antonio National Park a stunning white sand beaches and tropical rainforest like Corcovado National Park and the Private Reserve of Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Puntarenas is the pier province were many tourists arrive in cruises. The carnivals in the city of Puntarenas stand out as the most famous popular celebration of the province; they start at the end of January. Puntarenas is notable for its delicious meal among some coastal dishes, the famous “ceviche puntarenas", "chuchecas" and how not to mention the tasty and refreshing dessert "legends".

Many hotels with different prices will surround Puntarenas coast.

Puntarenas has 11 cantons and 43 districts,

1-Puntarenas
2-Esparza
3-Buenos Aires
4- Miramar
5- Puerto Cortés
6- Quepos
7- Golfito
8-Coto Brus
9-Parrita,
10- Ciudad Neily
11- Jaco

 

Mata de Limon Beach

This is a small place and very quiet. Mata Limon s very near from the Caldera port. This place is very near from a beach named Doña Ana beach.It has a very nice and singular mangrove lagoon, but it is not for swimming because small creatures flock over there. It is very important town because Caldera’s port is very busy. Mata Limon’s beach is only for surfers. In the south of the town Tivives and Valor beach are very visited.

Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park

It is a day trip. This place is a collection of botanical gardens. This reflects the different native zones. You will also enjoy of different trees and animals. Inside this park you will find a Canopy place if you are an adrenaline person. If you want you can come by a car or by public bus.

Carara National Park

It has 5242 hectares. It is 50 km south from Puntarenas. This reserve is in the middle of the dry and the wet rain forests, because of its land it forms an oasis which is the house of the inhabitant’s wildlife. The dry season is from December to April. March to April are the driest months.
Rainfall is almost 3000mm annually. Temperatures go from 25C to 28C. When you come back to San Jose, make a stop on the Crocodile Bridge, there, thousands of crocodiles appear.

Tarcoles Area

It has a small population with humble houses. It is located 2km from Carara. The principal attraction of this place is the Tarcoles River surrounded by its hiking trails also big waterfalls near the river.

Punta Leona

This place is between Tarcoles and the south of Jaco. It has a big hotel with the same name, which is the principal attraction of the zone.
Playa Herradura

Years ago it was a rural part of the country. It was full of campers and black sand. In 1990 Playa Herradura was used for a stage to make a movie, this is when this beach starts to be famous. Now days it is the most expensive area in hotels and the richest people live here.
Another important thing is that the place is surrounded by dolphins and different kinds of exotic animals.

Jaco Beach

It is the closest famous beach. Jaco was known in the earliest 90’s because people from Europe and North America came to surf in this beach. In few years Jaco was converted in the most developed town in the country. This development brought also many good things, like paved roads, big hotels and an increase on the commercial world. It has a hard night live, from nice restaurants to fashion bars. It is always important to say that Jaco is also known because of its prostitution and drugs sale, so this means that policeman will be very serious with everyone they see and of course the majority of this population are foreigners.
In this place you can realize many activities too, like hiking, surfing, surfcasting, swimming and horse riding. Many other places like spas, beauty places and even gyms will give you all the benefits like if you were home.

Playa Hermosa

Famous for its huge waves, it is located 5 km south from Jaco. Hermosa has many hotels and cabins but there isn’t a specific town, it is just a coast. Every year an annual test is held here, especially for advanced surfers.

Esterillos area

It is about 22 km from Jaco. It is a path destination. It has three accesses, West Esterillos, East Esterillos and Center Esterillos.
It is a small and calm town where sometimes you can enjoy of some waves and of some peace.

Parrita

This town has the same name as the river. It is also known for trees variety. It is about 40 km from Jaco. It has some hotels and some restaurants. An important place to visit is the Palo Seco beach, which is very calm and grey sand beach.
You will find many bird species flying all over.

Quepos

This name comes from the indigenous group Quepoa, a subgroup of the Borucas who lived in this area during the conquest. Quepos was the first banana exporting port in the 20’s.These finished because it was a hard work and not paid. Manuel Antonio is the closest town which is obtaining more tourism and a bigger economy because a construction of a new marina will be constructed in the next years.
The principal idea of this port is also to work for all the cruisers.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park is located in the Pacific coast. The park is located approximately 157 km south of San Jose. It is also 7 km south from Quepos. The park was established in November 15, 1972 with an area of 683 hectares of land and 55,000 hectares of sea. Years ago this land became a crop place which was subsequently acquired by the United Fruit Company.
This park has one of the most impressive landscapes in Costa Rica; the park has white sands and green foliage in the midst of great mountains. It has a humid tropical forest. It protects primary forest, secondary forest, mangrove, beach vegetation, marine environments and islands. The most characteristic species of flora are within the primary forest. The mangroves covers about 18 hectares, they are three species, red mangrove, white mangrove and black mangrove. It has big vegetation. It is so amazing that imagine a humid forest surrounded with beach.

Matapalo

It has a grey sand beach; it has a two mouth river descend. It has a nice beach but not appropriate for surfing. In the south of Matapalo you can find the famous waterfalls and nice swimming pools.

Dominical

Is the most popular place for the surfers, most of the tourists stay more time that the one they thought. It has a difficult access but this is the reason to enjoy more the stay.

Escaleras Area

It is a small community with few houses and hotels. It has pretty landscape which helps relax. A 4WD car is absolutely necessary because to get here you have to pass throw a staircase.

Uvita

Located 17 km south from Dominical beach. This place is not more than farms, houses and sodas. This place is also important for the migration of whales.

Marino Ballena National Park

This park protects corals and reefs for more than 5300 hectares of sea and 110 hectares of land. The park has few visits but its beaches are commonly visited.
Scientists are studying if it is really that humpback whales mate in Costa Rica's ocean, because they come and go from this ocean.

 

Costa Rica Regions / Central Valley / Caribbean Coast / North Pacific / Northern / South Pacific