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Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast
In addition to my many other Costa Rican travels, I have spent some time along the Caribbean coast. In a country full of national parks, Tortuguero is one of the richest and most popular.
Puerto Limón
Puerto Limón, usually called simply Limón, is the capital of Limón province. This Caribbean port town does not offer much for the tourist. Travelers who go here are usually just passing through. The weather here is warmer and much more steamy than the spring climate of San José.
Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero, attracting nearly 50,000 tourists annually, is the major tourist attraction of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, and one of the world's primary nesting sites for endangered green turtles. Nesting season is July through October and sometimes into early November, which is the best, and the busiest, time to come. Even if you come during the "non-nesting" season you will still have an enjoyable time and learn a great deal about the local wildlife, including the sea turtles.
Tortuguero is not a place where you come on your own. All bus and boat transfers are set up as part of a package which includes lodging, meals and sightseeing with a certified guide, who is well versed in the local wildlife. Most packages are set up for a two-night stay in Tortuguero which is the ideal amount of time. Tour prices vary depending on your accommodations and the transfers included. The more expensive packages offer more amenities at your lodge and often include a flight back to San José rather than the return trip by bus. All lodges are comfortable however, and include private bath and hot water.
The first day of your Tortuguero excursion consists of a bus ride for several hours during which you will cross over the Continental Divide and drive through acres and acres of lovely banana plantations, including the Chiquita Plantation. Costa Rica is the world's second largest producer of bananas, next to Ecuador. Your guide will explain some interesting facts about bananas and plantation life as you pass by. Stops are made to observe unusual wildlife. Our guide spotted a sloth in clear view at the top of a tree and we were fortunate enough to observe him move several times in the course of a few minutes - a rare occurrence for a sloth!
Later you will board a covered motor launch to cruise down a waterway that is replete with all kinds of wildlife, both on land and in the air. You'll be able to spot caimans (small alligators), Costa Rican water buffalo, egrets, herons, terns, sandpipers, turkey vultures, monkeys, snakes, and more.
As you begin your boat ride you will pass through an area that at one time was a "primo" place for sports fishing. In 1991 this area was struck by an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude which caused an upheaval in the ground underneath the waterways. The ecology changed and the fish went elsewhere. Dredging of the lagoons has been conducted since the earthquake and is still going on. The fish are returning and although the area is not yet what it was before the earthquake, it is getting there. For more information contact Tortuguero National Park (506/239-9130 or 506/837-9301).
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