Vacation Travelers Group Blog

Interesting to note that there are two towns/beaches named Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica. Both are lush and beautiful and have lived up to its name Hermosa which means beautiful in Spanish. How else can you describe a place of cool blue ocean and majestic palm trees?

One is located in Guanacaste which offers an idyllic and relaxed atmosphere for families on vacation and the other lies in the province of Puntarenas where the waves and the surfing action thrive. Either Hermosa is great place to visit or stay when vacationing in Costa Rica.

So, if you are bringing you family for a vacation, take Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste and breath easy. The beach there is safe for kids. This Playa Hermosa is rarely crowded making it a great retreat for those who would like to runaway from busy schedules and heavy traffic. The weather is also ideal with warm temperature throughout the year.

On the other hand, the Playa Hermosa in Puntarenas is known as one of the best surfing havens for professionals all over the world. There are international and local competitions held throughout the year in the area. Located some five kilometers south of the town of Jaco, this place is the haven of those who are adventurous. A word of warning, the beaches of Playa Hermosa in Puntarenas are not as safe for swimming as the beach in Playa Hermosa Guanacaste as the waves and the undertows are much stronger. Waves could reach as high as 13 feet in this area which makes it ideal for professional surfers. Amateurs and beginners, its good advice to take your surf boards somewhere else in the area because the waves here are monstrous! You don’t want to ruin your vacation by getting yourself mauled by huge waves when trying turn learn to surf!

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Located in the province of Puntarenas on the Central Pacific coast in Costa Rica, the town of Quepos is situated across a tropical inlet that is enclosed by primary rain forest and is sleepy getaway that is growing in popularity yet manages to maintain its humble origins. Quepos evolved from the banana industry, into the palm oil industry, to now the tourism industry. In the late 1800′s, huge banana plantations were developed throughout the area. Bananas were shipped to locations around world from the docks that now service the renowned sport fishing and diving operations. During the 80′s much of the export was generated around the hearty African Palms with their abundant and quality palm oil.

There are many activities available for tourists to Quepos to enjoy, indeed the town’s primary income is now firmly tourism related. The majority of the town’s tourist activities are situated in the centre of the village, a charming six block square positively filled to the brim with everything from bars and restaurants, to banks, markets, stores, hotels, bakeries, gift shops and even art galleries. And that doesn’t even mention the more natural of the town’s attractions, its beautiful main beach and many associated sport fishing activities.

The dry months between December and April are probably the best, most action packed times, to take a trip to Quepos and those lucky enough to visit the town in February will encounter the annual Festival de Mer, a party that lasts the entire month and features concerts, sporting events, parades and a street carnival that attracts dancers from all over Costa Rica. Quepos is easily accessible via the town’s main bus terminal. Situated less than a hundred miles from the capital city of San Jose, Quepos is also the gateway to the Manuel Antonio National Park, which is one of the nation’s smallest National Parks, but also arguably one of its most astonishing and unmissable.

Quepos is a must visit. Just a few minutes from the most visited park in Costa Rica Manuel Antonio.

Situated on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, one kilometer to the north of the center of Cahuita, Playa Negra is a black sand beach that offers miles and miles of beautiful and isolated shoreline, stretching from just north of the downtown of Puerto Vieja (from which Playa Negra lies a very short walk away) all the way down to the beginning of the Cahuita National Park. Playa Negra has been described as one of the natural beaches in the whole of the Caribbean, offset with rock outcroppings and tidepools. It is an ideal destination for tourists looking to escape from the more developed attractions in the area and for keen surfers it offers an uncrowded beach break with plenty of consistent and superb left and rights.

One of the other major attractions at Playa Negra is the Playa Negra Sea Turtle Conservation Project, which aims to improve the conservation of the sea turtles that inhabit, mate, migrate and nest in around the entire south Caribbean region of Costa Rica, and there are various expeditions which tourists can enroll in at a reasonable price, learning about ecology while at the same time experiencing all the usual sights one comes to the nation to see.

Playa Negra is a lively and diverse area with a striking beauty all of its own, offering some of the most beautiful sunrises you will find anywhere in Costa Rica. The beach is easily accessible via a path just off  Playa Negra Norte, and is well worth checking out.

Costa Rica Caribbean

A beautiful coastal destination, Playa Bejuco is located against the delightful Puntarenas province. It is a laidback, immaculate town with a secluded open coast that has become very popular over the years, particularly with the surfing community thanks to its superb quality waves, best sampled during times of rising tides.

With long stretches of shore break peaks fifty two weeks of the year, and iridescent waters, it is little wonder that Playa Bejuco has become such a prominent tourist spot for surfers, although it should be noted that with swells starting at three feet and going up to as much sixteen feet, the more experienced surfer would be better suited to tackling its challenges than the rookie!

There are many other things to do in Playa Bejuco besides surfing, however. It is a marvelous example of the truly unspoiled tropical paradise. The town boasts a myriad of entertainment possibilities, including many adventure tours and outdoor activities such as golf, deep sea fishing, horseback riding, tennis, whitewater rafting, snorkeling, crocodile tours and ATV, Zip Line and Aerial Tram Tours.

It is a haven for nature lovers and photographers in particular in large part because of its truly breathtaking scenery including lush tropical vegetation, the volcanic sand beach which is one of the most beautiful (and relatively unknown) beaches in the whole world and has also been described as the new fish bill capitol of the Americas.

Playa Bejuco is easily accessible via car or airplane and is an ideal for a family vacation or just for anyone looking for a great holiday by the beach.

Costa Rica Beaches

Limon is a providence can be found in the eastern part of Costa Rica and runs 125 miles along the coast between the Panama and Nicaragua and bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Limon got its name from the Spanish word Limon which means lime or lemon, because there was a big lemon tree located in Limon city.

The capital of Limon is Puerto Limon. Limon is the location of Christopher Columbus’ landing in 1502 and where he coined the name of the country. The providence has a land area of just under 10,000 square kilometers and currently has a population of just under 400,000 people. The providence is also subdivided into six cantons, namely Guacimo, Limon, Matina, Pococi, Siquirres, and Talamanca.

The Limon coastline was the location where Christopher Columbus landed when he arrived at Costa Rica in 1502 and it was on seeing the coast that he called it Costa Rica. Columbus’ dealings with the indigenous people were fairly good and over the years the Spaniards dealings deteriorated. The whole country was colonised and the native peoples resisted continuously which in part slowed the pace at which the Spaniards were able to develop the country and Limon in particular.

This resistance coupled with many problems faced by the Spaniards with the forests and mountains of the interior of the country caused them to abandon establishing many settlements in the Limon area of the country. The Spaniards established a number of cacao farms in the province that were worked by both indigenous people and slaves brought in from Africa. These farms however never really contributed much to the country’s economy and its progression and after 150 years most of the farms were all gone.

In 1821 when Costa Rica became independent from Spain much of Limon was not really opened up and it remain so for another 45 years when a port was established at what is now Limon City. A railroad was also built to connect Limon with the rest of the country. Banana plantations were also developed on parts of the province and became the most prominent economic activity.

Located on the Caribbean side of what is known as the continental divide and rising up to 4000 meters above sea level Limon’s weather is greatly influenced by the warm air that flows over the waters by way of the northeast trade winds. The climate of the province is primarily tropical in nature and one where there is no true dry season and where less rain falls during the months of March to April and November and December. Areas that are low lying are generally warm and humid throughout the year and the highlands much cooler.

One of the major draws for many visitors to the Limon provinces is its many beaches. Many of the beaches here are littered with palm trees and fine yellow and white sand. The water is clear in many areas and beautiful to visit. This is what people think of when they dream of paradise and the Limon beaches gives visitors a bit of paradise.

Some of the most visited attractions in Limon include the Cahuita National Park. This park covers some 1000 hectares and also has close to 15 kilometres of beaches. It is also littered with coconut trees, mangroves, and thick forests. This is a great place to go exploring and see the vast flora and fauna of the province. Snorkelling and diving are very popular activities along the beaches.

The canals de Tortuguero located on the north shores of the Caribbean are another great site to see. They came about due to the dredging that occurred in the 1960’s to link some lagoons and river courses.  Travel via the canals has made the Tortuguero National Park much more accessible to tourists and its scenic qualities have produced a great influx of visitors.

Another one of the more popular spots in Limon is the Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve. This is where you will find some of the country’s small indigenous population. A guided visit to this reserve can be set up and visitors will get to experience the native lifestyle and customs of the people. There are two indigenous groups that are represented there, the Bribri and the Cabecar and they are direct descendants of those who had lived in the region for over a thousand years. Visitors will also get to experience how these people have developed a more environmental way of life and live in harmony with nature. There are a number of restaurants located in the area many of which can be found in the provinces capital. These restaurants serve mostly Costa Rican dishes and many other Caribbean delights. Some restaurants also serve European dishes.

Manzanillo, Costa Rica is located approximately 6.5km south of Puerto Viejo.  It ends the coast road nicely in fact.  When you go beyond the coast road that leads to Manzanillo, you will only find plush jungle.  Monkey Point can be accessed from Manzanillo by boat, and there are several boat tours that will lead you there.

The people of Manzanillo are tight knit.  The community is small and the people are close to one another.  The town itself is much smaller that that of Puerto Viejo, with the inhabitants numbering about half of those in Puerto Viejo.  The culture is quite rich however and most of the people who live there are of Afro-Caribbean heritage.

Manzanillo is a place that has only recently become a tourist spot.  Before recently, the town didn’t have a complete paved road, making it difficult for many tourists.  However, with a paving project well underway and complete in many areas, tourists are finding it easier to access this beautiful place and are enjoying the environment greatly.

So, if you are looking for a place in Costa Rica that is a little less inhabited than other spots, Manzanillo is a great choice.  You can enjoy diving in the great coral locations off of the beach or go exploring in the jungle-like landscape.  In addition, if you love nature, you can take a drive past Manzanillo into the Gandoca Wildlife Reserve for a great adventure.  You can follow trails around the reserve and check out the natural landscape and wildlife there.  No matter what you choose to do, you can be sure that Manzanillo is a place you won’t soon forget.

The caribbean is a great region for those who want to experience the beauty of the tropics and the beautiful beaches.

Limon Costa Rica