Cahuita, Costa Rica: Explore the Carribean Side of the Country

Thinking of traveling to Costa Rica and wondering what to do, where to go and what to see? Cahuita, Costa Rica, is a great place to check out to see the true Costa Rica and get a good feel for the eastern side of the country. If you like nature, beautiful views, wildlife, beaches and the quaintness of small town living, you might want to put Cahuita on your vacation agenda. It is definitely worth taking the time to go and see.

Traveling in Costa Rica is best done by bus. You can rent vehicles easily, but the drivers in Costa Rica are a bit on the crazed side so beware! If renting a vehicle is the way you want to go make sure that you get a 4 wheel drive, no matter what your destination is. The roads are bad and the torrential rainstorms tend to wash many of them out. The bus is the best bet in this country, their bus system is good, usually on time and not to expensive. To get to Cahuita from San Jose you want to start at the El Caribe bus station. Take a bus to Limon from there, which is about a 4 to 5 hour ride through the majestic mountains and countryside of Costa Rica. From Limon you need to catch another bus for a short ride that will take you to the bus station in Cahuita.

Once you arrive in Cahuita you can ask around to find your way to the beach, park, restaurants and places to stay. We found the rates in the hotels pretty good and were able to get a room right on the beach for $30 a night for the three of us. Not the best room you have ever rented but it was pretty clean and came with a hot shower in the bathroom and comfy beds. There are many places to stay right on the beach for similar pricing and if you don't care if you have a beach view you can get a room even cheaper.

The town of Cahuita is a nice little quiet, rural town. We found it to be safe to walk around any time of day or night. They have good local food in the restaurants or if you are craving pizza or hamburgers, pretty much anything is available. If you are into surfing there is a nice surf break that wasn't to crowded within walking distance and a few surf shops to take care of your needs.

Along with the good surfing, fun places to shop and eat and night time entertainment, Cahuita is home to one of the countries national parks. Called "Parque Nacional Cahuita" it is located at the southern part of town, an easy walk no matter where you stay in town. The park follows the beach south along the shoreline with a nice trail to walk on. There is no fee to take the walk, but donations are excepted. Along the trail there are quite a few different species of wildlife to see, including many types of monkeys, lizards, birds and snakes. You can also take your time and examine all of the unique Central American vegetation such as the strangulation vines, huge trees and all of the fantastically beautiful flowers that come in every shape and color you can imagine.

If Costa Rica is your destination this year or even somewhere in the future, Cahuita may be one of the places you would like to add to your itinerary. It is well worth the jaunt to the Caribbean side of the country to see all of the magnificent views, exquisite beaches and wildlife that this side of the country has to offer.