Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [10]
Hop on the first eastbound bus out of San José and get off at Cahuita, capital of Afro-Caribbean culture and gateway to Parque Nacional Cahuita. Stick around and get your fill of this mellow little village before moving on to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the Caribbean’s center for nightlife, cuisine and all-round positive vibes.
From Puerto Viejo, rent a good old-fashioned pushbike and ride to Manzanillo, from where you can snorkel, kayak and hike in the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo.
For the adventurous at heart, head north to grab a boat from Moín and travel the canal-lined coast to the village of Tortuguero, where you can watch nesting green and leatherback turtles. Of course, the real reason you’re here is to arrange a canoe trip through the mangrove-lined canals of Parque Nacional Tortuguero, Costa Rica’s mini-Amazon.
After spotting your fill of wildlife amid seemingly endless watery passages, head back to San José via water taxi and bus through Cariari and Guápiles.
Return to beginning of chapter
ROADS LESS TRAVELED
* * *
RIDING RÍO SAN JUAN & SARAPIQUÍ
One to Two Weeks / Northern Lowlands & Caribbean Coast
You’ll have to depend upon tides, weather and independent boatworkers, but if you work it out, you’ll see more wildlife and incredible scenery than you have ever imagined.
Travel the river route through some of Costa Rica’s most remote regions in the sparsely populated northern lowlands and Caribbean coast.
From San José, bus to the tiny town of La Virgen, a rafting and kayaking mecca where you can take a ride on the Río Sarapiquí and spend the night at the luxurious Centro Neotrópico Sarapiquís.
As soon as you’ve gotten your bearings, follow the Río Sarapiquí on the bus to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, where you can wander through banana plantations, spot wildlife and mingle with busy scientists at the Estación Biológica La Selva.
Of course, don’t wait too long to leave terra firma and grab the morning boat up the Río Sarapiquí to Trinidad Lodge, on the south bank of the Río San Juan. Stay on a working ranch, ride horses and go bird-watching before setting out, again by boat, along the Río San Juan, with your eye to the Caribbean coast.
This river (Nicaraguan territory) offers an incredible ride, which will take you through wildlife hot spots, ranches, forest, old war zones (from when Contras inhabited the area) and the remote Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Barra del Colorado (Click here) to the village of Barra del Colorado and its loose assortment of lodges. There you can go sportfishing, bird-watching and croc hunting (with binoculars, not guns).
Return to beginning of chapter
HIKING IN THE TALAMANCAS
Two to Three Weeks / Southern Costa Rica
The Cordillera de Talamanca is one of the most remote areas in the country and home to indigenous communities and incredible vistas.
Costa Rica’s most unexplored mountainous area is home to two spectacular hikes, which can be done separately or bundled together if you’ve got the time.
Gear up in San Isidro de El General before heading southeast through pineapple plantations to the small agricultural town of Buenos Aires. Arrangements can be made here for transport via dirt road to the wonderfully remote Reserva Biológica Dúrika, a self-sustaining community nestled in the Cordillera de Talamanca.
From this point, hire a local guide and trek through Parque Internacional La Amistad, one of Costa Rica’s last true wilderness areas. You can also pay a visit to the neighboring indigenous community of Ujarrás.
If you haven’t had your fill of nature yet, head from Buenos Aires to Altamira, where you’ll also find the headquarters for Parque Internacional La Amistad. From here you can take the 20km guided trek through Valle del Silencio, one of the most isolated and remote areas in all of Costa Rica, ending up at a small refuge at the base of the Cerro Kamuk.
From here, make the return trip through Altamira and back to the rowdy roads