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’s Caribbean coast, the birthplace of United Fruit and capital of Limón Province – this hard-working port city sits removed from the rest of the country. Cruise ships deposit dazed-looking passengers between October and May. We can only hope that they weren’t expecting to spot a quetzal – since Limón was never intended as a tourist attraction, but as a strategic shipping center, where containers of tropical fruits could be relayed to New York, London and beyond. Around here, business is measured by truckloads of fruit, not busloads of tourists, so don’t expect much pampering.

A general lack of political and financial support from the federal government in San José means that Limón is not a city that has aged gracefully. It is a grid of dilapidated buildings, overgrown parks and sidewalks choked with street vendors. Crime is a problem: the city, distressingly, has as many homicides annually as San José – even though San José has five times the population. It’s worth noting, however, that a good deal of this violence is related to organized crime and therefore does not affect travelers. Despite its shortcomings, Limón can nonetheless be a compelling destination for adventurous urban explorers.

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History

Until the 1850s, the most frequent visitors to Limón were pirates, who used the area’s natural deep-water bays as a regular hideout. At the time, the country’s main port was in Puntarenas, on the Pacific, but when the railroad came to town in the late 19th century, Limón would blossom into a full-blown trade hub. From the city’s teeming docks, tons of coffee would make their way to Europe, and the city would ultimately serve as the key export point for the country’s newest agribusiness: bananas.

Beginning in 1913, a series of blights shut down many Caribbean fincas and a large portion of area banana-production moved to the southern Pacific coast (and eventually to Ecuador). Afro‑Caribbean workers, however, couldn’t follow the jobs as they were forbidden to leave the province. Stranded in the least-developed part of Costa Rica, many turned to subsistence farming, fishing or managing small-scale cocoa plantations. Others organized and staged bloody strikes against United Fruit. Fed up with the status quo, Limón provided key support to José Figueres during the 1948 civil war (Click here). This act was rewarded the following year when the new president enacted a constitution that granted blacks full citizenship and the right to work and travel freely throughout Costa Rica.

Even though segregation was officially dismantled, Limón continues to live with its legacy. The area was the last to get paved roads, the last to get electricity (areas to the south of the city weren’t on the grid until the late 1970s) and the region has chronically higher crime and unemployment rates than the rest of the country. However, there have been some improvements in recent years. A police crackdown in 2009 has led to a slight reduction in crime and, that same year, the government launched an US$80 million investment project to help revitalize the city.

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Orientation

Limón’s streets are poorly marked and most locals use the landmark system to navigate their way around the city (see boxed text). The old Radio Casino (don’t expect to see a sign) and Parque Vargas both serve as prominent landmarks.

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Information

If traveling onward to Parismina or Tortuguero, Limón will be your last opportunity to get cash. If continuing on to Parismina, also pick up telephone cards as these are not sold in the village.

Banco de Costa Rica (2758-3166; cnr Av 2 & Calle 1) Exchanges US dollars cash and has an ATM.

Hospital Tony Facio (2758-2222) On the coast at the northern end of town; serves the entire province.

Multiservices Pascal (2758-4090; 2nd fl, Av 2, north side of Parque Vargas; per hr ₡1700; 8am-10pm) A pricey internet and international phone joint with a dozen capable computers.

Post office (Calle 4 btwn Avs 1 & 2; 9am-4pm)

Scotiabank (2798-0009; cnr Av