<<Itinerary
Caribbean Explorer 2005>>
<<Tortuguero
and Caribbean Feeling>>
Green
season in Costa Rica is rainy season. Everybody knows
this…
Wait a minute! Can you really? Is there
really no business in green season? Let me tell you
a little about the coming months and judge for yourself.
First let us talk a little about the
weather:
Climate
Generally, traveling in Costa Rica is
enjoyable throughout the whole year! Rainy season: May
to November; dry season: December to April. Even during
the dry season, it may rain for some hours or sometimes
even a whole day. During the rainy season, you will
experience real "tropical showers" for 2 -
3 hours in the afternoon; the rest of the day is normally
warm and sunny. Especially the mornings are beautiful
and the rain during the afternoon helps to keep temperatures
at bay.
On the Caribbean coast, it is about the contrary: the
June to October and January to March months are relatively
dry, while you have to expect heavy rainfalls in November/December.
Average Temperatures
for the Caribbean side in Degrees Celsius
Please note that temperatures stated above are in °C!
The equivalent minimum temperature lies around 77 °F,
while the maximum temperature is usually around 81 °F!
Average Precipitation
for selected sites
Please note that precipitations stated
above are in mm/m2! Equivalent minimum precipitations
are around 4.7 inches (2.4 gal./feet2) and maximum precipitation
around 18.9 inches (9.5 gal./feet2)!
Average hours
of sunshine for selected sites
What do we learn
from this?
Although we have a couple of hours rain during the day
in green season, these are usually just a few hours
in the afternoon. The mornings and early afternoons
are mostly sunny. Even more, on the Caribbean side the
green season is actually sunny season!
What does this mean for tourism
in Costa Rica?
Green season does not automatically mean that it is
raining all the time and your vacation will be wet.
It only means you are coming to the tropics. After all
clients are looking for "rainforest" and this
means a little rain from time to time.
Did you know that coming to
Costa Rica during Green Season has actually a lot of
benefits? Here is why:
Green season is usually the best time
to see wildlife in Costa Rica.
During green season the impact of tourism is lower.
Fewer tourists walk the national parks of Costa Rica,
so that animals are not scared away so easily. In addition
many plants and trees provide fruits that serve as food
for the animals. This way they are easier to be spotted
as in high season. There is no better time to spot wildlife
after a heavy rain, when they come out and feed…
Cost effectiveness: Many hotels, rental
car providers a.s.o. have lower green season rates.
This normally goes for the months of May, June, September
and October. This is not necessarily true for July and
August, since we have a second high season based on
European tourism during these months.
This makes traveling to Costa Rica more affordable for
many clients. In particular family or student groups
can profit a lot keeping this in mind. June is an excellent
travel time in this case, since many US schools are
starting their summer vacations then.
Did you know that Arenal Volcano and
mountains in general are mainly affected by weather
from the Caribbean side, so the chances to see the volcanoes
are usually higher from June to October? During summer
on the Caribbean side there are fewer trade winds from
the Atlantic Ocean and they have less power to blow
clouds towards the mainland. Besides clouds and fog
usually vanish after a heavy rain and leave the mountains
with excellent visibility.
Between end of July and October the
great green sea turtles come to Tortuguero for nesting.
Since these giants of the oceans are an endangered specie,
it is a very special and unforgettable experience to
watch them. This is one of the main reasons why Tortuguero
is so famous!
Many rivers used for whitewater rafting
in Costa Rica are more enjoyable in green season, because
water levels are too low during high season (Pacific
side i. e. Savegre and Naranjo River) or because they
are better manageable due to more consisting water levels
(Caribbean side i. e. Sarapiqui, Reventazón or
Pacuare River).
It is actually the best time to visit
the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The Caribbean side
is often falsely avoided by US tourists due to the weather
conditions.
Conclusion:
Green season is actually the best time
to visit Costa Rica for all tourists that are mainly
interested in wildlife and nature. Many families or
clients with a limited budget profit from lower rates
and even those clients interested in beaches may enjoy
the green season by going to the Caribbean side and
enjoy very good snorkeling possibilities and a little
"Caribbean flair"in Costa Rica during this
time.
For a pure beach vacation the high season
in Costa Rica is still an excellent choice, but green
season has a lot of benefits that should be really taken
into consideration for all clients willing and able
to travel during those months. We will be always pleased
to help you putting a program together for your clients
that is focused on these benefits.
ATLANTIC REGION / CARIBBEAN
Welcome to the tropical humid! The Caribbean
Zone is located along the coast of the Caribbean Sea
between the borders of Nicaragua and Panama. The temperature
in the coastal areas oscillates between 25ºC and
27ºC; therefore the warmest days fall between May
and the end January the temperature reaches 31ºC.
. In the Caribbean Coast, the dry season is divided
into two periods: February to March and September to
October. Again, like other regions there is a period
when the rain ceases -Saint John's Short Summer, in
July. This region is different than the others because
of its people and culture particular characteristic
of the Caribbean Islands. The principal access to this
zone is through the city of Limón (consisting
mainly of afro Caribbean people since 1870) where the
plantation of banana and harbor activities are of great
importance for Costa Rica's national economy. The Caribbean
Zone is the most humid region of Costa Rica, because
of the wind influence coming from the Caribbean Sea.
The rainfall in the lowlands of this region reaches
3000 mm per year and up in the highlands increases to
4500 mm.
OVERVIEW: NATIONAL PARKS, PROTECTED AREAS & OTHER
ATTRACTIONS: ATLANTIC / CARIBBEAN REGION
BARRA DEL
COLORADO WILDLIFE REFUGE
TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
TALAMANCA MOUNTAIN RANGE (LA AMISTAD CARIBE)
CAHUITA NATIONAL PARK
HITOY CERERE BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
GANDOCA MANZANILLO NATURE RESERVE
NORTHERN ATLANTIC COAST
NORTH CARIBBEAN COMPRISES THE CARIBBEAN COAST AND GOES
FROM THE SAN JUAN RIVER TO LIMÓN CITY. LIMÓN
CITY IS THE TOURISTIC CENTER OF THIS CORRIDOR, SIMULTANEOUSLY
WORKING AS AN ACCOMMODATION, STOP OVER, DISTRIBUTION
AND TOURING CENTER.
GREEN TURTLE'S NESTING ON TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK AND
BASS 'S, SHAD'S AND OTHER SPECIES'S SPORT FISHING AT
BARRA DEL COLORADO NATIONAL WILD LIFE REFUGEE REPRESENT
THE MAIN ATTRACTION OF THE REGION. IT IS COMPLIMENTED
WITH THE RIVER CHANNEL'S SYSTEM, WICH CONNECTS MOIN
PORT WITH BARRA DEL COLORADO, AND HAS BECOME A SINGULAR
ATTRACTION AND THE ONLY WAY OF TRANSPORTATION.
NATURE-BASED PRODUCTS GET REWARDED, SPECIALLY FAUNA
OBSERVATION, THEREFORE IS A WORLD-KNOWN SITE FOR BIRD
AND TURTLE'S WATCHING.
BARRA
DEL COLORADO WILDLIFE REFUGE
 Long
and open, the northern Caribbean coast is characterized
by strong surf and dangerous currents for swimming.
However, its main attraction consists of the canals
that run parallel to the beach, with natural landscapes
and abundant animal species observable on tours. Limited
on the north by the mouth of the Colorado River and
on the south by an estuary, Barra del Colorado beach
is suitable for hiking, nature- and wildlife-watching,
fishing and contemplating the sea. Boat trips may be
taken through the highly interesting and naturally scenic
canals and lagoons in the area. The village of Colorado
is a peaceful fishing and farming community divided
in two by a landing strip.
TORTUGUERO
NATIONAL PARK
 One
of the country's main attractions is the 47,000 acres
Tortuguero National Park with its innumerous lagoons
and canals. It protects a terrestrial area of 18956
hectares and 52265 hectares of marine habitat.
Tortuguero (derived from the Spanish word tortuga =
turtle) is an one of the most important nesting sites
for the Green Sea Turtle, the Leatherback and the Hawksbill
Turtle in the whole Caribbean These are best observed
between July and September at night. North of the national
park, the village of Tortuguero is located on a narrow
land strip. To the west side of the village lies the
Tortuguero lagoon; to the east the Atlantic Ocean with
strong surf and sharks, so swimming is not recommended
here. In the small canals where the bordering vegetation
forms amazing tunnels, nature presents itself from the
most beautiful tropical side: Caimans, crocodiles, sweet
water turtles, poison-arrow frogs, Basilisk lizards,
oropendolas, toucans, Anhingas, Amazon kingfishers,
bats, howler monkeys and manatees are just a few examples
of Tortuguero's abundant fauna.
Entrance fee US $ 7
Tortuguero Village and National Park are accessible
by boat only, so individual traveling in this area might
become difficult. Most of the lodges are offering complete
packages including transportation, meals and a tour
program from/to San José. For those traveling
on a limited time budget, a domestic flight to the Tortuguero
air-strip could be taken into consideration.
PUERTO LIMON
On his fourth journey to the New World in 1502, Christopher
Columbus anchored in front of the Island of Uvita, just
in front of the area where nowadays the city of Limón
is located. He named the country "Rich Coast"
(Costa Rica), but his and the Spanish crown's expectations
of unlimited treasures never were fulfilled.
Limón boasts a population of some 85.000 people,
most of which are of Afro - Caribbean heritage. The
town has increased in size steadily since the 1970s
and has proven to be a good place for Costa Ricans to
settle down. The climate is warm and tropical, the surroundings
are beautiful and a recent influx of tour operators
has brought a new focus on the town. Limón was
founded in 1870 as a port for exporting bananas and
grains. Today it continues this tradition although it
is now complimented by the arrival of cruise ships that
stop off for a few hours of shore leave.
Limón today is a mixed Hispanic and Afro-Caribbean
city, but more and more, the Hispanic predominates.
The local Creole patois, permeated with Spanish words,
is the language of the older generation. Blacks are
discouraged from using what Hispanic Costa Ricans consider
"bad" English, though many can still speak
a rather elegant and formal Caribbean dialect. English
has no official status, and is studied only in secondary
school.
Nevertheless, Afro-Caribbean ways hold on. Columbus
Day is celebrated in Limón as it is throughout
Latin America, but with a fervor and style that correspond
to Carnival in the islands. Home cooking, heavy on fish,
tripe, rice, coconut, and stews with cow's feet, is
less than familiar to other Costa Ricans. Religion is
a vibrant part of the lives of the black population,
and not the formality that it is to the broad class
of Hispanic Costa Ricans.
SOUTHERN
ATLANTIC REGION MAINLAND
THIS UNIT GOES FROM LIMON TO THE PANAMA BORDER, LIMON
IS THE PRIMARY TOURIST CENTER AS WELL AS AN SCALING
AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER. THE REGION SHOWS A COUNTRY-UNIQUE
COMBINATION OF BEACHES, NATURAL RESOURCES AND AFRO AMERICAN
CULTURE IN CAHUÍTA, PUERTO VIEJO AND GANDOCA
MANZANILLO.
LIMON'S DEVELOPMENT IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE REST
OF THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND, WHICH GIVES IT AN SPECIAL POTENTIAL
TO DISTINGUISH COSTA RICAN PRODUCTS. HIGH QUALITY BEACHES
ALLOWS ADVENTURE AND NATURAL HISTORY ACTIVITIES WHICH
DEFINITELY COMPLIMENT WITH CULTURE, GASTRONOMY AND MUSIC.
STAND OUT THE REEFS, MULTICOLOR-SANDED BEACHES (FROM
BLACK TO YELLOW AND GRAY), COASTAL VEGETATION AND MEDIUM-HIGH
FOREST.
CAHUÍTA NATIONAL PARK AND GANDOCA MANZANILLO
RESERVE ARE WORLDWIDE RECOGNIZED, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF
THEIR NATURAL BEAUTY BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE BECOMING UNIQUE
CONSERVATION PLACES IN ALMOST THE WHOLE CARIBBEAN.
TALAMANCA
MOUNTAIN RANGE
The Talamanca is part of the biosphere "La Amistad
Caribe" and difficult to access. A good starting
point to enter the rainforests of the Talamanca is the
Selva Bananito Lodge
AVIARIOS
DEL CARIBE
About 30 kilometers from Limón is Aviarios del
Caribe, a private reserve of regenerating rain forest
on the mainland and an adjacent 150-hectare island in
the delta of the Estrella River. Visitors can take a
leisurely canoe tour for about $25 per person, including
beverages and fruit, and running commentary on wildlife,
in English. This trip will be especially interesting
to birders - the local list was recently at 255 species
and counting, and the site is on migration paths for
many species. Being right on the water allows a better
view than you might get by hiking through the adjacent
forest. There is also wildlife to be seen: alligators
and sharks are occasionally sighted; and flora: if conditions
are not superb for birding, you will go ashore at a
farm where ginger and flowers are grown for export.
By the way this is the only refuge in Costa Rica for
sloth. These mammals can usually seen up close and in
rare cases even be touched.
Facilities at the site include a well-manicured little
estate, lawns bedecked with heliconia and ginger; a
main building with large library and common room upstairs,
open to the air for birding while you eat, with displays
of frogs and butterflies, and a pet sloth named Buttercup…
KEKOLDI
RESERVE
Located approximately 250 km from San José and
50 km from the Panama border along the Atlantic coast
of the Talamanca region on the road to Puerto Viejo.
The Kekoldi Reserve is home to approximately 230 people
of the Bribri indigenous group who live on 2,000 hectares
of land along the Atlantic coast. Much of the Reserve
is threatened by squatting, hunting and forestry activities,
and the group would like to purchase an additional 500
hectares that originally belonged to them. The land
has been managed sustainable by the Bribri for generations
and the Association Kekoldi Wak Ka Koneke is seeking
to maintain a sustainable lifestyle while providing
income opportunities for residents of the Reserve. For
bird watchers interesting: This is the second best place
to spot Hawks and migrating Kites of the world! The
best months to see these birds of prey are usually around
September/October, when there can be seen up to 100,000
of them per day!
BEACHES
OF THE SOUTHERN ATLANTIC REGION
MOST OF THE BEACHES ON THE CARIBBEAN COAST ARE SURROUNDED
BY TROPICAL VEGETATION; THE WAVES ARE QUITE STORMY ALLOWING
PERFECT SURF. THE SAND COLOR VARIES FROM NEARLY WHITE
TO BLACK. THE AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL EXCEEDS THE ONE
OF THE NORTHERN PACIFIC COAST ON NICOYA PENINSULA.
CAHUITA
NATIONAL PARK
 Cahuita
National Park is located just south of the town of Cahuita,
about 43 kilometers south of Limón, on the Caribbean
coastline in one of the most beautiful and scenic regions
in Costa Rica. Its main attractions are the white sand
beaches fringed with endless coconut trees, a calm sea
of transparent waters and the coral reefs just offshore.
Other habitats of the park are secondary rain forest
and littoral woodlands, home of the three-toed sloth,
numerous leaf frogs and monkeys. A shipwreck located
at the mouth of the Perezoso River was used to transport
slaves in the 18th century.
The main entrance to the park is at Puerto Vargas, located
about 6 km south from Cahuita at the main road to Puerto
Viejo.
Entrance fee US $ 7
PUERTO
VIEJO TALAMANCA
In recent years, this small village has developed rapidly
and become a point of tourist attraction with the corresponding
infrastructure. The roads have been paved; a variety
of small hotels, bed & breakfasts and restaurants
is now available in the immediate surroundings of the
village's center. More expensive accommodation close
to the most beautiful beaches of the area can be found
further south along the road to Gandoca Manzanillo.
Here you will also find all kinds of restaurants in
different price ranges.
HITOY
CERERE BIOLOGICAL RESERVE
In the foothills of the Talamanca Mountain Range, southwest
of La Estrella Valley, 45 Km from the port of Limon.
This zone is criss-crossed by countless rocky rivers
with rapids and waterfalls, some reaching several meters
in height. It is interesting to note that the name of
the Reserve, taken from the Bri-Bri Indian language,
has to do with rain. "Hitoy" means wooly,
describing the algae and moss- covered river stones,
and "Cerere" means clear waters. Most of the
trees in the upper elevations are more than 30 meters
tall and the emergent trees top 50 meters. The fauna
is rich and varied, although most species either live
in the treetops or are nocturnal and therefore are not
usually seen. Some mammals inhabiting the area are the
three-toed sloth, silky anteater, four-eyed opossum,
collared peccary, and howler and white-faced monkeys.
115 species of birds have been observed including the
Montezuma oropendola, which congregates to build large
numbers of hanging nests in a single tree, vulture,
chizo parrot, salty-tailed trogon and hummingbirds,
among others.
GANDOCA
MANZANILLO
This important refuge protects the wildlife of the region,
especially species in danger of extinction or having
reduced populations. It also safeguards the only naturally
occurring mangrove oyster beds to inhabit the reefs
along the coastline. The remaining primary forest in
this region is unique throughout the Atlantic coastal
lowlands because of the relatively small surface area
available to support the area's abundant wildlife. This
area contains a wide range of lowland habitats with
patches of primary forest and numerous rare and unique
plants. The refuge also protects major freshwater and
marine habitats, including one of the least spoiled
coral reefs on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica. This
part of the Atlantic coast is classified as a tropical
rain forest.
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