Cahuita is a small, secluded village in the southern part of Costa Rica on the Caribbean coast and it is 43 kilometers or 27 miles from Puerto Limón. Most of Cahuita’s 4000 people are of Jamaican heritage, many having migrated in the early part of the 20th century to work on the banana plantations.
On the coast, there is a beach with black sand and a beach with white sand. Between them is one of the best coral reefs in Costa Rica. Cahuita is the gateway to Cahuita National Park which is 2,635 acres, with one tenth of that being offshore. It was formed in 1970 in order to protect the coral reef there. It contains a beach with white sands and marvelous coral reefs. Snorkeling is excellent here and there are hiking trails. Camping is allowed in one section of the park but there are no facilities. The habitat there is a rain forest and some of the animals are: blue fiddler crabs, herons, toucans, ibis, iguanas, monkeys, sloths, tamandua, and coati.The Tree of Life Wildlife Rescue Center and Botanical Gardens rescues displaced animals, rehabilitates them, and returns them to the wild, if possible. They also breed turtles and iguanas and place them in the wild. There are 10 acres of gardens that include native plants, palms, bromeliads, heleconias, and more. They are closed in May, June, September, and October.
11 kilometers from Cahuita is the Aviarios del Caribe Sloth Sanctuary. It was established to protect and rehabilitate sloths. During the tour, you will go on a canoe ride in the rainforest, return to the education center to learn about sloths, and then meet some of the babies.
Another attraction is Willie’s Tours where you can tour the Bri Bri Reserve and learn about pre-Columbian culture and cocoa processing. Another choice is rafting on the Pacaure River or hiking through the rainforest. Other guided adventures include snorkeling, fishing, or dolphin watching.
If you wish to spend the night in Cahuita, you will find five hotels there. They are the Atlantida Lodge, Hotel Magellan Inn, Hotel National Park Cahuita, Playa Negra Guesthouse, and Suizo Loco Lodge.
