Playa Dominical – Beachcomber Pete Costa Rica

Cano Island

When one travels to Costa Rica, one should leave enough time to visit a special area there. This is Cano Island, which lies 12 miles off the western coast of Costa Rica in the Pacific Ocean. This beautiful island came into being approximately 40 to 50 million years ago, due to tectonic plates shifting beneath the sea. In 1978, Cano Island was designated as a Biological Reserve to help preserve the natural resources as well as the historic resources there.

Those who have been to Cano Island describe it as a large emerald in the blue sea. The cliffs edging the island end at the white sand beaches. There are many sites to explore on the island, as well as in the water surrounding it.

Many historical aspects of Cano Island are evident when one is exploring its surface. Scientists have discovered that this area used to be an Indian cemetery. They have found artifacts, pottery and sphere-like stone items near some of these burial sites. Many hiking trails lead to Indian burial sites on the island, and this is one reason why the island has become a biological reserve.

The Tropical Rain Forest covers most the land area with approximately 158 different types of trees, plants and ferns. Birds migrating to warmer areas from the north often visit this island. Although there is not a large amount of wildlife on the island, some of the common animals include bats, snakes, lizards and a small number of insects.

Although following the trails of Cano Island can lead one to many interesting sites, the true beauty of this island lies in the sea surrounding it. This area is known as one of the best in the world for swimming, snorkeling and diving. The water is a sparkling, clear blue background for various types of coral reefs, as well as other underwater fauna and flora existing here. Seven dive sites are available for the visitor to explore, including underwater caves and cliffs.

When diving, one will have the opportunity to view many animals in their natural habitat. Closer to the coral reefs, colorful fish, sponges and moray eels make their homes. A little further off shore one will find the larger marine life including dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles and sharks, just to name a few. At various times, one can view pilot and humpback whales swimming along with the other sea creatures in the area.

A trip To Cano Island is one that a visitor will remembered for a long time. By walking among the ancient graves and artifacts of the Indians buried there, one can take a step backwards in time to a completely different world. For those who are more interested in the wildlife, especially the sea life, there is nothing better than to swim with the aquatic inhabitants of the waters surrounding Cano Island. Whether one loves the land, the sea or both, he/she cannot go wrong by setting their sights on the Cano Biological Reserve on Cano Island, Costa Rica.

Getting to Cano Island visitors to Costa Rica have several departure options. From Drake Bay, a 40 minute boat ride. Farther up on the Osa Peninsula from the town of Sierpe the boat ride is about 1 1/2 hours. Farther up the Southern Pacific Coast visitors can take a 2 hour boat ride from Utiva and Dominical. And at Manuel Antonio and Quepos area it will take a 3 hour ride to get to Cano Island.

Southern Pacific/Osa Peninsula

Costa Rica’s southwestern shoreline extending from Dominical south to the Panama border is called the Southern Pacific and Osa Peninsula region. Rain soaked, humid and one of the most picturesque the Southern Pacific and Osa Peninsula region is sparsely uninhabited and some of the most remote sections of all of Costa Rica. From the steep mountains of the Fila Costena mountain range rising from the Pacific below, to the largest stretch of primitive rain forest found anywhere throughout Central America. The Southern Pacific region, with over 200 inches of rain a year, is known as one of the most biologically different and stunning locations in the world.

Unlike other parts of Costa Rica, the Southern Pacific region has a rainy season lasting from April till December, yet the area still receives rain through out the months of January to March.

Traveling south along the Pan American highway from Dominical is Marino Ballena National Park, named after the Humpback Wales that migrate to the area during the months of December till April. Farther south is the Bahia de Coronado with the beaches of Utiva, Playa Ventanas and Playa Tortuga also referred to by the locals as Ojochal. Miles and miles of long white sand beaches give way to the occasional coves with rock strewn beaches and lush tropical forest cascading into the Pacific waters. Swinging farther west, the Bahia de Coronado follows the shore line of the Valle de Diquisa, a large flat plain bisected by rivers and estuaries. To the north of the Valle de Diquisa are the towns of Palmer Norte and Palmer Sur, and to the south the large Peninsula de Osa.

Corcovado National Park with its large rainforest and its abundance of wildlife makes this area popular with the ecological minded tourist. The Oso Peninsula wraps around back to the north forming the Golfo Dulce. Continuing farther south along the Pan American highway the land gives way to the Valle de Coto Colorado. Large banana plantations extend through the two valleys from Palmer Norte south to Golfito. Farther south the region gives way to more tropical rain forest and the remote Peninsula Burica that Costa Rica shares with Panama.

The Southern Pacific region also is home to the isolated and volcanic Coco Islands and the Coco Island national Park, located some 300 miles southwest of the Osa Peninsula, the islands are a must see destination for scuba divers. Large and diversified marine species and schools of sharks, dolphins and sea rays make this a diver’s paradise.