South Caribbean Tourism Region

Climate: Warm, humid and wet. See Caribbean Zone Weather Region

Average Temperature: 81° F with 87-90% humidity

Major Cities and Attractions: Cahuita, Cahuita National Park, Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve & Green Iguana Farm, Manzanillo, Puerto Viejo and The Sloth Rescue Center

Warm sea breezes, misty mountains, crashing surf and living coral reefs are just part of the Southern Caribbean’s tropical allure. To scintillate the senses, Calypso music and reggae beats dance in the air and delicious coconut-infused dishes simmer in every restaurant pot, offering a taste of Caribbean life and hospitality. Where waves crash on sandy beaches and towering mountains meet lowland rainforest, shy wildlife, diverse flora and panoramic vistas promise to tell the secrets of the Caribbean. Culturally-conscious indigenous reserve tours, interactive medicinal plant tours and delicious coffee tours offer
hands-on fun and tasty memories.

Tucked between the Talamanca Mountain Range and the warm, Caribbean Sea, the Southern Caribbean Tourism Region encompasses Costa Rica’s entire southeastern coast, from the city of Limon south to the Panamanian border. Here, local communities make peace with nature refuges, national parks and indigenous reserves – living together, they protect the land and local history, creating a unique region that honors its people, plants and animals.

Visitors to the southern Caribbean are encouraged to make the area their own: the region caters to every budget, every interest and every whim. Choose between fine dining restaurants or local bars, beachfront relaxation or high-adrenaline activities, cultural tours or self-guided hikes, quiet evenings or all-night dancing – Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Bribri and Manzanillo offer it all.

The South Caribbean Tourism Region is best known for:

Coffee Tours

Bird and Wildlife Watching

Nature Hikes

Indigenous Reserve Tours

Leatherback Turtle Nesting

Diving and Snorkeling among live Coral Reefs

White and Black Sand Beaches

Surfing

Places to See:

Beaches: Cahuita's Black Beach (Playa Negra), Cahuita's White Beach (Playa Blanca), Cahuita Point, Puerto Viejo's Black Beach (Playa Negra), Cocles Beach, Playa Chiquita, Playa Uva, Manzanillo.

See Also Caribbean Beaches

Private Parks and Reserves: Cahuita National Park, La Ceiba Reserve, Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Bribri Indigenous Reserve, Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve & Iguana Farm, Aviarios del Caribe / The Sloth Rescue Center, Veragua Rain Forest Reserve, Bocuare Jungle, La Amistad International Park, Cuenca Rio Banano Protected Zone, Limoncito Wildlife Refuge, Barbilla National Park

Natural History Museums: Cacao Trails, Cahuita Butterfly Garden, Punta Uva Butterfly Garden, Finca la Isla Botanical Garden, ChocoRart Cacao Plantation

Waterfalls: El Volio Watefall (Bribri Indigenous Reserve) and several others accessible via private tours

Things to Do:

Air Activities: Canopy Tours

Land Activities: Bicycling, Bird and Wildlife Watching, Chocolate Tours, Indigenous Cultural Tours, Horseback Riding, Hiking, Shopping, Turtle Nesting Tours

Water Activities: Surfing, Snorkeling and Scuba Diving, Swimming, Fishing, Kayaking, Rafting and Tubing

See Also Caribbean Surf Breaks

Read our South Caribbean Travel Blogs: 

Bribri, Cahuita, Manzanillo, Puerto Viejo and Southern Caribbean (All)