Day 16. Cahuita National Park

Submitted by maria on Sun, 25/09/2022 - 12:06

Today we visit the Cahuita National Park. This protected natural area stands out for its close relationship with the community with local guides and park rangers.

Cahuita National Park

A coastal path through the rainforest will lead you to white sandy beaches with turquoise blue waters next to one of the country's best reefs only accessible by boat (from $35/pax). Open daily from 8am to 4pm. Entrance is free from Cahuita but you can donate a few dollars to help with the conservation of the park. If you enter from Puerto Vargas the entrance fee is 5$/pax.

You can find a great diversity of species from monkeys, sloths and even snakes like the oropel.

Cahuita National Park

It is an ideal place to spend the day and it is common to see Ticos arriving with their coolers to enjoy a day at the beach.

Cahuita National Park

A sunny day dawns and it looks like it's going to be very hot.

We have breakfast at the town's fruit market, which is only open on Sundays. We have a casado and a cockerel sausage with coffee for 4,000 colones at Fidelia's stall.

Fruit market

We buy a pineapple for 1,000 colones and they give us a carambola. It is a bit tasteless and bitter.

Carambola

We entered the park at 8 o'clock. Kim had told us that it was possible to see tarantulas and some snakes among the wood of the walkway, but we had no luck.

The main activity in the park, apart from snorkelling, is to walk along the coastal path to Puerto Vargas and return by bus (1,000 colones) or on foot.

Cahuita National Park

At the entrance a guard checks your backpack, you cannot enter with single-use plastic or snorkelling goggles.

We start the trail parallel to Playa Blanca, a beautiful beach of white sand and cerulean waters. We see a sloth almost at the beginning of the trail. According to Kim, it is easy to see them even outside the park.

Lagoon

The hike is simple, you can go with open shoes but remember that you are walking in a tropical forest.

Before arriving at Punta Cahuita you have to cross two rivers, the Suarez and the Perezoso, depending on the flow it can be difficult to cross them. In our case they did not reach the sea.

Cahuita National Park

At Punta Cahuita we met a couple from Zaragoza and while we were chatting (and recommending Célimo) a group of capuchin monkeys came to eat fruit from the ground, they are very cheeky.

Cahuita National Park

We continue towards Puerto Vargas but with about two kilometres left we decide to turn back, the heat is unbearable and the rest of the road has no shade.

On the way back we take a bath. The water is so hot that you really cool down when you get out, what a thing.

Cahuita National Park

Near the entrance to the park, a group of congos (howler monkeys) greets us.

Capuchin monkey

Raccoon

We eat outside the park at Master Crepes (next to the supermarket), an avocado, cheese and ham crepe and a nutella crepe with lemonade. Brutal.

Spider

Cahuita National Park

Kim told us about some natural pools just past Playa Negra, about 10 minutes walk away, and off we go. On the way we meet the couple from Navarra with whom we met in Drake. We chat and they recommend the Playa Negra area for a drink.

Howler monkey

Finding the pools was easy. Just follow the dirt road at the end of the beach and walk for about 10 minutes until you come to a fence with green cloth that has fallen down on the right hand side of the road. If you don't see it a little further on on the left hand side there is a sculpture of a crocodile, you just have to retrace the path for a hundred metres. This is how a local woman explained it to us and we found it.

Natural pools

The natural pools are salt water. The place is beautiful and even has a swing. The water is transparent and the bottom is sandy, but don't go in barefoot because the rocks around are coral and you can cut yourself. Wonderful place.

On the way back, we have a drink in the famous Reggae bar, there is a great atmosphere.

Playa Negra

We go back to the hotel and have some enyucadas for dinner, which we bought at Delrita Patty's for 1,900 colones. Opening hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are like big croquettes of yucca and meat. Delicious.