Population : 390.000 ;
Altitude : 3 meters above sea level geographical area : 9.188 sq. Kms.
Distance : Limon is 168 kilometers from San Jose. Puerto Viejo is 214 kilometers from San Jose.

Limon , Costa Rica 's main Caribbean port, opened to banana traffic in 1880, but its place in national history is more venerable. Christopher Columbus landed offshore, at Uvita Island , in 1502. Intermittently, through the colonial period, encounters with the British and Dutch, both commercial and bellicose, took place in Portete Harbour , just a few kilometers to the north. The port city of Limon that grew with the railway was as much a part of the British West Indies as of Costa Rica . Blacks from Jamaica and other islands constituted most of the population, and English was the only language that mattered in business. Immigrant workers kept for years their British passports, sent their children to English schools, read Jamaican newspapers, and went to the movies to see British films. Limon and the banana lands were separated from Costa Rica not only by language and culture, but also by a law that forbade blacks from crossing the Central Valley or stay overnight there. This separate society began to break down in the 1930s, when the banana business was uprooted by "the Panama and sigatoka diseases", and Government granted full citizenship, and in small numbers began to migrate to the Central Valley . Meanwhile, more and more Costa Ricans of the overcrowded Central Valley plateau looked for opportunities in the warm country to the east. Most black children were educated in Spanish after 1949, and the use of English in schools, has been declining since.

Limon today is a mixed hispanic, indian and afro-caribbean Province. The local Creole "patua", 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.

Nevertheless, Afro-Caribbean ways hold on . Columbus Day is celebrated in Limon as it is throughout Latin America , but with a fervor and style that correspond to Carnival in the islands.

FOOD :

With the sea nearby, lobster fish and shrimp cost much less in Limon that in San Jose , so you might be tempted to try them. Another specialty of the town is Jamaican-style cooking. Home cooking, heavy on fish, tripe, rice, coconut, and stews with cow's feet, is well known and less than familiar to other Costa Ricans.

THE CARIBBEAN COAST :

Visitors will be astonished, by simply driving along the road, to see sloths nestled in their favored ceropia trees or uncountable butterflies, birds and exotic toucans and orioles winging past. In the farming areas,visitors will see a variety of tropical agriculture plantations, including bananas, pineapple, tropical fruits and ornamental plants. Also to be seen are plantations of a native palm, “the Pejivalle”, grown for palm hearts and nuts. Places to visit in this fascinating area are the historic port of Limon, and its bars,some nice restaurants, coffe and pastry shops located on main avenue or near about; Cahuita National Park, next to the city of Cahuita on the way to Puerto Viejo (Old Harbour); Hitoy Cerere National Park and its indian villages; the Tortuguero National Park and its wonderfull canals and lagoons; the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Puerto Viejo and the famous Cocles Beach! (righto in front Casa Camarona Lodge)

GANDOCA-MANZANILLO WILDLIFE REFUGE :

Below Cahuita park, the road continues further south, through the little Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo , with its clapboard houses.

At the very end of the road lies the hamlet of Manzanillo, and beyond that, the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, with its lagoons , which contains the only mangrove swamp on Costa Rica 's Caribbean coast. Rare wildlife, including manatees, abounds in the refuge and sea turtles come ashore on the refuge's beaches to lay their eggs.

PUERTO VIEJO ( Old Harbour ) :

Fourty five kilometers south of Limon City , Puerto Viejo ( Old Harbour ) is a mixed black, tico, creole, chinese and indian community. Larger than Cahuita, Puerto Viejo is bustling and growing. As a landmark at the village entrance a derelict barge just offshore sprouts a tree.

Beaches where you may swim(S), dive(D), snorkelling(SN) or surf (SU) :

• Manzanillo Beach (S,D,SN,SU)
• Cocles Beach (next to Casa Camarona Lodge) (S,SN,SU)
• Salsa Brava Beach (SU)
• Black Beach (Cahuita) and Black Beach in Puerto Viejo (S,SN)
• Playa Chiquita Beach (walkind distance from the lodge) (S,SN)

Besides from these attractions,in Puerto Viejo we have one of the best locations in the country for those who enjoy adventure surfing, diving and scuba diving while enjoying the magnificence of the Caribbean beaches.

ACTIVITIES :

Activities in Puerto Viejo include listening to reggae music, and watching the magnificence of the unspoiled beaches. There are four "discos" -bars with dance areas-called Stanford's, Johnny's Place, Baba Yaga and Sunset Raggae Bar, right in the center of the village. Boogie and surfboards are available for rent at various points around town and near the lodge. Surfing is best from December through March but actually you can practice it also in September and October. Jungle walks, trail interpretation, visits to butterfly or the botanical gardens, canopy rides, river rafting, boat trips to see the white dolphins in Gandoca-Manazanillo and horseback rides can be arranged at front desk of Casa Camarona. Visits to Kekoldi indigenous Village can be organizaed for groups. Ocean and river fishing are also possible, through local boat owners.

At the Puerto Viejo town, at different tour agents, you will be able to find:

• Boats for rent
• Surf boards
• Tours to Tortuguero, Punta Mona, Gandoca Lake, Hitoy-Cerere Indian Protected Area, Tortuguero and to the various national parks
• Horses for rent
• Cannopy tours
• Butterfly and Botannical gardens
• Bicycles and cuadracycles
• Bocuare Jungle Adventures
• Snorkeling and Diving equipment
• Night entertainment and gourmet food restaurantes
• Hair braiding Caribbean style
• Therapeutic massage
• Shopping centers
• Banks
• Clinic

WEATHER:

Weather in the costarican Caribbean is warm and nice almost all year around with temperatures oscilating betwen 16 and 26 centigrades Celsius. Rain (at night) and showers are likely to appear intermitently during January, part of May and part of August. Caribbean summer season usually is between end of August until mid November.

CURRENCY

The "colon" is the monetary unity in Costa Rica. It comes in denominations of ten, twenty, hundred, five hundred, five and ten thousand colones. The exchange rate to the United States dollar varies from time to time since Central Bank of Costa Rica established a "floating rate" wich moves within two bands. For tourists, the applicable rate is the "buy rate" wich in June 2009, was one US dollar equivalent to ¢581,oo. We recommend to check every two or three days. Banks and major newspapers pubblish everyday the exchange rate.

TRANSPORTATION :

The MEPE bus stop is located in San Jose , 350 meters north of the Europe Hotel, on a main Street where you can take two buses :

1.TO PUERTO VIEJO

Departure from San Jose : Arrival at Puerto Viejo :

• 6 :00 a.m. 11 am approx..
• 9 :00 p.m. 2 :00 p.m approx.

Departure from Puerto Viejo : Arrival at San Jose :

• 7 : a.m. 12,oo m.
• 10 :00 a.m. 3 :00 p.m. approx
• 4 :00 p.m. 9 :00 p.m. approx.
• Bus schedules are subtect to variations. (Please check with bus company MEPE. Tel: (506)257-8129 websyde: www.puertoviejo.net

The hotel provides free taxi transportation from Puerto Viejo's bus station to the lodge, for more than 2 persons and up to 4 persons. It is necessary to have a confirmed reservation and make a request with a minimum of 2 days before arrival

 

2. Private Bus companies:

a) "Fantasy Shuttle" US$35.00 per journey.
Departure from San José at 7:30 a.m. from Irazu Hotel

• Arrival to Casa Camarona at 1 p.m. approximately
• Departure from Casa Camarona at 2:20 p.m.
• Arrival to San José at 6:20 p.m. approximately.

 

Phone: (506)2324811 Email: info@graylinecostarica.com

 

b) Inter Bus Shuttle Bus: US$36 per journey

• San Jose to Puerto Viejo, leaves daily at 7.20am , arrives at 11 am
• Puerto Viejo to San Jose , leaves daily at 6.20am , arrives at 11 am
• email: dchinchilla@interbusonline.com
• Tel: 283-5573

c) Easy Ryder Shuttle Bus: US$30 per journey

• San Jose to Puerto Viejo, leaves daily at 8am and 2pm , arriving at 12.30pm and 6:30pm
• Puerto Viejo to San Jose, leaves daily at 8am and 2pm arriving at 12.30pm and 6:30pm
• Website : www.easyryde.com
• email: info@easyride.cr.com

 

Note: Rates and schedules of private buses are subject to variations. Please check directly with the bus company.

:: Casa Camarona location map at the "Meet the Lodge" section