Puerto Limon

A typical Caribbean port in Costa Rica
Butterflies, frogs, sloths and coral reefs
Wooden houses on stilts

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Puerto Limon

Amongst mangroves and white beaches

During your Caribbean MSC cruise take a slow boat north from Puerto Limón – one of several established “black” Central American coastal cities, like Bluefields in Nicaragua and Lívingston in Guatemala, a typical Caribbean port – along the Tortuguero Canal to see luxuriant vegetation and colourful wooden houses on stilts.


Another nice excursion is Veragua Rainforest: a fascinating “research and adventure park” that provides a quick and sleek introduction to some of the region’s rich biodiversity. Owned and operated entirely by Costa Ricans, Veragua holds several smartly designed animal exhibits – including one that mimics a nocturnal habitat for frogs – as well as an aerial tram, a zip line and an elevated trail through the rainforest leading to a waterfall.

The highlight of this holiday destination, though, is the research facility, where you can talk with the resident biologists and learn more about the ongoing study of the park’s stunning collection of butterflies. The Parque Nacional Cahuita covers a wedge-shaped piece of land that encompasses the area between Punta Cahuita and the main highway and, most importantly, the coral reef (arrecife) about 500m offshore. On land, Cahuita protects the coastal rainforest, a lowland habitat of semi-mangroves and tall canopy cover that backs the gently curving white-sand beaches of Playa Vargas to the south and Playa Cahuita to the north.

The small Sloth Sanctuary sits on a tiny island at the mouth of the Río Estrella. The sanctuary functions as an important rehabilitation and research centre for injured and orphaned sloths, and, not surprisingly, is the best place in Costa Rica to see them up close. Several walking trails traverse the grounds and there’s an observation platform for bird watching. You may also spot white-faced, howler and spider monkeys. On the one-hour-thirty-minute canoe tour through the delta you can catch a glimpse of caimans, river otters and all kinds of birds.

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    Costa Rica

    Suspended between two oceans
    Suspended between two oceans

    Hemmed in between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans near the narrowest point of the Central American isthmus, the diminutive republic of Costa Rica is often pictured as an oasis of political stability in the midst of a turbulent region.

    A cruise to Costa Rica is a unique opportunity to experience a democratic and prosperous nation which is also one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, an ecological treasure-trove whose wide range of habitats support a fascinating variety of wildlife, much of it now protected by an enlightened conservation system widely regarded as a model of its kind. Though this idyllic image might not do justice to the full complexities of contemporary Costa Rican society, it’s true that the country’s long democratic tradition and complete absence of military forces stand in sharp contrast to the brutal internal conflicts that have ravaged its neighbours.

    Most of all, though, it is Costa Rica’s outstanding natural beauty, and the wildlife that accompanies it, that has made it one of the world’s prime ecotourism destinations, with visitors flocking here to hike trails through ancient rainforest, peer into active volcanoes or explore the Americas’ last vestiges of high-altitude cloud forest, home to jaguars, spider monkeys and resplendent quetzals.