Pops’ Costa Rica Travel Guide, Limon

On my last trip to Costa Rica my son and I drove from the capital of Costa Rica to the Atlantic Coast to have lunch. Limon is a port on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica and is a departure port for the fruit that is grown in the area. You’ll see familiar names such as Dole there. Stretching along the Caribbean Coast, Limon is considered to be one of the most pristine and lush regions of Costa Rica. Roughly 125 miles of shoreline between Nicaragua and Panama boast picturesque white-sand beaches lined with coconut trees for an ultimate tropical paradise. As one of the country's most geographically diverse regions, Limon features everything from mangrove wetlands to towering mountains. Take in the endless scenic landscapes throughout Limon, which was first "discovered" by Christopher Columbus in 1502. Despite this, Limon remains as one of the least traveled regions in Costa Rica, allowing for exploration of untouched prehistoric rainforests and unmatched beauty compared with the rest of the country.

 The drive from San Jose will take you through a cloud forest and beautiful mountain landscapes. On the way back we hit a traffic jam and we thought there must have been a terrible traffic accident ahead. We sat parked for about a half hour. We then saw a cow run by us and right behind the cow was a man trying to catch it. That’s what caused the traffic jam.

To the north of Limon along the coast are some nice beaches and that is where we had lunch. The surf was beautiful and the beach was both rocky and white sand.

It is a lot quieter but also very industrial with the produce grown in the area and the many plantations.  Limon is also a destination for cruise lines. They offer excursions in the area. You’ll get another flavor of Costa Rica by going to the Caribbean Coast but I still prefer the Pacific side. I would recommend going to check it out and then you can make your own decision.