The most beautiful natural sites to discover Caribbean Region

The Hitoy-Lamartine biological Reserve is little known, accessible and therefore little visited. His situation makes it very interesting. It is certainly one of Costa Rica's most humid places - Hitoy ("wool" in Bribri Indian language, due to mosses covering stones) and Lamartine ("clear waters"). The reserve has the particularity of sheltering a very rich and slightly less timid fauna than in other parks more visited. But arm yourself with patience, the most incredible specimens live in the forest heights and remain difficult to observe.

Access by car. Turn right (from Limón) just after the village of Penshurst and the bridge in curve that crosses the river. The road, in good condition, runs through huge banana plantations and pineapple plantations. A bus also leaves Limón on a street north of the Mercado Central: several departures per day, find out about timetables in the nearby soda. Once in Pandora, all-terrain taxis travel over the remaining 15 km.

In front of Puerto Viejo, in the centre, the beach is occupied by fishermen's boats and others. It is grey sand, black on the north side. It is a peaceful beach that is protected from waves by flat rocks in front of the harbour.

2 km from Playa Cocles, this 4 km long beach is ideal for sportsmen and bathing. On each side of the road, there are signs of hotels, restaurants, bars, rental rooms, a food store, a bicycle hire, etc. We have an embarrassment of choice and the names are more surprising than the others. It is a mini-village that has created itself by the roadside with a particularly romantic atmosphere in the evening.

It's the surfers beach, which occupies all the rooms to rent around. If you don't surf, choose Playa Chiquita or Playa Punta Uva.

Between two rocky cliffs in the immediate vicinity of Puerto Viejo, this beach stretches over 2 km of grey-brown sand. Swimming there is easy and the beach is monitored by the rescuers. Beach break for surfers.