Founded in 1814, the capital of the province, with more than 130,000 inhabitants, is especially famous for its (ancient) port. In the 19th century, the railroad line was built between the Central Valley and this port through which coffee was shipped to Chile. Thirty years ago, when tourists did not yet imagine spending their vacations in the forests to the north, its proximity to San José and its easy access made it a fashionable resort. People came to Puntarenas for a weekend; Joséfinos bought houses there and some Americans retired.Puntarenas became known as a tourist town, but the construction of a modern port by the Japanese in Puerto Caldera (20 km south) to unload their imported cars began to pollute the waters and the beaches. This project has had a negative impact on ecotourism in this area.Established on a narrow strip of land parallel to the coast, Puntarenas - whose name means "point of sand" - seems small with its four cuadras of width. From the central avenue that leads to the ferry terminal, you can see the sea from every corner. To the southwest, to your left, lies the beach, which is promised to be always clean. A line of palm and fig trees separates it from the cement sidewalk where families, the last American retirees and gadget sellers stroll. During the high season, the paseo de los Turistas is almost crowded on Saturdays and Sundays, but between May and October, it is deserted. Puntarenas does not have a very good reputation. And it is true that it does not benefit from the landscapes that almost the whole country can boast, neither from sensational forests nor from particularly exotic animals. If it lost its ferries, the city would be quickly forgotten, even though the local authorities have been trying to rehabilitate the old port for a few years. Tractors have been purchased to clean the beach regularly and the harbor docks are slated for a new tourist complex. To find beautiful beaches, you have to go a little further away or back down to Caldera, beyond the port of course.The province of Puntarenas, or Central Pacific, covers a large part of the Pacific coast from Panama to the Nicoya Peninsula. With almost 1,000 km of coastline, the province can afford to offer some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, some of them located in national parks.

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