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Once you leave Limon & head southish towards Cahuita & Puerto Viejo gas stations are far & few between. The main one is located at Penshurst (or Penshurt) which is about 9 kms before Cahuita. Gas up here as the only other gas station is waay off the beaten path somewhere up a dirt short cut road to Panama. We have never looked for this one & apparently you really need to be a local to find it. The one at Penshurst is your best bet....it's on the main highway & you can't miss it, even in the dark.
Written Mar 22, 2009
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If you are visiting the caibbean coast then the Sloth Refuge is a must see. For $30.00 US your visit includes breakfast with "Buttercup" & several baby sloths, a canal tour on one of the Rio Estrella's tributaries where you can see tons of birds & wild sloths & tour of the sloth rehab center. Try & be there before 6 a.m. as that is the best time to be out on the canal.
If you are hoping to touch a sloth then make sure you have no bug dope or sunscreen on as this can be harmful to them.
The sloth refuge is about 10 minutes north of Cahuita & Penhurst near the Rio Estrella.
The owners are Luis & Judy Arroyo. Our canal guide "Kiley" was very informative & spole excellent english. The canal tour lasted aproximately one hour.
In the rehab center we were treated to a short film about sloths & were able to meet several of the centers permanent sloth residents.
Updated Mar 22, 2009
Phone: 011 (506) 2-750-0775
Website: http://www.slothrescue.org/
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The last village you can visit in Costa Rica before you have to cross the Panamese border is Sixaola. The village has the same name as the river that you'll find at the southside of Sixaola. If you cross this Sixaola-river you are in Panama.
The village itself is not too special. The real "centre" is situated at about 600 metres from the border, but since I only came here to get into Panama I missed that part. At the border there are some small bars, a small market and for the rest only the customs office and the busstation.
When you want to get into Panama from here you have to get your exit stamp at the northbank of the Sixaola-river and after that cross the nerve-wrecking bridge to the other side. All traffic getting into the country crosses this single-track bridge: pedestrians, cars and trucks. The bridge looks like it was built like a giant kid of 5 years old, hundreds of years ago, but for some reason it still is in one piece and it is being used every day.
For more information about getting into Panama, check out my Bocas del Toro-page.
Written May 14, 2008
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The next town we visited on our way down from Cahuita to the Panamese border was Bribri. The road from Puerto Viejo to Bribri goes through a beautiful green valley with high cliffs and huge banana plantations. And then you end up at the small village that is named after one of the tribes that were the original inhabitants of this area. The Bribri tribe has been living in the rainforests in this area for hundreds of years already.
Today Bribri is an important town in the banana trade. Lots of bananas are brought to the local cooperation are from here brought to the harbour of Puerto Viejo to be shipped out all over the world.
Bribri is quite a sleepy town with only on mainstreet through the town with some marketstalls, a few bars/restaurants and a bank (where I could finally get some money after a trip from Cahuita to Puerto Viejo to here). Nevertheless Bribri has a nice atmosphere and great surroundings which make a short stop here a nice experience.
A tip: Visit the small restaurant "Kaya" in Bribri for a very nice breakfast or lunch in a nice atmosphere and with a good view of the town.
Updated May 14, 2008
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The first village that you will cross when you head south from Cahuita is Puerto Viejo. This village is much more involved then Cahuita. The roads are all paved, there are banks here, lots of restaurants, guesthouses, bars and touristshops and the whole environment is much more focussed on tourism.
Around Puerto Viejo you find several beaches -both black and white sanded- where surfing is the most popular activity. Snorkling is also possible here, with some coral reefs close to the coastline.
In the end, what makes Cahuita so special, counts for Puerto Viejo too: the most of the inhabitants are from Afro-American origin. Their culture is the base of the Caribbean Costarican culture that is very lively here.
Written May 13, 2008
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Reviews and photos of Cahuita attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Cahuita sightseeing.
The first village that you will cross when you head south from Cahuita is Puerto Viejo. This village is much more involved then Cahuita. The roads are all...
Q: My boyfriend and I would like to go from Cahuita to Sixaola/Bocas del Toro, do we have to go to Limon to catch the bus to Sixaola...
A: I don't think you will have anything to worry about babe, the bus is one of the main ways of transpertation over there. There will be a buss everywhere you go. My husband...
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1
aaaaaaaaaaaaaah....Cahuita !!!
Up until recently the main street of Cahuita was dirt. It's paved now which makes for easier walking.
3
Gorgeous park, beaches, great food, mellow vibe
This tiny little Caribbean town is among my favourite places in Costa Rica (I think only second to Montezuma on the Pacific which wins out slightly for having more options for eating and going...
4
Enter the world stark contrasts; lush jungles lie adjacent to white sand beaches. The sleepy, laid back atmosphere of the town is spiced up by tantalizing reggae beats at night. Traditional Costa...
5
Two days in Cahuita was enough for me. If I hadn't taken the walk in the national park I would have left earlier. Anyway because of the walk I have lovely memories of this village.
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