National Parks of Costa Rica

Cahuita National Park

Location: southeast of the Limon Province on the Costa Rica's Caribbean coast.
Size: 1,068 hectares

Cahuita National Park is among the most scenic wilderness areas in Costa Rica. Its main attraction is the white sandy beaches lined with spectacular coconut palms. The transparent calm waters contain coral reef. The reef sits on a large subwater platform that reaches out in front of Chamita Point, between the River Perez's and Vargas Harbour. Cahuita's reef is considered as the only "mature reef" on the Eastern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The area has an outer ridge and a calm inner lagoon. Made from ancient coral debris and patches of sand, the reef also contains underwater prairies of turtle grass and live coral that helps support an expansive marine life.

Around Cahuita Point between the beautiful coral platform and the mainland lies a large swamp. There is also a mixed forest that includes a mangrove swamp with a predominance of red mangrove, Cativos, and littoral woodland with an abundance of coconut palms and sea grapes. Common wildlife living in the area include howler monkeys, crab-eating raccoons and white-nosed coati.