The Town
Fifteen minutes' walk around Puerto Limon and you've seen the lot - you may even spot one of the vultures which occasionally hang out on street corners. Avenida 2 , known locally as the "market street", is for all purposes the main drag, touching the north edge of Parque Vargas and the south side of the Mercado Central . The market is as good a place as any to start your explorations, and at times seems to be full of the entire town population, with dowager women minding their patch while thin men flutter their hands, clutching cigarettes and gesticulating jerkily. The sodas and snack bars here are good places to grab a bite. Shops in Limon close over lunch, between noon and 2pm, when everyone drifts towards Parque Vargas , at the easternmost end of C 1 and Av 1/2, and the malecon (sea wall) to sit under the shady palms. A little shabby today, the park features a sea-facing mural by artist Guadalupe Alvarea depicting colourful and evocative images of the province's tough history. From here the malecon winds its way north - avoid it at night, as muggings have been reported. As for other activities in town, forget swimming . One look at the water at the tiny spit of sand next to the Park Hotel is enough discouragement. There are few day-trips worth making from Limon. The trip up the canals to Tortuguero takes three to five hours (with animal-spotting) one way, though it makes more sense to stay at least one night at Tortuguero if doing this trip. A better possibility for a short boat trip is up the Rio Matina from Moin - with a guide, you might be able to spot sloths, monkeys, iguanas and caimans. You could try the friendly and knowledgeable Bernardo R. Vargas (tel 798-4322, fax 758-2683), who also offers a packed one-day tour which takes in a walk in the rainforest at Aviarios de Caribe, the Parque Nacional Cahuita, a tour of local banana and coffee plantations and a city tour of Limon (US$35; 4-5hr).
Your Tip for Puerto Limon
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Puerto Limon - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Puerto Limon - visit the main Puerto Limon forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Puerto Limon webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
