Culinary importance:
The province of Limón has been differentiated from the rest of the country by its Afrodescendent and Caribbean culture. This allows you to find a wide variety of food, beverage and Caribbean options.
Furthermore, the south Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is characterized by having a great diversity of people from different parts of the world who have settled in the area. This has led to an explosion of varieties in authentic restaurants from several countries. Among the restaurants we can find Italian, Spanish, Arabic, French, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Greek, vegetarian, Colombian, among many other delicious alternatives.
Walking Shelter Gandoca – Manzanillo
Going into a humid tropical forest and getting wrapped up in the jungle’s thicket and its enigmatic sounds is one of the most surprising and interesting experiences that can be made in the Caribbean area, especially in the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge. One of the most beautiful and exuberant coastal zones of Costa Rica, a remote and exotic place that has a great diversity of habitats, both terrestrial and marine.
Its terrestrial part is formed by small hills, with maximum heights of 115 meters, upholstered by a dense tropical forest, with sectors classified as primary forest. If you are interested in nature and you are an animal lover, we recommend you to explore the trails that enter this refuge accompanied by a local naturalist guide who will help you to observe the wildlife in the wild and will reveal some secrets of the jungle.
Take in the forest guided by Ricky, Abel, Tino or Alex, excellent naturalist guides, who with their explanations and walking among giant trees in danger of extinction, will make you understand the delicate symbiosis in the natural world. During the tour the guide will teach you how to get drinking water, cure yourself and sell you a wound or get food in the forest. You will witness the flight of a toucan, the spider monkey jumps, the cries of the congo monkey and the sympathy of the white man, you will observe green iguanas regulating their body temperature in the sun, lazy on their belly, tiny red frogs jumping on the roots of the trees, the poisonous and beautiful tinsel snake sleeping placidly, the huge bullet ants and the strangest insects you can imagine. The refuge has two entrances or sectors, Manzanillo and Gandoca, two towns that stand out for their Afro-Caribbean character.
The refuge was created on October 29, 1985, protects 5,013 ha. in its terrestrial part and 4,436 ha. in its marine part. In addition to hiking through its extraordinary forest you can bathe in its paradisiac beaches of clear sand, take a boat ride along its steep coast and observe the 3 species of dolphins that live here, you can immerse yourself in a coral reef full of life. Contemplate the spawning of the sea turtle Baula or sail in a rowboat or kayak among the mangroves of the Laguna de Gandoca, different ways to know this privileged corner of the world.
This protected area is one of the natural wonders of Costa Rica, a treasure that must be safeguarded for its extraordinary biological and landscape richness, a work that depends in large part on the nearby communities and that the state has to reinforce control over the management of its resources. In this way future generations and us will enjoy the magic of this exuberant land.
Photo and Source: http://www.costaricaway.info/caribbean-way/reportajes/ocio-y-aventura/senderismo-en-manzanillo/