Cahuita National Park
Cahuita National Park (1,067 hectares, founded on 1970) is a natural attraction that calls the attention of which they visit the exuberant Costa Rican Caribbean coast. White sand, miles of planted of palms of the Coco, the calm and clear sea and a reef of chorale, do of this park one of most beautiful of the country. Here you will be able to make long walks short and to stop soon to relax in an almost desert beach. This park, protects a coralline reef located in Punta Cahuita, a rocky point and small line that divides the South part of the north. This reef consists of more than 240 hectares, and is the only found mature coralline formation throughout the Caribbean coastal line of Costa Rica. The park can easily be accesado from the entrance of the station Kelly Creek, located closely together of the center of the town of Cahuita, or from the Puerto Vargas station, towards the south.
The natural footpaths of 7 km in length, run parallel to the coast and are easy to walk. When walking you will be able to enjoy the beach and the forest; he will find in both beautiful scenes, although the second he is a little fresher since the vegetation gives shade. Wild life can easily be observed, specially Congo monkeys, monkeys capuchino, tepezcuintles, iguanas, raccoons, sluggish and pizotes. The best moment to see animals is during the early hours in the morning. For the observers of birds it is possible to appreciate to tangara azuleja, ibis green and different species from herons. Near the fresh water rivers and the estuaries also it is possible to be seen caymans.
The reef off Punta Cahuita protects the northern stretch of the beautiful scimitar beach to the south. Smooth water here provides good swimming; it's possible to wade out at knee level. At the southern end of the park, beyond the reef, huge waves lunge onto the beach--a nesting site for three species of turtles--where tide pools form at low tide. Check with rangers about currents and where you can walk or snorkel safely.
The coral reef lies offshore north off Puerto Vargas. Snorkelers can try their luck near Cahuita Point or Punta Vargas (you must enter the water from the beach on the Punta Vargas side and swim out to the reef); you can also hire a local resident to take you out farther by boat. On the sea floor are massive brain corals and delicate, branching sea fans and feathers; nearer the surface are elkhorn corals, frondlike gorgonians spreading their fingers upward toward the light.
