Location: Puerto Limon
Top Things to do in Puerto Limon
Countries
8 Budget-friendly Things to do in Puerto Limon That You Shouldn't Miss
Puerto Limón (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpweɾto liˈmon]), commonly known as Limón (Spanish for "lemon"), is the capital city and main hub of Limón province, as well as of the cantón (county) of Limón in Costa Rica. It is the sixth-largest city in Costa Rica, with a population of over 55,000 (including surrounding towns), and is home of a multicultural community. Part of the community traces its roots to Italian, Jamaican and Chinese laborers who worked on a late nineteenth-century railroad project that connected San José to Puerto Limón. Until 1948, the Costa Rican government did not recognize Afro-Caribbean people as citizens and restricted their movement outside Limón province. As a result of this "travel ban", this Afro-Caribbean population became firmly established in the region, which influenced the decision to not move even after it was legally permitted. Nowadays, there is an important outflow of Limón natives who move to the country's Central Valley in search for better employment and education. The Afro-Caribbean community speaks Spanish and Limonese Creole, a creole of English.
Restaurants in Puerto Limon
1. Relax Day Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 215 reviews
We are a local tour operator with more than 20 years of experience at delivering tours in Puerto Limon, founded by Federico Schuster. We strive to deliver the most enjoyable day tours, share our knowledge and offer you a pleasant experience while you visit the Caribbean coast. Join us in a trip and enjoy a delightful excursion in Puerto Limon!
2. Greenway Nature Day Tours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 386 reviews
With over 20 years tour operating experience in Costa Rica, Greenway Nature Tours is excellently positioned to fulfill all your Costa Rica Travel - Vacation and tour requirements. Our business is making your dreams of the ultimate Costa Rican rain forest come true. No other tour operator can offer you our personalized service, expertise, information quality and staff capability to organize vacation and travel in Costa Rica efficiently and safely - from coast to coast all to match your budget. We are experts on Costa Rica Vacations, Eco-tourism, Private Daily Tours, Transfers, Shore Excursions from Puerto Limon and Puntarenas and Educational Trips.
3. Tortuguero Canal
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 410 reviews
Reviewed By Nush525 - Utrecht, The Netherlands
Get a boat ride with Desmon Garth - he's super skilled at maneuvering the canal, would spot all sorts of animals and stop so you get to see them. ????
4. Catedral Sagrado Corazon de Jesus
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By Tim479 - Glen Arm, United States
We asked our tour driver to stop for pictures and he was happy to do so. The Cathedral is likely the most beautiful place in Puerto Limon and well worth a look. Although it was well after Christmas the elaborate manger display was still up. Free but you are welcome to donate.
5. Explore Limon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 64 reviews
At Explore Limon we specialize in historic tours around the city of Puerto Limon. Our themes are culture, art, gastronomy, music, nature, and others that make up the identity of the city. The tours last 2.5 hours and cover the main monuments, buildings and natural sites classified as Costa Rican National Heritage sites. The routes do not have an established rate, the participant decides at the end of the tour to give the value that they believe is adjusted to the quality of the activity.
Reviewed By Botanicalpainter
You arrive on your cruise ship in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. Five minutes’ walk away across the road from the port is Limon City, or Puerto Limon to those unwilling to differentiate between the port area and the commercial/residential district beyond. We wanted to explore Limon City, but not on our own as we had been fed dire warnings about the prevalence of crime there. Was there any truth in these advisories? It’s difficult to say because crime statistics specific to Limon City/Puerto Limon are difficult to find and even then not easy to interpret. Still there’s nothing wrong with being sensible so we booked a guided walking tour through the organisation ‘Explore Limon’. All our arrangements were made by email prior to leaving England. Our guide was Sergio from ‘Explore Limon’ and he arranged to meet us in Parque Vargas by the Gazebo situated just a few minutes from where our cruise ship was berthed. And we certainly felt safe enough in his company. Our immediate concern prior to meeting with Sergio was that our ship was frustratingly late docking and allowing passengers ashore. By the time we disembarked and cleared the port area would he still be at our pre-arranged meeting point? We rushed past the lines of locals and their offers of excursions and fast walked into Parque Vargas. Would Sergio still be there? He was. At first glance Limon City was unprepossessing. Looking around you could not fail to gain the impression that this once thriving city is in a state of long drawn out terminal decline. Yes, it does need some TLC and could certainly benefit from regeneration projects. But what you see first of all is just surface. Sergio is a highly knowledgeable and experienced guide. With him we were able to see beneath this superficiality. He is passionate about this place - his city - and enthusiastic about promoting its virtues of which there are any number to Limon’s visitors. He is an inspiration. Our tour was scheduled to last for two and a half hours, but ended up being nearer three and a half. Sergio invited us to meet any number of Limon residents, who despite the state of the national economy - an enviable GDP growth, but high national debt coupled with high unemployment - seem to maintain a very positive outlook on life. Led by Sergio we visited buildings that had once been part of M.C. Keith’s 19th century United Fruit Company empire at the centre of the banana industry, but now only lightly occupied and no longer concerned with the banana trade. With Sergio interpreting we enjoyed impromptu conversations with local residents whom we met in the course of our tour. Several were street traders operating from stalls, tables on pavements, or just the carrier racks on the backs of their mopeds. A visit to an art gallery established and run by a local fine arts enthusiast made us realise that this gallery is at the centre of a community of talented painters many of them working en plein air. This was followed by a tour of what had once been a vibrant indoor market, but was now clinging tenaciously onto life thanks to the determination of a handful of stall holders. There is a number of historically important buildings standing deserted and no longer maintained. These are listed, or protected, buildings which cannot be demolished and which would also be uneconomic to revitalise and put to new uses. Consequently they are simply left to decay. Our tour ended at the Catedral Sagrado Corazon de Jesus dedicated in 2010 and replacing the previous cathedral so badly damaged in the 1991 earthquake. The architecture is unapologetically Brutalist, which is to say its imposing concrete masses and planes are not easy on the eye. But step inside. The singular most striking feature is the ceiling, which Sergio explained was constructed to resemble the keel of Noah’s ark. In the imaginary waters beneath the keel and set into the exterior walls are fine stained glass windows allowing shafts of colour to permeate the interior space. In its own way the Catedral Sagrado Corazon de Jesus symbolises what we come to understand about Limon City. What you see on the exterior belies what exists within. To appreciate the sense of the place you do need to dive beneath its surface. We thoroughly enjoyed our excursion through Limon City and can highly recommend not only the tour, but also Sergio who brought it to life for us through his narrative featuring the history, economy, geography, politics and social aspects of this interesting place. Our walking tour arrangements were made through [email protected] and there is no fixed fee. At the end of your tour you pay what you feel the experience was worth to you. Our one regret was that having noted the risk of crime we had erred on the side of caution and taken only a modest amount of USD ashore with us. We gave Sergio what we had feeling it was not enough and wishing we could have given him more. He certainly deserved it.
6. Playa Bonita
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 90 reviews
Reviewed By MindiB_11 - Scotts Valley, United States
We didn't spend much time here, but I thought it was a great beach. The waves were really big the day we were there. So I didn't spend much time in the water. Just walking around and enjoying the warm weather was a treat! Lots of families were at the beach playing, eating and having fun.
7. Vargas Park
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 54 reviews
Reviewed By 684feliciab - Fort Pierce, United States
There are sidewalks, There are HUGE palms. There are statues and art work and nearby crafts. And a seaside view. And....the best part? Locals will point out sloths and owls that live in the palms! Rest on benches. Eat local handheld food. Enjoy the sun and walks. The park is not large but it holds delightful things for those who care to stop and see.
8. Syltravel Day Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 201 reviews
TAGS
