Costa Rica's Atlantic Zone has something to offer every traveler, from the marine life off its beaches to the peaceful towns surrounded by lush coastal forest. A series of wildlife refuges and national parks protect almost hall the Atlantic coast, comprising palm-lined beaches, colorful coral reefs, languid rivers and tropical forests that are honer for everything from red-eyed tree frogs to white-faced capuchin monkeys. The region features great conditions for sportfishing, surfing and skin diving, for those active travelers.
Given the vibrant tropical nature, both on land and in water, the Atlantic Zone is a great destination for travelers interested in the country's flora and fauna. Because of the predominant Afro-Caribbean culture that marks a difference with the rest of the country and being its beaches some of the most beautiful ones here, this region is also very attractive for visitors who are not that interested in plants and animals.
The Atlantic Zone can be divided into two distinct areas, which lie to the northwest and southeast of the port city of Lim�n. The northwest part is a swampy region penetrated by jungle-lined canals connecting tranquil lagoons and rivers, and lending to seemingly endless, palm lined beaches. The area south of the city of Lim�n features several small Afro-Caribbean communities, coral reefs, rain forest and gorgeous beaches.
Puerto Lim�n
This provincial capital and port city has historically been linked to the Antilles, specially Jamaica, and the Caribbean influence is evident in everything from the local architecture, the colore, the food and the Creole English spoken by many of its residents. The local culture is on parade during the week surrounding October 12th , when the city celebrates "Carnival", an event marked by Caribbean music, colorful parades, plenty of dancing and lote of peoples from all around the country. During the rest of the year, most travelers simply pass through on their way to the region�s more attractive spots, such as Puerto Viejo and Cocles.
Cahuita
Next to Cahuita National Park is a laid-back coastal town, which is a colorful friendly place where the beaches, snorkeling and rain forest keep visitors busy by day, and the fresh sea food and reggae music keep them happy at night. Cahuita National Park begins just south of town, where as north of town center is the striking, palm-lined Black Beach, which owes its color to volcanic ash.
Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo
To the south of Cahuita you will find Puerto Viejo, a small fishing community set on a coral-ringed point. While surfers head there to ride "Salsa Brava", a spot in front of the point where waves break over a coral reef, almost all people are happy- walking the nearby beaches or exploring the rain forest that rises up behind them. The dirt road that heads south from Puerto Viejo leads past such idyllic spots as Playa Cocles and Punta Uva, which have numerous hotels and restaurants nearby, to the little community of Manzanillo, which lays within a wildlife refugee.
Cahuita National Park
This 5303 hectares park is located in one of the most beautiful and scenic regions in Costa Rica. Even though it was created to protect an important coral reef, this park has white sand beaches fringed with endless coconut trees, estuaries and rain�forest are equally impressive. There, is perfect for snorkeling, and is home to hundreds of species of fish and crustacean including urchins, sea fans, angelfish, blue parrotfish, barracudas and stingrays, several types of coral, such as brain and elk bona coral, that live amidst the colorful sponges sea fans and corals.
Tortuguero National Park
On the Costa Rican Caribbean coast you will find this popular park (18,946 hectares) that was created to protect the most important nesting site for the green turtle, it also serves as a refuge for other turtles such as leatherbacks and hawksbills, and it includes a span of rain forest.
The park is home for turtles, crocodiles, monkeys, anurans (which are a species of amphibians), birds and fish, tapir, ocelots, jaguars, collared peccaries, river otters, sloths, grisons (furry, weasel-like mammal native to Mexico, Central America, and South America, frogs, macaws, toucans, and abundant flora from this park: crab wood, coconut trees, banak, tamarind, bully tree, orchids, hollio palm, and heliconias.
Aside from the wild life, Tortuguero has beaches that seem endless and calm water-ways that wind through the jungle. The traditional way to reach the small town of Tortuguero, where the Park headquarters is and other services are also available, is to take the canal trip from the port of Moin near the town of Lim�n.
Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve
This 9.154 hectares reserve is 219 km from San Jos�. Its name derive from two words in a local indigenous language, hitoy means "wooly" in referent to the green blanket that covers everything and cerere means "water" for the abundance of rivers and streams. The forest of Hitoy Cerere is incredibly dense and abundant, with massive trees draped with mosses, orchids, vires and ferns, propped up by buttress roots. Numerous small rivers run through the reserve, which is home for toucans, rots, ocelots, monkeys, basilisk lizards and countless other creatures. The reserve lays off the beaten path, at the end of the banana filled Estrella Valley. It is surrounded by three indigenous people's reserves, the Telire to the west, Talamanca to the south and tayni to the north.
Geographical Division 
