GREAT THINGS TO DO IN PUERTO LIMON, COSTA RICA: ONE DAY BY CRUISE
If you’re on your way to Puerto Limon and wondering what you’ll do once you get there, here’s a guide to several great things to do in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica!
We visited Puerto Limon on our Caribbean cruise. While we didn’t have huge expectations, we were pleasantly surprised by how beautiful yet relaxing this place is. It’s not very big, so you most likely won’t need to spend the whole day in town. However, there are several things to do in Puerto Limon that you really shouldn’t miss. Keep reading to find out which!
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WHERE IS PUERTO LIMON
Puerto Limon is a port city on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, and it’s one of the more popular cruise ports in the region. It’s not a big town, and it’s surrounded by humid tropical rainforest, so the focus here is definitely on the natural beauty all around it!
IS PUERTO LIMON WORTH VISITING
Puerto Limon is a small but charming town, and it’s definitely worth visiting! If it’s one of your cruise ports, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. While it’s not “typically Caribbean” like Aruba or Antigua, it’s an incredibly green destination with a big focus on nature, coffee, and genuinely welcoming people. It’s different from many other Caribbean stops, but that’s exactly what makes it so special!
PUERTO LIMON CRUISE PORT INFORMATION
Puerto Limon doesn’t have the biggest or most developed cruise port. However, that doesn’t make it any less charming as a cruise destination. Once you exit your ship, you’ll find several locals offering tours of the town and the nearby attractions. There’s also a local band playing music throughout the day, and a small market in the port where you can pick up souvenirs and local products. Overall, it’s a simple but lovely little port that leads you right into town!
THINGS TO DO IN PUERTO LIMON
These are the things you absolutely must do during your one day in Puerto Limon!
EXPLORE THE TOWN
There isn’t too much to do right in town near the port, so you can easily see everything in about an hour. Start by walking through the beautiful Vargas Park. It’s one of the main highlights of the area and it even has free WiFi if you need internet. After that, explore the main street, which is full of souvenir shops and local products. Finally, take a stroll toward the cathedral, which is quite unique and definitely worth checking out.
VISIT A BANANA PLANTATION
One attraction you really can’t miss while in Limon is visiting a banana plantation. Costa Rica is famous for its banana production, and seeing a plantation up close gives you a look into one of the country’s most important industries.
You’ll learn how bananas are grown, harvested, washed, and packed. It’s genuinely very interesting, especially if you’ve never seen the process before. It’s a simple visit and you won’t need more than 30 minutes for the tour, but you do get a guide, and you’ll also get to try fresh bananas and sugar cane, which was a really fun part of the experience for us.
SHOP FOR SOME LOCAL SOUVENIRS
Near the banana plantation, and all around town, there are several local shops where you can buy all kinds of Costa Rican products. Besides the typical souvenirs, you can pick up locally produced ground coffee or even cacao beans to taste the raw ingredient that chocolate is made from. These make great gifts if you want to bring something local and delicious back to your friends and family!
VISIT THE RED SNAPPER BAR FOR VIEWS
We hadn’t actually heard of The Red Snapper before, but our local guide told us he’d take us to a beautiful viewpoint. Honestly, this bar has some of the best views in Puerto Limon. We originally just wanted to see the view, but the bar itself is lovely and the staff were so welcoming that we decided to stay for a drink. I highly recommend stopping here for half an hour to enjoy a drink and take in the scenery!
SWIM AT PLAYA BONITA
Finally, if you want to enjoy a beach, go to the nicest one nearby. Playa Bonita has a mix of calm areas and spots with stronger waves, so you can choose whatever suits you best. It’s not as breathtaking as some other Caribbean beaches, like Eagle Beach in Aruba or West Bay Beach in Roatan, but it’s still a lovely place for a refreshing swim. You can get a massage, grab a drink or some food, and just relax for a few hours.
GO FOR A TOUR
My final suggestion is to grab a tour right outside the cruise port if you’re visiting by cruise. You can’t really explore the surrounding areas without a car, and most tours include all of these stops anyway. Our tour was $40 per person, and we had our driver with us the whole time. If you speak a bit of Spanish, you’ll also learn plenty of interesting facts from your local driver, which is always a bonus!
CONCLUSION: THINGS TO DO IN PUERTO LIMON
Overall, Puerto Limon is quite unique and very different from most Caribbean ports we’ve visited, but that’s exactly its charm. If you don’t feel like doing too much, at least make sure you visit a banana plantation and Playa Bonita. However, I’d still highly recommend the little tour we did, because we really enjoyed it!
