Cahuita

Introducing Cahuita

While neighboring Puerto Viejo is rapidly developing into a can’t-miss destination on the groovier travel circuit, Cahuita has managed to maintain a more relaxed relationship with folks discovering the Caribbean coast. Most of the businesses are still locally owned and the vibe is still very laid-back.

What’s more, the place is breathtakingly beautiful. The black sand gives the very swimmable Playa Negra an unusual and ethereal presence.

While the Bribrí and Cabécar Indians were the original inhabitants of this area, Cahuita claims the first Afro-Caribbean settler, one turtle fisherman named William Smith, who moved his family to Punta Cahuita in 1828. Mr Smith’s descendents – and the descendents of many other immigrants – are now cooking with coconuts in the kitchen and playing reggae music on the radio, giving this town a decidedly Afro-Caribbean flavor.

Along with excellent meals and quality beach time, an itinerary in this relaxed paradise certainly includes a wander into neighboring Parque Nacional Cahuita, only a five-minute walk from ‘downtown.’ Here are even more perfect beaches, trails through protected jungle and one of Costa Rica’s two living coral reefs.

With the Playa Negra stretching out to the north of town, and the Parque Nacional Cahuita immediately to the south, Cahuita’s little center is nestled into a small point that sticks out into the Caribbean Sea. It consists of only two gravel roads, neither of which sees too much traffic. But that doesn’t stop the townsfolk from spending the afternoon sitting in the shade and watching it pass by.

Last updated: Oct 20, 2009