Cariari

Introducing Cariari

Due north of Guápiles, Cariari is a blue-collar, rough-around-the-edges banana town. There’s a gas station, a bank and an Internet café, Compuser (767 8286; Tracopa bus terminal; per hr US$1; 7am-10pm Mon-Fri, 11am-8pm Sun).

The reason why tourists cruise through Cariari is to catch a boat to Tortuguero, which can usually be accomplished in an hour or two. If you get stuck, you can spend the night at the Hotel Central (767 6890; r per person US$10; ), which is conveniently located close to the bus terminals. The proprietor Patricia – known as ‘la mama en Cariari’ – takes care of her guests, providing breakfast, luggage storage, long-term parking and other services. Plus she used to work in a hospital, so her brightly painted rooms (with shared bathrooms) are spotless.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009