Quepos

Introducing Quepos

This town’s name was derived from the indigenous Quepoa, a subgroup of the Borucas, who inhabited the area at the time of the conquest. As with many indigenous populations, the Quepoa declined because of European diseases and slavery. By the end of the 19th century, no pure-blooded Quepoa were left, and the area began to be colonized by farmers from the highlands.

Quepos first came to prominence as a banana-exporting port in the early 20th century, though crops declined precipitously in subsequent decades due to disease and labor issues (underpaid workers had the gall to demand raises). African oil palms, which currently stretch towards the horizon in dizzying rows around Quepos, soon replaced bananas as the major local crop, though unfortunately they generated a lot less employment for the locals.

But, the future is looking bright for locals as tourists are coming to Manuel Antonio by the boat load, and the construction of the new marina in the next few years means that cruise liners will no longer have to dock at Puntarenas. More visitors means more jobs in the area’s rapidly expanding tourist market, though no one’s talking about how hard it’s getting to spot wildlife. The Pez Vela Marina is scheduled to open sometime in the next few years, but it is too early to tell what effect this will have on this provincial town.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009