Introducing Río San Juan
Aztec traders used this route as early as the 1200s to ship goods between the oceans, but it was not until 1521, when Cacique Nicarao told the conquistadors that Cocibolca had a 'drain' to the Atlantic, that Spaniard Diego de Machuca ran the rapids all the way to the sea. This is still the dream trip, made legend by British pirates and history by Mark Twain, down the marvelous, mysterious Río San Juan.
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There are not many places like this left in the world, you know. And rich men have been plotting to broaden this river, deepen it, straighten it into something more suitable for their mercantile whims, for almost 500 years. The thundering volcanoes and murmuring rapids may not thwart them forever.
The towns of Boca de Sábalos and El Castillo, as well as the beautiful jungle resorts strung between them, have easy access, with public boats daily. But to go into the vine-hung wilderness of jaguars and macaws, through the Indio-Maíz to the end of the river, takes commitment.
Last updated: Oct 1, 2008
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: Experiencing Rio San Juan
by SoloHobo 04 April 2012
Once Costa Rica completes a upgraded RT 4 from La Fortuna to Guapiles, then the cargo trucks to andfrom the caribe Limon port with have…
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RE: First fishing trip of the season
by Scrubb 03 April 2012
Where would you be going in Nicaragua? If you've been to the Atlantique coast of Costa Rica, it's more of the same over the border. …
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RE: Experiencing Rio San Juan
by etcap 25 March 2012
>there are persistent stories that Nicaragua is building a bridge somewhere in this area where they own both sides of the river. It looks…
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