Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
When planning a vacation, the same destinations are often mentioned again and again for sake of convenience. If your neighbors have already been there and your mom took a trip when she was a teenager, then youll definitely be able to find worthwhile things to do, right? After all, theres no use in branching out and finding a new vacation site, because you wont even know where to begin. All of the planning and coordinating will stress you out; afterward, you wont even be in the mood for a vacation- youll be in the mood for a nap!
Fortunately, in the age of information, finding a new vacation location is easier than ever. Such is certainly the case with Limon, Costa Rica, a beautiful, Caribbean capital city that has yet been unexploited by hoards of tourists.
The province of Limon stretches along the Caribbean from the mouth of the San Juan River in the north to the mouth of the Sixaola River in the south (along the border of Panama). The city itself, built in 1871 on the site of the Native American village Cariari, is found in the northern region of the province. The weather in the city is affected directly by the warm, moist area brought in off the water by the northeast trade winds. Consequently, while the city remains warm and humid with rain throughout the year, it never experiences any distinct dry season.
Beyond hosting wonderful, sandy white beaches (210 miles of them, to be exact) and the other, general attractions of a Central American country (including, obviously, a favourable exchange rate for the American dollar), Limon hosts several key national parks. In fact, roughly a quarter of the countrys land has been devoted to national parks or preserves. To best enjoy the lush valleys, volcanic mountains, and tropical rainforest that Limon offers in abundance, consider a trip to the Tortuguero National Park, where you can soak in the unique ecosystem with minimal worries about disturbing animals or plants in their natural habitats. The park is actually home to the largest sample of protected humid tropical forest on the planet. Here, you can see the natural nesting places of marine turtles and access over 300 different species of birds, including the Great Green Macaw. Scientists across the world recognize the ecological value of this particular park, and so scientific research is constantly taking place on the premises.
If you get your timing right, you can visit Limon during the carnival, the most famous festivity in the province. The carnival lasts for virtually the entire month of October, and it commemorates the arrival of the Spanish on Costa Rican soil. The festival offers the typical party fare, perhaps taken up a notch by virtue of the excessive nature of the Costa Rican people. You can enjoy local food, crafts, late- night shop hours, and more during this period.
But even if you come outside the month of October (an odd time, admittedly, for vacation leave), Limon still has plenty to keep you busy. The Heredia Volcanic Park is within driving distance (and you dont have to worry about any unplanned eruptions), as is Barra del Colorado, the ideal location for sport fishing.
Regardless of your inclinations, Limon might be the uncharted vacation you and your family have been looking for. Besides, if straying from the footpath doesnt work out, theres always those 210 miles of sandy, white beaches.
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