Cahuita National Park

The name "Cahuita" derives from the language of the natives and means "CAWI" mahogany, a tree of the region and "TA" tip or point.

Cahuita National Park is located just south of the town of Cahuita, about 43 kilometers south of Limón, on the Caribbean coastline in one of the most beautiful and scenic regions in Costa Rica. Its main attractions are the white sand beaches fringed with endless coconut trees, a calm sea of transparent waters and the coral reefs just offshore.

The most attractive feature for divers is the underwater garden of marine life, including several types of coral, such as the brain and elkhorn coral. Also living in this medium are large numbers of very colorful tropical fish and invertebrates, like urchins, sea fans, angelfish, blue parrotfish, barracudas and stingrays, amongst others.

There's also a great variety of land and air animals, such as raccoons, crabs (land and water), howler monkeys, kingfishers, night herons, white-nosed coatis, frogs, toads and snakes.

Most of Cahuita consists of a swamp located in the depression that lies between the coral platform and the mainland. Other habitats in the park are uninundated mixed forest and littoral woodlands.

The most interesting feature of the park is a shipwreck located on the north of the mouth of the river Perezoso, which sank in the 18th century and was used to transport slaves.