DESCRIPTION:
The best tour you can take during your visit to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. Come with us and enjoy our 6 in 1 tour with a professional naturalist tour guide, who will explain you the most important aspects of the Afro-Caribbean Culture of Costa Rica and show you the rich wildlife of this fascinating region.
During this tour you will enjoy:
1) The Tortuguero Canals: Board your covered boat for a 60 minutes leisurely cruise through the jungle canals. Your guide explains the rain forest eco-system and points out sights of interest. Keep an eye out for wildlife including howler monkeys, many sloths, toucans, aquatic birds, bats and crocodiles as well as exotic flora.
2) A Nature Walk: into the rain forest where you will learn many facts about our ecology. The Jungle Trail offers a 1 km trek through a secondary forest offering beautiful landscapes, various flora and fauna, and including many opportunities to see the remarkably fascinating different frog species of Costa Rica, for example the red dart frog (dendrobates pumillo).
Inside the trail, among the abundant fauna visitors may witness the 3 toed sloths and see the different species of birds: Toucans, Oropendola, Tanagers, Hummingbirds, kiskidees, squirrels and the majestic butterflies that swarm through the trail. You will witness the beautiful flora, such as the epiphytes, orchids and bromeliads as well as other ground level plants with various sized leaves appearing in their plenty. The different species of trees ranging from young to old, small to large, serve as homes to many of the creatures being large mammals to tiny insects. These trees as you will witness are also adorned by the lianas that hang from the branches.
3) Visit a Banana Plantation and Packing House, where many interesting facts about this amazing fruit will be explained: The Crop, harvesting, processing, packing and exportation. Costa Rica is the second largest banana producer in the world and 80% of the plantations are located in Limon province, becoming one of the most important economical activities in the region. During weekdays, you will be able to see the workers doing their job in the fields and the packing house. A very interesting cultural experience that you can’t miss.
4) Coastal Drive: Enjoy the beautiful scenery of Puerto Limon coastline during the bus drive to the different attractions.
5) Enjoy the Souvenirs Stores & Shopping: During our Limon Highlights tour, you will enjoy many different souvenirs stores. The Caribbean enjoys a diversity of cultures: Afro-Costa Rican, Bribri and Cabécar, Asian, Italian and Central American, among others. Besides food, the region features a collection of cultural activities and traditions that also differentiate it from the rest of the country. One such tradition, very well known, is the region's music, which combines various elements and influences: calypso and reggae. As for traditional dances, the cuadrilla (square dance) is one of the most typical. Games and legends occupy a special place in the region's culture as well. During our shopping tour you will be able to find that special gift you are looking for, such as coffee, cigars, wood stuff, paintings, etc.
6) City Tour: History records that in 1502 Christopher Columbus landed in Costa Rica at the place known as Puerto Limón. The country's port par excellence thanks to import and export traffic, Limón now has the facilities to receive cruise ships as well. The city's old quarter has the characteristics of a historical center and is currently under urban renovation with restoration of buildings and a pedestrian walkway from Parque Vargas to the market.
The Creole English spoken by most Afro-Caribbean’s from Limón is also unique to the region. With a greater variety of religious beliefs, religious faith is much more heterogeneous here than in the rest of the country. Finally, the noteworthy local architecture is a result of the society's lifestyle; its forms and spaces respond to climatic, cultural, technological and economic conditions. Limón's old quarter owes itself to the effervescence of the banana-production industry; public and commercial buildings display Victorian, Caribbean and art nouveau influences. One of the most famous buildings is the Black Star. Built in 1922, this historical building is located in Limón city (at the corner of Calle 5 and Avenida 5). The two-story building features a large salon called "Liberty Hall" as well as a restaurant specializing in Caribbean food, and was declared an architectural heritage site in 1988. It was named after the shipping company founded by Marcus Garvey, champion of black rights. Garvey visited Limón twice, and established an association headquartered in this building. A number of cultural activities have taken place here, including the 1949 crowning of the first Carnival-or, back then, Limón Civic Festival-Queen.
Years ago a main street was transformed into a Boulevard. This beautiful pedestrian walkway takes up four blocks of Avenida 2 in the city of Limón. It starts in the west at Calle 4 and ends in the east in front of the seawall. Built in 1941, the central market is on the boulevard; opposite it on the corner sits a beautiful building: Banco Nacional de Costa Rica. Another lovely edifice, the Pensión Costa Rica, is located a block and a half to the east. Parque Vargas is on the last block. Opposite its north side is the Limón municipal building; on the other side is an old structure that once belonged to the Banana Company and today houses offices and shops. The boulevard ends at the seawall, where there is an amphitheatre from which Quiribrí Island may be seen. The seawall is well frequented by Limón's residents and by tourists. The access to this boulevard is only one block from the main entrance of the pier.
Taking part of this amazing tour, you will become an expertise about the rich cultural heritage and ecological resources of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Don't miss it…
Operational Notes
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Complementary soft drinks or bottled water are served during the tour.
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Round trip transport between the ship and attractions.
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The meeting point is inside the pier. Greenway have a special permission. Our guides are located close to the main gangway, just behind the security stand (scanner).
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Our guides will be at pier with a sign and the name of the tour on it.
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All buses have A/C
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Buses for 44 or 52 passengers have toilet.
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This tour has been designated an environmentally sensitive tour.
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Tour is not wheelchair accessible & is not for pax with any walking limitations.
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All tour guides are bi-lingual English – Spanish. For other languages please make the request in advance.
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During this tour, in some places there is no shade, pax should bring sunscream, a hat, sunglases, etc.
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During the rainy season, Sep- Dec, pax should expect some rain. Pax should bring a raincoat.
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Greenway Tours suggests pax to bring mosquito spray for beach and rain forest tours.
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Greenway Tours buses are equipped with First-Aid Kit in case of accidents.
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Pax should wear comfortable shoes. Tennis shoes are highly recommended.
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Pax should be advised to bring a backpack to store cameras, film, sunscream and any other belongings for easy travel.
Tour Timing
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Departure Times:
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8:00 AM from the pier.
10:00 AM for some ships with late arrival.
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30 minutes bus ride to Moin.
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60 minutes boat trip on the Tortuguero canals
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15 minutes fruit snack.
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20 minutes Drive to The jungle Trail.
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60 minutes walk into the rain forest.
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15 minutes fruit snack.
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20 minutes bus ride to the banana plantation.
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30 minutes tour into the banana plantation packing house.
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30 minutes drive to the souvenir shops.
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30 minutes shopping time.
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20 minute bus drive to the pier including short City Tour.
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