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April 25, 2024
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Cahuita is a small laid-back town on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast around four and a half hours by bus from the capital San José. If you like to escape crowded tourist areas then this is the perfect place to spend a few days. The city center is just a few blocks and most eateries are located on the main road. Accommodation options are mostly tucked away in side streets and covered in greenery at the entrance. This adds to the charming, authentic vibes this town still holds. Of course, there’s a little bit of tourism, but Cahuita is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the Pura Vida lifestyle and culture of the Ticos.
wondering what to do in Cahuita? Here are six things to do in Cahuita that will keep you busy for a few days at an utterly relaxed pace!
Cahuita, Costa Rica.
Cahuita National Park was first established in 1970 to protect the coral reefs in the Caribbean sea. Later on, it became the park as it is known today, consisting of coral reefs, beaches and forests. The park has an 8km trail. You can choose to hike it yourself or with a guide. For a more detailed guide, check this article I wrote about Cahuita National Park!
While this park is a more off-the-beaten-path destination, I have seen the most wildlife here in all of Costa Rica. I even haven’t seen that much wildlife in Manuel Antonio National Park!
Cahuita is, in my humble opinion, one of the best places to spot wildlife in Costa Rica. We saw more wildlife here than in any other place we visited in Costa Rica! The most wildlife we saw was inside Cahuita National Park.
We saw sloths, raccoons, iguanas, chestnut-mandibled toucans, howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, the yellow eyelash viper snake, and a variety of birds, crabs, and snails. Cahuita National Park is a must-go if you love spotting wildlife.
We also spotted toucans, snakes and a lot of squirrels in and around our Airbnb and a lot of funny, crazy-looking insects! There’s also a sloth sanctuary in Cahuita that is open for visitors.
You can choose between two tours. The first one is a 2-hour informative tour in which you will be introduced to the way sloths live and get to meet a few sloths. This tour will set you back $ 28. The second tour is a “behind the scenes” experience that will cost you $ 150.
There are a few beaches in Cahuita that you can visit. Two of them are inside Cahuita National Park. The first beach inside Cahuita National Park is Playa Blanca. This is, as the name says, a beautiful patch of white-sand beach. You can find it at the Kelly Creek entrance of Cahuita National Park and this part of the beach is the most crowded.
Just walk a little further into the park to find a spot you can have all to yourself. The second beach inside Cahuita National park is Puerto Vargas Beach. You can enter this beach walking through the park coming from Kelly Creek or you can enter through the Puerto Vargas entrance which will cost you $ 5. This beach was quite secluded when we visited and was our favorite.
Outside Cahuita National Park you can find two more beaches. Playa Negra is located on the northwestern end of Cahuita town and is a long stretch of black-sand beach. There’s a reggae bar on the beach where you can have a drink, lunch or dinner.
Three kilometers northwest of the center of Cahuita you can find Playa grande. If you like having a whole beach to yourself then this is your best bet. This beach rarely sees any visitors.
You can find a few good restaurants in Cahuita that cater to vegans and vegetarians. Check out Aroma Coffee Bar, Sobre las Olas and Pizzeria Cahuita for food options.
On Sundays, there’s a small farmers market at the salon Comunal on Cahuita Main road selling fresh fruit and vegetables. Aside from bananas and avocados, of which you can find plenty, be sure to try different tropical fruits when you see them, like lychees, starfruit, soursop and passion fruits. And of course, be sure to have a cup of Costa Rican coffee!
Snorkeling Cahuita
Cahuita National Park was established in 1970 mainly to protect the coral reef in the Caribbean sea. The 600 acres reef is home to 35 different species of coral.
Other marine life to be spotted are sea urchins, barracudas, sea turtles, stingrays and more than a hundred other types of tropical fish. Since the reef is protected, it is prohibited to snorkel without a guide. Snorkeling House is an eco-conscious tour operator in Cahuita who has tours on offer for $30/pp.
For a local experience, I can recommend the Airbnb we stayed at with Zinja and Alonso at Playa Negra. Zinja is a German girl and Alonso is a Tico. They are amazing hosts and the location and accommodation are simple but beautiful.
Squirrels and toucans can easily be observed from your little terrace in the morning. They also made fresh lemonade for us and took us on a family visit to a finca and a restaurant in a rural inland part of the country. This was a real authentic experience with no other tourists to be seen! If you would like to stay at Alonso and Zinja’s place you can sign up using my referral code to get a $ 40 discount.
Obviously, there are plenty more things to do in Cahuita but, as I prefer to slow travel, I haven’t been able to try them all. Here is an overview of other activities in and around Cahuita:
There are so many great places to stay in Cahuita that it’s hard to list only a few of them. I can highly recommend staying at the Airbnb with Zinja where I stayed but here are some other options that looked fabulous too!
La Shamana: An ecolodge in the jungle with a pool where you can observe wildlife from your room. La Shamana knows what being “eco” means. They have solar panels, only use eco-friendly products, have a permaculture garden, and run a project to preserve virgin forest land. I especially love the family bungalow!
Piscina Natural by the Sea: A lovely accommodation with fabulous natural pools. The rooms are simple but good and the location is superb. Quiet yet close to the (laidback) action of the town center.
Pura Vida Vegana: German-owned vegan orientated holiday home that can accommodate four people. Vegan breakfast can be ordered upon request.
→ Also read: A Complete Guide to The Best Vegan Resorts in Costa Rica
There you go! I hope you enjoyed this little Cahuita travel guide for conscious travelers.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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Julia
I love finding places that most tourists don’t visit, and Cahuita looks like a great place to explore! I love that you can see so much wildlife, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a raccoon on a beach before!
Patricija
I just love posts about little hidden gems like this one! This beach looks super beautiful!
MacKenzie
This place looks like heaven for me! Vegan food galore, and the wildlife is just amazing! I love the close ups, especially. I hadn’t heard of this park, so thank you for sharing about it.
Yanitza
This is perfection! I’ve always wanted to visit Costa Rica so when I do, I’ll be visiting Cahuita 🙂
Alex
I’d love to visit Costa Rica, Cahuita looks stunning
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