Costa Rica’s year-round temperate climate welcomes visitors to enjoy nature in ways big and small. The verdant country is nestled between the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean with lush jungles, active volcanoes, and an abundance of exotic flora and fauna.
We kicked off our exploration on the water in Puntarenas, less than a two-hour drive to the west of the country’s capital, San Jose. In this port city we found numerous boating excursions available from exciting deep-sea fishing to gentler whale-watching journeys that included trips to nearby islands.
This clean and busy city is the capital of the Puntarenas Province, and both derive their name from the Spanish words punta (point) and arenas (sand)—an accurate description of this area that is so attractive to visitors. Here we enjoyed fresh produce and fish from the nearby ocean and were grateful to locals who were friendly, welcoming, and spoke enough English for us to feel at home.
