Cahuita - Arrival and Punta Uva

Today we continue to the Caribbean coast. I'm awake again at 4 am, listening to the honking train, and once more, it pulls me out of bed early. That's good, because we can fully enjoy the afternoon on the Caribbean coast with the beautifully forecasted weather. By 9 AM we are ready to depart, and after a little detour through San José, we reach Ruta 32, which leads over the mountain pass in Braulio Carrillo National Park (including the famous Zurquí Tunnel) down to Puerto Limón on the Caribbean coast. I'm excited; the route is known for its extremely dense rainforests, waterfalls, and dramatic landscapes, but also for fog, highly variable weather, and landslides during heavy rain. At least the road is open today and not closed. It has started to rain lightly, and the mountains and rainforest are shrouded in mist, giving them a truly mystical appearance.

However, I am very disappointed by the much-praised view behind the Zurquí Tunnel. Perhaps it has to do with the weather. With the rain and fog, visibility is quite limited. We are leisurely driving up and down the mountains in our little Jimmy, while the truck drivers seem to be in a terrible hurry, overtaking at breakneck speeds at every possible spot. The road is not without danger.

By noon, we reach the Caribbean coast, and the landscape becomes flatter, characterized by huge banana and pineapple plantations. We immediately feel the Caribbean vibes and look forward to Cahuita and the coast.

Cahuita is a charming, laid-back village known for its adjacent national park of the same name and its vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture. I was here once before with Raoul in 2001, but I only remember staying at a hotel right by the national park and that my entire backpack with all documents was stolen. But that was a different time and story.

Our accommodation is at Cabinas Arecife, a nice little hotel with 15 simple wooden rooms right around the courtyard and a small pool. From the breakfast terrace and the chairs in front of our room, there is a wonderful view of the sea.

We quickly unload and set off, packed with beach gear, to Punta Uva. On the 45-minute drive, we pass through Puerto Viejo and various small beaches ... pure Caribbean flair. However, the journey also takes a while; there is quite a bit of traffic on the road and in the towns, numerous one-lane bridges need to be crossed, cyclists needing to be overtaken, and speed has to be reduced in front of schools (caution: speed bumps - I accidentally sped over one - yikes).

South of Puerto Viejo, there are palm-lined dream beaches, and Punta Uva has been particularly praised: a bright sandy beach with palm trees that stretch far over the turquoise waters.

A dream beach, but unfortunately, like many praised places, overcrowded. We manage to snag two beach chairs at the restaurant Arrecife by the water and enjoy ourselves with a Cerveza 🍺 and Patacones (flattened slices of green unripe cooking bananas, fried and served with Pinto Gallo and guacamole). It's wonderful despite the lack of solitude, a perfect way to arrive and relax.

In the early evening, just as we are about to head into the village, a tropical downpour occurs. It pours like crazy, and starting out isn't even an option. So we first enjoy the coolness in front of our rooms before strolling along the village street. There is hardly anyone in the restaurants and bars; the place feels deserted. Since we have no hunger after the hearty afternoon snack, we make ourselves comfortable with a beer from the supermarket in front of our rooms.