Dive into some of the rivers
on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica

A refreshing tradition!

The Caribbean of Costa Rica is one of the warmest areas of our country and the neighbors do know it. The weekends and specially during Eastern Week, such as this one that just passed, people still make use of the most refreshing, economic and closest amusement there are: the river.

It is not to take for granted. The options to enjoy the delights of a sunny day and swim into a nice cold water pound, are much more scarce every day; and the same happens anywhere in the world. Nevertheless, on the Caribbean zone, there are still plenty of rivers pollution free and in the proximity of most important cities or roads. But, not the splashing cold waters of the rivers or the bright burning sun are the most appealing attraction... It is the luxuriant nature that unites in just one lavish canopy so the swimmers can get some shade after spending a time of exposure under the bright sun.

Famous rivers

Many of the rivers located on the province of Limón are wide known all over the world. The Pacuare river as well as the Reventazón river, are very likely to be the most famous of all of them. Due to the wild adventures on a raft into the white water rafting. But, for the neighbors of some of these rivers that enjoy a smoother and more relaxed experience to go to one of those pounds that forms themselves under a bridge or at any corner of the snaky flows for these neighbors it is as exciting as if they are flowing down the white waters into some currents of degree 4, sometimes hanging out of a inflatable raft.

The mildness of the waters of some of these rivers such as río Blanco, río Corinto and the río Costa Rica are favorite places for recreation and camping. Not only for their scenic delights, but due to the possibility of arrive by car almost to the river itself. You can find in most of these places some restaurants and little pulperías close by, where you can buy a snack or a nice warm lunch. Meals that are necessary to replace energies to follow with the activities until it is the moment to go home. Some people may come to the rivers a little more prepared with their ice boxes filled with foamy beers that, due to the low temperatures of these fresh waters you can cool off your beverages into the same river.

Some daring swimmers prefer to leave behind the blue and crystalline waters of the nearest rivers to go further away and take a “purification bath“ in sulfurous waters. This is one of the most beautiful spectacles, a gift from Mother Nature: the río Sucio (Filthy River). Deep in the Braulio Carrillo National Park, its canyon opens like a scar in the middle of the thickest rainy forest of the Costa Rican Caribbean zone. So that its flow of a intense yellow color caught the eye of those who journey through this route.

The river as a cure

Back in times, it was normal for those who suffered of ulcers or grains on the skin to bath themselves deep into the sulfur and sulfide rich waters of río Sucio to relieve the pain and seek for a cure. Today, this practice is much less common, but it does not disappear yet. Every once in a while, you can see some people down into the río Sucio’s waters either, to get better from their illness or to satisfice their curiosity.

A Nature Wonder

Other people just arrive up to the bridge, get off of the buses, cars or even bicycles to admire from above, the majestic union of these two rivers of two different colors into a single one: the rivers Sucio (filthy) and the Patria (Mother Country).

When both are united into a single river bed, the two rivers join and share half and half of its canyon for several hundreds of meters: on one half the brimstone yellow color of the río Sucio and on the other half, the deep crystal blue of the río Patria. Soon both rivers will confuse each other into one single river and so, goes all the way until it arrives to the sea.

This is an introduction to the rivers of the Caribbean and to its neighbors who also mix themselves in the rivers’’ waters to enjoy and refresh their days into the brave water rivers, or waved channels, full of spurts and deep ponds and blue, that invite to spend the whole day away from the heat and the high humidity of the Caribbean... And the best of all, it is free!

How to get there and
enjoy these exotic rivers

Take the route #32, going north. This highway will take you through Braulio Carrillo National Park, and into the Zurquí mountain. Later, the road drastically descents into the Caribbean lands.

Once you feel the humid and warm weather, you will realize you are at the Caribbean!... Follow the road the same one that could take you to Limón at instead, stop at any river you find... for sure you’ll enjoy its waters as well as we have done for years.