Southern Caribbean: A Destination That Safeguards Costa Rica’s Natural & Cultural Treasures

The Southern Caribbean is not only synonymous with paradise beaches, vibrant cuisine, and Afro-Caribbean culture; it is also one of Costa Rica’s most valuable conservation destinations.

In this region, national parks, wildlife refuges, Indigenous communities, and unique ecosystems coexist. Their protection has made it possible to preserve one of the country’s greatest sources of biological richness.

Those who visit the Southern Caribbean discover a territory where nature takescenter stage. Within just a few kilometers, several highly admired protected areas of great importance are concentrated. Among them are the following:

• Cahuita National Park, a marine–terrestrial sanctuary renowned for its coral reef, mangroves, wildlife-filled trails, and the striking presence of sloths, white-faced capuchin monkeys, and tropical birds.

• Gandoca–Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most biodiverse areas in the country. It is home to manatees, sea turtles, flooded forests, and primary rainforest.

• Talamanca Bribri and Talamanca Cabécar Indigenous Reserves, territories where not only the rainforest is preserved, but also the worldview, language, natural medicine, and ancestral traditions of Indigenous peoples who have protected these ecosystems for centuries.

Together, these areas form a vital biological corridor that contributes to the protection of endangered species, ecological connectivity, and the health of the Caribbean coast’s seas, rivers, and forests.

Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean has positioned itself as a destination where sustainable tourism is not a trend, but a way of life.

Visitors can enjoy activities that combine experience, learning, and environmental respect. Tourists can take guided walks along trails within protected areas, wildlife observation tours, and cultural workshops with Bribri families, where they learn about ancestral cacao, handicrafts, medicinal plants, and conservation practices.
In addition, community-based projects in local towns promote recycling, plastic reduction, and sea turtle protection, reflecting a tourism model that strengthens the local economy without compromising environmental balance.

Another element that makes Southern Caribbean unique is the strength and history of its communities.
Afro-descendant peoples, Indigenous communities, and Costa Rican residents alike have built a culture of respect for the land, promoting lifestyles that value harmony with nature.

The efforts of local organizations, certified guides, development associations, and community leaders have been key to restoring trails and turtle nesting areas, protecting primary forest zones, strengthening environmental education in schools and high schools, and preserving cultural traditions tied to the territory.

Thanks to these actions, many areas of the Southern Caribbean are now an example of how conservation and tourism can responsibly coexist.

For this reason, traveling to Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean means connecting with authenticity: rainforest, sea, culture,history, and a deep respect for life. Those who visit this region not only discover legendary beaches, but also encounter a territory that breathes conservation, diversity, and community.

A destination that reminds us why Costa Rica is, and will continue to be, a global example of environmental protection.