Puerto Limón, commonly known as Limón, is a major city for cruise ships traveling through the Panama Canal. It is also a major transit point for travellers wishing to travel to Tortuguero by boat from the port of Moin, which is 15 minutes by bus from Puerto Limón.

Get in

By bus

• From San José, bus, 3 hours, ₡2500 (colones)
• From Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, bus, 1 hour 15 min, ₡1400

By plane

• 1 Limón International Airport.  

By boat

Celebrity Equinox docked in Puerto Limon

Puerto Limon is a busy commercial port that serves freighters and cruise lines.

See

Puerto Limon hosts a wide range of awesome Caribbean buildings and several national heritage monuments like the first Baptist church from 1880s and the Black Star Line Building.

• 1 United Fruit Headquarters (Almacenes y oficinas centrales de Compañía Bananera de Costa Rica). Relic of bygone days, the two-story building was completed in 1904 with a steel roof. It stands at the NW corner of Calle Tomás Guardia and Avenida Federico Fernández Oreamuno (Ruta 32). It typifies new Anglo-Caribbean designs to cope with the tropical climate by maximizing ventilation with multiple doors and roof lanterns while providing protection from the hot sun with deep eaves and wrap-around verandahs. Until 1986 the building also housed the harbormaster's office, the provincial government and the governor's residence. The building was designated historic heritage status in 1999. 

Do

White-water rafting on the Reventizon River. 90 minute trip, traversing class 2 rapids (beginning level). Along the way, you may see sloths in the trees as well as the lush forest and cool water.

Buy

Puerto Limon Market

If you arrive by cruiseship, you can buy souvenirs in this city rather than from the tour company.

• Mas por Menos (Supermarket, owned by Walmart), Avenida 3 at Calle 3. 

Eat

• Chile Rojo thai restaurant, calle central (Puerto Viejo de Limon), ☏ +506 750-0025. 12:00-22:00. Great food - Thai and other Asian, excellent sushi. From US$5. 
• Park Hotel Restaurant, Av 3 btw Calles 1 & 2. Average wine, really excellent seafood. Worth a visit for the seafood soup alone. US$50 for 3-course dinner with wine for two people. US$25. 

Sleep

• Hotel International - Cheap option 300 meters east of the Black Star Line. Close to center. Double room ₡6500
• Costa Rica Tree House. A unique place to stay near Limón. 
• Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort, Playa Cocles, Puerto Viejo (1,5 km south of Puerto Viejo), ☏ +506 2750-0758. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 12:00. 50 steps from a sandy beach and the crystal, clear water of the Caribbean Sea. US$60/80. 
• Hotel Miami, Avenida 2. Check-out: 12:00. Free Wi-fi. US$33 (en suite double room with fan). 

Go next

• To Moin (for Tortuguero), bus, 15 minutes.