Playa Puerto Vargas (Cahuita National Park south entrance)

Tip

This is the paid, calmer entrance; the Kelly Creek end by Cahuita village is donation-only. Arrive early for the best chance at sloths and monkeys.

Be careful

Rip currents run along the park beaches: swim only where the water is calm and keep valuables in the car or with you, not on the sand.

Places nearby

• DelRita PattyFood & CoffeeTiny family stand on Cahuita's main road selling Caribbean patís, baked pastries with beef or sweet pineapple filling, until they sell out; visitors say it is worth going early.
• Soda KaweSodas & Local FoodBudget-friendly soda right by the Cahuita National Park entrance, good for gallo pinto and fruit plates before a hike or a casado after it.
• Aroma Coffee Bar & BreakfastFood & CoffeeCozy coffee bar in the middle of Cahuita serving brewed coffee and breakfast, with a mix of classic plates and local twists; a good first stop before the national park.
• Jungle Night Walk CahuitaParks & WildlifeSmall guided night walk near Cahuita led by a naturalist guide who finds frogs, snakes and tarantulas along the trail, including a river crossing in places.
• Cahuita ToursParks & Wildlife · from $55Local operator in Cahuita running snorkeling, wildlife hikes and cultural tours with the Bribri community, built around Cahuita National Park and the Afro-Caribbean history of the town.
• Cahuita's Taste Caribbean Soul FoodFood & CoffeeChef Doria Sequeira Sellers cooks Afro-Caribbean home food in Cahuita: coconut-braised rice and beans with seafood, marlin in her own Caribbean sauce and Caribbean meat pies.