Port at Puerto Limon

[regg1216]

We will be in Puerto Limon in November, most tours are rainforest etc. that we are not interested in. Can you walk off the ship and find things to do?

[Pipo]

As a local, I'd say no. The port is industrial, and the area next to the dock is not attractive at all. You can walk to downtown, but it's not as colorful as most of Caribbean islands, no duty free shops either. You can take a taxi to Playa Bonita ($10 each way), which is the closest beach to downtown Limon.

[regg1216]

As a local, I'd say no. The port is industrial, and the area next to the dock is not attractive at all. You can walk to downtown, but it's not as colorful as most of Caribbean islands, no duty free shops either. You can take a taxi to Playa Bonita ($10 each way), which is the closest beach to downtown Limon.

Thank you

[kamac56]

You can get off and find a tour guide that will take you to some areas of interest such as the beach, etc.

 

 

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[teamflames]

As a local, I'd say no. The port is industrial, and the area next to the dock is not attractive at all. You can walk to downtown, but it's not as colorful as most of Caribbean islands, no duty free shops either. You can take a taxi to Playa Bonita ($10 each way), which is the closest beach to downtown Limon.

 

 

 

Hi, how much would a taxi to the jaguar centre in Puerto Viejo cost?

 

 

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[Nevada Jen]

about a million dollars ;) Not that much but it is an hour and a half drive. Also note the very limited public tour times. I REALLY wanted to go there and we could not make it work. To the OP. There is nothing to do walking distance from the port. There are people pushing tours right when you get off the ship. We hired a private guide I am about to start a thread about and we were extremely happy with the experience.

[KruisingKaren]

We hired a private guide I am about to start a thread about and we were extremely happy with the experience.

Please let us know where to find your post once it's done

Thanks!

[lifes-a-beach]

We walked around all over downtown. There’s not much there but we didn’t care for the jungle stuff either. It was pretty enjoyable just hanging out. Not touristy at all. Very hot though.

[CM1984]

We will be there in early December, and don't want to book a ship excursion. The day before we get to Costa Rica we are traversing the Panama Canal on a ferry. Getting off the ship in Gatun Lake, then bus, then ferry, then bus back to ship. I understand it's a long and hot day, but worth it. So want Costa Rica to be an easy and relaxing day.

 

Any ideas for that? Just a ride to a beach that has a bar/restaurant/chairs/umbrellas? TIA

[holdon216]

Is there a craft market at the port of Puerto Limon? I believe i read that somewhere but can not find info on it now. We will have five hours in the port after our Canal tour. 

 

[Klairzep72]

Costa Rica is amazing and even if you don't want to "do the jungle thing", I highly recommend going on a small boat or canoe trip to the Tortuguero canals with a guide. You will see birds and other wildlife, sometimes very close. I've been in CR five times for extended periods and Tortuguero is my absolute favorite of all. I think you will miss something spectacular if you skip it.

[CM1984]

16 hours ago, Klairzep72 said:

Costa Rica is amazing and even if you don't want to "do the jungle thing", I highly recommend going on a small boat or canoe trip to the Tortuguero canals with a guide. You will see birds and other wildlife, sometimes very close. I've been in CR five times for extended periods and Tortuguero is my absolute favorite of all. I think you will miss something spectacular if you skip it.

 

 

You are so right!  We loved the Canal!

[jake97]

If we have a group of 12 will we be able to find a private driver at pier? Thinking possibly the canals then a beach. Have been to the beach at Cahuita but not wanting to go that far this time (would have if jaguar rescue open but Sunday so closed). Comments on playa Bonita? Also what price range are we looking at pp. Anything else enroute we would include? 

[sansterre]

Is it possible to get a tour on the Tortuguero Canal on our own should we sign up for the cruise ship's tour?  I'd rather go in a small group but our time in port is limited 6:30 to 3:00.  The ship tours leave at 7 and 7:30 which is awfully early but good because animals are active early in the morning.  Thoughts please.

 

[Klairzep72]

We have booked a small boat tour of the Canals through this company: https://leonardotours.wordpress.com/

He is having a representative meet us at the pier.

[CM1984]

 

We booked an excursion with a private company, found on Trip Advisor.  It was great, stopped at a banana plantation, gift shop, boat ride on the Canal, went to a beach for swimming and ate at an open air restaurant..not included in price but only around ten dollars, with a air conditioned van and great tour guide.  Cost was only fifty five dollars.  It was great!  Relax Day Tours dot com.

[catsngoats]

On 9/17/2018 at 12:38 AM, Pipo said:

As a local, I'd say no. The port is industrial, and the area next to the dock is not attractive at all. You can walk to downtown, but it's not as colorful as most of Caribbean islands, no duty free shops either. You can take a taxi to Playa Bonita ($10 each way), which is the closest beach to downtown Limon.

We (4 adults) will be stopping next Jan 2020.  Which zip line is better:  Jungle Breeze or Veragua Rainforest?  Thx.

[Peachypooh]

On 1/6/2019 at 1:49 PM, holdon216 said:

Is there a craft market at the port of Puerto Limon? I believe i read that somewhere but can not find info on it now. We will have five hours in the port after our Canal tour. 

 

When we visited yes there was. The handicrafts are amazing. 

[babysteps]

We were in Puerto Limon in March 2019 with no prior plans.  There is a tent set up on the pier offering tours - the greeters and clerks stay at the tent, and apparently the local taxi drivers get assigned in turn to passengers.  There is also a terminal with shops (after this tent).  We did a 3-hour tour that included a gift shop/fruit stand, banana plantation and a trip on the canal.  There are several set choices, or you can probably negotiate a custom trip. We could have done the main market and/or church in Puerto Limon but chose not too.  We had a great driver/guide with excellent english (ymmv as the assignments are not up to you) and great local insights.  He did not come on the canal - the system is very smooth, he introduced us to the greeter at the canal boat boarding dock, and she called a boat over (it would hold 6 to 8 or so, but it was just the 2 of us), and our boat pilot pointed out animals with a lazer pointer (sloths, cayman, lots of different birds and plenty of iguanas and water-walking lizards - none running on water though).  He also explained the ecosystem.  When we got back to the dock, our driver was waiting for us.

Edited April 13, 2019 by babysteps

[SimplyMarvie]

On 4/13/2019 at 9:03 PM, babysteps said:

We were in Puerto Limon in March 2019 with no prior plans.  There is a tent set up on the pier offering tours - the greeters and clerks stay at the tent, and apparently the local taxi drivers get assigned in turn to passengers.  There is also a terminal with shops (after this tent).  We did a 3-hour tour that included a gift shop/fruit stand, banana plantation and a trip on the canal.  There are several set choices, or you can probably negotiate a custom trip. We could have done the main market and/or church in Puerto Limon but chose not too.  We had a great driver/guide with excellent english (ymmv as the assignments are not up to you) and great local insights.  He did not come on the canal - the system is very smooth, he introduced us to the greeter at the canal boat boarding dock, and she called a boat over (it would hold 6 to 8 or so, but it was just the 2 of us), and our boat pilot pointed out animals with a lazer pointer (sloths, cayman, lots of different birds and plenty of iguanas and water-walking lizards - none running on water though).  He also explained the ecosystem.  When we got back to the dock, our driver was waiting for us.

 

This option sounds like it might be perfect for us -- we've got enough Spanish that we don't really need an English speaking driver, and we've got a reasonable idea of what we'd like to do (sloth sanctuary and maybe the canals...?) and some strong opinions about lunch. 

 

My only worry is that we're a family of five. Is there a chance they'd have a taxi big enough to fit us all, or is that a bridge too far? And about how much were the prices -- per person/total?

 

[babysteps]

If I recall correctly there *were* a few vans there.  I assume they were part of the taxi group, as opposed to separate tour operators, but I don't really know.  Not sure if/how a van would change the pricing.  In a sedan, we were something like $50pp or maybe $60 (sorry, spouse is the one who knows such things lol).  We did also see (and hear) monkeys on the canal ride.  They have a poster with per person rates, but the rates seem to be maximum allowed and they will discount them - especially if combining tours.  If you are on a huge ship you might want to get off promptly; we were on a 1200 person ship with no other cruise ship in port and there were plenty of choices even mid-morning when we wandered onto land.  It seemed like the kind of place that even if there were no van on the pier, they might call a driver with a van to come on down.

 

Hope that helps a little, since I don't really know for certain!

[Anyislandwilldo]

On 9/20/2018 at 8:56 PM, lifes-a-beach said:

We walked around all over downtown. There’s not much there but we didn’t care for the jungle stuff either. It was pretty enjoyable just hanging out. Not touristy at all. Very hot though.

 

 

Hey you stold my name  lifes-a-beach    LOL