Cahuita National Park

A perfect, white-sand beach with palm trees lining its edge sits just outside downtown Cahuita and will be your first glimpse of Cahuita National Park. (There’s also a southern entrance halfway to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.) The reserve’s true reason for existence is to protect a coral reef just off the coast, and that ensures the best of both land and marine wildlife here. The location means you’ll find a great selection of in-town dining and lodging options within a few blocks of the park’s northern entrance, making this one of the country’s easiest protected areas to visit. However, don't be worried about development encroaching on the park itself.