This thin strip of coastal land descends from the port of Puntarenas to the Esterillos Beach and is separated from the Central Costa Rican territories by the country's highest mountain range: the Talamanca Cordillera. Offering the closest beaches to San Jose (2 - 2 ½ hours driving), and a dramatic coastal drive through the mountains, beaches such as Los Suenos, Punta Leona, Jacó, and Esterillos have become a haven for surfers and city dwellers alike searching for the perfect weekend paradise. With a golf course at Los Sueños, horseback riding, sport fishing, canopy tours in Jacó and an array of beaches and natural landscapes the region is ideal for an active traveler.

Famous for its large American Crocodiles, the Tarcoles River forms the Northern border of Carara Biological Reserve. The Tarcoles is full of crocodiles, scarlet macaws, Jesus Christ lizards, and over 120 species of birds. But everyone comes to see the huge crocodiles - so big they have names like "Saddam Hussein" and "Mike Tyson!"

Carrara Biological Reserve is an amazing array of aquatic and sometimes toothy fauna that inhabit the Rio Tarcoles, impressive trees that tower over the paths, and rich wildlife. Travelers have reported personal experiences such as having nearly been charged by peccaries, watching majestic scarlet macaws and other exotic birds soar overhead, and very close encounters with Jaguarundis. Combine these with the humanistic white-faced capuchins and howler monkeys, as well as the vibrantly colored poison arrow frogs, one is sure to discover a natural wealth like few other places.