Vacation Destinations | Travel Guide
Puntarenas
Puntarenas is the largest province of Costa Rica, located in the western part of the country and encompassing most of the country’s Pacific coast. Puntarenas bordering Guanacaste province, Alajuela, San José and Limón, also the neighbouring country of Panama.
Its capital is the city of Puntarenas located in the canton (subdivision of province) of the same name. The city of Puntarenas is located on a spit of land several miles long and 400 m wide, flanked by a creek on one side and the Pacific Ocean, on the other. Puntarenas is the largest province of Costa Rica and is connected to the rest of the country with good roads, and has a ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya, which is 115 km from the capital.
Climate
In general, the province is characterized by a warm and humid, wet tropical type, with maximum temperatures of around 34 ° C, and minimum rarely below 20 ° C. The marks are historical temperature of 17C and 42.3C, the latter also represents the highest temperature recorded in Costa Rica.
The vegetation of the province is responsible for this climate zone, characterized by palm trees, crops, oil palm and other trees native to warm areas. However, there are more temperate areas such as the Monteverde area, known as the place where many immigrants live in conservative religious ideologies, primarily from the United States. Its geography contain various terrains from wetlands (Corcovado), islands (Chira, Deer, Negritos, San Lucas, etc.), Mangroves and peninsulas (Osa and Nicoya).
History
During pre-Columbian times, Puntarenas and the surrounding areas of the Gulf of Nicoya were occupied by the Chorotegas, in the center of the Bruncas and south by the Guaymis. In 1720 appeared the name of the place like Punta Arenas. Before independence in 1821, who ruled the area was Don Tomas de Acosta. This will apply to Royal Audience of Guatemala declared Puntarenas, Costa Rica’s main port. So it was, and in 1814 declared the country’s largest port until today.
Tourism
One of the quintessential tourist sites in the city, Paseo de los Turistas, which is a sort of pedestrian walkway that borders the ocean, and which is all kinds of businesses: hotels, bars, ice cream parlors, discos, etc. . Also on this province Marino Historical Museum and Marine Park which is very new in the city. The city has a hospital (Monsignor Sanabria), stage (Miguel “Lito” Pérez) and football team first division, and all basic services (police, telephones, shops, etc.).
Among its main economic activities are tourism, fishing, agriculture. This province offers tourists sun, sand, tropical beaches, fun, parties, music and good food. Here is the Manuel Antonio National Park with stunning white sand beaches and tropical rainforest, Corcovado National Park, Private Reserve Monteverde Cloud Forest, known habitat for the golden frog species and the Ballena Marine National Park. Playa Uvita, Costa Rica. In this province is the tourist wharf place of arrival of many international cruise ships.
The carnival of the city of Puntarenas it as the most popular festival of the province, are made at the beginning of February, people all over the country is about to celebrate, also stands the Festival of the Sea in February and the festivities of the Virgen del Mar in July, when parades of decorated fishing boats.
Puntarenas is known for its delicious dishes coast between some can mention “the vigoron”, “Puntarenas ceviche,” “the chuchecas” and not to mention a dessert as tasty and refreshing “granita” (popularly known as “Churchill”) .
Art is a leading exponent for the city also currently has more than 25 sculptures in stone product of national and international symposia and are located along the “Paseo de los Turistas” and the boulevard of outdoor cathedral be enjoyed by the public. Artists of national and international quality of Mr. Trejos and “Iogui” among others are renowned for fine art that adorns the province.
In addition, the theater becomes a very strong form of expression for Puntarenas where two National Awards for Theatre (2008) and the public constantly delights in staging of actors and actresses as locals and foreign guests.
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