Cruises from Puerto Caldera

In 1502, Christopher Columbus sailed along the Atlantic coast, landing near Puerto Limón. Seeing the richness of the land, he named it Costa Rica, meaning Rich Coast. Costa Rica has a longstanding democracy and a tradition of political stability. It has an excellent health care service, school system and one of the highest rates of literacy in the world. It has also developed a top rate telecommunications network.

The Port of Caldera (Puerto Caldera), located near the mouth of Golfo de Nicoya, is in the northern region of Puntarenas Province, on the central Pacific coast. Caldera is a port of call for major cruise liners and is the primary access to the capital city, San Jose. The port has a small passenger terminal with restroom facilities, an information desk and a few local craft vendors. In addition, there is a small international call centre, which accepts major credit cards. Taxis, a bus service and car rentals are all available.

There are several other nearby cities, like the trendy tourist town of Jaco, which are worth visiting. Cruise ship passengers spend their day ashore touring and relaxing in the sun at the beaches. Like them, most other tourists to the area spend their time enjoying the superb weather and sun drenched beaches around Caldera.

If adventure is what you want, there is plenty available in Costa Rica, beginning with the rainforest of Caldera. The natural beauty of the rainforest is an amazing sight, as are the forest preserves. Take a canopy tour and then experience the sights and sounds of rare and endangered wildlife, including leatherback turtles, morpho butterflies, scarlet macaws and many more.

Visit the markets, take Latin American dance lessons and learn how to Merengue or salsa; visit some of the museums or take cooking classes; take an excursion to cities like Cartago, Alajuela or Heredia; learn surfing on one of the pristine beaches and take Spanish language classes.

For accommodation, there are hotels, vacation rentals, bed and breakfast, exclusive resorts and mountain or beach lodges. The smaller hotels are homey and are usually run by families, while the larger hotels cater to your every need. Tourists who enjoy moving around can go hotel hopping. December to April is the prime tourist season, when rooms are more difficult to find, so prepay reservations and leave contact information with the hotel.

Travellers entering Costa Rica by cruise ship disembark at Puerto Caldera to begin their adventure of a lifetime. Santamaria International Airport, near San Jose, some 217km northwest of Caldera, is the main gateway for visitors arriving by air. Others arrive at Daniel Oduber International Airport, which is located in the Guanacaste province, on the north Pacific coast, about 12km from Liberia.

A valid passport, tourist card or driver’s license suffices as documentation for entrance to Puerto Caldera. Charges at hotels, nightclubs and restaurants include 13% sales tax and 10% service charge. The official currency is the Colón, which fluctuates, depending on the value of the US Dollar. The electrical outlets in Caldera are 120 volts, 60 cycles AC, the same in the United States.