Puntarenas
Puntarenas from a bird view point looks like a “tongue” of land sticking into the turbulent waters of the Tempisque Gulf.
It is really unique in its shape, at just four meters above sea level, it displays a long stretch of land of some 4,5 miles (7 km.) at its longest point that narrows down to a mere 100 feet (30mts.) width where the paved road is the only umbilical link to the mainland.
At this point, coming into Puntarenas, you have the Pacific Ocean on your left, and the network of canals bordered by the mangroves and the yacht club on your right.
Puntarenas has a laid back atmosphere typical of sea and marine towns.
It is the fishing capital of Costa Rica with a long tradition of small boat builders and activities related to the sea, like the processing and distribution of fish and sea related products among others. Nowadays the majority of fishing ships belongs to Taiwanese investors who have given a new economical input to the town.
Puntarenas, like most harbor towns in the world, has a cosmopolitan touch of its own.It is a town in continuous transformation; many efforts have been made to give it a cleaner and more attractive look.
Puntarenas has always been a traditional holiday destination for national tourists and the departure or arrival point of travelers from around the globe. The recent modernization of the wharf with a series of piers and docking areas has attracted boats and cruise ships thus increasing the number of tourists visiting the area. Ferries to Playa Naranjo and Paquera and small passengers boat also depart from other piers in the opposite side of town. See more.
It is really unique in its shape, at just four meters above sea level, it displays a long stretch of land of some 4,5 miles (7 km.) at its longest point that narrows down to a mere 100 feet (30mts.) width where the paved road is the only umbilical link to the mainland.
At this point, coming into Puntarenas, you have the Pacific Ocean on your left, and the network of canals bordered by the mangroves and the yacht club on your right.
Puntarenas has a laid back atmosphere typical of sea and marine towns.
It is the fishing capital of Costa Rica with a long tradition of small boat builders and activities related to the sea, like the processing and distribution of fish and sea related products among others. Nowadays the majority of fishing ships belongs to Taiwanese investors who have given a new economical input to the town.
Puntarenas, like most harbor towns in the world, has a cosmopolitan touch of its own.It is a town in continuous transformation; many efforts have been made to give it a cleaner and more attractive look.
Puntarenas has always been a traditional holiday destination for national tourists and the departure or arrival point of travelers from around the globe. The recent modernization of the wharf with a series of piers and docking areas has attracted boats and cruise ships thus increasing the number of tourists visiting the area. Ferries to Playa Naranjo and Paquera and small passengers boat also depart from other piers in the opposite side of town. See more.