Quepos
The town and the area surrounding Quepos was once inhabited by a sub tribe of the Borucas Indians called Quepoa (or Quepo). The “grand conquistador” Jiuan Vasquez de Coronado once described the Quepoa as “the most beautiful people seen in these Indies”. These people were not only handsome but also strong warriors who possessed gold taken partly from the rivers but mostly from Caribbean tribes against whom they waged relentless wars. They lived in homes called Palenques: large circular cane and thatch huts, in the foothills between the Paquita and the Savegre river and along the Naranjo River. They were known to be excellent divers who collected pearl producing mollusk and for their swimming and diving abilities they were sought after by pirates and corsairs who needed to download their merchandise or hide their treasures.
As with many indigenous populations the Quepoa declined due to warfare, diseases and slavery broughtby the European “conquistadores”. Infact by the end of the 19th century no pure blood Indians were left.
In 1920 Quepos came to prominence as an important banana exporting port thanks toits huge banana plantations. A railway connecting this 14,000 hectares of plantation to the port was built by the United FruitCompany who had made strong investments in the area. But the banana crop had soon to be replaced by oil palms in response to a diseased that killed almost all the plants.The African oil palm plantations has since then represented for many inhabitants of the area the only available mean of income and because the finished product is much less bulky thanbananas, Quepos declined as declined as a major shipping port. Instead it has become important as a sporfishing center and as the gateway to the Manuel Antonio National Park.
In the 50´s roads were almost non-existent, the only mean of transportation was a small railroad between Quepos and Parrita and only at low tide some small aircrafts could land on the beach. Tourism in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area started in the 60´s, they were mostly local tourists who had to endure a 7 hours journey on a Bluebird bus.
In the 80´s a colony of North Americans and later Europeans lured by the beauty of Manuel Antonio hillside and beaches built their homes and started to do business in the area. From this moment to the present day Quepós has rapidly transformed into a busy town. The number of banks, shops, hotels, restaurants and tourist related activities is infact the proof that Quepos economy is rising at an incredible pace.
Quepos largest attraction is its sport fishing. Charter boats can be seen in the early morning loading tourists for some of the best “bill fishing” around. During high season the waters of the Pacific Coast are abundant with Marlin, Sailfish, and Dorado. Charters can be booked from the many tour operators in Quepos with a days notice. All fishing is catch and release so bring your camera for this exciting sport.
Restaurants in Quepos are plentiful. The Gran Escape is a favorite for many tourists. Located on the main street it has a nice open-air atmosphere. The menu serves up a lot of the fresh catch of the day with lots of fresh varieties to choose from. An unforgettable menu item for dessert is their “macadamia nut pie” served up with Costa Rica’s famous “Dos Pinos” ice cream.
As with many indigenous populations the Quepoa declined due to warfare, diseases and slavery broughtby the European “conquistadores”. Infact by the end of the 19th century no pure blood Indians were left.
In 1920 Quepos came to prominence as an important banana exporting port thanks toits huge banana plantations. A railway connecting this 14,000 hectares of plantation to the port was built by the United FruitCompany who had made strong investments in the area. But the banana crop had soon to be replaced by oil palms in response to a diseased that killed almost all the plants.The African oil palm plantations has since then represented for many inhabitants of the area the only available mean of income and because the finished product is much less bulky thanbananas, Quepos declined as declined as a major shipping port. Instead it has become important as a sporfishing center and as the gateway to the Manuel Antonio National Park.
In the 50´s roads were almost non-existent, the only mean of transportation was a small railroad between Quepos and Parrita and only at low tide some small aircrafts could land on the beach. Tourism in the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area started in the 60´s, they were mostly local tourists who had to endure a 7 hours journey on a Bluebird bus.
In the 80´s a colony of North Americans and later Europeans lured by the beauty of Manuel Antonio hillside and beaches built their homes and started to do business in the area. From this moment to the present day Quepós has rapidly transformed into a busy town. The number of banks, shops, hotels, restaurants and tourist related activities is infact the proof that Quepos economy is rising at an incredible pace.
Quepos largest attraction is its sport fishing. Charter boats can be seen in the early morning loading tourists for some of the best “bill fishing” around. During high season the waters of the Pacific Coast are abundant with Marlin, Sailfish, and Dorado. Charters can be booked from the many tour operators in Quepos with a days notice. All fishing is catch and release so bring your camera for this exciting sport.
Restaurants in Quepos are plentiful. The Gran Escape is a favorite for many tourists. Located on the main street it has a nice open-air atmosphere. The menu serves up a lot of the fresh catch of the day with lots of fresh varieties to choose from. An unforgettable menu item for dessert is their “macadamia nut pie” served up with Costa Rica’s famous “Dos Pinos” ice cream.