Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parque_Nacional_Manuel_Antonio_1.JPG
Author: Rauldmo


Puntarenas is a city on the Pacific coast in Costa Rica. It covers about 10 sq km (3.9 sq mi) and has a population of 10,000 people (2011 estimate). The name Puntarenas means "sandy point". It sits on a narrow peninsula or headland that juts into the Nicoya Gulf, which then empties into the Pacific Ocean. The city is today a tourist destination attracting mainly surfers.

Puntarenas experiences a tropical rainforest climate. Temperature is quite uniform throughout the year, varying from lows of 24°C (76°F) to highs of 33°C (92°F). September receives the most rain, at 310 mm (12.2 in).

Waterfall at Montezuma, Costa Rica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waterfall_near_Montezuma,_Costa_Rica.jpg
Author: Jonathan Greeley


The Puntarenas area was discovered by Spanish conquistador Hernán Ponce de León in 1519. The area was an entry point in to Costa Rican hinterlands. Nonetheless, a proper town was not established here until 1830, when its establishment was spurred by the coffee plantations of the highlands. This necessitated the building of a railway line from the mountains to the coast, helping to establish Puntarenas as a seaport.

Visiting Puntarenas

Puntarenas is visited by cruise ships but if you are exploring Costa Rica by way of San José, you can get there by bus.

Places of Interest in Puntarenas

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