Limón Carnaval

Every October when the arrival of Columbus to the Costa Rican borders is rejoiced among all, the people of Limon roll up their sleeves and get prepared to celebrate the biggest cultural festival of Costa Rica. This fest is known to all as the Carnaval Limon and it marks 10 days merriment of history, art, culture, and unity among the diverse ethos now inhabiting Costa Rica.

The notion of this celebration was brought by late King Alfred in 1949 along with his friends. Its pays homage to the immigrants that came from places like Europe, North America, China and Africa to work for the banana plantations and railroads in the district. Then onwards, Limon became a cultural hub and now is home to over 90,000 people of Afro Caribbean origins. There is no doubt about the fact that it is not the natural landscape or scenery that makes Limon famous; it’s the beautiful presentation of its people displaying flamboyant, arty and diverse cultures that makes this place exceptional.

The Carnaval of Limon is one big party. Masses of party animals local, and from all around the world triumph over the streets of the city and make way for the ostentatiously dressed troupes, the comparazas that take the level of entertainment high with their professional Brazilian Samba and tribal beats such as Spanish Reggae and Jamaican Creole. The powerful dance moves and the reggae music represent the city entirely. A highly entertaining adventure is to be a part of the Carnaval Infantil, where grown-up men wear their traditional attires and gigantic colorful masks. These men involve the crowd in a game called Rass’em where they would run and chase the others. Ones caught, will then have to dress up and continue the chase. Also, one of the attractions is the election of Limon’s Beauty Queen when flocks of beauties grace the hearts and stage, and one among them gets crowned as queen.

Throughout the carnival, Limonese offer their most flavorsome and famous cuisines to the people. Food vendors will be found all over the place serving genuine Caribbean dishes. Among the most popular is the rice and beans that are spiced with Caribbean spices and seasoned with coconut and fried plantains. You can pair up your meals with the various exotic cocktails and enjoy the mouthwatering meals anytime of the day.

The security measures taken throughout the festival are strict and disciplined. The Coast Guard provides a helicopter to keep check of any commotion and over 400 police officers take charge of the city to maintain law and order.

When tired by the night and you need to relax, there is always an option to visit the beach, Playa Bonita. Located on a 15minutes bus ride from Limon, Playa Bonita is one exceptionally lovely beach. The azure, serene and warm water there is the best way to sooth yourself after the party.

To get to Limon, all you need to do is make prior reservations at the hotels near Limon because everything will get booked that time of the year. Once there, take Highway 32 from San Jose. You’ll know you have reached the key destination when you reach downtown and find herds of color ahead.

Puravida!

CONTACT:

Address: From San José, take Highway 32 towards Limón. Carnaval takes place throughout downtown.