Puntarenas is the provincial capital of Puerto Caldera and is a small shipping port which is a port of call for almost all cruise ships traveling between San Diego, California and the Panama Canal. The ships dock at Puntarenas, a long narrow sandy peninsula. The picture at right shows the small town of Puntarenas in the foreground and the thick jungle in the background.

The area has been designated as a ¨Free Zone¨ since the 1980´s and Puerto Caldera has become a vital gateway for commerce, tourism and shipping. The local merchants come to the beach area to ply their wares to the visiting tourists. You can find local coffee, boxes and figurines made from exotic woods and lots of light weight clothing perfect for this warm humid climate.

On our walk we found a sand artist at work, happily decorating the beach (left). He was only about 6 years old, but was creating larger than life drawings.

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