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The town of Parrita still retains its heritage of a smaller, bustling community which is “kind of” halfway between a beach
community, a mountain community… and a typical farm town. In many ways it defies description.
It is located about half an hour south of Jaco beach and half an hour north of Quepos/
Manuel Antonio. There are several beaches on either side of the town and yet miles
away… Esterillos (Central, West and East ), Bandera, Bejuco and Palo Seco. Because
of the simple fact that the coastal highway was previously connected at the southern
point of Parrita by a small, one land trestle bridge (Built by the Peace Corps back in the
1960s) traffic beyond Parrita from a time standpoint was a nightmare. And it has been
only recently, with the advent of the new coastal highway further south (30 plus years in
the making) that a new bridge has virtually opened up not only the southern zone of
Costa Rica but also has made Playa Palo Seco more accessible.
The town of Parrita with a population of approximately 10,000 at first glance seems to consist of building centers, small
clothing stores, sodas, a couple of supermarkets and gas stations, a medical and dental clinic… most of the buildings
are targeted strictly for locals and there is virtually nothing which would indicate that tourism is of any interest whatsoever.
As busy as the town always seems to be, there are literally hundreds of people hurrying everywhere on bicycles.
The nearby fields are agricultural and form a strong economic base for the town… rice, palm trees (African), and of
course, cattle, bananas (To a much much lesser degree than decades before) and now, shrimp and fish farming. The
mountains which surround the town shelter families as they have done for decades… and if you are nosy, you will
discover that brides are still available for a price… and with even a guarantee of a child. It is still the backcountry that
even many Costa Ricans are not familiar with.
The beach communities are active. Playa Palo Seco as an example has a Sea Turtle Conservation project which releases
thousands of sea turtles yearly. In fact, 2008 saw the release of 5000 sea turtles alone. The communities are active and
extremely conscientious when it comes not only to conservation but preservation of the land and the surrounding vegetation
and natural environment.
Compared to other more glamorous and glitzy areas, Parrita may seem boring to some… it does not represent casinos and
spas and high fashion. Parrita prefers to remain Costa Rican and wants to retain its natural beauty.
If you would like to learn more about Parrita, please visit our FAQs Page here.
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