Isla Uvita is a very small island that is located no more than a mile off coast just in front of Puerto Limon, Costa Rica’s main port on the Caribbean side of the country. The tiny Uvita Island plays a crucial role though in the history of Costa Rica. In 1502 Christopher Columbus made his fourth voyage and landed in Costa Rica on Isla Uvita. From Isla Uvita is was a small step to the mainland where he met the native Indians of Costa Rica, who presented him gifts in the form of jewelry. This inspired the Spaniards to give this part of Central America the name Costa Rica: the rich coast. You can visit Isla Uvita by boat, which will take about twenty minutes from Limón. Isla Uvita offers good surfing conditions with great breaks over a coral reef. This surfing spot in Costa Rica is certainly not for beginners. Waves on Isla Uvita can build up to 10 feet and you are surfing the most powerful lefts of Costa Rica. Scuba divers favor the area around Isla Uvita with its beautiful coral reefs, home of many colorful fish and other marine wildlife. A special attraction for divers is the freighter Fenix on the bottom of the ocean close to Isla Uvita. Naturally you can just visit Isla Uvita to take advantage of its isolation and enjoy the pristine beaches that you don’t have to share with anybody else.