Perez Zeledon

Often referred to as simply, San Isidro, this city is the largest city outside of San Jose and is also accredited with being the fastest growing community in Central America. Not to mention that Perez Zeledon is also famous for another reason. Ticas! The women throughout the city of San Isidro (Perez Zeledon) rival Brazil and Columbia. It is one of two cities within Costa Rica that is often said to contain the most beautiful girls in all of Costa Rica.

Perez Zeledon is the name of the 19th canton in the province of San Jose in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 1,905.51 km², making it the seventh largest of the 81 cantons in the country. It has a population of 130,982 (2). The capital city of the canton is San Isidro de El General.

The canton's boundaries are established by the Rio Savegre on the northwest, the Rio Guabo and a series of coastal mountain ranges on the southwest and south, and the peaks of the highest mountains of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Talamanca Mountain Range) on the east. In the middle of the canton, the Rio General, from which the canton's capital city takes its name, runs north to south through a beautiful valley.

The canton of Perez Zeledon is subdivided into 11 distritos (districts).

1. San Isidro de El General
2. General
3. Daniel Flores
4. Rivas, Costa Rica
5. San Pedro
6. Platanares
7. Pejibaye
8. Cajon
9. Baru
10. Rio Nuevo
11. Paramo

The overall 'feel' of Perez Zeledon is that of comfort. For a city of it's size it has an extraordinarily low crime rate. The citizens will all tell you that Perez Zeledon has a comfortable small town attitude, unlike San Jose where is can be dangerous at the best of times. Not to knock San Jose because most anywhere in the World you will find cities with high crime rates within high populous areas. San Jose is no exception.

The canton of Perez Zeledon was established July 13, 1905 by law.

There is a small airstrip south of the city capable of handling small flights to and from other areas of the country like San Jose, Limon, Tamarindo, Puntarenas and more. The city is very advanced with it's telecommunications systems including high-speed internet, cell phone coverage and the country's CableTica cable television. All these services are available at, close to or the same rates as, North American services. In some instances it's actually less.

A short five minute drive towards San Jose you will find a spectacular statue of Jesus Christ perched high up on La Piedra y el Cristo (The Rock and the Christ). This statue acts as guardian for travellers between Perez Zeledon and San Jose. A few years back an foreign developer purchased the property and was going to quarry the rock. The community of Perez Zeledon gathered together in protest and managed to prevent this long standing symbol of peace and protection from being destroyed.

San Isidro de El General is actually in a large valley known as "Valle General". The area benefits from the protection of the surrounding mountain ranges year round to less the rainfall in the city compared to other parts of the country. However this does not make it exempt from flooding. Quite the contrary. Being located in the 'bowl' of the General Valley, the rivers and creeks from the mountains all converge within the center of the city causing problems during times of severe rains. Of course these times are very uncommon and should not shade your opinion of the area. Simply reconsider living next to a river. That goes for anywhere on the planet.

Perez Zeledon also has many recreational centres for you and your family to enjoy. There is a track for running, tennis courts, public pools and basketball courts. Of course there is an abundant amount of futbol (soccer) fields throughout the area including a large 7000 seat stadium to go out and support the local futbol team for Perez Zeledon Guerreros del Sur.

Nightlife in Perez Zeledon is also exciting. There are many different flavors of bars and nightclubs to please just about everyone. Taxis can readily be found in the central park and there is a large Musoc bus terminal in the center of the city also. Musoc services the entire country for bus travel.

Parque Nacional Chirripo is located just outside of Perez Zeledon. Mount Chirripo is the tallest peak in Central America at an incredible 12,530-ft. (3,819-m).

This 105,000-acre (42,500-ha) park is a hiker’s paradise, one best explored during a two- or three-day hike combining stays in mountain shelters with ones in the comfortable new lodge. Established in 1975, it includes 12,530-ft. (3,819-m) Cerro Chirripo, the nation’s highest point, as well as two other peaks over 12,500 ft. (3800 m). The area is famed for its paramo— a high, tundra-like zone which often frosts (but never snows) over.

You can take a bus from San Isidro de El General at 5 AM and 2 PM (be sure to take the bus to San Gerardo de Rivas) or charter a taxi (around US$20); it’s a beautiful two-hour ride up to the San Gerardo entrance. Here you check in at the ranger station where it’s possible to camp; there’s a steep shortcut up to the park from here which can cut an hour from your time. (see below).

If you’re planning to make it up to the mountain hut in one day (a rough trip with an altitude gain of 6,900 ft., 2,100 m), it’s better to stay put for the day. In town you may rent out a room at the low-budget Soda and Cabinas Chirripo at the low-budget Soda El Decanso, at the low-budget Cabinas Marín, at the low-budget Albergue Turístico Chirripó (which sits atop a gigantic boulder overlooking the river), or at the low-budget Roco Dara which has baths with hot water and cheap meals. Elimar is more expensive because the rooms have private baths; it also has a bar/restaurant.

SellingCR offers a plethora of services to the Perez Zeledon area including web hosting, Perez Zeledon news,San Isidro web design, corporate identity, and advertising and marketing solutions for your business. We will soon be offering an online English language business directory for the Southern areas of Costa Rica's Pacific.