03/02/2026
We get a lot of questions about place names around here. What’s a cantón? Why does the same name show up in different contexts? Why do navigation apps, news articles, and locals sometimes seem to be talking about different places using the same word?
This graphic is a quick explainer of how Costa Rica’s administrative divisions work, using Cahuita as the example. Cahuita is both a district and a town, and the district covers a much larger area than the town itself. That’s why you’ll sometimes see a headline say something happened “in Cahuita,” even when it actually occurred in another part of the district, often closer to Puerto Viejo or elsewhere in Talamanca.
It can be confusing if you’re not familiar with how locations are organized here. Understanding the structure helps put maps, directions, and news stories into better context. And it works in both directions, the good things associated with Cahuita also reflect on the wider area.
Sharing this in case it helps make sense of the names you see every day, whether you live here, visit often, or are just getting to know the Caribbean side.
