Welcome to Caribbean paradise in Costa Rica! In this post, I’ll share the top things to do in Puerto Viejo, the heart of Costa Rica’s stunning Caribe Sur (South Caribbean) region.
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About Puerto Viejo
I adored Puerto Viejo.
We visited a lot of beach towns in Costa Rica that everyone claimed to be the best, but Puerto Viejo was the one that stuck out for us.
Formally Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, this beach town is the jewel in the crown of Costa Rica’s Caribe Sur or South Caribbean. A tropical paradise in the southeast corner of the country filled with dense jungle, stunning beaches and lots of wildlife.
Puerto Viejo is a predominantly Afro-Caribbean area, and the culture here is very different to anywhere else in the country. The food is different, the music is different and there is a much more laidback vibe.
It felt more similar to Belize or the islands of Honduras than it did to the rest of Costa Rica. But we loved it! Life moves at a different pace here, people are friendly and the reggae tunes are pumping.
If you’re looking for a beach destination in Costa Rica that offers the perfect mix of relaxation, nature and adventure, Puerto Viejo is the place!
Puerto Viejo quick facts
- 🚙 How to get there – bus, shuttle or drive from San Jose. It takes around 4 hours to get there. If you’re interested in rafting, I would highly recommend booking this white water rafting trip on the Rio Pacuare, which picks you up from La Fortuna or San Jose in the morning and drops you off in Puerto Viejo in the evening.
- 🛏️ How long to stay – nothing less than 5 nights, a week isn’t too long. Given that Puerto Viejo is quite a long trip from other parts of the country, you want to make the most of it. There is tons to do, and it’s the perfect place to chill out.
- 🗓️ Best time to visit – the Caribbean Coast has a different wet/dry season to the rest of Costa Rica. It’s hotter and wetter year round, but the driest months (and the best time to visit) are February – March and August – September.
Things to do in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
- Things to do in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
- 🚲 1. Explore Puerto Viejo by bike
- 🐒 2. Visit Cahuita National Park
- 🌴 3. Relax in paradise at Playa Punta Uva Arrecife
- 🦥 4. Kayak on the river at Sloth Point
- 🏄🏼 5. Surfing at Playa Cocles
- 🎨 6. Explore Puerto Viejo town
- 🥘 7. Eat delicious Caribbean food
- 🖤 8. See the unique black sands of Playa Negra
- ☕️ 9. Enjoy the cafe culture
- 🐆 10. See native wildlife at the Jaguar Rescue Centre
- 🌿 11. Visit the Refugio Nacional Gandoca-Manzanillo
- 🦜 12. See Great Green Macaws at Ara Manzanillo
- 🍫 13. Learn more about chocolate on a cacao tour
- 🛖 14. Immerse yourself in the BriBri indigenous community
- 💦 15. Take a dip at the BriBri Waterfalls
- 🍹 16. Enjoy Puerto Viejo’s nightlife
- 🛶 17. White water rafting on the Rio Pacuare
- 🤿 18. Go snorkelling or scuba diving
- 🍍 19. Get fruity at Finca la Isla
- 🧘🏼♀️ 20. Practice yoga
1. Explore Puerto Viejo by bike
The first thing we did when we arrived in Puerto Viejo was to organise a bicycle rental for the duration of our stay.
Part transport method, part fun activity, anywhere we have the opportunity to rent bikes, we do!
Puerto Viejo is the best place to explore on a bike. Most attractions around the area are spread along the main road, Route 256.
The road is paved and almost entirely flat! It is so easy to get around, and riding feels super easy. Everybody rides bikes in the area, so the cars on the road are used to cyclists and it’s always safe in the traffic.
Cruising down the jungle-lined roads listening to the howler monkeys was one of our favourite parts of Puerto Viejo. We actually chose to stay outside of town near Playa Cocles, partly because we knew we could easily get around by bicycle.
We rented our bikes from Puerto Viejo Bike Rentals. I didn’t realise beforehand, but the shop is run by a lovely Australian girl and her Costa Rican husband. It was so nice to hear a fellow Aussie voice!
Their bikes are in great condition and they were very comfortable and easy to ride (we have had way too many crappy bike rentals where things rattle, creak and break!). The prices get cheaper the longer you rent for, starting from $11 USD per day. I think we paid the equivalent of $6 USD per day for our weeklong rental.
We went straight to their shop when we got off the bus in town. They organised a tuk-tuk to take us, the bikes and our big bags to our accommodation, so the next time we wanted to go out we had the bikes ready to go.
2. Visit Cahuita National Park
Undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Puerto Viejo is to visit Cahuita National Park. A day of hiking, spotting wildlife and lazing on tropical beaches? Yes please.
Just 20 minutes north of town in neighbouring Cahuita, the national park is one of the best in the country. A 9 km / 5.5 mi trail winds around Punta Cahuita, passing through dense rainforests, along sandy beaches and past freshwater rivers and mangroves.
There is a ton of wildlife in the park, and we spotted sloths, capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, a racoon and a variety of birds. It’s also common to spot bright yellow viper snakes, frogs and crocodiles.
A guide isn’t mandatory but will be invaluable in spotting more animals.
The two beaches in the park, Playa Blanca and Playa Puerto Vargas are tropical paradise, so definitely come in your swimmers!
There are two different entrances to the park, and the best way to plan your day is to enter via one entrance and hike out to the other side. I’ve got a more detailed post about visiting Cahuita National Park with lots more information on the two entrances, how to get there from Puerto Viejo and what you can expect inside the park.
🐒 Read our guide to Cahuita National Park
3. Relax in paradise at Playa Punta Uva Arrecife
There are some beautiful beaches around Puerto Viejo, but none are more impressive than Playa Punta Uva Arrecife!
This beach is the definition of a tropical paradise. Powdery white sands, bright blue calm waters, a coral reef just offshore and palm trees growing along the shoreline. I think it was my favourite beach in Costa Rica.
The small town of Punta Uva is located around 8 km / 5 mi south of Puerto Viejo. You can easily ride your bike here, drive, or take the bus heading for Manzanillo.
There are actually two beaches in the area, divided by the rocky Punta Uva or Grape Point.
The names can be a little confusing. Playa Punta Uva is the beach to the north of the point, and whilst beautiful, is not the best one. Playa Punta Uva Arrecife is to the south of the point, and is the real tropical postcard!
📍 Pin the location of the BEST part of Playa Punta Uva Arrecife here
We packed some snacks and spent the day lazing on this beautiful beach. There are a couple of other things to do while you’re in Punta Uva, including checking out the point and the other beach. We’ve got a detailed Punta Uva article with more info on planning your day here.
🌴 Check out our guide to Punta Uva
4. Kayak on the river at Sloth Point
Another activity worth pointing out in Punta Uva is kayaking at Sloth Point.
This has become the unofficial name for a small river that runs right to the shore of Playa Punta Uva (the less pretty beach).
As the name suggests, this is an amazing place to see sloths in the wild. I wasn’t sure it would live up to its reputation, but we spotted 3 sloths in trees along the banks of the river. Including one climbing down to the forest floor for its weekly poop!
You need around an hour to paddle upstream and back. The river is quite small and narrow, with lush jungle overhanging. We also spotted monkeys and toucans here. It’s so peaceful and beautiful.
You can choose to join an organised kayak tour, where you’ll go with a local guide who can point out wildlife (I wonder how many more sloths we would have seen if we had the laser vision of a guide with us).
Alternatively, you can organise a kayak rental on the beach. We recommend Ricardo at Kayaks Punta Uva. He was very nice and his prices were reasonable.
🛶 Book a guided kayak tour of Sloth Point or read our Punta Uva guide to plan a DIY adventure
5. Surfing at Playa Cocles
The Pacific Coast of Costa Rica usually gets all the attention when it comes to surfing. What I didn’t know before I visited, is that the Caribbean Coast also has a surf season.
Between December – April (with a peak in January – March) there is a relatively consistent swell at numerous beaches around Puerto Viejo. But the heart of the Caribbean surf scene is Playa Cocles.
Playa Cocles is a short drive (10 minutes), bike ride (20 minutes) or walk (50 minutes) south of Puerto Viejo.
There are surfboards lined up along the beach to rent. If you want to organise lessons, Surf Meds Caribe is the best-rated school in the area.
If you visit outside of the peak surf season, there may still be some waves. If you’re a newbie, you can usually find some small waves to learn on most of the year.
If you’re not a surfer, Playa Cocles is still worth visiting! It’s gorgeous, one of the biggest and widest sandy beaches in the area.
When we visited in May, the waves were pretty small and it was actually a great spot for a swim.
There are food trucks and vendors along the beach selling drinks and snacks, and you can rent lounges and umbrellas. The perfect spot for a lazy beach day.
6. Explore Puerto Viejo town
There are so many great activities outside of town, that it can be easy to forget to spend time wandering around the centre of Puerto Viejo.
We absolutely adored Puerto Viejo. The Caribbean vibe, colourful streets, amazing food, and African culture were intoxicating.
It’s not a big place, and you can walk up and down the grid of streets in an hour or so. But we would highly recommend parking your bike, pulling out your camera and just exploring aimlessly for a while.
There’s some great street art, cute boutique stores, roadside fruit stalls, markets and plenty of local life to absorb.
We loved wandering past the basketball court right on the beachfront, which always had something going on! Games of basketball, dance classes and African drumming, it was a cool glimpse of local life.
7. Eat delicious Caribbean food
If you asked Brayden what his favourite part of Puerto Viejo was, I guarantee his answer would be the food!
The Caribbean Coast has a totally different style of cuisine. You’ll still find typical ‘sodas’ (family-owned local restaurants) as you do all over the country. But the food they’re serving is quite different.
On the western side of the country, most of the casados we ordered came with plain rice and a serving of beans next to it. In Puerto Viejo, they most commonly serve ‘rice and beans’ (aka gallo pinto) with a delicious coconut flavour to it. It reminded us a lot of the food in Belize.
The most common thing on the menu was meat in Caribbean-style sauce. So chicken, beef etc. in a delicious, coconutty sauce, cooked until the meat is soft and tender. Brayden is still drooling over this, and consistently ordered the exact same meal for a week!
You must try rondon which is a typical Caribbean seafood soup, again made with coconut milk.
Another thing I loved is their ‘pati’. Turnover, empanada, pattie, patty – whatever you want to call it, a typical Costa Rican pati is a delicious pastry stuffed with goodness. The most traditional flavour is beef, but you can also get sweet options with plantain or pineapple.
Some of our favourite places for Caribbean cuisine in Puerto Viejo are:
- Soda Cocomar – the best!
- Tamara’s
- Restaurante Riquisimo
- Soda Shekina
- La NENA
- Pati stalls all over town and on the beach
8. See the unique black sands of Playa Negra
After Playa Punta Uva Arrecife, Playa Negra was my next preferred beach in Puerto Viejo.
Located just a short walk from town, this beach has unique black sands. Meaning Black Beach in English, the sand actually is a dark, black colour!
The water conditions change throughout the year, depending on the surf swell, but when we visited, Playa Negra was a perfect calm bay. It’s deep and sandy, making this the perfect place to swim. (The beaches closer to town are rocky and shallow).
We spent hours just floating in the warm calm waters, which were actually perfectly translucent, you just couldn’t tell with the black sand on the ocean floor.
The beach stretches on for ages around a curving bay so there is always somewhere quiet to sit. Our favourite spot was around here, where there were some concrete chairs and tables, and a huge grove of palm trees to lay under.
There aren’t any amenities or vendors on the beach, but you’re super close to town. The main road runs behind the beach, and there is a cool brewery, Playa Negra Brewing, where you can grab a drink or a bite to eat.
🏖️ Want to explore more beaches in the area? Check out our list of the top 9 beaches in Puerto Viejo
9. Enjoy the cafe culture
In addition to its amazing Caribbean food, Puerto Viejo has some great cafes.
Yes, I’m talking smoothie bowls, barista-made coffee, cute interiors, you know, the ‘vibe’. But always laidback and never pretentious here.
While this is definitely a more expensive meal than a local soda, this was the first place in Costa Rica where we found it affordable enough to have a few fancy breakfasts at some bougee cafes.
It was far far cheaper than in Santa Teresa, where you were paying through the roof to experience the ‘vibe’.
Treat yourself to at least one nice cafe breakfast while you’re here. These are our top reccos:
- Pura Cafe
- De Gustibus Bakery – our fave
- Bread What What
- Como en mi Casa – Art Cafe
- Bread & Chocolate
- Caribeans Chocolate & Coffee – insanely expensive but very popular
- GypSea Cafe – in Playa Chiquita
10. See native wildlife at the Jaguar Rescue Centre
Even in a country as green and eco-friendly as Costa Rica, any activity involving animals in captivity must be researched and scrutinised heavily.
Thankfully, Jaguar Rescue Centre is one of the most popular and reputable animal sanctuaries in the entire country. They provide a temporary or permanent home to ill, injured or rescued animals.
Sadly many animals around Costa Rica fall victim to electrocution, car accidents, attacks from dogs and human interference or illegal pet ownership.
JRC has a rescue and rehabilitation centre where vets provide urgent care to injured animals, with the view to rehabilitating and releasing them.
They also have a sanctuary that provides a permanent home to wildlife that sadly cannot be released back into the wild. Be it due to injury, adaptation to humans or physical limitations, these animals wouldn’t survive in the wild on their own.
Jaguar Rescue Centre offers tours of the sanctuary, where visitors can come and learn more about the wildlife in the centre, the reasons they sadly end up here and what we can do to support the conservation of Costa Rica’s native animals.
The wonderful team at JRC have created a beautiful shelter that gives these animals a safe place to see out their days, that is replicated to their natural environment as much as possible. You can expect to see sloths, monkeys, birds, reptiles, and cats.
Tours are run daily at 9:30 am and 11:30 am. The cost is $24 USD per person, and the funds go to support the running of the centre. You can book online here. JRC is an easy bike ride or tuk-tuk trip from town.
11. Visit the Refugio Nacional Gandoca-Manzanillo
The Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge is a large protected area south of Puerto Viejo, stretching from the small beach town of Manzanillo down to the Panamanian border.
It’s less popular and less commercial than Cahuita National Park, but there are some excellent trails here and plenty of wildlife to see.
The best place to enter the park is at the end of the beach in Manzanillo here. There is no official fee to enter the park, but they ask for a donation, so please do support them.
There are several trails, some following the coast passing through gorgeous deserted beaches and coves, and some through the jungle. You’ll find a map at the park entrance and the staff can give you current information on their condition.
If your priority is seeing wildlife it’s highly recommended to take a guided tour.
The small town of Manzanillo is worth checking out while you’re here. It’s got a much more local feel than Puerto Viejo, and their main beach Playa Manzanillo (aka Playa Grande) stretches on for miles.
You’ll see a huge shipwreck on the sand right in front of the town. At low tide, you can walk out to the wreck and climb in!
It’s 14 km / 8.5 mi from Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo. It’s definitely doable on bikes, but it does get a bit steep near Manzanillo. Otherwise, you can drive or take the bus.
12. See Great Green Macaws at Ara Manzanillo
I’m admitting a big travel blogger error here – I didn’t know this place existed when we were in Puerto Viejo!
I must have rushed through my research at the tail end of our time in Costa Rica and missed it.
To be honest, we were so keen to CHILL in Puerto Viejo after a hectic one-month camping road trip with Nomad America. But I would have LOVED to visit this sanctuary had I known about it.
So, don’t make the same mistake as me! While you’re down in Manzanillo for the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, pop into Ara Manzanillo.
This is a conservation centre for the Great Green Macaw. Related to the more common Scarlett Macaws that you’re likely to see around Costa Rica, the green macaws are only found on the Caribbean Coast and they are critically endangered.
Ara Manzanillo has done fantastic work increasing the population and reintroducing birds into the wild. Their sanctuary is all wild, where nests and limited food are provided to help the birds’ survival and breeding, without too much human intervention.
You can schedule a visit where you will get an educational tour and a chance to watch the birds from the treetops, in their natural environment.
Tours are run from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm daily, but you must make a reservation in advance. The tour is $20 USD per person and supports the project.
We absolutely loved seeing a similar project for Scarlett Macaws in Copan Ruinas in Honduras and a few years earlier at Las Guacamayas in Chiapas, Mexico, so I know this would have been a great experience. Please let me know if you go!
13. Learn more about chocolate on a cacao tour
Chocolate is a very important export for Puerto Viejo and the entire Caribbean region in Costa Rica. One of the best things to do in Puerto Viejo is to take a cacao tour, and learn how this fascinating plant becomes one of the tastiest treats on the planet!
You’ll learn about the cacao plants, and why they grow so well in this part of Costa Rica, see how the beans are harvested and dried, and have a chance to try grinding them and making chocolate.
Of course, tastings are included and you can sample ‘chocolate’ at different stages of production.
The cacao plantations are usually in areas with dense rainforests, so while you’re out wandering around and learning about chocolate, you’ve also got a great chance of spotting wildlife.
There are two main cacao tours you can do in Puerto Viejo:
Alternatively, you can learn more about cacao and chocolate from the native BriBri indigenous community. Keep reading for more about this…
14. Immerse yourself in the BriBri indigenous community
One thing we noticed about Costa Rica is that their indigenous culture didn’t seem to be very present or celebrated like it was in other Central American countries like Guatemala.
But in Puerto Viejo, it’s possible to get involved with the BriBri tribe, one of the key indigenous groups in Costa Rica.
Living in indigenous reserves in the jungle east of Puerto Viejo, the BriBri still live a traditional lifestyle. They are experts on jungle medicine and agriculture, and as mentioned above, have a sacred relationship with cacao. They speak their own language, BriBri.
The best way to learn more about this unique culture is to take a guided tour. As the BriBri speak their own language, most don’t even speak Spanish so it’s best to go with a local guide who can communicate and translate.
We highly recommend this tour with Life Culture Travel. This local tour company is owned and operated by an indigenous woman, so you know you are getting an authentic experience that genuinely supports the community.
The tour will not only provide valuable insights into the BriBri culture and way of life, but you’ll also learn about cacao production and visit some of the BriBri Waterfalls.
Essentially this is a 3-in-1 tour.
🌿 Book your BriBri Cultural Tour here
15. Take a dip at the BriBri Waterfalls
As I mentioned above, most tours to the indigenous BriBri village will include a stop at the BriBri Waterfalls.
But if you’ve got your own vehicle, you can DIY a visit to the waterfalls. It’s around 15 minutes drive from Puerto Viejo.
The name refers to a collection of a couple of different waterfalls in the area.
The three waterfalls in BriBri are:
- BriBri Sparkling Waterfall aka Cataratas Ma-Cu: this is the main waterfall in BriBri and the easiest to access. There are a couple of different names so it can be slightly confusing, and there are two separate entrances and trails leading to the same waterfalls. Entry should be 1,000 Colones, but the pricing seems to be fluid depending on the day. I believe this entrance has the easier path to the falls, around a 10-minute walk.
- Catarata Finca Two Waters aka Catarata Dos Aguas: this waterfall is located on the property of a private farm. The local family are very friendly. It is 2,000 Colones per person. The final stretch of road to reach the trailhead is very steep, a 4×4 is recommended, especially if there has been rain recently. From there, it is a 10-15 minute walk to the falls.
- Volio Waterfall: we wouldn’t recommend visiting unless it is as part of a guided tour of the area. There have been multiple incidents of robberies at gunpoint here. If you don’t get robbed, you’ll get scammed by locals who supposedly offer a guide service for an unclear price.
16. Enjoy Puerto Viejo’s nightlife
Many other travellers we met warned us Puerto Viejo was a noisy party town. I started to worry we had decided to spend too long there and doubted if we would like it. We don’t love to party and I very much value my sleep!
But we didn’t have this impression of Puerto Viejo at all! Admittedly we did decide to stay outside of town in Playa Cocles where it was very quiet, but we never got the feeling that partying was the be-all and end-all here.
However, there is some good nightlife in Puerto Viejo and a fun vibe with great energy if that’s what you’re looking for (it’s just not so obnoxious that you can’t escape it if it’s NOT what you’re looking for, like in Playa del Carmen or Tulum).
Our ideal night out in Puerto Viejo was sunset cocktails at Puerto Pirata Tiki Bar. They have a great view of the sunset, and a happy hour from 5 pm – 7 pm to coincide, where all their cocktails are 1,000 Colones off. Try the ‘Green Jaguar’ and thank me later!
Other places around town that are very popular for drinking, live music and dancing are Hot Rocks, Salsa Brava and Johnny’s Place.
If you’re worried about fitting in with the locals, you can take a salsa or bachata dance class! This is a super fun way to learn more about a big part of the culture, and prepare you for a night out on the town!
17. White water rafting on the Rio Pacuare
The Rio Pacuare is the epicentre of white water rafting in Costa Rica.
The most common section of the river for rafting tours is a 30 km / 18 mi stretch, where you will pass 52 rapids ranging from Class III-IV.
Not only is the river thrilling and fun to raft through, but the scenery is spectacular with towering canyon walls dripping with greenery and wildlife to spot on the banks of the river.
You can do this activity as a day trip from Puerto Viejo, it’s around a 2-hour drive. We recommend this tour, which includes everything with breakfast and lunch too.
Or, what I think is an incredibly good value option, is to use this day tour as a way to get between Puerto Viejo and San Jose or La Fortuna (or vice versa).
Every morning, tours depart from La Fortuna, San Jose and Puerto Viejo. You can choose where to get picked up from, but ask to be dropped off at a different location after the tour.
If you were taking a shuttle between Puerto Viejo and either of these destinations, you could expect to pay upwards of $40 USD. For just $99 you get an entire rafting day tour, with breakfast and lunch included!
🛶 Book your Pacuare Rafting Tour with La Fortuna or San Jose Transfers here
18. Go snorkelling or scuba diving
There are some beautiful coral reefs around Puerto Viejo that are great for snorkelling and diving.
Sadly a lot of the reefs in the area have been irreversibly damaged from earthquakes, hurricanes and agricultural runoff, but there are some sections of colourful and healthy reefs with a diversity of marine life.
Cahuita National Park was actually designed to protect the offshore reef. You can only snorkel here with a guide to protect the remaining reef. We recommend this tour that gives you time on the water, as well as a guided hike through the park.
The waters around Playa Punta Uva Arrecife also have some nice reefs, and you can just walk in from the beach with your own snorkels. If you don’t have any, you can rent from the Punta Uva Dive Center.
There is also some nice snorkelling in Manzanillo too. You can rent gear from Bad Barts.
Punta Uva Dive Center is the best dive shop in the area if you want to scuba.
It’s best to go snorkelling or diving during the dry months, February – March and August – September. This gives you the best chance of calm waters with good visibility.
19. Get fruity at Finca la Isla
One of the things we loved most about Costa Rica was all the fresh and delicious tropical fruits. There are so many varieties I had never even heard of, that we don’t have at home in Australia.
I still dream about the roadside pineapple stands where you could get 5 sweet and juicy pineapples for 1,000 Colones ($2 USD!) and all the yummy fruit smoothies (batidos).
Finca la Isla is a permaculture farm and botanic gardens just outside Puerto Viejo where you can see fruit trees in action, learn more about permaculture and have a chance to spot wildlife who love hanging out on this quiet farm.
You can take a self-guided walk around the property, and get a tasting of fresh fruits and juice when you are done.
The farm is located just behind Playa Negra. It’s an easy walk or bike ride from town. No need to book tickets, just turn up between 10 am – 4 pm, from Friday – Monday (closed Tuesday – Thursday).
20. Practice yoga
Puerto Viejo has a bit of a reputation as a hippy/spiritual town. We did feel this a bit, but it wasn’t so over the top that we didn’t enjoy the town (looking at you San Marcos in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala).
If you want to get in touch with this side of Puerto Viejo, there are some amazing places to do yoga.
AmaSer is a gorgeous studio nestled into the jungle just outside town. Its elevated position means some seriously beautiful ocean views while you’re doing your sun salutations.
They have a weekly roster of public drop-in classes, which you can check here. They don’t accept any bookings, so be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance to secure your place.
For something a little more casual, the Selina hostel offers classes too. Check the times and details on their website.
If you’re looking for a more intense wellness experience, Sonora Jungle & Yoga Retreat is a dreamy property in the jungle offering multi-day retreats.
Where to eat in Puerto Viejo
I’ve already mentioned many of our favourite places in the sections above, but here’s a quick summary of our top options:
- Soda Cocomar
- Tamara’s
- Pura Cafe
- De Gustibus Bakery
- Puerto Pirata Tiki Bar
- Gelateria Deelite Italian Gelato
Don’t forget to look for the pati stalls all over town and on the beach!
Where to stay in Puerto Viejo
There are so many amazing accommodation options in Puerto Viejo. There are tons of affordable but funky hostels, beautiful boutique hotels and mid-range apartment-style rentals.
Before you can choose your accommodation, you need to decide which area to stay in.
Puerto Viejo centre
In the heart of town, you’ll have easy access to the best restaurants, bars and cafes. This is where the buses arrive and depart, and there are supermarkets, laundries and bike rental places. However this is the busiest area, so it can be noisy at night.
Top options in Puerto Viejo centre:
- 💰 Roots Family
- 💰💰 Casa BOHÖ
- 💰💰💰 Namu Hotel Garden & Spa
Playa Cocles
The next beach south from Puerto Viejo, Playa Cocles has grown into a mini suburb of its own. Plenty of restaurants and cafes line the beach along Route 256, and there are some really nice accommodation options nestled into the jungle behind the beach. We stayed here as we wanted something peaceful with a nature/jungle vibe, and we loved it. It only took us 20 minutes to ride our bikes into town, but there are a couple of really big supermarkets in Cocles, so we had everything we needed on hand.
Top options in Playa Cocles:
Playa Negra
Just north of town is this gorgeous black sand beach. It was my favourite beach to swim in town, and there is a cluster of accommodation options around this area. You’re still within a relatively easy walk or bike ride from town, but you’ve got peace and quiet here, with lots of options nestled into the jungle for a relaxed and natural feel.
Top options in Playa Negra:
Other areas to stay around Puerto Viejo
If you’re not fussed about being in the town of Puerto Viejo itself, and you’re most interested in the beaches and natural attractions around the region, you could choose to stay at a more distant beach.
We visited all these places and loved them all, but I wouldn’t have stayed here instead of Puerto Viejo. It would have been a nice addition to spend a few days in these quieter areas, as a daily commute into Puerto Viejo wouldn’t make sense from these locations.
Playa Chiquita: a beautiful, quiet beach with dense jungle and lots of wildlife. There are a handful of great eco-focused accommodations here. There are a few restaurant options but not that many, you’d probably want a kitchen or a car. This is still a doable bike ride to Puerto Viejo (about 30 minutes).
Punta Uva: home to the most beautiful beach in Puerto Viejo, Punta Uva is a very small town. There’s not a lot here in the way of restaurants and amenities, but it would be the perfect place to escape for a few days, with total peace and tranquillity!
Manzanillo: literally at the end of the road, Manzanillo is more popular with local tourists. The town is big enough to have restaurants, supermarkets etc. and there are some beautiful beaches and hiking trails here. A more authentic, Tico option.
Cahuita: home to the area’s famous national park, Cahuita is a decent-sized town with lots of accommodations, restaurants and amenities. It’s becoming a popular alternative for travellers who want something quieter and less touristy than PV.
⛺️ If you’re camping in Costa Rica as we were, the best place to camp in Puerto Viejo is Punta Uva. It’s quieter than the centre of town and better suited to camping than the busier and nosier centre (although there are a few campgrounds in town). There are some great established campgrounds like Camping Arrecife or Olguita’s Place, but also some beautiful free camping spots right on the beach.
Casa Eden
How to get to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Puerto Viejo is quite isolated in relation to other popular tourist destinations around the country. Being out on the east coast, it feels a long way away. But it’s really not that far, the trip there was surprisingly easy, and it was totally worth it!
- 🚙 By car – arriving by rental car is the easiest way to get to Puerto Viejo. It takes around 4 hours from San Jose on a well-made highway.
However, Puerto Viejo is one place you don’t actually need a car to get around once you arrive. If you’re doing a round trip of Costa Rica arriving and departing from San Jose, it’s worth stopping in Puerto Viejo on your road trip. But if you’re continuing on to Bocas del Toro in Panama (as we were), you don’t want to drive a car down to Puerto Viejo and backtrack to San Jose to drop it off.
- 🚌 By bus – it is very easy to take the bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo. This route is run via Transportes MEPE and departs from their terminal in San Jose located here. Generally, there is a departure every 2 hours from 6:00 am – 4:00 pm. It was a very comfortable coach, and we had assigned seats. You will get dropped off at the bus stop right in the centre of Puerto Viejo.
- 🚐 By tourist shuttle – otherwise, you can opt for a tourist shuttle. More expensive than the bus, but more reliable and stress-free, especially if you don’t want to go via San Jose, a shuttle will pick you up from your accommodation and drop you off in Puerto Viejo. There are direct shuttles from many different destinations around Costa Rica, like Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna or Tortuguero.
👉🏼 Browse all Puerto Viejo shuttles here
- 🛶 By rafting tour – if you’re already considering taking a shuttle ($40 USD +), I would highly recommend booking a white water rafting tour that includes transport to Puerto Viejo. Tours depart from La Fortuna or San Jose in the morning, go rafting on the Rio Pacuare and then drop you off in Puerto Viejo in the evening. For $99 you get the transport and a whole day rafting in Costa Rica’s best rapids!
How to get around in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
It is very easy to get around in Puerto Viejo. The town itself is quite compact, and although there are beaches and attractions stretching to the north and the south, everything branches off one main road, Route 256.
- 👣 On foot – if you’re staying in central Puerto Viejo, you can easily get around town on foot. It’s very walkable. Even if you want to head a bit further afield to neighbouring beaches, walking is still a good option as it is very flat and not too strenuous.
- 🚲 By bike – the best way to get around in Puerto Viejo is by bicycle. Route 256 is almost entirely flat and very easy to ride along. The cars are used to sharing the road with bikes. We rented a bike for the duration of our stay and used it to get around every day!
- 🚗 By car – if you’ve driven to Puerto Viejo in a rental car, you’ve got complete flexibility. You can stay on the outskirts of town at a neighbouring beach or in the jungle and still have everything at your fingertips.
- 🚌 By bus – buses run north from Puerto Viejo to Cahuita, and south to Manzanillo. Most of the best things to do in Puerto Viejo are accessible via the bus. Although they are not super frequent, usually only one departure per hour. You can check times and buy tickets from the Transportes MEPE office located here.
- 🛺 By tuk-tuk – instead of taxis, there are tuk-tuks around Puerto Viejo. They’re quite expensive so I wouldn’t recommend relying on them for your whole stay. But if you’re just arriving on the bus and have heavy bags, they’ll get you to your accommodation.
If you’re tossing up about visiting the Caribbean Coast in Costa Rica – DO IT! Puerto Viejo is the perfect beach town for a mix of relaxation, beach, wildlife and activities. It has such a special vibe that can’t be found anywhere else in the country. With so many great things to do in Puerto Viejo, you could easily stay for a week!
MORE PUERTO VIEJO GUIDES
OUR COSTA RICA TRAVEL GUIDES
The Comments
Brittany Garcia
Hey Sally, great blog! I came across your site as my husband and I are interested in visiting Puerto Viejo – you convinced us! Just wanted to say thanks and we will use a lot of the info/links you posted 🙂
-Brittany
Sally Rodrick
Brittany GarciaThankyou so much for taking the time to comment Brittany, I appreciate it so much! So glad it was helpful, you’ll love Puerto Viejo it was our fave beach spot in CR! Enjoy it, Sally x
izzy
hey sally – just wanted to say a massive thanks to you for creating this blog!! its been so helpful planning my trip and am defo feeling a lot less anxious 🙂 i really appreciate you taking the time and effort to create this resource x
Sally Rodrick
izzyHi Izzy, thank YOU so much for taking the time to comment, I appreciate it so much and I’m so excited for you! Puerto Viejo is AMAZING, best beach town in Costa Rica, and I hope you love it as much as I did! Enjoy it 🥰