10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

It’s no secret, Costa Rica is a wonderful travel destination no matter which kind of trip you like to go on: adventure, surf, beach vacation, cultural, road trip, there is something for everyone! If you’re looking for an authentic Costa Rican experience with a hint of adventure, you must include Puerto Viejo in your itinerary.

Known for its laid-back atmosphere, beautiful beaches, nightlife, and abundant wildlife and nature, the area will seduce you without a doubt. Situated on the Caribbean side of the country, Puerto Viejo is popular amongst surfers, backpackers, and solo travellers.

JUMP TO: 
Costa Rica vs Mexico – Choosing the Perfect Tropical Escape
Costa Rica Itinerary 7 Days – The Road Trip Everyone Needs To Go On

Best time to visit Puerto Viejo

The Caribbean side of Costa Rica is known to be drier than the Pacific coast. However, it’s still a rainforest environment which means that you can expect rain throughout the year.

There are two drier periods of the year during which it could be ideal to plan your trip: between the months of February and April as well as between August and October.

Weather in Puerto Viejo

The weather in Puerto Viejo is fairly constant all year round, with maximum temperatures ranging between 26 °C (79 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F).

The month of August is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As the weather in Puerto Viejo is considered tropical, there are precipitations all throughout the year, but visiting during the drier periods will increase your chances of getting sunny weather.

I visited Puerto Viejo in August and was happy to see that rainfall often happens at night or early in the morning, which allowed me to enjoy the sun during the day.

Where to stay in Puerto Viejo, Cosa Rica

Luxury hotels:

Although Puerto Viejo is not considered a luxury travel destination, there are a couple of great luxury options for accommodation if that’s what you’re looking for. You won’t find resorts and big hotels here, but there are some beautiful boutique hotels to choose from.

Firstly, the Umami Hotel is an adult-only hotel offering suites, rooms with terraces, and apartments. The Umami Hotel has its own on-site spa, as well as a restaurant called Mar & Sal.

Another option in this category is the boutique hotel Le Cameleon located near Playa Cocles. You’ll find on-site the hotel’s beach club Noa, a spa, and a pool with a view of the Caribbean Sea.

Mid-range hotels:

A bit more on the affordable side, the Black Bamboo bed & breakfast is very conveniently located, the downtown area and the beach only minutes away by foot. The rooms are beautifully designed and feature a balcony with views on the pool and the garden.

The Escape Caribeño Hotel is another mid-range option with its garden and beach view bungalows. The hotel offers delicious food and cocktail options that you can enjoy near the pool.

Budget hotels:

There are many hostels in the area of Puerto Viejo such as Playa 506 and Selina Puerto Viejo. The first features dorms and private rooms and are located directly on the beach. They serve a breakfast buffet every morning and there’s a restaurant on-site. They also offer many tour options and a bike rental service to help you make the best of your stay.

The Selina Puerto Viejo hostel is also located on the beach and is only a short walk away from Playa Cocles. It’s a favourite in the area with its beautiful pool featuring a waterfall, its poolside restaurant, open-air shared kitchen, co-working spaces, and many accommodation options.

From the dorm to the traditional tipi or the private room, Selina has options for all budgets and group sizes. This hostel is also vibrant with life with different free activities every night such as live music, dance lessons, cooking classes and more.

How to get to Puerto Viejo

It’s relatively easy and cheap to get to Puerto Viejo by bus from the capital, San José, or by car if you have a rental. It’s a journey of 5 to 7 hours, depending on traffic, so make sure to plan this time in your schedule.

Once there, it’s easy to get to nearby towns and attractions by bus, bicycle, car, or tuk-tuk. And nearby attractions are not lacking as you’ll discover below!

Here are 10 reasons why you should absolutely not miss Puerto Viejo:

1. Enjoy the Laid-back Vibe and Beauty of the Town

The town of Puerto Viejo will seduce you with its charming streets filled with restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, clothing boutiques, and fruit stands, all of this paired with a magnificent sea view! Many of the restaurants and bars are situated on the beach, allowing you to enjoy a fresh ceviche and a drink while watching the waves of the Caribbean Sea.

During the day, you’ll find that the atmosphere in the Caribbean town is pretty relaxed, whereas at night things get more animated.

Streets filled with locals selling handmade souvenirs and restaurants come to life. You won’t be running out of options for places to have a drink, dance, or listen to live music in Puerto Viejo!

2. Take Part in the Surfing Culture

You can have a very good time catching waves near Puerto Viejo whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced surfer. Between the months of November and April is when you’ll experience the biggest waves in this region of Costa Rica. If you’re a beginner, it might be better to learn outside of this period of the year, when waves are calmer and gentler.

The most famous break in the region is called Salsa Brava and is located right at the centre of Puerto Viejo town. You must have very advanced skills to try to surf this wave as it breaks over a reef and has a history of not being kind to surfers. If you don’t estimate your skills are that advanced yet, you can still have a good time watching the pros and the competitions that take place here.

Depending on the conditions and time of the year, Playa Cocles and Playa Negra (Cahuita) can offer smaller waves for less experienced surfers. It’s easy to rent a board by the hour or for the day at these beaches, and you can also pay for a lesson if it’s your first time on a surfboard.

3. Spend a Day at Punta Uva

Punta Uva is definitely one of the highlights of the time I spent on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. You can spend a whole day in Punta Uva as there are many things you can choose to do. There are two big beaches in Punta Uva, one on each side of the rocky point.

On one side, you’ll find surfboards and kayaks to rent. If you rent a kayak, you can either do sea kayaking for a beautiful view of the coast or kayaking in the Quebrada Ernesto river for a chance to observe wildlife in the jungle.

On the other side of the point, you will find many beach restaurants, bars, small hotels and hostels. Believe me, nothing beats the feeling of enjoying a fresh fruit smoothie or a cold Imperial (the local beer) with a view like this one!

Depending on the time of the year you visit this coast of Costa Rica, the sea can be pretty agitated and difficult to swim in, but the beaches at Punta Uva have calmer waves and make swimming very pleasant.

4. Walk on a Black Sand Beach

Is walking on a true black sand beach on your bucket list? If yes, the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica has plenty of these beautiful beaches for you! Black sand beaches form because of volcanic activity, and as Costa Rica has a lot of volcanoes, it only makes sense to visit at least one black sand beach while you’re there.

My favourite one is situated directly in the town of Puerto Viejo and is a great spot to swim and watch the sunset. The sand of this beach is so black that it even shines under the sun! Other black sand beaches you can visit are Playa Negra in the town of Cahuita, which is also a good spot to catch waves, and Playa Manzanillo where you can swim in calmer waters.

5. Discover Costa Rica’s Natural Beauty in Cahuita National Park

Sloth

Cahuita National Park is located 17 kilometres north of Puerto Viejo and is easily accessible by bus or car. There are 2 entrance points to the park, the Playa Blanca entrance and the Puerto Vargas entrance. If you enter by the Playa Blanca entrance, you’ll be asked for a voluntary contribution, whereas if you enter by the entrance at Puerto Vargas, you’ll be charged an entrance fee of USD 5,65 as a foreign visitor.

When entering the park, you’ll be offered to hire a local guide to show you around and help you spot wildlife during your visit. It can be difficult to spot monkeys and sloths that often stay high in the trees, so visiting with a guide will help you see more animals. However, it’s totally possible to visit the park by yourself as the trails are very easy to follow.

Cahuita National Park is also a popular spot for snorkelling and scuba diving. In the past, visitors could bring their own snorkelling gear and explore the reefs by themselves in Cahuita. However, due to damages caused by visitors standing on the reef, the park administration now prohibits anyone to enter the park with snorkelling gear unless they have hired a local guide to accompany them. They will also check your bags for any single-use plastics and won’t let you bring them into the park as a way to keep this environment as clean and protected as possible.

Whether you choose to visit the park on your own or with a local guide, you’re sure to witness Costa Rica’s magnificent wildlife and flora. For more information on how to plan your visit to Cahuita National Park,  visit SINAC’s website (Costa Rica’s National System of Conservation Areas).

6. Swim Under Bribri Waterfalls

One of my absolute favourite thing to do when travelling in tropical destinations such as Costa Rica is to chase waterfalls. I find there’s just something immensely satisfying in walking through the jungle, starting to hear the rumble of the water, and finally catching sight of the beautiful and powerful cascading water.

Even more satisfying is jumping in the refreshing water and swimming directly to the waterfall. It’s in moments like this that I truly feel connected to nature.

The experience gets even more magical when no one else is around, so I recommend visiting early in the day, before noon if you can.

Finding the Bribri waterfalls can be a little confusing as there are a lot of waterfalls in the region with that same name. The waterfalls you can see in the two photos are on a property called Finca Las Cataratas, approximately 5 kilometres before the town of Bribri (if you left from Puerto Viejo).

You’ll be charged 1000 colones (less than USD 2) per person to enter the property. After a walk of fewer than 5 minutes on a descending trail, you’ll get to the first set of waterfalls. By following the trail on the left side of these waterfalls you can get to the second waterfall (the tallest one).

You can swim in both waterfalls’ natural pools, just make sure that you keep a very careful eye on your bag because the area is unfortunately known for theft. If you make sure that your personal belongings are safe, you’ll have the best of times swimming and sunbathing in this breathtaking scenery.

7. Discover the Caribbean’s Coast Best Beaches

Costa Rica is well known for its incredible beaches and the Caribbean side of the country is no exception to that rule. From pristine white sand and turquoise water beaches to mesmerizing black sand beaches, the coast is full of wonderful spots to discover. As mentioned before, the beaches at Punta Uva and Playa Negra are absolute must-sees in the region.

Head to Playa Cocles for a view on Isla Cocles, a surfing session, or a sunbathing afternoon. You’ll find lots of options of places to eat or grab a coffee along the road that boards Playa Cocles. Be sure to try ‘Caribeans Chocolate and Coffee’ and head to their second floor to enjoy your Costa Rican coffee with a view on the tropical vegetation.

The two national parks of the region, Cahuita and Manzanillo, also have amazing beaches to offer. What I enjoyed about most of the beaches in and around Puerto Viejo is their size. Most of the beaches are very long and wide, making them seem uncrowded even when there are a lot of people. You really get to enjoy your book or your swimming session in a relaxing environment.

8. Visit Manzanillo National Park

The second national park worth a visit near Puerto Viejo is El Refugio Nacional Gandoca-Manzanillo. Situated 12 kilometers south of the Puerto Viejo town, this park is a protected area since 1986. You’ll be asked for a voluntary donation as an entrance fee. It is rainier in this area, but the months of March-April and September-October are drier, making them a better time to visit the park.

When I visited at the beginning of August, the trails were extremely muddy and slippery due to heavy rainfall the day before. Because I didn’t anticipate this situation and wasn’t dressed accordingly, I wasn’t able to visit the entirety of the park as the trails were getting more and more difficult to access. However, if you come prepared with the right shoes and clothes you don’t mind staining, you can visit the park even though it has rained the day before.

Near the entrance, you’ll find ‘El Mirador’ which is a stunning viewpoint of the beach and sea below. A little further down the road is ‘La Cueva’, a natural and spectacular blowhole. Be careful if you decide to get closer as the rocks are very sharp and slippery. The park is also known for its impressive wildlife, both on land and underwater, including toucans, eagles, crocodiles, green sea turtles, manatees, and dolphins. Once again, hiring a local guide will make it easier to spot animals in the lush forest.

9. Meet the Warm and Welcoming People of the Region

A big part of having an authentic experience while traveling consists in exchanging with the local communities. If you truly want to get to know Puerto Viejo and Costa Rica’s culture, you should try to engage with locals as much as you can. Spanish is the official language of the country, but many people also speak English as a result of tourism. People working in restaurants, hotels, and other tourist attractions are generally very happy to help and assist visitors in English, however; making an effort to speak a couple of words in Spanish is greatly appreciated by locals. Just learning how to say things like “good morning” (“buenos dias”), “how are you?” (“como está?”), “please” (“por favor”), and “thank you” (“gracias”) will show your interest in the language and culture of Costa Ricans.

If you have the chance, hire a local guide when visiting a national park or a waterfall and you’ll be amazed at how passionate they are about the culture and nature of their region. Discuss with the artisans when buying souvenirs to learn about their favourite places to eat or their favourite beaches to go to. You’ll see how welcoming and friendly Ticos are!

10. Taste Some Delicious Caribbean Flavours

Last but not the least, the Caribbean food is an excellent reason why you should include Puerto Viejo in your Costa Rica trip. The cuisine in this region of Costa Rica has been influenced by many cultures, such as the Spanish, Indigenous and African cultures, and is truly unique and delightful. You can eat like a local and try one of the region’s traditional dishes in small restaurants called ‘sodas’.

You’ll most often find among the menu ‘casados’ (rice, beans, platano, and vegetables with either meat, fish, or seafood), ‘arroz con pollo’ (chicken rice), ‘tamales’, ‘ceviche’, ‘empanadas’, grilled fish, and the national dish ‘Gallo Pinto’. Gallo Pinto is traditionally served for breakfast and generally consists of black beans, rice, onions, eggs, and tortillas.

On the Caribbean coast, many dishes are infused with coconut milk and complemented with “patacones”, which are fried platano patties. Don’t forget to try a fresh fruit juice with your meal! If you’re into street food, you won’t be disappointed in Puerto Viejo as there are many food stands in the streets offering fresh fruits, “pipa fría” (cold coconut water), empanadas, meat, local pastries, and more.

FAQs

Do people speak English in Puerto Viejo?

Yes, English is commonly spoken in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. The town has a significant Afro-Caribbean influence, and English is often spoken alongside Spanish.

In addition to Spanish, you’ll find that many locals, especially in Puerto Viejo and the surrounding areas, are fluent in English, and you can easily communicate in either language.

This bilingualism is especially prevalent in businesses, hotels, and restaurants where staff members are accustomed to catering to a diverse range of visitors.

What are the top attractions in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?

Puerto Viejo offers a diverse range of attractions, including the stunning Cahuita National Park with its pristine beaches and coral reefs, the vibrant Jaguar Rescue Center, and the renowned Salsa Brava surf spot.

Nature lovers can explore the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, while those seeking a more relaxed experience can enjoy the unique blend of Afro-Caribbean culture in the town itself.

What is the best time to visit Puerto Viejo?

The best time to visit Puerto Viejo is during the dry season, which typically runs from December to April.

During these months, the weather is warm and sunny, making it ideal for outdoor activities such as beach days, hiking, and exploring the surrounding natural attractions.

However, keep in mind that this period is also the peak tourist season, so accommodations may be in higher demand.

How can I get to Puerto Viejo from San Jose?

To reach Puerto Viejo from San Jose, you have several transportation options.

The most common is taking a bus, with direct services available. Alternatively, you can rent a car and drive, enjoying the scenic route along the Caribbean coast.

Another option is to take a domestic flight to Limon and then continue by bus or taxi to Puerto Viejo.

And here you have it, 10 wonderful reasons to visit Puerto Viejo while you’re in Costa Rica! Whether you enjoy surfing, walking in nature, tasting new exotic flavours, dancing all night, snorkelling, going to the beach, or chasing waterfalls, you’re sure that Puerto Viejo and its surroundings will not disappoint you!

If you’re looking for an authentic and less touristy experience in Costa Rica, you now know where to go.

Pura Vida!