Puerto Viejo, Talamanca

Between the Caribbean Sea and the Limón jungle is a town that exudes happiness and relaxation. This town is called Puerto Viejo and is located forty-eight kilometers southeast of Limón. Puerto Viejo is part of the Talamanca canton and is just some kilometers away from the Cahuita National Park. This small city does not lack anything, it has all kinds of services and is close to everything from the beach to the forest to the reefs to surfing and people.

For those looking for beautiful beaches to dive, swim, or surf, this town has an enviable location. But if you are a fan of hiking in exuberant mountainous jungles, Puerto Viejo has the best places around. Parks with trails to go into the forest and observe all kinds of plants and animals.

Beaches, surf and diving

“Salsa Brava” meaning something like “mad sauce” is the name of the beach that local and foreign surfers visit for its high and heavy waves. Not recommended for beginners, Salsa Brava has a reputation for making surfers sometimes doubtful of getting in the water. A coral reef break could be dangerous if surfers are not careful enough.
Even if you are not into surfing, watching daredevils while eating at the beach restaurant is worth it.
For divers, the Cahuita National park counts with a beautiful 600-acre coral reef. Sadly climate change has reduced the coral reef. So, if you are planning to postpone your travel to Costa Rica to visit the reef, well, maybe you should do it now before this wonder of nature is gone.
For casual swimmers, kids, and beach lovers, Puerto Viejo is really close to the best beaches in the country. You have plenty to choose from, Conchal with his white sand and rough but funny to play with waves to Manzanillo where waves are almost no present.
Manzanillo feels like a huge pool. But talking about unique beaches, Playa Negra, which is just some meters away from downtown has the property of having black sands.

Hiking

If you are more into relaxing activities like just walking and exploring around, you can visit the Cahuita National Park. It has a main trail that takes you to the reef then you can walk pleasantly on the Puerto Vargas beach. After walking for a while, you meet the trail back to the second entrance.
Same for Manzanillo-Gandoca Natural Refuge. With its untouched beaches, it becomes the perfect place to feel like an explorer visiting the “new world”.
Also, you can just go to Bribri, a town just by foot, bicycle or car. Then take the trails to the waterfalls. There are different waterfalls near the village so it would be wise to ask locals which are the best to go according to your physical condition. You can ask for a pond to take a dive in too, plenty of them.
Almost no road around Puerto Viejo isn’t paved yet. While some people would see this as a negative trait, for most is the best way to give rustic vibes to the zone. You can take any of those roads by foot or bike and you’ll find yourself inside the forest very fast.
Many animals and birds lurk around these roads, big trees, and all kinds of stuff you cannot see in the city.

Downtown

Puerto Viejo can be crowded sometimes. It can be very quiet too. Most people go by around town on bikes or on foot. So, even if there are a lot of people around you won’t hear loud cars or trucks.
You will only hear the music of the bars and restaurants and the chatting of others with the background of the waves hitting Playa Negra beach.
Downtown is lively at night with people dancing in the bars near the beach, live music, and people walking on the streets. Some of them hit the beach for intimate talking and to watch the moon before going to sleep.
Hotels and cabins are outside downtown, so do not get worried about the noise of downtown taking valuable sleep hours from you.

Conclusion

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is simply the best hot spot to visit on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. It has beaches with strong waves for experienced surfers. Beaches with almost no waves for swimmers and kids. Then plenty of natural attractions for hikers and explorers. The question here is not “why?” but “when?”. When are you going to visit Puerto Viejo with one of our tours or rent one of our motorcycles.