Destination content © Christopher P. Baker, used from Moon Handbooks Costa Rica, 5th edition.
Maps © Avalon Publishing Group, Inc.
PUERTO VIEJO
About 13 km south of Cahuita, the road forks just after Home Creek (also spelled Hone Creek). The main road turns east toward Bribrí; a spur leads three km to Playa Negra, a black-sand beach that curls east to Puerto Viejo, enclosing a small bay with a capsized barge in its center. The tiny headland of Punta Pirikiki at its eastern end separates Puerto Viejo from the sweep of beaches—Playa Pirikiki, Playa Chiquita, and others—that run all the way to Manzanillo and Panamá. You can walk along the beach from Cahuita at low tide.
Puerto Viejo is one of the most happenin’ spots in Costa Rica. The discos are hopping, and, on peak weekends, you can’t find a room to save your soul. Nonetheless, it is low-key and funky (vultures hop around lethargically on the streets, taking reluctant flight only when you approach within a meter or two).
The surfer, backpacker, and counterculture crowds (mostly Europeans and young North Americans) have firmly rooted here. Indeed, they dominate the scene, having settled and established bistros and restaurants alongside the locals. Telegraph poles and high wires today import the power of the 21st century (the supply is still not reliable; bring a flashlight), telephones arrived in 1997, and the sudden influx of tourists—including Ticos, who have recently wised up to the Caribbean’s attractions—threatens to sweep away the last of the old ways. Not least, the scourge of crack and cocaine have come to town.
The overpriced Caribe Butterfly Garden (8 a.m.–4 p.m., $5 admission), at Cabinas Calalú east of town, has a netted garden with about 20 species of butterflies.
Finca la Isla Botanical Garden
This five-hectare botanical garden and farm (tel. 506/750-0046, jardbot@racsa.co.cr, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Fri.–Mon., $2.50 admission, $8 with guided tour), one km west of town, is a treat for anyone interested in nature. Here, Lindy and Peter Kring grow spices, exotic fruits, and ornamental plants for sale. The couple have acres of native and introduced fruit trees. You can sample the fruits and even learn about chocolate production. There’s also a rainforest loop trail, and a self-guided booklet for the garden. Toucans, sloths, and other animals are commonly seen, and poison-arrow and harlequin frogs make their homes in the bromeliads grown for sale. The finca is 400 meters from the road (200 meters west of El Pizote Lodge) and is signed. Lunches are offered by arrangement.
Keköldi Indigenous Reserve
The 3,547-hectare Keköldi reserve, in the hills immediately west of Puerto Viejo, extends south to the borders of the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge. It is home to some 200 Bribrís and Cabecar people, who have formed the Talamanca Association for Ecotourism and Conservation (or ATEC; see the sidebar “ATEC: Grassroots Ecotourism”). Reforestation and other conservation projects are ongoing. Gloria Mayorga, coauthor of Taking Care of Sibo’s Gift, educates tourists on indigenous history and ways. Gloria and Juana Sánchez run the Iguana Farm (admission $1.50), an experimental project to raise green iguanas; the turnoff is 400 meters south of Hone Creek, beside Abastacedor El Cruce, then 200 meters along the dirt road to a short path that leads uphill to the Iguana Farm.
ATEC arranges visits ($17 half-day; $27 full-day) to Keköldi, with Gloria and her brother Lucas as guides (Spanish only). Hiking and horseback trips into Keköldi are offered by Mauricio Salazar from Beach Cottages Chimúri (seven hours, $25 pp, including box lunch and a contribution to the Indian Association). Three-day trips cost $140, including overnight stays with the locals.
Entertainment and Events
The annual South Caribbean Music Festival (tel. 506/750-0062, fax 506/750-0408, festival@playarchiquitalodge.com) runs late February and early March, with performers spanning the spectrum from classical to calypso and reggae.
Puerto Viejo is known for its lively bars and discos (which rotate duty nightly off-season), and folks travel from as far afield as Limón to bop. The prize contenders are Stanford’s—reggae! reggae! reggae!—and Johnny’s Place, where the action spills onto the beach. Stanford’s also has live music; Wednesday is Caribbean Night.
Neptuno Disco Bar has live music jams Wednesdays at 9 a.m., and two-for-ones on caipirinhas and piña coladas 9–11 p.m. Café Musical, above Calor Caribe, has live music Thur.–Sun. from 6 p.m., including calypso on Fridays and jazz on Sundays.
El Dorado (tel. 506/750-0604), next to Centro Comercial Mane, has a bar, pool table, board games, and movies on a TV. Every night is Ladies Nite. Open 8 a.m.–midnight. And the pleasant Bar Maritza in the Hotel Maritza has a TV, plus live calypso on Sunday evenings.
Bob Marley also rules at Kaya’s Place, roadside 200 meters west of town, a cool spot to groove with the Rastas.
Hiking and Nature Tours
The local community organization ATEC offers hiking and nature excursions.
Mauricio Salazar at Beach Cottages Chimúri offers hikes to the Keköldi Indigenous Reserve, plus night walks (three hours; $10).
Puerto Viejo Tours (tel. 506/750-0411, fax 506/755-0082, puertoviejo@yahoo.com), offers local jungle hikes ($20), hiking ($35) at Cahuita, and white-water rafting tours ($75–85), plus trips to Gandoca-Manzanillo, Tortuguero (from $55), KeköLdi ($60), and Boca del Toro in Panamá.
Terraventuras (tel. 506/750-0426, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat.) offers trips to Tortuguero ($50), the Indian reserves ($35), plus dolphin watching ($35), snorkeling ($35), and a rappeling canopy tour.
Rolf, of Bushmaster Expeditions (tel./fax 506/750-0283), offers nature tours to Gandoca ($40). ATV tours are offered by Quad Adven-Tours (tel. 506/750-0632).
Surfing
Puerto Viejo is legendary among the surfing crowd. November through April, especially, the village is crowded with surfers, who come for a killer six-meter storm-generated wave called La Salsa Brava; November and December are supposedly the best months, though I’ve seen it cookin’ in March. Beach Break, at Playa Cocles, about three km south of Puerto Viejo, is good for novices and intermediates. The safest beach for swimming is Playa Negra and the small beach near the bus stop in town.
Kurt, at Hotel Puerto Viejo, rents boards and gives lessons, as does Cabinas Grant (tel. 506/750-0013).
Other Water Sports
Reef Runner Divers (tel./fax 506/750-0480, arrecifes55@hotmail.com), next to Pulpería Manuel León, offers guided dive tours ($40 one-tank, $60 two-tank, $50 night dive), PADI certification ($225), and dolphin and snorkeling tours. Puerto Viejo Tours also offers snorkeling. Ocean Adventures rents kayaks, boogies, and snorkeling and surfing gear, as does Juppy & Tino Adventures (tel. 506/750-0621), next door; the latter has kayak tours to Gandoca ($60). Also see Playa Cocles to Punta Uva, below.
The El Pizote Lodge offers fishing trips.
Horseback Riding
You can rent horses and take guided tours at Don Antonio’s (tel. 506/750-0342), 600 meters south of town ($5 per hour). Seahorse Stables (tel. 506/750-0468, edwinsalem@yahoo.es), near Punta Cocles (see Punta Cocles, below), has tours by reservation only.
Shopping
Color Caribe (9 a.m.–8 p.m.) stocks a great selection of clothing, jewelry, and souvenirs, including hand-painted and silk-screened clothing, plus hammocks and colorful wind chimes.
Cabinas Casa Verde has a small but upscale boutique selling batiks, Panama hats, Panamian molas, and the like. Nearby, LuluBelu (tel. 506/750-0394, 1–9 p.m. Wed.–Mon.) is a colorful place selling an original range of ceramics, jewelry, and miscellany.
Information and Services
ATEC is the informal node of local activity and acts as a tourist information bureau. It’s open 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon.–Tue. and Thur.–Sat.; 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday; and 8 a.m.–noon and 2–9 p.m. Wednesday. Soda Tamara, opposite ATEC, has a bulletin board with tourist information. Two good online resources are www.puertoviejo.net and www.greencoast.com.
There’s a medical clinic (tel. 506/750-0758 or cellular 506/841-9171; open 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Fri. and weekends for emergencies) and a dental clinic (tel. 506/750-0303, or 506/750-0389 for emergencies) 50 meters inland from the bus stop. Internet Ipromer also has 24-hour medical services.
The police station (tel. 506/750-0230) is next to Johnny’s Place.
Puerto Viejo has no bank—the nearest is in Bribrí—but you can cash traveler’s checks and change dollars for colones at Pulpería Manuel León (the owner charges 1 percent commission).
The post office (tel. 506/750-0404, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Fri.), in Centro Comercial Mane.
There are public telephones at Pulpería Manuel León (tel. 506/750-0452, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.); and outside the ATEC office (tel. 506/750-0188), which also has a fax service.
ATEC offers Internet access at 15 colones per minute ($2.25 per hour). The a/c Video Mundo (tel. 506/750-0651, 8 a.m.–10 p.m.), nearby, charges $1.15 per 30 minutes for Internet access. Internet Ipromer (tel. 506/750-0633, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.) charges $1.25 per hour.
The laundry (8 a.m.–7 p.m.) in Centro Comercial Mane charges $3 per load (it closes during sunny afternoons following rains). Café Paris charges $3.75 per load.
Getting There
See Getting There in the Cahuita section, above. The bus fare from San José to Puerto Viejo is $6.50. Return buses depart Puerto Viejo for San José at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 4 p.m.; and for Limón at 5:30 a.m., 6 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 1:45 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. The Puerto Limón–Puerto Viejo buses are usually crowded; get to the station early. You can buy tickets for Transport MEPE buses (tel. 506/750-0023), opposite the bus stop.
You can buy gas from Tony, at the green house 30 meters west of Neptuno Bar.
Getting Around
ATEC can arrange taxis. You can rent mountain bikes from Casa Verde and Cabinas Grant ($2.50 per day).
Ocean Adventures rents scooters ($12 for two hours, $28 full day).
site copyright © Avalon Publishing Group, Inc.