Located on the South Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, Puerto Viejo’s eclectic Caribbean vibe, stunning beaches, abundant wildlife and delicious food attracts visitors from all over the world.
If you plan on visiting Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, use this guide to help you plan your trip.
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Location
Puerto Viejo is 217 kilometers (135 miles) from San Jose and is about a 4-5 hour drive one way.
The town is in the Limon province on the Caribbean coast.
How to Get to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
By bus
There is a bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo every day at 6 AM, 10 AM, 345 PM and 4 PM.
The bus leaves from Terminal Atlantico Norte (Autotransportes Mepe), Calle 12 Ave 7-9, takes 5 hours and costs around 6100 colones (~$10 USD) one way per person.
We recommend to get to the bus station at least 1 hour before to purchase your tickets.
By driving
From San Jose, the quickest way is by route 32 through Braulio Carrillo National Park. This is about a 4 -5 hour drive and you can use Google Maps, a GPS device or Waze.
Do you need a 4×4 to Puerto Viejo?
No. This route is on a well paved road as they are major highways. Expect to run into traffic as there are a lot of trailer trucks on this route and most of the time, it is only one lane.
However, this route is a bit difficult. It’s a long drive with a significant section going through Braulio Carrillo National Park that is very mountainous and curvy without any painted lanes, road lights or rumble strips.
It is a one lane per direction road, with many large trailer trucks utilizing this route.
We do not recommend to drive this route at night. It’s better to leave early in the morning to drive during daylight with plenty of time and drive carefully. It gets dark by 6 PM every day in Costa Rica all year round.
Renting a car? Get our Costa Rica car rental discount to save $$ and get extra freebies!
By plane
Limon airport is the closest local airport to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. Sansa flies into Limon and then you have to take the bus or shuttle to Puerto Viejo.
It is a 40 minute flight and costs around $85 USD one way and the shuttle from Limon to PV is about 1.5 hours.
By shuttle
There are shared shuttles from many destinations in Costa Rica. Get our Interbus shared shuttle discount here!
You can also take private shuttles which can cost anywhere between $200-350 USD total for your group, depending on number of passengers.
Contact us if you would like to book a private transfer!
Adventure transfers
If you are going to Puerto Viejo from La Fortuna or San Jose, you can go white water rafting as the interconnection tour.
Companies pick up travelers in San Jose or La Fortuna, go rafting and then drop off in Puerto Viejo.
They can also go vice versa and pick you up in Puerto Viejo and drop you off in La Fortuna or San Jose.
Get our Pacuare white water rafting discount here!
How to Plan Your Trip Getting to Puerto Viejo
Since Puerto Viejo is quite of a long (and not fun) drive from San Jose, most people do these two options:
- Book a private or shared shuttle (or do the adventure transfer) from San Jose to Puerto Viejo and then rent a car in Puerto Viejo for their time there. Shuttle back to San Jose or their next destination.
- Fly into Limon, pick up their rental car or bus/shuttle to Puerto Viejo. Return the car and fly from Limon to San Jose.
How Long Should You Stay in Puerto Viejo?
We recommend a minimum of four nights due to the travel time.
You can also use it as a home base for your entire trip in Costa Rica, although we recommend to visit at least one other destination to see more of the country.
You can do day trips from Puerto Viejo but they go to mostly the beaches and attractions in the vicinity. To see the city, cloud forest, volcano, etc. you will need to leave Puerto Viejo.
A popular itinerary is San Jose – Puerto Viejo – La Fortuna. You’ll see city, beach, rainforest and volcano!
You can check this 1 month Costa Rica itinerary and a 10 day Costa Rica itinerary that includes Puerto Viejo for ideas.
How to Get Around Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
The main road through town to the beaches is nicely paved and is suitable for a sedan.
There is a bus that runs between Limon and Puerto Viejo and Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo every day. This costs ~500 colones.
The main bus stop called “La Parada” is near the entrance of Puerto Viejo. This is where all the buses will stop from San Jose.
The main bus terminal is right in town by the beach with a huge sign that says “Bienvenidos Puerto Viejo.” The ticket station is across the street with a huge sign that says “Boleteria.”
The most popular way to get around Puerto Viejo is by bike.
You can rent bikes for $3-12 USD a day or scooters for $35-40 USD a day. If you are going out after dark or early morning, it is best to take a taxi though. Don’t walk late at night, especially alone.
A taxi from Puerto Viejo to Playa Cocles is around 2000 colones. From Manzanillo, it is about 5000 colones.
Another way to get around is by tuktuk which are fairly common in Puerto Viejo.
The Town
Puerto Viejo town is small with narrow roads and limited parking, making it a bit congested at times. The town center has a ton of hotels, hostels, restaurants, banks, souvenir stores and pharmacies.
You can see what Puerto Viejo looks like in our driving video below!
Beaches and Neighborhoods
There are six main neighborhoods around Puerto Viejo.
Each of the neighborhoods has their own little community and you can find hotels, hostels and restaurants in all of them.
Playa Negra
Playa Negra is the beach north of Puerto Viejo. It has blackish sand, a low key atmosphere and vast empty shores. It is about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from Puerto Viejo.
Playa Cocles
Playa Cocles is the most popular beach in the area. It’s easily accessible, has good surfing waves and not too far from Puerto Viejo.
The beach is gorgeous and you can find several hotels in the small community. It is about 3.5 kilometers (2.1 miles) from town.
Playa Chiquita
Chiquita is another stunning beach with sparkling turquoise water and natural tide pools. If you stay at Chiquita, you will feel like you have the beach all to yourself.
It is about 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) from town and very close to the popular Jaguar Rescue Center.
Punta Uva
Modern rustic cabinas, bright green water and several beautiful beaches make up the small town of Punta Uva.
Best location to truly get away from it all as there isn’t much there, you will need to go to Chiquita to stock up on supplies. It is 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from Puerto Viejo.
Manzanillo
This is a small fishing village 13 kilometers (8 miles) from Puerto Viejo next to Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.
It’s a cute little town but can get crazy on the weekends with the local excursions and parties.
Cahuita
This is a small town about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) north of Puerto Viejo. Home to Cahuita National Park.
Puerto Viejo Weather
Weather in Puerto Viejo is different than the rest of Costa Rica.
Instead of the typical tropical seasons, the Caribbean has a more temperate weather throughout the year with possibilities of rain throughout the year.
This means it can rain all year long but average temperatures don’t vary much in Puerto Viejo.
The driest and sunniest month in Puerto Viejo is October, which is the rainiest month for the rest of the country.
It’s extremely humid in this area, keeping temperatures cooler than the Pacific side. Average temperatures usually around mid 80s° F (28° Celsius), cooling off at night to about low 70s° F (22° C).
When you’re visiting Puerto Viejo, don’t be surprised if it’s raining while it’s sunny in other parts of Costa Rica!
Puerto Viejo Hotels
You can find all sorts of hotels in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica except huge resorts. Much of Puerto Viejo’s charm is that it isn’t super commercial or developed and the community wants to keep it that way.
You can find still luxury hotels with air conditioning and high end amenities, all built harmoniously with nature.
Hotel Banana Azul: Beach front resort on Playa Negra. Offers a variety of rooms and suites. Has an on-site restaurant, beach club, gardens, ponds and massage hut.
Villas del Caribe: Beach front hotel on Playa Chiquita with its own entrance to the beach. Rooms are spacious with private decks and hammocks, has a large pool and on-site restaurant.
Relax Natural Village: 6 villas each with a private deck and hammock, close to Playa Cocles. Nice boutique hotel with very personal service and gourmet breakfast.
Tree House Lodge: 5 luxury eco-houses very close to Playa Punta Uva. Each house has something unique about it and is spread out throughout the 10 acre property. Definitely a splurge for couples but a great option for groups.
Airbnb and Vacation Rentals
Airbnb and vacation rentals are very popular in Puerto Viejo. We stayed at a cute one that was a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment behind the bakery.
Read more about using Airbnb in Costa Rica in this post.
Puerto Viejo Hostels
Puerto Viejo has a large amount of hostels since it is a popular backpacker destination. A very popular one is Playa 506.
There is one called La Tribu Hostel that is women only.
Puerto Viejo Nightlife
You’ll get your fill of reggae music, bonfires, shots and dancing in Puerto Viejo as it’s one of the biggest party towns in Costa Rica.
Head to Salsa Brava and Tasty Waves for a good time. You can also find bars and discotheques like Johnny’s Place.
Our Recommended Restaurants
Caribbean-Costa Rican food is different to Costa Rican food. Make sure to try rice and beans and rondon!
- Soda Lidias: Our favorite place for local food. They have delicious hot sauce and their rice and beans are our favorite.
- Bread and Chocolate: Great bakery.
- Tasty Waves: Has your typical burgers, tacos, beers and cocktails.
- De Gustibus Bakery: Another very good bakery.
- Koki Beach Lounge: Excellent seafood and steak. Right in downtown and has a nice atmosphere. Usually open only during high season months December through April.
- Deelite: Amazing gelato!
- Stashu’s con Fusion: Great drinks and dessert we loved the most.
- La Pecora Nera: One of the best places for Italian food, their pizza was really good.
Things to Do in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Within a 30 kilometer (18 mile) radius, there is a national park, a wildlife refuge, several beautiful beaches, waterfalls, a river and two animal rescue centers.
Jaguar Rescue Center: Learn about how they rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce animals such as sloths, monkeys and owls back into the wild. You can also visit the Macaw Recovery Project. A great combo tour is Jaguar Rescue Center and Punta Uva Forest Walk for lots of sloths.
Cahuita National Park: Visit Cahuita National Park to see wildlife or take a snorkeling trip since it’s an incredible park to experience both beach and jungle. Plus it’s free! We highly recommend a guided hike of Cahuita National Park.
White water rafting Rio Pacuare: Go white water rafting on the Rio Pacuare, one of the top 5 five rivers in the world! Get our Pacuare white water rafting discount here!
You can read about other fun things to do in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
We Hope You Fall In Love with Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is one of the top destinations in Costa Rica for very good reasons.
It’s unique mix of people, gorgeous beaches, abundance of wildlife and special blend of cultures create a vibrant and fun atmosphere for tourists.
Not sure if you want to visit Puerto Viejo? Check out our post “Differences between the Caribbean and Pacific coast of Costa Rica.”
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
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- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
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Mei says
Dear Sammi;
Thank you for this lovely blog. I love it on how details you guys put it together for different destinations in CR.
I have a question for you. My husband and I are avid orchid collectors and we are hoping to see different orchids or even native plants and animals. We have a week off in mid March and hoping to visit this wonder land. We have never been before. We are debating between monteverde , manuel antonio Park or lankaster garden and go to carribean side of ocean ( lots of our friends have said how much they love carribean oceans ) . I would love to know what you think!
Mei
Sammi says
Hi Mei, I would definitely visit Monteverde (they have a ton of orchids in the cloud forest and there is an orchid museum) and the Lankester Gardens in Cartago is amazing for orchids as well so I highly recommend those two places!
Jac says
Hey! What’s the weather and surf usually like beginning-mid January? Also do you know the easiest most cost-effective way to travel from the San Jose airport?
Sammi says
January is usually kind of windy, and there can get swells at the beach for surfing.
The most cost effective way is to take the public bus, there are direct ones from San Jose everyday.
Sammi says
Hi Frank, you can read our Costa Rica COVID-19 post and our Costa Rica COVID travel for the latest updates and situation.
You can buy a bicycle there, there are places that rent bikes and they may have some for sale too.
frank Bradish says
Hello.I am a senior thinking of spending one maybe two months this winter. Two questions,whats the status of Covid there? Can I purchase a bicycle there?
Bhakti says
Hello,
How is the weather in Puerto Viejo area in November especially the last week?
Thanks for the informative blog.
Bhakti
Sammi says
November tends to be rainier but can still have dry days… the Caribbean weather is a bit more unpredictable due to its location so it is more humid and can rain anytime. We’ve been there first week of December before and it was super cloudy, drizzling and got some dry days off and on.
Craig says
Hello,
great info and pic’s, thanks for sharing. I wanted to get your take on safety, specifically taking camera gear on the beaches primarily in the morning (sunrise). There is a group of 5 (2 guys, 3 girls). I’ve read some articles where it has me thinking twice about visiting the area due to crime there. I understand t can happen anywhere and anytime. Most of the info I have read were a little dated and was trying to see if there may have been some improvement over the past few years.
Thanks in advance.
Sammi says
Hi Craig, it’s about the same (Puerto Viejo), a lot of tourists visit there but still need to follow same guidelines (take taxis or drive at night, don’t walk by yourself early in morning or after dark, don’t go to dark unfamiliar roads, don’t park in dark empty places, etc.) I still don’t really recommend going to the beach early in the morning but if you’re a group, it’ll be better, just don’t walk off far from the main entrance and try to keep it in your backpack until you need to use it.
Jessica H. Vincent says
Hi! Any sign of sargassum in this area? Thank you!
Sammi says
I don’t believe so, I don’t think I’ve seen any reports about it on the news I know in Belize they have it but don’t think it’s made it down here.
Betsy says
Hi Sammi,
I am interested in doing this trip as a transfer from San Jose to PV on March 29, 2020. Can we do it in one day or does that require 2 or 3 days? Also, how would we transfer our luggage?
Thanks and love your site!
~Betsy
Sammi says
Hello Betsy, I just sent you an email!
Mandy May says
we spent a week in Puerto Viejo last summer and loved it. Is there a similar town on the pacific side to try? We loved the access to restaurants, and wildlife without the resorts and large crowds. We travel with two young teens so adventure is a bonus. Thanks
Sammi says
You can check out Samara, Costa Rica, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica or Montezuma, Costa Rica
Nina says
Hi,
what’s the best way driving from Uvita to PV? Has you done the route via Cartago? Thanks
Sammi says
You can go up north via San Isidro de Perez Zele through Cerro de la Muerte, go through Cartago and then to Puerto Viejo. It’s a long drive though and the Cerro de la Muerte is extremely windy, narrow and curvy so drive carefully!
Nina says
Thanks, we thinking about staying in Cartago for one night to split up the long drive. Any recommendations for this area?
Sammi says
Cartago is nice, there is the Basilica in downtown you can visit (gorgeous church) or if you like flowers, there is the Lankester Gardens which is very nice. I wrote a post on Cartago you can read here: Cartago, Costa Rica