The southernmost stretch of the Costa Rica Caribbean coastline from the lively town of Puerto Viejo to the small village of Manzanillo. It’s around fifteen kilometers dotted with some unforgettable beaches and bordered by rainforest. Based anywhere along this road you can strike out and cover it all in a day or two. If you have the luxury of more time, savour some of the best spots and slow down to appreciate the beauty of this place.
Things not to miss
The beaches – see them all; each has something different to offer
The Rainforest – take a guided walk; wear hiking boots and long trousers
On the road – watch out for Howler monkeys, Spider Monkeys, Sloths and Toucans in the trees as you ride/walk. Listen for Howler monkeys or spider monkeys coming through the rainforest in the early morning – if they are howlers they will probably wake you!
Starting at Puerto Viejo
A bustling little place. The main road through the town skirts the coast with just a few streets leading off on either side.
What’s there?
Post Office
Bank
Souvenir Shops
Open Monday – Friday sometimes runs out of stamps!
24 hour ATM outside
Batiks, T shirts, wooden carvings and Bowls
Bike Rental
Market
Internet Cafe
Plenty available – photo ID required
Fresh Produce
Some WiFi – reliability varies!
Food
Tours
Mall
From beachside ice cream/cafes to restaurants
Terraventures – book local tours
Small modern shopping area – beachwear, bags, surfboards etc
Supermarkets – A couple of good shops in town. Outside the Old Harbour Supermarket on the main road is a butchers shop selling fresh meat and fish. Supermarkets are well stocked, fruit and vegetables, rice, flour, pasta, cans and sauces, ice cream, cheese, yoghurts, beers and wines, plenty of bottled water
Puerto Viejo Town Beach
The Beach- Patches of pretty beach skirt around the town, some of them accessible just a few feet from the shops.It is quite busy at the weekends and seems popular with the locals as well as visitors, but if you are looking for some peace and quiet, don’t let that put you off! Admittedly, we have only been along this coast during the months of September, October and November and high season starts in mid December. However, even when the ‘town’ beach is bustling, a few minutes walk can take you on to Playa Negra or, in the other direction, Playa Cocles. We have never been on these beaches when there have been any more than a couple of dozen people dotted around. We have been on them when we have been the only ones there.
To the north runs the long wide arc of Playa Negra (black beach ) which is well worth a stroll; the views towards the town of Cahuita and the Talamanca Mountains are stunning! To the south from Puerto Viejo, the next stop is Playa Cocles.
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Playa Cocles
Approximately 2 kilometers from Puerto Viejo; the road, bordered on one side by the beaches and the other by rainforest, Along the way, between Puerto Viejo and Playa Cocles, there are a few lodges, cafes and bicycle hire stalls.
What’s there?
The ‘Village’- a sparse collection of buildings dotted along the road opposite the beach; a few pretty lodges with rooms amongst the rainforest, a small hotel and one or two rental houses. Internet cafe with WiFi. There isn’t much here, that’s the beauty of it; but lodges like ‘La Costa de Papito’, and ‘Cariblue’ are open to non-residents for drinks and meals.
The beach - Playa Cocles is a long bay with a wide band of golden sand; this is the surfing beach and the only one along here with a lifeguard on duty. It’s also good just for swimming in the surf but there are signs up warning of Rip Currents which seem to be present along most of the coastline. We never swam out very far but it fun just to be stand waist deep and be battered by the waves.
Body and surf boards - a small ‘shack’ on the beach offers hire.
Real Estate office – for house rentals as well as sales.
………………… Playa Chiquita
A further 2k’s (approx) the next ‘settlement is Playa Chiquita. On the way is a similar smattering of cafes and lodges but these places become less frequent the further from Puerto Viejo you go. By the time you reach Playa Chiquita the road has wound a little further inland so that the strip of land between the road and the beach has become wider.
What’s there?
Small supermarket
Cafes
Lodges
The Beach – A few meters past Shawandha Lodge, look out for a wooden ‘entrance’ on the left. This leads along a track to the beach. If you have ridden down to this point, there are plenty of trees edging the beach to lock up your bikes, but you will have to walk them down from the road, the track is narrow and bumpy. Playa Chiquita has a very different feel to Cocles; a smaller curving bay with palms leaning low over the water. A beautiful beach and a real photo opportunity.
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Punta Uva
Beyond Playa Chiquita the road is noticeably quieter; there are longer stretches with no signs of habitation at all. On either side is the lush greenery, huge rainforest trees interspersed with little plots and buildings. As you near the turn -off for Punta Uva beach there are rental house/ bungalow type accommodations on managed properties. Don’t expect to come to anything that resembles a town or village; it’s basically a crossroads with a small cluster of places to stay and eat.
What’s there?
Small shop
Lodges/Accommodation
General store – well stocked
Lodges / rental house accomodation
The Beaches
Punta Uva
Arreicife
Playa Grande
From the main road there are a couple of turn offs to the beach . These are idyllic beaches of pristine sand and clear, sparkling water - Take Your Pick!
Punta Uva Beach – the first turning. beautiful beach; cafe/restaurant, though it was never open when we were there!
The beach at the Arrecife Lodge is signposted next from the main road (Get a cold drink/beer/ food, hammock – or stay!). Wonderful beach just a few steps from the lodge. Take a walk down to the right , along the stunning arc of this beach. The palm trees come right down to the water’s edge offering natural shade so much nicer than a row of umbrellas. Fallen logs lie where they fell or were washed up, half buried in the surf and highly polished by the constant wash of sand and salt water. If I am in danger of getting too lyrical here, apologies. It is because this place is so beautiful!
Coming to the end of this beach you reach a point where the corals are close in and good for snorkelling. You can continue walking over into the next bay- Playa Grande.
Playa Grande is a long beach; the pale sand strip is a little wider here and, a it is backed by the buildings of the Hotels Suerre and Los Palmos. It can be accessed by walking in from the beach or by taking the turning off the main road, a little further on from Korrigan Lodge. We had walked through the Suerre Hotel on several occasions and stopped at the bar for a fruit smoothie on our way/back from the beach. However in November 2009 the government were making moves to close it down due, we heard, to the building being built too close to the beach under restrictions for the National Park. Bizarrely, we walked through this large deserted hotel, and were told, by a solitary employee that it was closed for cleaning. He suggested we try the Los Palmos Hotel next door which was definitely open. Even though we could clearly see the sign to it, we couldn’t find it! Or anyone else to ask! Has anybody seen it?
……………… Manzanillo
5 kilometetres (approx) on from Punta Uva. Cyclists (of the ‘it’s a long time since I’ve been on one of these, but, hell you never forget do you? type, like us) should note that this section has a couple of fairly steep hills! We gamely ‘had a go’ then accepted the truth and got off and walked. Once again, out of Punta Uva the road becomes even more quiet. It feels quite remote and traffic is light.
What’s there?
Approaching the village the place looks rather in need of a face lift. Along the beach side of the road old concrete benches and tables are scattered amongst the palm trees; many of them are broken. It’s not a ‘big deal’ but it does spoil the look of the place. At the end of the road Maxi’s restaurant is a ‘laid back’ caribbean meeting place with a first floor balcony looking out over the road. The beach here is just okay compared to the ones before but persevere! Just a very short way beyond Maxi’s and the ‘end of the road’ are wonderful beaches and interesting walks.
Restaurant
Soda
Accommodation
Aquamoor – Dive and tour company – book local tours.
Beyond Manzanillo
You can go a little further by bike or car, but not much. Just follow the track and after the sandy car park, run, jump or paddle across the creek and up through the coconut palms. The path leads to the end of the bay (Miss May Point – you will see the sign post) and then up and over into a couple more bays before turning inland into the rainforest. Even if you only go a little way it is well worth it for the stunning views both over the bays and when you descend into them. Punta Mona, the furthest point on this track, from where you can see Panama, is several hours walk and, we were told, best taken with a guide. There is a very basic place to stay overnight before the long walk back. However far you plan to go, wear hiking shoes and trousers – take water and mosquito repellant.
……………… Wildlife
What can you expect to see?
Nothing is ever certain where wildlife is concerned but with a small amount of effort, some patience and a little luck the natural environment on this stretch of coast line will reveal just how rich it is. We only list what we actually saw in the wild. There are many good and comprehensive field guides to Central American wildlife with all the facts, figures and measurements that you could possibly need! This is simply what we found there and what, we think, other visitors could reasonably expect to see.
Birds – (many species – see our gallery for photos taken during our 2009 visit to the Caribbean coast) Toucans live in this area; pelicans and kingfishers can be seen down at the water’s edge. There are many more species; some kind of guide book or identification card is helpful when you are there.
Butterflies – particularly the huge, brilliantly coloured, Blue Morpho – often flies at low level
Howler Monkeys – frequently seen in the trees along the road; they are noisy and will often give away their presence before you see them with their unmistakeable calls.
Spider Monkeys – move through the trees at speed and entertain with their amazing aerial skills. Not so frequently seen as Howlers
Sloths – three toed sloths with the ‘bandit’ stripes on their eyes. There are plenty of them but they are not easy to spot! Look in the forks of trees for a ‘ball’ of fur, rather like a nest. They can be seen moving during daylight hours; we saw one ascending a tree. It was soaked with rain and looking very bedraggled!! But, more often, they will be a static which is why you have to look so carefully. It is good to also go and see them in one of the re-habilitation centres (The Jaguar Centre or Sloth Centre); your entrance fee contributes to the animal’s welfare and you get to see these great creatures up close.
Agouti – a small reddish brown animal seen amongst the leaf litter foraging for seeds and fruits
Paca – a little larger than the agouti and have white spots on their fur.
Kinkajou – Arboreal; listen out for them calling at night. With luck you may be able to locate them in the trees and see them with the aid of a torch
Frogs - poison dart frogs patterned bright green and black or bright red, often hopping amongst the root of trees. Also the beautiful green tree frog; watch out for this one on the undersides of large leaves. We also saw the beautiful Hourglass tree frog, Hyla Ebraccata, patterned in yellow and brown.
Snakes – we saw one or two disappearing amongst leaf litter; also the eyelash viper – pointed out to us on a guided walk.
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What to take with you
Items/equipment we used that worked well for us!
Good Hiking/walking boots
We used North Face mid boots for good ankle support and they were great in the wet!
Long Trousers
We used Peter Storm zip-offs. We could start in the morning in ‘longs’ and zip them off later if the weather/environment was suitable. We definitely preferred Long in the rainforest to help keep biting insects off our legs but later in the day, walking on roads it was good to get the air to our legs! These trousers are very lightweight for packing and wearing and dry in no time!
Photographic equipment
see our photography section for what we are using at the moment.
Rucksack with back system
We used Berghaus – the Freeflow type. It was lightweight but tough; we took it everywhere. The back system keeps the bag away from your back but offers very good support and really helps to keep you cool.
Field Guides
We always have lots of these around our house for places we have been to/ are going to. Some we like for Costa Rica are:- Mammals of Costa Rica – Mark Wainwright, A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica – Gary Stiles and Alexander Skutch. Also there are some useful little ‘Pocket Travellers’. These are small fold out guides by Waterford Press, nice illustrations and easy to carry. We also found the Rough Guide to Costa Rica good and Fodor’s Central America very useful – all of these were available from Amazon.co.uk. We took too many books! Beware of weight!
Water bottle.
Sigg – Indestructible!!
Torch
We just took an ordinary hand torch; it was invaluable but we would like something more suitable for the purpose next time!
How to get around
Car A four hour drive from the Capitol, San Jose; the roads are in reasonable condition – until you reach the Caribbean coast. The stretch of road from the town of Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo is pot hole ridden, dirt and tar, liberally peppered with rough stone and rocks. There are smoother stretches, but the pot holes soon loom again. Plenty of the locals will tell you that they want it to stay that way; a fast road would mean fast development. By car, the road is easily negotiable, just necessarily slow.
TaxiIf you don’t arrive here in your own/hire car you are probably going to need one at some time. There are plenty of them; all the drivers have their own business card to encourage clients to use them again and, as local telephone calls are free, any cafe or hotel will readily call a taxi for you.
BicycleThese are available for hire in Puerto Viejo but also from stalls dotted along the road outside the town. Some of the hotels have their own too. It’s a popular way to get around and you can hire by the day (just a few dollars per day and even better value for longer periods.) They ask for a driver’s licence or passport as ‘security’. The Costa Rican government advise that visitors carry a photocopy of their passport when they are out and leave the original locked away, so a drivers licence is the best option. You probably wont get a bike without one – we tried one day when we had set out without them and even people we had hired from a couple of days before refused us.Bike riding really makes you feel like part of this community; there are loads of them going up and down with bottles of water and towels in the front baskets. Just hire and join in!
Mopeds and Quad BikesThere are a couple of places to hire these in Puerto Viejo; we would check on the insurance situation and whether safety helmets were available before considering.
Walk – Along the coastal road, on the beaches, or in the rainforest.
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Our Recommendations
There is plenty of accommodation all the way along the road ranging from extreme budget ‘hammock hotels’ at just a few dollars per night to luxury lodges. Houses of different sizes are available for rent, some offer breakfast even though the houses have their own cooking facilities. The further away from Puerto Viejo you go the more ‘remote’ you will feel and accommodation is less frequent. The same goes for cafes and restaurants; the biggest concentration of them is in the Puerto Viejo area but there are some good or even excellent ones further out.
The following are the places that we have personal experience of and that, for us, stood out from the crowd, in one way or another.
In Brief – Rental houses in a rainforest garden, located just before the town of Puerto Viejo and close to Playa Negra. Houses of different sizes and designs in a gated property; each located in a position for maximum privacy. Manager/owner on site. Free Internet
Review – Loco Natural
We stayed at Loco Natural during October/November 2009.
What you first see is the beautiful tropical garden with lots of flowering trees and paths leading through to the houses. There are four rental houses on the property, all different and most importantly, positioned so that each one is very private within its own surroundings. This gives you privacy within the security of this small, managed property.
Pamela and Carter, the owner/managers of Loco natural have their own house on the property. They have the balance just right; one of them will always be around if needed or just for a chat, but they very much respect that, during your stay, your rental house is your ‘home.’
We stayed in the small ‘Casita’ for the first few days as our first choice was booked. The Casita is one bedroom with a desk space, a shower room and a kitchen;however we spent most of our time on the lovely tiled porch, in the rocking chair or the hammock! Hard life!
The Bird House is much larger; we didn’t need that much space but we loved the upstairs veranda with its desk area and ‘sitting room’. There’s a hammock up there too and wonderful views over the garden. The ‘Bird’ house lived up to its name; we saw a huge amount of birds there, including toucans, and there were some great photo opportunities.
In the garden we saw howler monkeys, agouti, and kinkajou. An anteater was also a visitor one night though we didn’t see it. Incidentally, don’t take the cultivated neatness of this garden for granted. If you want to know what it would look like without all the hard work take a few steps down the ‘Nature Trail’ and see how the rainforest takes over!
The town of Puerto Viejo is a few minutes away by bicycle or a lovely walk along Playa Negra. The beaches further south, Cocles, Chiquita and Punta Uva are easily reachable. For us this was a crucial point in making Loco natural an ideal place to stay. It provided a secluded and peaceful base but was close enough to walk or ride to most of the local attractions.
Pamela and Carter are friendly, warm and always helpful. They really make this place work and the little touches, like calling by with bananas or lychees from the garden, are the icing on the cake.
For more about Loco natural see our Blog Days 4 – 36 for details about our stay
In Brief – Small private lodge of four beautifully appointed cabins located in the rainforest near Punta Uva. Breakfast provided
Review Korrigan Lodge
We stayed at Korrigan for a week in November 2009. Ingrid and Erwan, the French owner/managers built the lodge around three years ago. The setting is amongst the rainforest trees and they have done a marvelous job with their four grass roofed bungalows. These buildings are small but can only be described as beautifully appointed. Every attention has been paid to detail; the materials used are both good quality and sympathetic to their surroundings. There is a small balcony; mossie coils are provided for night time sitting. You are in the rainforest and do need to use a repellant in this part of the world, especially at night.
Around the lodge we saw Howler monkeys and Sloths; Spider monkeys gave us a great aerial display one morning as they moved through the trees.
The lodge does not serve lunch or dinner but two restaurants are within easy walking distance; one a casual beach bar a few steps from the sand, the other a wonderful place with food to rival ‘Big City’ establishments. These walks in search of sustenance are always interesting; on one walk to the beach a toucan flew, at low level, right in front of us and on another Howler monkeys were all around.
Also from here you get easily get to Manzanillo or Playa Chiquita and Playa Cocles. Bicycles are free at Korrigan.
Breakfast is included in with the price; we were always asked what time we would like to eat and the food was cooked when we were at the table. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Ingrid and Erwan, they are efficient, friendly, and eager to please. On the day we left, we had a very early departure time, but Erwan still served us a full breakfast at 5.30am and gave us home baked cookies for the journey!
See our blog days 36 to 43 for more about Korrigan Lodge
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El Refugio Restaurant
In brief- Just beyond Punta Uva on the road to Manzanillo. An open sided building, simply constructed but perfect for its tropical setting.
Review El Refugio Restaurant
Solidad and Fernando, the owners of El Refugio are the perfect partnership for their small, simple and tropically elegant restaurant. Solidad is a wonderful hostess, warmly greeting every customer like an old and valued friend. The first time we visited we just ‘dropped by’ for a cold beer and a peek at the menu. It was early afternoon; the shade, beer and hospitality were much appreciated and, at no extra cost, we were treated to a ‘show’ by a troop of Howler monkeys in a nearby tree.
The menu, displayed on a chalk board, is small but there is something for everyone; steak, tuna, chicken, pasta…. the choices change but the all the dishes are consistently top quality. Fernando is a quietly skilled and talented chef who takes great pride in the dishes he produces. Solidad explains each dish to in detail before orders are placed. We went back to eat there four times and each meal was our absolute favourite!
On our last evening in the area, both Solidad and Fernando, in their typically warm fashion, came to wish us a safe journey. Visit this restaurant if you can! Oh! and don’t forget the desserts – too yummy to be legal!
And, by the way, the prices are very reasonable too.
In Brief – Lodge with pretty grass roofed cabins in the rainforest at Cocles. Breakfast provided. Excellent restaurant. Free WiFi in reception.
Review – La Costa de Papito
Set back across the road from Cocles beach, this is a quirky, attractive lodge with a main reception/restaurant area and bungalows scattered amongst the rainforest. The rooms are very well presented with grass roofs and a roomy balcony. Our room had two double beds so plenty of space. The furnishings are beautiful polished wood; the huge shutter style windows can be opened right up to give a real ‘outside’ feel.
In reception there is a bar, pool table and sitting area; free Wifi is available in this area. The lodge has its own bikes for hire
We were asked what time we would like breakfast and it was delivered to our balcony each morning. Very luxurious to sit out eating tropical fruits and pancakes at the beginning of the day.
We were there in the ‘Green’ season ( end September) a quiet time, and the restaurant wasn’t open all of the time. May be worth checking when making a booking. There were other places to eat close by, one or two within walking distance, but the only memorable meal we had in Cocles was actually at La Costa de Papito. The standard there is very good and the service exceptional.
See our blog days 3 to 5 for more about Costa de la Papito
In brief – Bar/ restaurant / and accommodation directly on the beach.
Review – Arrecife Lodge
I must say, when we first saw this place we were quite surprised; we had expected something quite grand. Maybe it is just the name! The Arrecife actually looks quite weather worn, like an interesting piece of driftwood. It’s an ideal place though, for its purpose and location.
The beaches just here, described in the Punta Uva section above, are stunningly beautiful but facilities close to the water are very few. Though we were delighted to find these beaches so untouched it was great to be able to retreat to the Arrecife and enjoy a cold drink and some food. The Lodge has been built on the beach but is back far enough that, from the beach, it is invisible until you are almost there. Hammocks have been slung amongst the palm trees outside; these add to the ‘laid back’ feel of the place.
Accommodation - we didn’t stay there or see inside the rooms. At a guess, it would be much like the rest of the place, quite simply furnished but clean.
We were at the lodge on several occasions; the staff were always friendly and would take the time to stop for a chat.
In brief – Not just for jaguars – this is a wildlife rescue centre, run by naturalists with the aim of educating both the local population and visitors and, whenever possible, to release their ‘residents’ back into the wild at the appropriate time.
Jaguar Rescue Centre Review.
We heard about this place from another visitor we got chatting to. Though we had been to Puerto Viejo before and had spent quite some time there, we had not been aware of it previously. The funny thing about this was that the person who told us about the place said they had been to a rescue centre and seen a ‘Koala’. We thought maybe they had one too many daiquiris and didn’t take too much notice. However, Erwan at korrigan Lodge mentioned it when we were staying with him and said everybody who visited the place had good things to say about it.
We were so glad we decided to go, not only because it is such a great place to see, but that we had the chance to support this very worthwhile project. The ‘tour’ starts with the snakes and the first thing you realise is that the guide is enthusiastic, well informed and that this definitely is not just ‘another day at the office.’ All our questions were answered and we never felt rushed. When we were there (November 2009) there were baby howlers, raccoons, a jaguarundi, Margay, both types of Sloth, caiman, tree frogs, a young toucan….. obviously, over time the residents will vary. You can go into the cage and play with the monkeys and get close to the sloths etc.
This place has such a good ‘feel’ to it. You leave reluctantly but confident that the animals are in good hands and that the decisions regarding their future will be carefully made.
We had a little trouble finding the place, which is just off the road between Playa Chiquita and Playa Cocles but they now have a new website – check it out – the pictures are lovely and opening times and a map are there.
The fee is $10 but the experience is worth a lot more!
See our Blog – Search for entry ‘Jaguar’ (Day 40) for more about the Jaguar Centre.
In brief – A small Botanical Garden, signposted off the main road opposite Playa Negra and just north of Puerto Viejo.
Review Finca La Isla Botanical Garden
Browse through the very colourful and informative website and you will there is a lot ‘going on’ at this little hive of industry. That is not so obvious to the casual visitor; we thought the place looked quite ‘sleepy’ but we did go late in the day and were the only people there. The very ‘bubbly’ guide who greeted us gave us a map and sent us on the short trail around the property. The trail is marked though it is not always easy to find your way. This is not a ‘botanical garden’ in the ‘flower bed’ sense, rather specimens (trees and plants) of interest, not all native, labelled along the way.
The highlight for us was the ‘demonstration’ the guide gave us when we completed the trail. He had lots of unusual fruits and beans to show and we were able to taste them. He has a really interesting little display and is eager to explain each item. When we said we were interested in frogs, he searched about to find some poison dart frogs in the undergrowth and a highly poisonous side-striped one used (not at this garden!) to harvest poison for blowpipes!
In Brief North of Puerto Viejo the Sloth Centre enables you to see these creatures up close and personal (though you are not allowed to touch!)
Review Sloth Centre – There is an interesting story behind the creation of this centre; the whole story is on the website. The first sloth that the owners ‘rescued’ was a three toed type. They cared for this little orphaned animal and named her Buttercup; this was in 1992 and Buttercup is still the star attraction there. She sits on a hanging whicker chair smiling at her visitors in the way only three toed sloths can! A visit to this well organised centre also allows you to get a good look at babies and adults of both two and three toed sloths. The two toed animals are surprisingly different, a fact very difficult to appreciate until you can get a close look. They are all adorable.
Apart from this you can also take a ride on the Rio Estrella. A boatman took us up some of the small waterways of the river; me at the front, ducking fallen trunks and branches. At the back Richard had his camera ready. The water was tranquil; great clumps of overhanging bamboo and trailing vines made this a real ‘Indiana Jones’ moment.
See our Blog – Search for entry ‘buttercup’ (Day 31) for more about the Sloth Centre.
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Cahuita National Park
Snorkeling tours are available out on the reef here and can be combined with a walk through the National Park. We had done this on a previous visit. Don’t expect the kind of luxury cruise cum lunch that many of the Caribbean island offer. The boats are simple but the swim is pleasant. The coral isn’t spectacular but we did see two nurse sharks and some colourful fish. The walk follows the coastline with some lovely views. We saw an large iguana and some Capuchin Monkeys who obviously know the ropes and hang around to be fed.
