This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
Puerto Viejo de Limon, Costa Rica, the southernmost region of the country, is located in the province of Limon. This area on the Caribbean side is accessed by Route Thirty-Six and it turns off to the west just below Cahuita National Park to head inland toward the town Bribri and then south to the small town of Margarita, which looks out over the mountains back toward the center of these mangrove swamplands of Puerto Viejo. The Panama country border is not far from here.
Sandwiched between Manzanillo National Park to the south and Cahuita National Park to the north, the region of Puerto Viejo is a popular place to explore nature. These parks are remote expanses of wilderness preserved to protect the wildlife that inhabit it as well as to protect the capes from soil erosion.
This well-traveled road through Playa Negra, Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva, and on down to Manzanillo National Park turns into a paved road infrequently. The road runs through dark jungle, where it is not safe to walk around at night. Fortunately, there is a regular bus running all day on a schedule from the Manzanillo area north all the way to Limon and back south again. After the last scheduled bus ends, taxis are the safest means of transportation.
The Puerto Viejo region has rugged, stunning wilderness beaches with miles of protected land. Due to the dense jungle, it is hot and humid all year long, especially at midday. From August to October it is breezy and sunny with calm seas, and these months are the driest time of the year. Surfers have a good time from January to March, since the surf has big swells. From November to June, the region is at its rainiest.
The area is also home to the indigenous Bribri Indians. They are famous for their unique crafts, their use of medicinal plants, and their primitive chocolate-processing methods. A native, Caribbean-flavored lobster stew is also a delicious dish they are credited with developing.
Reggae and Calypso music are enjoyed during celebrations and festivals. Fire-dancing performances are another form of entertainment common in the Puerto Viejo region. Enjoying BBQs on the beach while swimming, surfing, and fishing are popular weekend activities.
Puerto Viejo is an exciting region of Costa Rica that most vacationers don’t want to miss. Their curiosity about all the good things they have heard about Puerto Viejo draws them. A Puerto Viejo de Limon, Costa Rica hostel is a great place from which to base yourself when heading to this region.
Written by local enthusiast for Puerto Viejo de Talamanca hostels
dittoboy
