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When I decided to leave Bocas Del Toro, Panama after managing a guesthouse for two months I had no idea where I was going. I had recently got a sweet deal on an airline ticket to Italy and knew I wanted to see as much of Central America as possible before leaving the region, which meant we were heading to Costa Rica. After researching exactly how to travel to Costa Rica, we made our move towards Puerto Viejo.
I always felt like Bocas was missing a lot of essential elements to be a great beach town. For starters you couldn’t walk up to a beach from the main island, instead you had to take a thirty-minute bike ride or pay a boat to transport you to a beach. My other problem with Bocas was the lack of restaurants and shops. Sure there are convenient stores and basic souvenir shops, but it just wasn’t enough. All of those problems are fixed in Puerto Viejo. Like Bocas there are a variety of beaches, but unlike Bocas you can walk right up to them with ease. From Playa Negro to Cocles to Punta Uva, there is a wide range of beaches and they all have a unique vibe. There is one main road in Puerto Viejo, which parallels the Caribbean Sea, ensuring that you’re never far from a beach.
The main street is filled with shops and restaurants offering everything from traditional dishes to Americana. For the cheap plates go to the Sodas, which are small mom and pop restaurants. They don’t look as fancy as some of their competition, but their food is always great. There are more than enough activities in Puerto Viejo with one of the most popular surf spots in the region (Playa Cocles), bikes and ATVs for rent, spas, shopping and boat trips. Accommodation ranges from the bare minimum hostel to the standard hotel to luxury apartments.
We spent two weeks in this beautiful beach town and loved every minute of it. Although it is a hotspot for backpackers and surfers from around the world, it has managed to retain an authentic culture. If you have time and money to spare take a tour of the community and surrounding jungle, enjoy the natural beauty and wildlife. Visiting Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica is a must if you’re in the region. I highly recommend stopping through this beach town on your next vacation in Central America.
What do you think?