The Ultimate Guide On How To Plan A Trip To Puerto Viejo De Talamanca

Let’s get started on planning that trip to Costa Rica! Here’s my guide on how to plan a trip to Puerto Viejo which is an amazing little beach town on the Caribbean side. This post is going to give you the overview and planning basics, and I’ve also linked my other detailed guides which will nail down the smaller details. Between all this you should have everything you need to plan and prepare for your trip!

The Ultimate Guide On How To Plan A Trip To Puerto Viejo

Disclaimer

There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.

Where is Puerto Viejo and what to expect

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, known as Puerto Viejo, is a beachy town in the Limon province on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

You can expect a surfer town style of laid back beach vibes. It’s a popular place but with a local feel because it’s slightly less touristy and crowded than the more tourist-dense locations on the Pacific side.

The days can easily be spent beach hopping, sipping from ice cold coconuts, wildlife spotting, cultural tours, hiking to waterfalls, and sipping cocktails by the beach.

If you’re looking for a fast paced hustle and bustle vacation, this isn’t it.

What airport should you fly to

There are two international airports in Costa Rica:

• Liberia (LIR) – Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport
• San Jose (SJO) – Juan Santamaría International Airport

San Jose is the better option for visiting Puerto Viejo because it is closer to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

How to get from San Jose to Puerto Viejo

Rental car

If you will be renting a car, of course you would be driving there. It’s about a 5 hour drive from San Jose to Puerto Viejo.

From what I read, this is not recommended at night because of road conditions and safety. If your flight lands in the evening it’s probably better to overnight in San Jose and drive to Puerto Viejo the next morning.

Bus

The cheapest option is to take a Grupo Caribeños bus which you can do for $10-$15 and it’ll take about 5.5 hours.

When I was researching for my trip I found varying reviews in terms of reliability of scheduling, delays (e.g. a 5.5 hour trip turning into 7+ hours), and safety. Again, it’s not my firsthand experience but something to be aware of and research if you choose this option.

Flight

You can fly from San Jose to Limon which takes around an hour.

If you choose this then you will still need to get from Limon to Puerto Viejo which is about an hour drive.

Shuttle or private transfer

In my opinion, this is the best option because it’s simple, reliable, and fairly quick.

You can easily book a shared shuttle or private transfer to get you from SJO to your hotel in Puerto Viejo. These range in price depending on what you choose.

If you choose this option, I’d recommend asking your hotel if there is a company they work with to arrange transfers and they should be able to book it for you.

What currency is used in Costa Rica

The currency in Costa Rica is the Costa Rican Colón.

You can pay by card at many places while dining and shopping. I recommend having some cash in small notes on hand for tipping and smaller purchases. Trust me, you’re going to want to stop for a fresh coconut while you’re out and about!

There is a bank in Puerto Viejo with an ATM if you need to get cash out and you can get cash out in US dollars or Colón.

Most places will accept cash in US dollars or Colón, though if you pay in USD you will receive change in Colón.

Tips for using the ATM

When looking for an ATM, choose one at a bank. They’ll have a small room where the ATM is located and each person will enter one at a time to get their cash out.

For safety, I recommend only getting your cash out during the day while the bank is open.

Also this didn’t happen to me, but apparently it’s not uncommon for the ATM to ‘swallow’ your bank card. Which sounds scary, but you can go into the bank to retrieve it and they’re used to saving them. That’s another reason I recommend using the ATM while the bank is open.

What language is spoken

The official language is Spanish.

I don’t speak any Spanish and was able to get by, but it would’ve been helpful to know a few phrases in Spanish and in hindsight I wish I had done that.

In Puerto Viejo, the majority of people I met spoke enough English to be able to have a conversation.

Is it safe for solo female travelers

In my opinion, Puerto Viejo is safe for solo female travelers.

However, it’s very important to take precautions because there are certainly some safety concerns for the area, primarily around petty crime.

I wrote a detailed guide with tips for solo female travel in Puerto Viejo here.

Is the tap water drinkable

I think yes, but I found there were mixed reviews on this while I was researching.

Since the reviews were mixed I drank the tap water to have my own firsthand experience and… I had 3 days of travelers diarrhea.

I can’t be sure it was from the water, and my hunch thinks it was actually from food preparation at a restaurant I went to. But I have no proof of either, these are just my best guesses.

I recommend getting a filtered water bottle like the Grayl (I have the 24oz GeoPress) to remove the guesswork. This was you can drink the tap water (and any fresh water) safely without creating a bunch of plastic waste.

If I wasn’t getting my own experiences to share for this blog, I would’ve only drunk from this water bottle the whole time.

Do you need to rent a car

If you are only visiting Puerto Viejo, no. Of course if you are traveling to multiple destinations around Costa Rica, then it might be a good option to have a car.

It’s very easy to get around in Puerto Viejo either by walking, cycling, or taxi. There are a few safety concerns around taxis which I shared in my solo travel guide and I recommend taking a quick read of that before your trip.

For the main area of the town all the way down to the Playa Chiquita area, it’s fairly easy to get around because there’s basically one main road to follow. This is what you’ll use for general beach hopping adventures in the area.

There’s no footpath on the side of the road so you’ll be walking on dirt and rocks. Because of this I’d recommend having some comfortable sandals or shoes.

If you’ll be cycling – which is a great way to get around and avoid walking in the heat, then just stick to the edge of the road so cars can go by.

Where to stay in Puerto Viejo

I recommend Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel – it’s amazing!

It’s a little outside of the main town area so you have a quiet, beachside place to stay. But you’re still close enough to get to town easily and be near restaurants and other beaches.

The jungle setting is incredible and I saw sloths every day while I was staying there!

I also love that they offer free classes like cooking, cocktail making, and yoga to name a few. These were really fun activities and added a little social element to the evenings.

Overall, I loved it and absolutely recommend it. Here’s my detailed review and video tour if you’d like to see more.

I also stayed at the Tree House Lodge which was a unique, jungle treehouse experience. It’s a little more of a niche experience so maybe not for everyone, but I had a wonderful time.

No matter where you choose, I recommend using Booking.com to find your accommodation. This is what I always use when I’m traveling and I can always find a good deal there.

What are the top things to do

In terms of activities and attractions, this is a destination with a focus on culture, wildlife, beaches, and nature.

Here’s my detailed guide on all the best things to do in Puerto Viejo for more info.

What do you need to pack

There were a handful of things I packed that had me saying “man, I’m glad I packed this” while I was there.

Nothing crazy, just a couple of little things that I felt prepared me for the elements and helped me maximize my adventures.

I shared them in this video and also wrote a detailed packing guide for Costa Rica here if you’d like more info.

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