The other side of Costa Rica.  This is the best way to describe the small beach town of Puerto Viejo.  Many travelers stick to the West coast while visiting Costa Rica, for many reasons.  First off, Puerto Viejo is a 5 hour drive from San Jose, and I don’t even want to think how far from the Guanacaste Region.  Secondly there isn’t much development in Puerto Viejo, it is what it’s called, an old port.  Thirdly this is not a destination for everyone, while the beaches are abundant and beautiful, there is a heavy Rasta vibe here (love it or hate it), this destination is exactly how I would imagine a small beach town in Jamaica! 

There are many things that make Puerto Viejo so unique, the food in particular is incredible while at the same time being dirt cheap.  On the beach you can find vendors selling anything from pizza to gallo pinto to bbq, while in the small restaurants you can find more of same and other specialties such as jerk chicken to grilled snapper to thai soup to exotic fruit smoothies or shakes.

The town is tiny and having a bike to get around from one bar to the next would be a blast.  Be ready to meet backpackers from all over the world here, you may also meet a hippie from your home town who moved down here for the laid back lifestyle.  There is a small surf scene, but a bigger party scene, each night make your way over to the fiestas right on the beach and jam out to some reggae and dance hall music.

Anyone who has been to Costa Rica and thinks that they’ve been there done that, have only seen the half of it if they haven’t been to the Caribbean side.

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Filed under: Travel on September 17th, 2007