Puerto Viejo de Talamanca – Caribbean Feelings in Costa Rica

It is a 4 hours’ drive from La Pavona (plus one hour boat ride from Tortuguero village, under heavy rain for the trip back) to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, at the southern end of the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. We hesitated to include this area to our itinerary due to the distance, and it was a good decision! If you look for places to party, then Puerto Viejo de Talamanca should be your pick! It has a relaxed atmosphere nonetheless, with a string of beautiful beaches with a postcard feeling to it. There are also plenty of activities available, and lots of options to sample some delicious Caribbean cuisine.

We had selected a glamping option there, the Colina Secreta: a beautiful retreat in the middle of the jungle, 2 km above the village (driving on a bumpy dust road), featuring beautiful “tents”… Ours was 120 square meters on 2 levels, overlooking the jungle. At night, from the tents, you are surrounded by the sounds of the jungle, and at dawn, Howler Monkeys welcome the sun (and yes, they are small but make a lot of noise).

We came here to have some beach-time for the kids, and to visit the Ara Manzanillo project. Rather than visiing the Manzanillo Natural Reserve, we should have followed several advice and visit the Cahuita National Park…

We went to several of the beaches near Puerto Viejo. We started with Baya Cocles, that is under watch, a nice beach with not so many people, but some current and waves that made it not so easy with the kids. On the 2^ndday, we actually had to leave, as the current was too strong and lifeguards recommended not to go further then knee height. On Playa Chiquita, the current was even stronger. True, this narrow beach is beautiful, but hardly doable with kids. Playa Punta Uva was the best pick: a beautiful, broad beach with not that many people except close from the parking. The best surprise there? We saw 2 sloths, one from less than one meter, and marvel at his very slow movements. On the second day, he was sleeping, merely 10 meters further down the road: not such a big hike for 24 hours…

The Ara Manzanillo Project was clearly a highlight in Puerto Viejo: It is dedicated to the conservation of the highly endangered Great Green Macaws (less than 1.000 individuals in the wild). Each day at 15:00 o’clock, you can closely see those magnificent birds when they are fed approx. 50 meters from the mirador where the visitors stand. After a few explanations on the challenges of conservation, you can simply enjoy groups of those magnificent birds eating in the distance, some of them flying by, just a few meters away.

Visiting Manzanillo Natural Reserve, on the other hand, was basically a mistake – Both fellow travelers and the owner of our hotel recommended to rather visit Cahuita National Park, where wildlife is abundant. The first part of the hike is very short, relaxed, and nice, though there is close to no wildlife to spot. Then the trail turns muddy and a lot more challenging, especially with small children.