pura vida passENES

Things to do in Caribbean Coast

49 places and 72 secret spots in Caribbean Coast, with start times, how long each takes, prices as published and practical tips.

Food & Coffee

  • Aroma Coffee Bar & BreakfastFood & CoffeeCozy coffee bar in the middle of Cahuita serving brewed coffee and breakfast, with a mix of classic plates and local twists; a good first stop before the national park.
  • Bread & ChocolateFood & CoffeeOpen-air wooden cafe in the middle of Puerto Viejo with home-made breakfasts, sandwiches and baked goods, plus its own chocolate made from locally grown cacao.
  • Budda CafeFood & CoffeeTerrace restaurant in the middle of Tortuguero village with river views, a wide menu of traditional dishes with some creative touches and cocktails at sunset.
  • Cafe RicoFood & CoffeeJungle-garden cafe on Avenida 69 known for big breakfasts, house-roasted coffee, a weekly special and a book-lined dining room with stone tables outside.
  • Cafe ViejoFood & CoffeeLong-running Italian restaurant on the main street of Puerto Viejo, opposite the Casa de la Cultura, with homemade pasta, thin pizzas, Caribbean lobster and a large wine list.
  • Cahuita's Taste Caribbean Soul FoodFood & CoffeeChef Doria Sequeira Sellers cooks Afro-Caribbean home food in Cahuita: coconut-braised rice and beans with seafood, marlin in her own Caribbean sauce and Caribbean meat pies.
  • Caribeans Coffee & ChocolateFood & CoffeeCafe and micro cacao farm a few steps from Playa Cocles: coffee roasted on site, smoothies, breakfast and mocha cake, and a daily chocolate tour with a short jungle hike and a bean-to-bar demonstration.
  • CHOCORARTFood & CoffeeChocolate factory and cacao farm on the Playa Chiquita road south of Puerto Viejo, rated 4.9 on Google and 4.8 on Tripadvisor.
  • Cool & Calm Reggae Bar and GrillFood & CoffeeReggae bar and grill in Manzanillo village at the end of the road, praised for whole grilled red snapper and juicy ribs with a house basting sauce.
  • De Gustibus BakeryFood & CoffeeEuropean-style bakery and cafe in Puerto Viejo with chocolate cream puffs, cinnamon rolls, croissants, fruit tarts and tiramisu, breakfast such as French toast and a vegan lunch.
  • DelRita PattyFood & CoffeeTiny family stand on Cahuita's main road selling Caribbean patís, baked pastries with beef or sweet pineapple filling, until they sell out; visitors say it is worth going early.
  • El Refugio GrillFood & CoffeeCalm, well-lit grill at the entrance to Playa Grande on the Manzanillo road, with a daily menu of the freshest fish and meats and a good wine list; a go-to for a sit-down dinner on the south coast.
  • KOKi Beach Restaurant & BarFood & CoffeeBeachfront restaurant and lounge bar in the center of Puerto Viejo, made from reclaimed wood and recycled materials, popular for sunset dinners, fresh seafood and cocktails.
  • La NENAFood & CoffeeFamily-style Caribbean restaurant in Cocles, a few minutes from Puerto Viejo, built around coconut rice and beans, whole red snapper in Caribbean sauce, jumbo shrimp and seafood bisque, with spiny lobster when in season.
  • Port Vell RestauranteFood & CoffeeBreakfast-and-lunch spot on Calle 213 serving big gallo pinto plates, pancakes, bagels and smoothies, with many vegan options and no added sugar in the juices.
  • Restaurante Coral ReefFood & CoffeeCaribbean seafood restaurant just outside Cahuita with a bilingual online menu: red snapper in coconut sauce, rice and beans, seafood stews and rice, casados, and a large hall for events.
  • Restaurante Lidia's PlaceFood & CoffeeOwner-run local restaurant in a Puerto Viejo neighborhood, praised for coconut rice and beans, a casado visitors rank among the best in the country and fresh lobster and red snapper at fair prices.
  • Restaurante Mi NiñoFood & CoffeeLocal and traveler favorite right next to the boat dock in Tortuguero, known for its ceviche, shrimp in coconut sauce and fruit juices; there can be a wait at peak hours.
  • Restaurante SelvinFood & CoffeeSmall family restaurant on the road to Punta Uva, known for coconut-rice-and-beans plates and the local rondón soup, with a lively atmosphere in the evening.
  • Spicy CoconutFood & CoffeeSmall Caribbean-style house in the Cocles jungle with an ocean view and a sloth-hosting almendro tree, serving poke bowls, ceviche and grilled meats with cocktails, plus a little shop.
  • Stashu's Con FusionFood & CoffeeSecond-floor open-air restaurant in central Puerto Viejo mixing Caribbean, Thai and Indian dishes (pad thai, butter chicken with sweet-potato roti, pakoras) with a cocktail list.
  • Taylor's Dine & GrillFood & CoffeeBusy Afro-Caribbean restaurant in downtown Limón, popular with locals for oxtail in coconut sauce, fried pork chop with rice and beans, grilled tenderloin and fresh juices, with English-speaking staff.

Parks & Wildlife

  • ATEC (Talamanca Association of Ecotourism and Conservation)Parks & Wildlife · from $38Community-run non-profit in Puerto Viejo whose local guides lead more than 50 tours.
  • Cahuita ToursParks & Wildlife · from $55Local operator in Cahuita running snorkeling, wildlife hikes and cultural tours with the Bribri community, built around Cahuita National Park and the Afro-Caribbean history of the town.
  • Caribe Fun ToursParks & Wildlife · takes 4 h–5 h · from $62Puerto Viejo tour operator and in-country travel planner offering Caribbean nature, culture and chocolate tours plus multi-day packages.
  • Caribe HorseParks & Wildlife · from $70Family-run stable since 2007 offering ethical horseback rides on rescued horses along the beaches and rainforest trails around Puerto Viejo, from a 1.5-hour beginner ride to full days.
  • Caribe Sur Puerto Viejo ToursParks & Wildlife · from $60Small Puerto Viejo tour company with a clear-bottom kayak paddle in Punta Uva, sloth-spotting kayak-and-walk trips, hikes to Punta Mona and Kekoldi waterfall and snorkeling in Cahuita.
  • Finca La Isla Botanical GardenParks & WildlifePermaculture farm and botanical garden outside Puerto Viejo with labelled tropical trees, cacao, vanilla and annatto, poison dart frogs, a plant nursery and on-site chocolate.
  • Jaguar Rescue CenterParks & Wildlife · takes 1.5 h–2 h · from $29Wildlife rescue center on the southern Caribbean coast where visitors take guided tours to learn about rehabilitated sloths, monkeys and other animals.
  • Jungle Night Walk CahuitaParks & WildlifeSmall guided night walk near Cahuita led by a naturalist guide who finds frogs, snakes and tarantulas along the trail, including a river crossing in places.
  • Sloth Sanctuary of Costa RicaParks & Wildlife · from $15The first sloth-only rescue center, in operation since 1992 on the Caribbean coast south of Limón, where visitors can meet resident sloths on guided tours and see behind the scenes on the longer Insider's Tour.
  • Tortuguero Nature Native GuidesParks & Wildlife · from $30Local guides in Tortuguero running quiet paddle tours on the canals, national-park hikes, night walks and turtle-nesting tours; part of each fee goes to a local school and community.

Transfers & Rentals

  • Caribe ShuttleTransfers & Rentals · takes 5 hShuttle company based in Puerto Viejo running shared and private transfers across Costa Rica and to Panama and Nicaragua.

Surf, Boats & Diving

  • Exploradores OutdoorsSurf, Boats & Diving · takes 11.5 h · from $99Rafting and adventure outfitter with offices in San José and Puerto Viejo, known for Pacuare River trips and Caribbean coast tours.
  • Punta Uva Dive CenterSurf, Boats & Diving · from $55Beachfront PADI dive shop at Punta Uva with shore and boat dives on the shallow Caribbean reef, courses from first-time Discover Scuba to Divemaster, and snorkel trips.
  • Surf the Jungle Surf SchoolSurf, Boats & Diving · from $90Surf school and camp in Puerto Viejo run by local pro surfers, teaching small groups at the beginner breaks and offering camps, SUP and kayak tours, a Cahuita snorkel trip and massage.

Stays

  • Hotel Aguas ClarasStaysBoutique hotel of brightly painted Caribbean-style bungalows right on Playa Chiquita, south of Puerto Viejo.
  • Hotel Banana AzulStaysAdults-only beachfront hotel on Playa Negra just outside Puerto Viejo, with a pool, a beach bar and villas with plunge pools across the road.
  • Laguna Lodge TortugueroStays · from $291.54Jungle lodge between the canals and the Caribbean sea in Tortuguero.
  • Pacuare LodgeStays · from $150Luxury eco-lodge of 20 thatched bungalows on the banks of the Pacuare River.
  • Rios LodgeStays · from $2,524Off-grid eco-lodge on the Pacuare River that guests reach by raft or on foot, inside a 1,000-hectare private rainforest reserve.
  • Tortuga Lodge & GardensStays · from $150Riverside lodge in Tortuguero set in plantation-style gardens, offering guided boat, kayak and turtle-nesting tours.

Tours & Adventure

  • Rainforest Adventures Braulio CarrilloTours & Adventure · from $46Atlantic-slope rainforest park near Guápiles with a cable-car tram through the treetops, a canopy zipline, hanging bridges and small orchid and butterfly gardens and snake and frog exhibits.
  • TerraventurasTours & Adventure · takes 4 h–6 h · from $50Puerto Viejo tour operator since 1998 running canopy, snorkeling, horseback and rainforest tours on the southern Caribbean coast.
  • Veragua RainforestTours & Adventure · from $60200-acre private rainforest reserve less than an hour from Limón with guided trails, an aerial gondola over the canopy, a zipline course, wildlife exhibits and waterfalls on the grounds.

Sodas & Local Food

  • Soda KaweSodas & Local FoodBudget-friendly soda right by the Cahuita National Park entrance, good for gallo pinto and fruit plates before a hike or a casado after it.
  • Soda TamaraSodas & Local FoodPopular Puerto Viejo spot for Caribbean home cooking with a reggae soundtrack: rondón stew, Caribbean ribs and chicken, seafood fried rice and big plates of patacones with guacamole.

Yoga & Wellness

  • The Indulgence Spa (La Costa de Papito)Yoga & Wellness · from $40Treatment rooms in the gardens of La Costa de Papito in Cocles, open to non-guests, with massages, chocolate-based skin treatments, facials and a salon.

Trip Planners

  • TOP Costa RicaTrip Planners · from $67Costa Rican travel company with an online platform where agencies can book over 700 activities and custom trips in real time.

Secret spots in Caribbean Coast

  • Parque Central de GuápilesParkA public park in Guápiles, Costa Rica.
  • Tortuguero CanalsNature spotA maze of natural and dug waterways behind the beach, nicknamed Costa Rica's Amazon.
  • Tortuguero National Park (Cuatro Esquinas entrance)ParkCanals, beach and swamp forest at the top of the Caribbean coast, famous for green and leatherback turtle nesting.
  • Cahuita National Park (Kelly Creek)Trail · about $2The donation-only entrance to Cahuita National Park at the edge of town: a flat beachside trail through the forest where sloths, howler monkeys and raccoons are very likely sightings.
  • Playa Blanca (Cahuita)Beach · about $2Cahuita National Park's main beach, a long arc of pale sand fringed by forest, just a short walk past the Kelly Creek entrance.
  • Playa CoclesBeach · FreeThe surf beach of the south Caribbean: a long, lively stretch of golden sand with consistent waves, surf schools and a lifeguard tower.
  • Playa ManzanilloBeach · FreeThe end of the road and the gateway to the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge: a sleepy Afro-Caribbean village with a calm, reef-protected beach and jungle right behind it.
  • Playa Negra (Puerto Viejo)Beach · FreePuerto Viejo's long black-sand beach, stretching north of town under coconut palms: usually calmer than Cocles and quieter than the town beach.
  • Playa Puerto Vargas (Cahuita National Park south entrance)BeachLong beach and forest edge at the south end of Cahuita National Park, reached through the paid Puerto Vargas gate.
  • Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (town center)Landmark · FreeThe hub of the south Caribbean: one main road of bike rentals, souvenir shops, bars and tour desks with the beach just behind.
  • Puerto Viejo ShipwreckLandmark · FreeThe rusting hull of an old boat in the shallows off Puerto Viejo's town beach, with a tree growing out of it: the village's best-known photo spot.
  • Punta Cahuita ReefNature spot · about $2The headland at the heart of Cahuita National Park, wrapped by the largest living coral reef on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, with parrotfish, rays and two colonial-era shipwrecks offshore.
  • Punta Manzanillo TrailTrail · FreeA jungle trail from the end of Manzanillo beach into the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge, climbing to a lookout over turquoise coves and the reef below.
  • Punta Uva BeachBeach · FreeOften called the prettiest beach on the Caribbean coast: turquoise water sheltered by a reef, white sand and palms leaning over the water.
  • Salsa Brava (Puerto Viejo surf break)Nature spot · FreeThe heavy reef wave in front of Puerto Viejo, one of the Caribbean's best-known surf breaks.
  • Tortuguero BeachBeach · FreeThe wild black-sand beach right behind Tortuguero village, the most important green-turtle nesting beach in the western Caribbean.
  • Tortuguero VillageLandmark · FreeA car-free Afro-Caribbean village squeezed between the lagoon and the sea, linked by sandy paths with brightly painted houses, sodas and the small Sea Turtle Conservancy visitor center.
  • Braulio Carrillo National Park (Quebrada González entrance)Park · about $25The park's main public entrance on Highway 32, with short rainforest trails, picnic tables and restrooms.
  • Bribri WaterfallWaterfall · about $2A pair of jungle waterfalls linked by a creek, just off the road past Bribri town, with a chilly pool that shakes off the Caribbean heat.
  • Cahuita Village (Main Street)Landmark · FreeLaid-back Afro-Caribbean beach village with one main street of wooden shops, sodas and bars, right at the edge of Cahuita National Park.
  • Catarata Dos AguasWaterfall · hidden gemTwo streams merge into one deep, clear swimming basin.
  • Catedral del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús LimónLandmarkA church in Limón, Costa Rica.
  • Cerro TortugueroViewpoint · about $2At 119 m, the highest point on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast: an old volcanic hill with 400-plus steps up to a lookout over the canals, endless rainforest and the turtle beach.
  • Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge (Manzanillo entrance)Park · FreeFree-to-enter coastal refuge with rainforest trail, quiet coves, reefs and sea stacks east of Manzanillo.
  • Manzanillo VillageLandmark · FreeThe last village at the end of the coast road: palm-lined beach, small cabinas and the start of the Gandoca-Manzanillo reserve trails.
  • Parque Vargas (Limón)Landmark · FreeLimón's seafront park, with an old bandstand, tall palms and a view across the water to Isla Uvita, where Columbus anchored on his fourth voyage in 1502.
  • Playa Bonita (Limón)Beach · FreeLimón's local beach, a small curve of sand framed by reef: a weekend hangout for families and, when a swell hits, a heavy reef break for experienced surfers.
  • Playa ChiquitaBeach · Free · hidden gemA string of small coves between Cocles and Punta Uva, with jungle hanging over the sand and coral-rimmed tide pools.
  • Playa Negra (Cahuita)Beach · Free · hidden gemA long black-sand beach on the north side of Cahuita village: palm-lined, quiet and a world away from the park crowds.
  • Punta Uva PointViewpoint · Free · hidden gemA short path climbs from the end of Punta Uva beach onto the rocky headland, with views up and down the coast and a little sea cave with a natural arch just off the trail.
  • Sixaola Border BridgeBridge · FreeAn old iron railway-style bridge over the Sixaola River linking Costa Rica and Panama, with a plank walkway for people crossing the border on foot.
  • Volio WaterfallWaterfall · about $4A 15-meter waterfall plunging into a big, deep pool in the forest near Volio, with smaller cascades and a ladder down to lower pools.
  • Anita Grande PlazaParkA public park near Jiménez, Limón province.
  • Dechibeta Hot SpringsSwimming spotHot springs in the Cabécar indigenous territory of Valle de la Estrella, in the Talamanca range.
  • El Fortín Lookout (Limón)Viewpoint · Free · hidden gemA small old fort on a rise in downtown Limón that doubles as a lookout over the rooftops, the port and the Caribbean.
  • Finca EncantoWaterfall · hidden gemMarked trail with railings, swimmable pool, camping.
  • Humedal Nacional CariariNature spotA national wetland on the Caribbean coast of Limón that protects mangroves and marine areas.
  • Isla UvitaNature spot · Free · hidden gemA small forested island less than a kilometre off Limon, where Columbus dropped anchor in 1502.
  • Jiminez ParkParkA public park near Jiménez, Limón province.
  • Parismina (Barra del Parismina)Landmark · Free · hidden gemA tiny roadless village where the Parismina river meets the sea, halfway between Limon and Tortuguero.
  • Parque Internacional La AmistadParkLa Amistad is a transboundary protected area shared by Costa Rica and Panama, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Parque nacional CahuitaParkCahuita National Park protects beaches, lowland forest and a coral reef on the southern Caribbean coast, next to the town of Cahuita.
  • Playa GandocaBeach · Free · hidden gemA remote beach at the southern end of the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge, backed by a mangrove lagoon; leatherback turtles come ashore to nest here in spring.
  • Puerto Ecológico Caño BlancoParkA public park near Reventazón, Limón province.
  • Punta Uva River (kayak and paddle spot)Nature spot · hidden gemA calm creek behind the Punta Uva beach that locals and visitors paddle by kayak, an easy way to see birds and jungle edge away from the surf.
  • Reserva Biológica Hitoy CerereNature spotA biological reserve in the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area, created in 1971.
  • Reserva de la cordillera de TalamancaNature spotThe Talamanca Range reserves on the Costa Rica–Panama border, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
  • Reserva Forestal Pacuare MatinaNature spotA forest reserve on the Caribbean side, created in 1973 and managed by the Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area.
  • Sendero de CoclesTrailA trail near Cahuita, Limón province.
  • Barbilla National Park (ranger station)Park · about $5 · hidden gemOne of Costa Rica's least-visited parks: wet rainforest along the Dantas River with almost no visitor facilities.
  • Bri BriWaterfall · hidden gemA waterfall near Cahuita, Limón province.
  • Catarata AyilWaterfall · hidden gemA waterfall near Chirripó, in the Caribbean coast.
  • Catarata Las GolondrinasWaterfall · hidden gemA waterfall near Mercedes, Limón province.
  • Cataratas y poza de río en Catarata de CahuitaViewpoint · hidden gemA viewpoint near Cahuita, Limón province.
  • Coco de Rasta BeachBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Jardín Etno-Botanico del Caribe UCRTrail · hidden gemA trail near Limón, Limón province.
  • Mirador de Punta CoclesViewpoint · hidden gemA viewpoint near Cahuita, Limón province.
  • Mirador Piedra CoclesViewpoint · hidden gemA viewpoint near Cahuita, Limón province.
  • Mirador Santa EduvigesViewpoint · hidden gemA viewpoint near Limón, Limón province.
  • nature park - ViveroViewpoint · hidden gemA viewpoint near Këköldi, Limón province.
  • Playa BananitoBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa BiteBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa CieneguitaBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa GrandeBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa Los BañosBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa MoínBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa Ned CreekBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa San ClamenteBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa VizcayaBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Playa WestfaliaBeachA beach in the Caribbean coast.
  • Punto de snorkel en Playa ChiquitaViewpoint · hidden gemA snorkelling spot near Cahuita, Limón province.
  • Sendero cerca de LimónTrail · hidden gemA trail near Limón, Limón province.