Laidback beachlife in Puerto Viejo

I've been on several beaches on the pacific side of Central America, but for the first time, I've now visited a beach town on the caribbean side. It was Puerto Viejo, which is very close to the border to Panama, and eventhough it rained some when I was there, it was great.

In Puerto Viejo you really see the results of the rain, cause it's so green and luxuriant. Maybe that's why it's easier to accept the rain there.

In Puerto Viejo I met a lot of costarican people who were remarkly different from the people I met in the capital San José and on the pacific-side beaches. They were more 'rasta' in Puerto Viejo, and the fact that they are speaking english very well there made the visit pretty different from other costarican beaches.

Puerto Viejo has plenty of things to offer. I went on a turtle tour to see the huge 300-kilo turtles nest on the beach at night, and it was a nice experience though it was a bit dramatic. The boat almost capsized. I also went on a bicycle tour of 26 kilometers on a road that went through the forest. We saw monkeys, birds and other animals.

And if you wanna see even more exotic animals, Puerto Viejo is very close to two national parks where you can meet snakes, monkeys, sloths, birds in any color and more. The entry fee is a donation, so you choose the ammount. Five US dollars are a fair donation.

There were also lots of bars and restaurant in Puerto Viejo, and even some big supermarkets. Most of the hostels have kitchen, so there are good options of eating fairly cheap. I stayed the first couple of nights in the famous Rockin' J hostel, and it was okay. The guests mainly live in tents and hammocks there, but I stayed in a private room. It was nice, and Rockin' J has some neat surroundings, but suddenly after two days the staff told me that the room was reserved for other people. Pretty bad service, as they told me that five days wouldn't be a problem when I arrived. I could pay from day to day, they said. Turned out to be wrong, though.

Insterad I went to something called Cabinas Palmer more downtown. Rockin' J is approximately one kilometer from the downtown and the road can be dark at night. Cabinas Palmer was better located, cheaper and nicer rooms. It was small though, so not much party at night, so if that's what you're looking for, go to Rockin' J. That they have.