A palm over the shore and the bay at Puerto Viejo

Costa Rica / Puerto Viejo / Getting around

Puerto Viejo · Getting around

Getting aroundPuerto Viejo

Bike by day, taxi after dark, the local bus down the coast. A car only if you are leaving it.

Bikemost days≈ 20 minbus to ManzanilloTaxiafter dark
Pick your ride

What are you doing?

Answer that, and the transport sorts itself out.

  1. A rental bikeThe town is small and the road is flat. There are more bikes than cars on it.
  2. Tuk-tuk for short hopsA little cheaper than a taxi in town. Agree the price first.
  1. Bike to Punta UvaThe flat road from town is a pleasure to ride. Carry on to Manzanillo by day only.
  2. Local busIt stops at Cocles, Playa Chiquita and Punta Uva on the way, so it works as a beach-hopper.
  3. Tuk-tuk homeIf you would rather not cycle back, most carry a bike rack.
  1. TaxiAgree the fare before you get in. Your guesthouse or restaurant can call one and knows the going rate.
  2. Tuk-tukFine for short hops around town after dinner.
  3. Not the bikePast Punta Uva at night, take a car rather than cycle.
  1. MEPE local bus to ManzanilloAbout 20 minutes, several departures a day, cash to the driver. The cheapest way without a car.
  2. MEPE bus to CahuitaAbout 25–30 minutes. The fare was ₡1,025 in May 2026; timetables change.
  3. TaxiWhen the timetable does not suit you, or after dark.
  1. Shuttle or bus to San JoséSee Puerto Viejo to the airport and San José to Puerto Viejo.
  3. A rental carOnly if the South Caribbean is one leg of a longer trip, or you will be out at Cahuita or Manzanillo most days.
Aerial view of a coast road between palm trees and surf in Limón, Costa Rica
The coast road, from above
Four ways

Compared

Fares are rough local norms and shift over time. Carry small bills: almost nothing here takes a card.

Default

Rental bike

  • A few dollars a day, less by the week
  • Flat road from town to Punta Uva
  • Test brakes, take a lock, add lights for dusk
Cheapest

Local bus (MEPE)

  • Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo, several times a day
  • Cash to the driver, about 20 minutes to the end
  • Timetable posted at the stop; it changes with the season
After dark

Taxi & tuk-tuk

  • Agree the fare before you get in
  • Ask your guesthouse to call one
  • No ride-hailing apps to count on
Rarely

Rental car

  • Parking is tight and the road has potholes
  • Worth it for day trips off the coast
  • Hire it for the days you need, not the whole stay
The coast road

One flat road, five stops

Schematic, not to scale. The full run from town to Manzanillo is about 12 km.

  1. Puerto Viejotown
  2. Cocles
  3. Playa Chiquita
  4. Punta Uva
  5. Manzanilloend
A white three-wheeled tuk-tuk on a leafy road in Puerto Viejo de TalamancaTuk-tuk, Puerto Viejo
A hand-painted signpost on a beach tree reading sand, surf and relaxA signpost on the beach
Before you ride

Four habits

  • Check the brakes and tyres, and ask for a lock.
  • Use lights if you will be out at dusk.
  • Keep to daylight on the quieter stretch beyond Punta Uva toward Manzanillo.
  • Do not leave anything visible in a parked car, anywhere on the coast.
Keep exploring

Where to next?

OverviewThe Puerto Viejo guideTown, beaches and the lay of the land StayWhere to stayAreas and three hotels DoThings to doExperiences on the coast NearbyThe Punta Uva guideThe calm cove LeaveTo the airportBus and shuttle options End of the roadManzanilloThe refuge and Punta Mona

Sources. Bus: MEPE timetable as published by Puerto Viejo Satellite (January 2026) and fares (May 2026). Distances are approximate. Photographs are credited on Photography credits.