Costa Rica / Puerto Viejo / 3-day itinerary
Puerto Viejo · 3-day plan
Town first, coast road second, forest third. Every afternoon left loose.
No rental car. You ride bicycles, with one day on the local bus or in a taxi. February to March and September to October give the driest, calmest version.
Settle in, don’t rush
Drop your bags, then rent bikes for the whole stay.
Beach time. Swim where the lifeguards are assigned, and ask about the sea before going in.
Walk into town to see Salsa Brava breaking, then eat Caribbean: rice and beans in coconut milk, or rondón if a kitchen is making it. Early night.
Ride south to the point
Cycle the flat road south and stop at the small beach entrances.
Swim and snorkel the calm cove, then have a long lunch.
Carry on for the walk into the refuge toward Punta Mona. It is about 20 minutes from town by local bus if your legs have had enough.
Tuk-tuk the bikes home if you are tired.
A morning in the park
About 25–30 minutes on the local bus. Walk the flat coastal trail from the Kelly Creek gate: sloths and howler monkeys are commonly seen, especially with a guide.
Eat in the village, then head back to Puerto Viejo. More in the Cahuita guide and the wildlife guide.
The three days as a 4-page PDF: stops, timing, and what to change if you have more or less time. No sign-up.
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Cocles, Chiquita, Punta Uva, Cahuita and a plate worth stopping for.
The shape changes with the time you have.
Keep Day 1 and Day 2.
If the sea is calm, snorkel the Cahuita reef instead.
Add less, not more.
Four or five days is room to slow down, not to add more stops.
Base yourself at Cocles.
Keep the park day.
Same shape, shorter reach.
More in Puerto Viejo with kids.
This plan assumes bikes and no rental car, so a base in town or at Cocles keeps every day easy. See the five areas of the coast and the three hotels we picked.