Title: Travelogue Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2010-04-25 Author: The Disillusioned Graduate 
|  A hilarious retrospective storytelling of a two month stay in Puerto Viejo by a recent college graduate. Full of colorful characters and honest experiences.
I graduated from college in May, 2008, and the outlook was grim. The economy was in the toilet and Bachelor Degrees were about as useful and sought after as snowtires in Texas. I am part of the generation for advanced education…Where young people with a college education are some of the most in-debt and in-experienced.
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Title: Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast: Super Cheap and Super Fun! Type: Blog Date: 2010-04-22 Author: Mary Mudd 
|  Depending on where you go in Costa Rica you can spend a fortune or get by on ridiculously little. Although the country itself is very small its tourist hot spots comprise a wide range of cultural diversity and offer
many different microclimates. If you choose to stay in the Arenal Volcano area near La Frotuna for instance, don't expect $200 to go very far at all! Most hotels are around $100 per night, and although there are a couple of hostels, the cost of a local restaurants and activities will run up quite the tab in no time!
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Title: Surviving A Massive Earthquake and Tsunami: What It Feels Like Type: Blog Date: 2010-03-05 Author: Steve Casimiro 
|  In April 1991, Costa Rica was struck by a 7.6 or 7.7 scale earthquake (experts still don’t agree on the magnitude). My girlfriend (now wife) Joni and I were in the far southeastern corner of the country, warming up in the Caribbean after a long winter. On this day, we’d rented bikes in a village called Cahuiti, rode a half-dozen miles south to Puerto Viejo, and spent the afternoon lounging on the beach. Around 3:30, clouds moved across the sun and at 3:57, as we were about to leave, the earthquake hit. This is what happened next.
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Title: Costa Rica…with more detail Type: Blog Date: 2010-03-03 Author: Janna Polzin 
|  Costa Rica was absolutely beautiful. The leaves were green, the air was moist, the people were relaxed, the beer was refreshing, and the sand crabs were really really cool.
The journey started with a 3:30 am pickup from home to get to the airport for a 6:20 flight. Awesome. US customs guy was really mean. Though I think I would be if I was working at 4:30 am. Flights were fine, stopover in Miami was fine. Finally got to San Jose at about 2ish. We arranged a pickup from the airport to the bus station that was halfway across town. Our driver told us that there is around 5 million people in Costa Rica and 2 million of them are all in San Jose. Crazy. Grabbed a bus at 4 and spent the next 4.5 hours getting to the Caribbean coast. There was a delay in the mountains because of a lot of atmospheric fog! We finally arrived in Puerto Viejo after 19 hours of trying to get there. Good stuff.
Recommendation: Book your transportation through Gecko Trail Adventures! |
Title: Getting a Life in Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2010-02-15 Author: Benita Hussain 
|  I am beginning to feel alive again, slowly but surely, here in Costa Rica. Every drip of sweat that makes its way over my collarbones and down my top is another piece of New York's winter and aggression that leaves my body. And, I swear, there is a lot of sweat, caked underneath rain, mud, horse manure and salt water.
My first three days were spent heading south to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, a Caribbean town 30km north of the Panama's border, and settling into my home for the next 2.5 months: a room in the Playa Cocles jungle/mountain home of Edwin Salem (below-right), one of the original Mavericks surfers, owner of Seahorse Stables, and a friend of my girl June's father.
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Title: South Caribbean Adventures: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca & The Organic Feria Type: Blog Date: 2010-02-01 Author: Just Making Noise
|  This is the beginning of many posts to come about our adventures in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca located on the southern part of the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The drive down there was beautiful and a whole different world from the Pacific side of Costa Rica. We drove through a breathtaking rainforest reserve, over many rivers , past large banana & pineapple plantations and miles of coconut trees along the coast. Can you tell that I've fallen in love with the Caribbean?!
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Title: Saying goodbye to Costa Rica! Type: Blog Date: 2010-01-27 Author: Nikkie Wolf 
|  Yes, finally I am tearing myself away from Central America and heading south so I thought I'd give you a quick update on what I've been up to and what happens next!
I've been keeping myself busy since my last post. I came back to Puerto Viejo for New Year which was a bit of a culture shock. 2 weeks deep in the jungle and then arriving back in the party town of Puerto the day before New Year. The town was packed and spirits were high so a good time was had by all. Needless to say I over-indulged and felt awful the next day but that is what NY eve is all about isn't it?
Recommendation: Go diving! |
Title: Costa Rica: Day 8 Type: Blog Date: 2010-01-06 Author: Tyler Ingram 
|  Alright, the last couple days of our Costa Rica trip were fairly busy so on Day 8 but we were booked to do a Sea and River Kayak trip at Punta Uva. This trip was to replace the snorkeling trip we did not get to do due to the size of the waves, but in the end it was very enjoyable.
We were picked up at the Banana Azul and headed into Punta Uva with 4 other people (2 Americans and a couple from Romania). Once we got to Punta Uva and the Kayaks were unloaded we got into them and floated around a bit as our guide helped the other people learn to paddle. Robyn and I took level 1 kayaking at Deep Cove in 2008 so we were pretty comfortable on the water.
Recommendation: Do the Kayaking trip at Punta Uva |
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Title: Costa Rica: Day 6 Type: Blog Date: 2010-01-01 Author: Tyler Ingram
|  The plan for Day 6 was to head into Manzanillo rainforest (Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo) with a local guide, so we did just that. We were picked up at the Banana Azul at 7am (5am for you pacific time people) and headed into Puerto Viejo to pick up our guide Ricky and continue on to Manzanillo.
The park spans from Manzanillo south down to the Panama boarder encompassing 5,013 hectares of land and 4,436 hectares of ocean. It protects 70% of the Southern Caribbean coast.
You can tell that Manzanillo area is more of a daytime area as it was pretty quiet. No one in the streets, no cars parked, nobody at the beach.
Recommendation: Go to the Gandoca-Manzanillo Reserve with a guide |
Title: Costa Rica: day 5 Type: Blog Date: 2009-12-31 Author: Tyler Ingram
|  Day 5 of our stay at Puerto Viejo was not as grueling as our trek up the beach into Cahuita, but it was just as interesting if not a little bit more.
Even though today is Day 6 here in Puerto Viejo, I did not have time to work on a post for Day 5 as it was pretty busy. We first caught a Taxi from the Banana Azul into Puerto Viejo though that wasn’t our intended destination. We originally were going to take the taxi all the way to the Jaguar Rescue Centre which is south of Puerto Viejo, closer to Punta Uva.
Did I mention I am writing this post from the comfort of our hammock? If only we had a bigger place in the West End, I would so set myself up in a hammock.
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Title: Costa Rica: day 4 Type: Blog Date: 2009-12-30 Author: Tyler Ingram
|  Day 4 here in Costa Rica has proven to be adventurous. We took a suggestion from the Lonely Planet Guide for Costa Rica and traveled roughly 10Km along the beach up towards Cahuita (Parque Nacional Cahuita).
Parque Nacional Cahuita at just 1067 hectares and is one of the more frequently visited national parks in Costa Rica. Primarily made up of Coconut Palms and Sea Grapes, it also includes a swampy area at Punta Cahuita. Granted we never made it that far to see the swampy area with Mango tress, but later this week we will be doing a snorkeling and hiking tour of the Cahuita park in more detail.
Recommendation: Explore Cahuita N.P. with a guide |
Title: Day Two: Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-10-25 Author: ezwriter 
|  Day two started out bright and early. Made my morning trek into a deserted Puerto Viejo (everyone else is still asleep from the partying the night before) planning on breakfast prior to my morning snorkel trip with Reef Runners. Our group was meeting at 8:30am - - being up and out by 7 meant I had plenty of time for breakfast and a couple of cups of (yummy!) coffee.
Surprises started with a couple of horses grazing in a ocean-front field next to the dive center and the bus station. Not sure where they came from, or where they go during the day, but it was not a bad way to start your morning. Luckily, in the same building as the dive center is Soda Louisa - - and they open at 6am! No one here spoke any English, so ordering was a challenge.
Recommendation: Take a snorkel trip with Reef Runner! |
Title: First Whole Day in Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-10-24 Author: ezwriter
|  I arrived late into Puerto Viejo late on 10/23 after my whitewater trip down the Pacuare River. My outfitter, Expladores Outdoors including a transfer to my hotel free of charge in my raft package. This is a fantastic service and they literally delivered me to the front door of my hotel.
It was around 5pm - - already well past sunset in this part of the world. I checked in, got cleaned up and took a taxi into town to have dinner. Early evening is actually pretty quiet - as a party town - - people don't come out until later and then stay out all night. Given the rain, the darkness and the fact that I had NO IDEA what I was dealing with, I decided to turn in early and be ready to take on the town in the light of day.
Recommendation: Take the rafting trip to get to Puerto Viejo |
Title: Interbus a Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-10-20 Author: Tyler and Coraleigh 
|  Today we rode the Interbus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo. It was really convenient and it picked us up right from our hotel and dropped us off at our place in Puerto Viejo. We left at 7:40am and got here around 12:30pm. What a crazy ride, but for you moms out there it was totally 100% safe with no banditos :O) We picked up four other people before leaving San Jose. A local dentist going to a clinic, a local businesswoman traveling to a hotel, and an Australian guy that was looking to study Spanish in San Jose for 6 months, but changed his mind after 2 days there. hahaha. Along the way we passed all the major banana farms like Chiquita, Dole, and Del Monte. We drove on some twisty roads through the mountains and rainforest, and along gravel roads by the beach. This place is really out here in the middle of nowhere.
Recommendation: Book Interbus to Puerto Viejo |
Title: Jungle Fever on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast Type: Blog Date: 2009-07-30 Author: Chris Gray 
|  As the howls of spider monkeys echoed around our forested cabin, I tried to open my eyes – only to find that they were crusted shut. “This is not good,” I called out to Don, who was doing a scorpion check of the bathroom. He came out, his eyes red around the rims. “Great, I have it too,” he groused. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to pass this off.”
We were in Tortuguero- a national park on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast that gave new meaning to remote. We had taken two buses and a two-hour boat ride down jungle-lined canals to get here, mostly so we could witness the spectacle of giant sea turtles nesting on the beach at night...
Recommendation: Go rafting on the Pacuare River to get to Puerto Viejo |
Title: Yamangurl's travel to Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2009-07-07 Author: Yamagurl 
|  The camera gear will be in tow and I am salivating at the thought of digitally capturing all the flora and fauna Costa Rica is famous for, not to mention the local flavor.
I have intentionally not pre-planned any activities. Instead, I will awake each day and while I enjoy a cup of that wonderful Costa Rican coffee I will decide what it is I want to do and where I want to go. If anything at all.
I will be staying at a small hotel called Cabinas Guarana, a small property up the road from the beach that is owned by an Italian couple.
Recommendation: Travel via Interbus |
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Title: Banana Azul in Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-06-26 Author: Lily N 
|  We stayed in the Apartment at Banana Azul for a week. The Apartment was the owners’ residence until they finished their home just a few meters away from the property. As a result, their pets would often wander up and sleep on the furniture in the Apartment. We had two cats who regularly visited and Benji the Dog. All were polite and lovely pets and it really made it feel like home for us because we have three dogs and two cats at home. There was an amazing open-air bathroom with a deep tub and shower that faced out into the forest. The apartment is on the second floor so no one was “looking in” while we showered.
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Title: The Volun-Tourist: Learning to surf Type: Blog Date: 2009-06-26 Author: Anna Salinas
|  Here’s how I feel about hammocks: they’re too small. They’re not suited for stomach-sleepers. They rock too much. There’s no place to tuck in your sheets.
But for one weekend, I decided to put aside my hammock hate and settle down in the aptly named hostel, Rocking J’s. The place is in Puerto Viejo, a tiny beach town on the east coast that’s become a popular haven for backpackers, local surfers, and surfing backpackers.
And like the Rasta-influenced town, Rocking J’s feels overwhelmingly Caribbean. “Por favor, vaya a la playa,” requests a sign in the lobby. Beside the text are two marijuana leaves ex-ed out in red lines.
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Title: Costa Rica's lesser-known Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-06-09 Author: Budget Travel Magazine 
|  Whenever anyone writes about Costa Rica they're usually referring to the west coast or the string of volcanoes. But I reckon the best place in Costa Rica is the little publicized Caribbean coast—untouched by mass tourism, no big resorts or group tourism, beaches that rival anything the 'traditional Caribbean' has to offer—and all without a hefty price tag.…
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Title: January 09 Trip to Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2009-01-31 Author: joe brannan
|  Puerto Viejo is kind of the hub of the southern Caribbean coast. Lots of restaurants, some shopping, and an array of lodging from hostel types to cabinas (usually little individual cabins or houses) to full size villa rentals. PV is big time surfer town with famed (or so they? say) break at Salsa Brava just south of town. Lots of people carrying surfboards on foot and on bicycles (looked kind of difficult to me but I have very little sense of balance).
Recommendation: Stay at Hotel Suerre |
Title: Where the Jungle Meets the Sea Type: Blog Date: 2009-01-30 Author: Alf Anderson
| Impenetrable forest, the white spray of cataracts tumbling through the greenery across distant hillsides, titanium-bright blue morpho butterflies bobbing past you.
On the last day of our stay in Costa Rica I asked Mike, a Californian surfer we’d hooked up with on arrival, how he’d sum up his visit. “Great place, great people, great beaches - yeah, that’s about it”. Well, I suppose you might expect a classic soundbite from a Californian, but his comments were a pretty accurate - if short - summary of the country’s Caribbean coast.
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Title: i wanna go throw up so i can eat some more Type: Blog Date: 2008-11-16 Author: sarah laccabue
| for the past two days i have basically been back in arcata (minus the overcast gross weather). everywhere i go there are hippies and some of the streets smell like weed. right back at home!
it is beautiful though. hot weather, sun and ocean. we are staying at the banana azul in puerto negro and the 13 room hotel basically has a private beach so yesterday we all layed out and played in the warmest ocean water i have ever been in. i layed on the hammock and read my book. it was perfect!
in the afternoon we went to the jungle spa and had wonderful massages and i got a banana honey body mask and got wrapped in banana leaves.
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Title: Be Pampered In A Spa In The Middle Of The Jungle Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-29 Author: Bobby Rica
|  Just as I thought that the attractions of Costa Rica have reached its full potential, I stumbled upon this pure jungle spa situated in Puerto Viejo, right across Playa Cocles in the Southern Caribbean coast. It’s the perfect place if you want to indulge yourself in a variety of body treatments aiming to soothe every tired muscle and abate work-induced stress.
Owing to its location (right in the jungle), the La Costa de Papito Pure Jungle Spa was built to complement its surroundings.
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Title: Jungle Explorers Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-13 Author: The Gordons 
|  During our travel planning, we reached out to a local non-profit, who provides educational assistance, food, and micro loans mainly to indigenous people in Costa Rica. We brought a 50 lbs box of school supplies for the school children. Through this experience we’ve communicated with the owner, Barry and Nancy and finally were going to be meeting them. They live one mile from our hotel. What amazing people they are. We visited for a good hour or longer and discussed...
Recommendation: Hike in Cahuita National Park |
Title: Our Journey to the Edge of the World Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-12 Author: The Gordons
|  We were in complete awe at the fact that we were literally in the middle of the jungle. We pulled up to our hotel gate, no radio and windows rolled down. You could hear a combination of the end of a tropical thunderstorm, the waves and the loudest bugs/crickets we’ve ever heard.
We strolled up to the open air common area and checked in. Nina checked us in and took us up to our rooms. The 12 room hotel is newly built, all wood and very open and airy – almost a hostel like feel. Our room has large doors out to our massive patios with our table, chairs, relaxing chair and hammock. From our bed with the doors open you can hear the distinct sound of calm ocean waves lapping against the shore. Then Nina said a magical phrase that was music to our ears – “When you’re ready head down to the bar for your welcome drink.”
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Title: Travel to Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-06 Author: L. Gruger Art & Travels
|  We went to Austin, Texas first for 2 days and enjoyed the music scene. And then got up early to get to the airport to fly to San Jose, Costa Rica. We had a long travelling day yesterday. After we landed in C.R. we took a 4 hour bus ride to Puerto Viejo. We had got up at 4 a.m. to drive to the airport. Puerto Viejo is a small town/village on the Caribbean coast. It has a jamaican feel to it. Very laid back and artsy. We're staying at Hotel Guarana, a very nice, charming, comfortable place to stay with little cabinas. There is lots of green jungle surrounding the area with beautiful beaches. I'll try to post some more pics of the village and beach soon.
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Title: Ron Don, Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-05 Author: The Hungry Cyclist 
| After weeks living on the Gallo Pinto, the rather romantic name given to no more than rice and beans, thoughts arriving at Costa Rica´s Caribbean Coast filled me with pangs of excitement. I was longing for my fix of pristine, palm-lined beaches, live reggae and colorful culture. But most of all my taste buds were itching for a well needed and much belated hit of Caribbean Flavor.
Jerked chicken, coconut bread and patty's were all on the menu but the famous Run Down, pronounced Ron Don, was frustratingly impossible to find. A dish that is saved for family occasions it is near impossible to find in the tourist restaurants and cafes of the small towns that hug the stunning coast line. So while drowning my cullinary sorrows in a small bar in the town of Puerto Viejo, you can imagine my delight when a local fishermen said he would show me how to make this traditional fisherman's dish.
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Title: Puerto Viejo, another little Paradise Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-02 Author: Dreamcatcher14
| Carribean in every way from the rastas hanging out of the roadside bars...to the very chilled waiters taking about an hour to serve a meal...hehehe..
But not to worry, we soon got the hang of things and acclimatised to Carribean beach time.
I can't recommend enough Banana Azul. Hidden amongst the rainforest ,on the edge of the Carribean Sea, stood this idyllic and gorgeous hotel made of natural resources
Recommendation: Stay at Banana Azul |
Title: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - the Caribe de Costa Rica... Type: Blog Date: 2008-08-30 Author: Somebody Wake Me
|  Back in good old Costa Rica with the Ticos, casados, sodas and great music! Tab and I headed to the town of Puerto Viejo located on the Southern Caribbean of Costa Rica. We didn't have reservations anywhere and ended up at a small place outside of town. It was OK, but definitely not Aqua Lodge caliber. We chilled out and had dinner and called it a night. The next day, Tab was off to San Jose to catch a flight back to the bay. Poor Tab, she was in for a long bumpy ride back to the airport. That is the one thing I forgot (and quickly remembered) about Costa Rica, the roads are horrible. That morning, I made my way into town and found Cabinas Guanara. The owners are Italian and Paulo kept saying "ciao bella" in Italian - loved it! They gave me a great deal so I stayed for 3 nights!
Recommendation: Stay at Cabinas Guarana |
Title: thank you God for this amazing life!! Type: Blog Date: 2008-08-25 Author: thecalmafterthehurricane 
| En serio. I had an awesome weekend in Puerto Viejo de Limon. I completely fell in love with the place. Its in the carribean coast, with beautiful beaches, and a culture that is unlike any other in Costa Rica. Most of the locals there have Jamaican decent, so they have an accent but speak spanish. Its so tight!! So almost every store, restaurant, and bar are painted in red, yellow and green, bumpin their reggae music, and owned and filled with dreadlocked rastafarians. I LOVE IT.
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Title: My life in the Caribbean photo-blog. Type: Blog Date: 2008-08-23 Author: bernalpacheco 
|  So i quit my old job and moved to Manzanillo Town a couple´ years ago. I went to film school and i do some photography as well. Here´s some things about my new happier life: pics, silly thoughts, just random stuff i hope you like.
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Title: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca Type: Blog Date: 2008-08-22 Author: The Hideout
|  After I spent another night (alone) in San Jose in a very cheap and sketchy area I went to the very south-east of Costa Rica, close to the border to Panama. At 10am my bus left and after four hours I arrived at this popular beach place. I was told that it has the whitest beaches you could imagine. I tried to find them, but I was a bit disappointed at first.
I went to the Hotel “Puerto Viejo” where I got a little cabin/hut for $10 a day. It was a nice place, maybe not as nice as the Rocking J’s that everybody was recommending, where you could sleep in a (rented) tent and even in a hammock, which was the cheapest way. However it was a bit off the center, but not so much.
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Title: Speeding to Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2008-08-16 Author: Bubbles and Bugs 
| Since we last left off, we headed out of Tortuguero and on to Puerto Viejo to celebrate Julia´s 30th birthday! On the way there, we got stuck behind 2 semi´s and tried for almost 30 minutes to pass them. Finally there was a break in traffic and Jason floored it. Unfortuntely we didn´t see the cop with the speedometer on the side of the road and we were pulled over. To make a long story short, Jason didn´t get hauled off to Costa Rican prison, but was issued a $50 ticket and was told he can no longer drive in Costa Rica. Julia took the wheel and we all made it in one piece.
Recommendation: Let someone else do the driving |
Title: In Costa Rica backpacking through the Country! Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-30 Author: Dianna 
| After the first day in San Jose we decided to head to the Caribbean side (Puerto Viejo) of Costa Rica and let me tell you it is amazing!! The beach is so warm, there are wild horses just chilling by the ocean and everyone is very kind! We got to rent bikes and ride them to Punta Uva, which was about a 8-10mile bike ride..yup we were exhausted. Punta Uva is a small little town not too far away from Puerto Viejo, its a cute little beach town. And indeed the beach was amazing and the water was very warm and crystal blue! After a day in Puerto Viejo, I was so tempted to take a bus to Panama and enjoy the beautiful islands out there, but I decided that that adventure can wait. From Puerto Viejo, Panama is about 2 hours away or so.
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Title: Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-30 Author: Aerasay
|  On Friday after classes we headed to the bus station and took a 5.5 hr bus journey through Costa Rica to the Caribbean coast. We were lucky to get bus tickets as it was a holiday weekend and people ended up standing for 5.5 hrs! What we hadn't realized was the Puerto Viejo, which is the beach town we went to, is one of the wettest places in Costa Rica and it barely stopped raining the whole weekend! However we just got on with it, the water was warm, the rain was warm and the temperature was warm so we just spent our time in the sea. We stayed at a youth hostel called Rockin' J's which has to be seen to be believed. The walls, floors and every other available surface are covered in mosaic done by previous residents...
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Title: Patience, Young Grasshopper: 5.5 Days on the Southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-26 Author: Journeys with Jillian 
| After a 5-hour busride upon arriving at the San Jose Airport in Costa Rica, I arrived in Puerto Viejo on the souther Caribbean coast. It was about 5 in the evening, it had been raining and storming all day and clouds covered the little beach town and clouded what I hoped would be crystal-clear Caribbean waters...I wasn't yet blown away by the beauty of the Caribbean and was feeling strongly that my heart was still in Guatemala.
Unfortunately in a town with supposedly tons of budget hostel options, I was in desperate need for a private room...
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Title: What’s it like living on the beach? Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-24 Author: Mother Jungle 
|  Ask most Costa Ricans where they went during the month long school break in June and July and hoards will reply: The beach. The rain stops in the Central Valley; off to the beach.
For two years, I owned a home on the beach and when the holidays come, I miss my little wooden house. All the romantic ideas I’ve ever had about the beach are true, especially on the Caribbean, my coast of choice. In the morning I’d walk along the beach and many days see no one except a few monkeys. The sea is clean and the horizon sucked me in like an endless vacuum of light. The kids loved the sand and our little town was as quaint as a little town in a snow-globe. (Hey, now there’s an original souvenir!) Life brimmed on every leaf, in every tree, and in each drop of water.
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Title: Homesick Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-22 Author: Elizabeth and Zack 
| Can I be honest? I’ve spent the past week or so desperately looking forward to going home. Paradise has felt especially un-paradise-like lately.
Nothing has really changed or happened to make me feel this way. It’s just the cumulative effect of a lot of factors that have been in place the whole time. Specifically:
* The bugs. Oh my word, if I could change one thing about this summer, it would be the &$(@#!! bugs.
...
I don’t regret that we’re here. But it’s not paradise. It’s hard, fun, interesting, different, expanding, exhausting, educational… And itchy.
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Title: East Coast Pleasures Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-10 Author: Kay Chornook 
|  My week on the Caribbean was made up of reunions with three friends, two of whom I hadn’t seen in years, hours spent floating in the warm sea and wandering through the shady jungle, a great book (End of the Spear by Steve Saint), and a lot of fish and fresh fruit. The bus ride from San José to Limón and then down the coastal highway to Puerto Viejo was very smooth. You get used to the fact that in Costa Rica the state of the road changes quickly. They get fixed and freshly paved but it doesn’t take long before the pavement is washed out and huge potholes appear, forcing vehicles to wind their way slowly around the obstacles.
Recommendation: Go nighttime turtle watching |
Title: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Cahuita - Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-10 Author: Roel Garcia 
|  Having departed the water taxi and piled into the back of a jeep we arrived at the border crossing, The cross from Panama to Costa Rica was relatively easy. With keen awareness for the man-sized cracks in the engineering masterpiece, we walked across the bridge into our second country. The only slight inconvenience was the deliberate inefficiency of the obviously frustrated-moody-power wielding woman in charge of the most important object to a traveller - the border stamp. after max's scowls and my insincere "gracias" we again caught the jeep into Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
Recommendation: Go Snorkeling |
Title: Tortugas magnificas Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-07 Author: Brandi and Sarah 
| After a relatively sad goodbye to Puerto Viejo, Karen, Brandi and I made our trek to Tortuguero. We took a bus to Limon, and then a boat through the canals to Tortuguero. But wait! Was it really that easy? oh no... of course not! The bus ride went smoothly enough, but then we had to wait for 2.5 hours on gravel or cement in hopes of someone else coming to take the same boat as us. Petrol is expensive everywhere it seems. The boat ride was beautiful, we saw some monkeys, birds and even a crocodile!!
Exhausted we arrived in Tortuguero...
Recommendation: Book a Trip to Tortuguero |
Title: Puerto Viejo....again Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-07 Author: Arnie in Costa Rica
|  Dennis and I went back to Puerto Viejo again to celebrate our birthdays. This is one of our favorite places in Costa Rica. This place takes casual to a different level. It is famous for surfing and you can find all sorts of folks visiting or living here. Located almost as far south on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica before you hit Panama, Puerto Viejo is represented by about 55 countries. The variety of restaurants is a good indication of this fact. You can chow down on local cuisine of a whole fried red snapper, sea bass encrusted with macadama nuts on coconut rice or have a big bowl of Roon Doon.
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Title: 4th of July - but who knew?? Type: Blog Date: 2008-07-04 Author: Brandi and Sarah
| We're finally starting to get some color! We've spent a couple days lounging on the beach that is 2 blocks from where we're staying (Sarah burned the entire back of her legs pretty badly the first day! good job!). In between such lazy days we took a 13 K (note: MASSIVE!!!) bike ride.
Now, at first you might think, wow... what a nice trip to take through some jungle and local cafes. However, imagine doing this on a banana bike cruiser, with little padding on the seat, practically no air in the tires, over an INCREDIBLY bumpy, pot-holey, gravely road. With a few hills that scared the crap out of us going downhill not knowing if we could trust our brakes, and were incredibly hard to go up without walking the bike.
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Title: Manzanillo y Tino! Type: Blog Date: 2008-06-17 Author: InterracialUGACostaRica
|  Today was an amazing day! After another tasty breakfast at Banana Azul (our hotel RIGHT on the beach in Puerto Viejo), we took about a 30-35 minute cab ride with Enrique -our stellar driver- to Manzanillo to take a hike in the wildlife reserve there. A man nicknamed "Tino" (Florentino Hansel) was to be our guide...and it was a match for all of us to truly enjoy! Alaine, our guide from ATEC--a Talamancan conservationist association--told us that Tino is regarded among the community to be the best wildlife guide in Costa Rica. We all didn't know what to expect, but as soon as we met Tino, we were very pleased with his sense of humor and his abundant knowledge of the flora and fauna in the reserve and on the streets of Puerto Viejo. Everyone, especially Andrea, had been aching to see some wildlife (especially sloths and monkeys), and this hike was supposed to be a great place to see them!
Recommendation: Book Your Own Trip With Tino! |
Title: Day 55: Bye bye Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2008-06-06 Author: Priya Ramani 
|  Puerto Viejo was relaxing as can be. We´re happy we discarded our original plan of zipping through the entire country and settled down in this little town on the Caribbean or Talamanca coast.
Though we spent a LOT of time doing nothing, we were also more adventurous than we´ve been in a long time -- snorkelling, a canopy ride, horse riding, long walks on the beach, a day at highly-rated beach Punta Uva, swimming in the sea. And don´t forget, we got to our hotel Banana Azul by rafting down the river Pacuare. We hopped on two local buses, but mostly utilized the efficient if ramshackle taxi service. The taxis came with blaring but foot-tapping music, reggae or salsa, or the new craze, salsa-reggae.
Recommendation: Book a Rafting Trip to Puerto Viejo |
Title: Zentraveler treks to Cahuita, Costa Rica on the Atlantic Coast! Type: Blog Date: 2008-05-08 Author: zentraveler
| Throttling down through the clouds with the thunder crackling overhead and sharp lightning just off our wings, the pilot had just enough vision to touch down at the San Jose airport. Pitch dark night, with heavy rain blowing in sheets, we felt rather lucky to be alive—as we scrambled under a heavy downpour to the airport. This was my first flight on the Spanish owned Iberian airlines and I highly recommend their professionalism and outstanding service. I will definitely book their airlines again.
After a crazy taxi ride to San Jose– I settled in at the Johnson Hotel for the night. The following morning I took the first class bus to Cahuita which takes about three and one-half hours. Taking the bus is an excellent way to view the countryside and take in the sights as you cruise through the mountains and reach the fertile green valleys.
Recommendation: Explore Cahuita National Park with a Guide |
Title: Walkabout: Manzanillo Refuge Type: Blog Date: 2008-05-08 Author: Ranger Beethoven 
|  I've visited Puerto Viejo several times in the past couple of years. It's not the end of the road, but you can see it from there, but I've never gone down that road. In case it works out that I don't stay in Costa Rica there are a few places I want to visit. Manzanillo Refuge is one of those places. Manzanillo Refuge is in fact also, the end of the road. Before beginning my trip to Manzanillo I tried to find a place to stay there, and to set up a tour. The ONLY place I could find on the Internet was full and I was never able to get any information about tours. I wound up making a reservation to stay at my favorite hotel in Puerto Viejo, Los Suenos, and hoped to set up a tour when I got there.
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Title: My Three Weeks as a Costa Rican: Puerto Viejo Part I Type: Blog Date: 2008-05-04 Author: Courtney
|  Puerto Viejo has officially made Alajuela look lame. I didn’t think that was possible.
We rented a bus for the weekend to take us to Puerto Viejo. It was a five and a half hour ride there, all of us on a big old bus riding through Costa Rica. The driver was blasting Spanish music and the scenery was absolutely amazing, I didn’t need my iPod once. The towns are just so different from what I’m used to, all the colorful shops and signs and the fenced-in houses. We drove through the mountains on a tiny two-lane road where cars were whipping past us at maybe 50 mph while we were on the edges of cliffs.
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Title: A Little Strip of Coast Under Coconut Sky Type: Blog Date: 2008-04-12 Author: Lila 
|  Remember that guy on the bus, the one that wouldn't stop talking? Not Ron Hart, but his marathon-of-talk companion. One of the things he told us is that Costa Ricans don't like the Caribbean coast of the country, no, not really, not much at all.
Of course, the people I know and met who actually live in Costa Rica seem to feel differently. As do I.
There's a little road, some paved, some not, lots of potholes, slow going that winds its way along Playa Negra. I haven't been able to find it on any maps we have, but it's there. We've followed it from Cahuita to Puerto Viejo to Punto Cocles and Punta Uva to Manzanillo.
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Title: Craig Drives South: Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2008-04-08 Author: Craig
|  Just at the end of the road on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica is the tiny conglomerate of towns summarized by Puerto Viejo. It’s the last few stops before the Panama border which is maybe 20 miles away.
This town is seriously so Slow paced that if there is someone in front of you at the store with more than 5 items.. its better just to come back later, you can wait but it is generally between 5-10 minutes to complete the transaction.
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