Where to Stay in Puerto Viejo for Jungle and Beach
If you are searching for information about Puerto Viejo, you might have already encountered many blogs or videos about its Caribbean vibe and flavour, the jungle, the beach and the sloths. Costa Rica seems divided in two, and this side is less popular than the Pacific, where most tours and all-inclusive trips send tourists to.
In a rush?
Pick the vibe, open the stays.
But Puerto Viejo is not just Bob Marley ambience with Latin essence, it’s far more if you pay more attention. It’s the less performative side of the country, I shall say. What you find is what it is, and it’s wild and beautiful.
I like quiet, and I like green, lush jungle, and on top of that I am also an ocean child. That only left me one place that fit all my requirements without being too remote: Playa Chiquita.
Don’t get me wrong, I love remote, but when I arrived, I had already spent some time in a very remote area where I was the only foreigner most of the time. You can read about Parismina, the hidden jungle gem.
I needed more civilisation, but not too much, and Playa Chiquita ticked all the boxes. It sits somewhere between Puerto Viejo town and the wilder southern beaches. This guide is about choosing the right stretch of the coast. You tell me what you look for, I tell you where to stay. I assure you, you will love it, as I did.
Puerto Viejo Changes as You Go South
This little stretch of the Caribbean has a secret. Imagine you are descending into another world, and each stop gets wilder and wilder. That’s how I see it anyway. Starting from Playa Negra, black beach in Spanish, which is literally black due to its volcanic origin, that itself makes it otherworldly.
Then Puerto Viejo town, which I describe as little Jamaica, Spanish edition: nightlife, travellers, small town, big hub. From here it gets more and more savage, deeper jungle, quieter beaches, fewer people, more wildlife.
Playa Chiquita: Where I Stayed
I love deep jungle, but I had already lived that in Parismina, so I wanted jungle, beach and closeness to everything. I am very greedy, I know. Playa Chiquita sits in the middle of this stretch. You get the jungle, the beach, the closeness of deep wild jungle and the comfort of being near town. All within my reach. I just needed a bicycle, that’s all.
Why Playa Chiquita Worked for Me
It was close enough to Gandoca-Manzanillo National Park, which is one of the less visited and wildest national parks in Costa Rica, simply because it’s not presented with the commodities, guides and lodges that other, more visited parks have. This one is just you and the jungle. That was too special for me, and it might be for you too.
The beach itself is hidden. It took me some time to discover the entrance. It’s small, it feels like you are indeed on a remote beach, but you’re not. Wildlife, nature and that feeling of: I am Robinson Crusoe.
My accommodation was so convenient. I did not expect to have so many howler monkeys on top of the trees that surrounded this beautiful, I shall call it, hotel, but it does have a homestay vibe. Run by a couple who love nature and the land they live on.
What It Actually Feels Like
Imagine drinking free Costa Rican coffee, sat in a hammock, reading a book or doing whatever you like doing, maybe just existing. You look up: howler monkeys imitating dragon sounds, frogs, the sound of leaves dancing with the wind.
The place is small, with a kitchen where you can cook your own food, which is especially useful. Costa Rica is expensive. Big dogs, the guardians of the house, meeting travellers who love the quiet and feeling like you are in the Amazon, not in the Caribbean.
You can rent a bicycle and get even more remote, or less, depending on mood. Humidity caressing your skin and lungs, vegetation swallowing buildings, fresh and cool under the canopy regardless of the heat of the sun. Two minutes away from a small, quiet beach and close enough by pedalling to Punta Uva, Manzanillo and the urban side towards Puerto Viejo town.
The Place I’d Stay Again
I stayed in Casa Moabi, and I would go back 100 times, no doubt, for the vibe, the ambience, the beauty and the simplicity. It’s so close to everything, yet feels far away. A green bubble, its own ecosystem, a little jungle paradise.
This is for those who like nature, quiet but close to everything, the beach, the wild and town. Restaurants are close, spas, national parks and beaches all reachable easily. Bike rental is possible, there’s a kitchen to cook your food and a beautiful communal area. This place is perfect for all of it.
Oh, and the couple who own the place are beautiful human beings. Nothing bad to say about the place, literally nothing, at least by my standards.
WHERE I STAYED
Casa Moabi
Playa Chiquita · Puerto Viejo
A little green bubble between jungle and sea. Howler monkeys above the house, hammocks, good coffee and Playa Chiquita a couple of minutes away. This is the place I would stay again.
Check Casa Moabi →Affiliate link · no extra cost to you.
Cocles: The Easy Middle Ground
If you genuinely don’t need something that quiet, but would like a little bit more people around, Cocles should be the place for you. To understand it better, it’s like feeling the Puerto Viejo town energy but in a coastal jungle atmosphere. More restaurants, closer to town and therefore more activities. Not bad for a first timer.
Puerto Viejo Town: Stay Near the Action
I personally don’t like too much activity around me when I choose a nature adventure, but not everyone is like me. Having said this, I would not mind staying here a couple of nights.
It’s very convenient. You have banks, easy transport, loads of nightlife, bars, shops, reggae music everywhere, backpack energy and, as I mentioned earlier, it’s like stepping into little Jamaica, Spanish edition. If that’s your vibe, this might be your place.
Punta Uva: When the Beach Wins
I love this beach. The sea feels delicious, the vibe is relaxing, salt in your hair, barefoot, sandy toes. You can wake up and swim, surf in clear, beautiful turquoise water.
I love the ocean, this place stole my heart. So tropical, quiet and beautiful. Fewer shops and conveniences, farther from town, but not as much as you think. Still reachable by bicycle, but closer to the wildest national park, Gandoca-Manzanillo. If you’re a beach person, this is definitely your place.
Manzanillo: The Road Runs Out
Now, this is where adventurers might be very interested in staying. Here is where you get green thriller flavour. Much less infrastructure, slow village atmosphere, jungle and wild beach, close to the Panama border, far from town, close to adventure.
If you feel like getting lost somewhere between jungle and the ocean, this is the place for you. The National Park, Gandoca-Manzanillo, is just around the corner, which, by the way, is a wild one, less visited and stunning.
I’m not even mentioning the insane wildlife encounters you might come across while staying here. I would stay here if I wanted more isolation, to immerse myself in what this place really feels like. Almost addictive.
Playa Negra: Close, But Quieter
This one is strange. Why? Because it’s very close to Puerto Viejo town but feels like you have stepped somewhere else, far away.
Access to town without sleeping inside it. Walk on black volcanic sand, swim in a dark ocean. It feels like being inside that Netflix German series called DARK, very gothic, tropical edition. Worth it and also convenient.
Do You Need a Car in Puerto Viejo?
Not necessarily, but it might be very helpful. You can reach almost everywhere by bicycle, but some places need a longer pedal, like Manzanillo. Still possible, but not everyone is so enthusiastic, which is fine.
So, it really depends on what you want to do and where you will be staying. If you choose somewhere more remote like Manzanillo, or you simply want to explore the whole area, then having a car would be a valuable asset.
If you still don’t want to, you can move by bus. There is only one road, very cute and simple for transport. All buses, cars and bicycles pass through this road that goes from Puerto Viejo down to Manzanillo.
If you do not want to rent a car, staying somewhere in the middle would be more convenient, like Playa Chiquita or Cocles, but it is not a requirement. It just makes it easier to navigate.
Which Area Should You Choose?
I will keep it simple, for those who want a quick answer.
For jungle: Playa Chiquita
For beach: Punta Uva
For nightlife: Puerto Viejo
For balance: Cocles
For getting away + wildlife: Manzanillo
For being near town but quieter: Playa Negra
Where I’d stay again: Playa Chiquita
Where I’d Stay Next Time
I would stay again in Playa Chiquita for the convenience and the jungle, but I also would stay in Punta Uva and Manzanillo, easily. You can imagine I like quiet and nature.
I needed a place where the Caribbean and the jungle almost blurred together, merging as one being, and it did, captivating me.
Puerto Viejo might be popular, and it does deserve the attention, but for me Puerto Viejo started once I left the town.
