Getting Here and Around

The turnoff to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is 10 km (6 miles) down the coastal highway south of Cahuita. (The highway then continues southeast to Bribri and Sixaola at the Panamanian border). The village lies another 5 km (3 miles) beyond the turnoff. The paved road passes through town and continues to Playas Cocles and Chiquita and Punta Uva all the way to the village of Manzanillo. "Periodically potholed" describes the condition of the road from the highway into town and as far as Playa Cocles. The newer paved sections beyond Cocles haven't disintegrated (yet). Autotransportes MEPE buses travel from San José’s Terminal Atlántico Norte seven times a day—plan on 4½ hours for the trip—and approximately hourly throughout the day from Limón and Cahuita. The town has no actual bus terminal. If you arrive on public transportation, you disembark at a bus shelter strewn with a few beer bottles on the street fronting the beach. (It makes an awful first impression, but this is an enjoyable town, so keep your disappointment in check.) The MEPE ticket office is about a half block away. All buses from San José go into Puerto Viejo de Talamanca; most, though not all, Limón-originating buses do as well, but a couple drop you off on the highway. Check if you board in Limón. You can give yourself a wider selection of times than the six daily San José–Puerto Viejo services. Hourly Grupo Caribeños buses connect San José with Limón, and hourly MEPE buses connect Limón with Puerto Viejo. The MEPE and Caribeños terminals are one block apart in Limón. Walking could be an option if you’re not weighed down with bags and if it’s still light out. Unlike MEPE vehicles, Caribeños buses are air-conditioned.

Local buses ply the 15-km (9-mile) paved road between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo every two hours during the day. Unless your schedule meshes exactly with theirs, you're better off biking or taking a taxi to and from the far-flung beaches along the way. Most taxi service is unofficial here. To be on the safe side, have your hotel or restaurant call one for you. Taxis charge roughly $5 to Playa Negra, $7 to Playa Cocles, $10 to Playa Chiquita, $12 to Punta Uva, and $17 to Manzanillo. Indian-made "tuktuks" provide some Puerto Viejo taxi service. Picture a covered three-wheel auto rickshaw.

You can manage the town center quite easily on foot, though it is dusty in the dry season and muddy when it rains. The main street is, thankfully, paved. Everyone gets around by bike here, and seemingly everyone has one for rent (invariably without a helmet). Quality varies widely, but we recommend renting from Cabinas Grant. Expect to pay $20 per day for a good bike.

Bike Rentals

Cabinas Grant. Here you'll find the best selection of quality bikes in town. 100 m south of bus stop, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón, 70403. 2750–0292.