Until recently an undiscovered gem, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí is rapidly becoming a top destination for nature-lovers and thrill-seekers alike. The Río Sarapiquí, which runs just 200m from the main road, has opportunities for both wildlife sightings and river rapids, and numerous adventure ranches offer mountain biking and canopy trips for those who prefer land-based action. Despite the myriad outdoor opportunities available, the influx of tourists to the former banana town has made very little impact on the town itself; Puerto Viejo remains very small, with one main street and only a handful of hotels and restaurants. However, with world-class wildlife reserves such as Tirimbina and La Estación Biológica La Selva less than 30min. from town, Puerto Viejo is an ideal base for budget travelers looking to experience the natural wonders of the region without breaking the bank at an upscale lodge or resort.
All buses leave from the station opposite the northwest corner of the soccer field. A schedule is posted inside next to the ticket counter, where you must purchase your tickets. Buses go to: Ciudad Quesada (2hr., 12 per day 4:40am-8pm, ¢1150); Guápiles (1hr., 9 per day 5:30am-6:30pm, ¢485); La Virgen (30min., every 15-30min. daily 5am-8pm, ¢325); Río Frío (1hr., 10 per day 7am-6pm, ¢370); San José (11 per day 5am-5:30pm, ¢1250) via El Tunel Zurquí or via Vara Blanca (5, 7:30, 11:30am, 4:30pm). Tell the cashier at the ticket counter if you want to get off before the final stop; some express buses will not stop at intermediate destinations. Taxis line up along the main street just north of the soccer field. Taxis to La Virgen run about ¢5000.
Puerto Viejo extends along one main street for about 300m. A soccer field bordering this street marks the town center. The bus station marks the northwest side of this field, while the large stucco church sits on the southwest corner. About 1km west of town, the main road forks south toward Guápiles and the entrance of Estación Biológica La Selva, and southwest toward La Virgen and the entrances of the Centro Neotrópico Sarapiquís and the Serpentario. About 150m east of the bus station, a small road to the right leads to the Super Sarapiquí supermarket. Two hundred and fifty meters east along the main road from the bus station, the road splits yet again, heading northwest on the left and toward the Río Sarapiquí port on the right.
Although the area around Puerto Viejo has become a popular destination, the town itself does not have many options for travelers. Luckily, the few hotels that do exist are within close distance of the bus station, making them convenient for daytrips to the many attractions just kilometers outside of town.
While many of the resorts a few kilometers outside of town offer mouth-watering fine dining, the options in town are pretty limited. Aside from the restaurants at hotels Mi Lindo Sarapiquí and Restaurante El Surco, the only other eating spots available are sodas and ice cream shops.
From Puerto Viejo, take a bus to La Virgen and ask the driver to let you off at the entrance to Tirimbina (30min., ¢320). A taxi from Puerto Viejo costs ¢5000. On foot from La Virgen, walk 1.6km north along the road to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí; the entrance to the park is on the right, 300m past the Serpentario. ☎2761 1579 or 2761 1576; www.tirimbina.org. Self-guided tour US$15, students US$10; guided tour US$22/17; approx. duration 2hr. Several tours leave each day, though it is recommended to call in advance. Chocolate tour US$20, students US$15; offered in the morning and afternoon. Reservations required.
Although about 90% of its land remains pristinely undeveloped, without even the most basic trails, the 350-hectare Tirimbina Rainforest Preserve offers one of the most varied selections of tourism opportunities in the Sarapiquí area. Its 9km of paved trail and more extensive collection of rougher trails can be explored with or without a guide, and the views of primary forest and the Sarapiquí River afforded by the 262m Puente Colgante (Hanging Bridge) are some of the best around. A spiral staircase descending from El Puente Colgante leads to an island formed by Río Sarapiquí, where adventurers can take a swim when the river isn’t too high. A few trails cross the island, and otters and kingfishers are often spotted on the riverbanks.
For those tired of the usual wildlife-spotting, the reserve offers several specialized tours, which must be booked in advance. The bat tour is a hit with those seeking a glimpse of these nocturnal rainforest residents, and chocoholics’ mouths will water on the chocolate tour, which takes guests through a natural chocolate plantation, demonstrates traditional methods of producing chocolate, and concludes with a tasting. Insect repellent, long pants, and hiking boots are recommended for all hikes or walks. An open-air restaurant serves meals to guests at the lodge and will also make lunch or dinner for large groups; call the reserve in advance to arrange a meal before or after a tour.
Though most visitors to the center stop by for only a day or two, Tirimbina also accepts volunteers and researchers for long-term stays of at least two weeks. The reserve has lodging space for four volunteers at any given time, most of whom help out in the general day-to-day operations of the reserve, though Spanish speakers may also have the opportunity to help in conservation and ecology classes for local primary school kids. Researchers interested in studying the wildlife at Tirimbina are also welcome to stay at the reserve. Room and board for volunteers and researchers is US$10 per night, though some financial assistance is available. Contact the reserve for more information on current volunteer and research openings.
Tirimbina also has 12 rooms on the grounds available for visitors. The rooms have either a double and twin bed or three twin beds as well as private hot-water baths, Wi-Fi, and A/C. Lodging includes free access to the trails as well as breakfast in the park’s restaurant. (Single/double US$60, students US$50.)
From Puerto Viejo, take the 6:45am or 12:15pm bus headed to Río Frío (15min., ¢260) to make the 8am or 1:30pm tours. Buses to Guápiles also pass this way. Ask the driver to let you off at the Estación Biológica La Selva. From this stop, follow the dirt road on your right 1km to the station’s gates; signs mark the way. To get back to Puerto Viejo, have the station call you a cab (¢3000) or wait at the bus stop on the main road for one of the buses that pass by about every 30min. (less often on Su) on their way back to Puerto Viejo. ☎2524 0628; www.ots.ac.cr. Private tours 2hr. Birdwatching tours begin at 5:45am, night tours 6pm; US$32-38. Make reservations online or by phone several days in advance for any of the tours.
Only 6km south of Puerto Viejo, La Selva is one of the three centers of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), a non-profit consortium of universities and research institutions founded on the principles of investigation, education, and conservation. La Selva borders Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo to the south, boasting 1560 hectares of primary and secondary rainforest. Hundreds of scientists and students come to La Selva each year to study the staggering number of plants and animals here, several of which the Estación has helped bring back from the edge of extinction. Though the station has an extensive collection of concrete and dirt trails, the paths can only be accessed without a guide by those staying at the lodge. For those visiting for a morning, afternoon, or day, the station has many guided walks and workshops to offer. Two 3½hr. walking tours leave each day (8am, 1:30pm; US$28-32). The station also offers private tours, including a birdwatching tour, a night tour, and a workshop on rainforest photography, all of which must be arranged several days in advance.
Guided tours offered by William Rojas of Oasis Tours, Alex Martínez (☎2766 6265; 2-6 people US$150 per day), and Souvenirs Río Sarapiquí. With Oasis Nature Tours, a trip down the Rio Sarapiqui, the most common boat tour offered in Puerto Viejo, costs US$30 per person for a 2hr. boat ride, while 2-3 day trips to Tortuguero can run about US$500 for 3 people (lodging, meals, and all fees included; cheaper for more participants). Prices vary depending on the duration and distance of the trip and size of the group; speak to tour providers ahead of time, or head straight to the docks and talk to one of the boatmen there.
The Río Sarapiquí, flowing calmly alongside Puerto Viejo’s eastern boundary, continues north for 40km before meeting the Río San Juan, forming the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Flanked on one side by forest and on the other by banana plantations, the “river with two personalities” highlights an ongoing battle between the conservationists who want to protect the rainforest and the farmers who need to use the land commercially. Despite the conflict over use of the river, tours are a decidedly peaceful voyage, consisting of 2-3hr. rides in slow-moving boats. Guides stop periodically to observe the diverse river-dwelling wildlife; frequent sightings include alligators, turtles, howler monkeys, and a vast range of birds. Catch an early-morning tour for the best chances to see wildlife, and don’t forget to ask for a bilingual guide if you need one. Boatmen also offer day and overnight trips up to and along the Río San Juan (technically Nicaraguan territory), as well as to Oro Verde, Barra del Colorado, and other locations along the river.
Next to Tirimbina . ☎2761 1415 or 2761 1004; www.sarapiquis.org. Open daily 9am-5pm. The tour schedule varies; call ahead for reservations. Entry to museum, archaeological site, and botanical gardens US$8.
The non-profit, private Centro Neotrópico Sarapiquís is a preserve dedicated to interactive cultural, biological, and ecological awareness and conservation. The center offers three exhibits to tourists: a museum on pre-Columbian culture, an archaeological dig with reconstructed 15th-century pre-Columbian buildings, and a botanical garden featuring medicinal and edible plants. Unfortunately, while the museum is well-kept, with neat displays of masks, shamanic implements, and a film on the relationship between Man and Nature in pre-Columbian societies, the rest of the center is not as well-organized. Much of the writing on the signs identifying the plants in the botanical gardens has been washed away by the frequent rains, and the archaeological site is quite small, with a sample home, funerary site, and replica statues constituting the majority of the exhibit. Visitors should also beware of the rock pathways in the botanical gardens and archaeological site, as the stones get quite slippery when wet, making walking in the rain feel a bit like ice skating in tennis shoes.
The Center was built in a pre-Columbian village style using sustainable technologies like solar power, local natural materials, and a waste-water treatment system. The on-site eco-lodge, restaurant, and bar overlook the reserve and follow the Palenque architectural style of the indigenous peoples. Large, round huts each house eight cabins, all with private hot-water baths, fans, and phones. Safe deposit boxes and laundry services are also available. (High season singles/doubles US$99; triples US$124; low season US$79/104.) The center maintains an extensive education program with over 2000 local children and hundreds of foreign volunteers, teachers, and ecologists; for information on getting involved, contact the center through the phone numbers above or the website. Spanish language skills are necessary for most jobs.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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