The best things to do in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca are the ones that only this corner of Costa Rica does: swim reef-calm Punta Uva, hike into the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge, meet rescued wildlife, snorkel the Cahuita reef and eat your way through Afro-Caribbean cooking. Here are 25 ideas from our team, with prices and times as published in September 2026, followed by rainy-day and family picks and a three-day plan.
Tour prices are as listed by Conga; ask us what’s included for your group before you book.
What’s free?
- Watch the surfers at Salsa Brava. The heavy, hollow reef break in front of town is for experts only, which makes it a spectacular show from the shore. It’s about 10 minutes on foot from our gate.
- Walk Playa Negra at sunset. This black-sand beach runs for more than 10 km from the edge of town toward Cahuita, and it gets quiet quickly.
- Swim and snorkel at Punta Uva. Calm, reef-protected water, white sand and a natural rock arch; the area’s usual safest swim, on calm days. Cycle there in about 37 minutes.
- Hike the refuge trail from Manzanillo. The Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge is free to enter, daily 8 am to 4 pm, and its trailhead is in the village. Read our Manzanillo and Gandoca guide first.
- Walk into Cahuita National Park from Playa Blanca. The town entrance (Kelly Creek) asks only for a voluntary cash contribution, and the park is open 8 am to 4 pm. See our Cahuita guide.
- Stop by the Casa de la Cultura Marcus Garvey. This community center on the main avenue carries the name of the UNIA founder, who worked on a banana plantation in Limón in 1910. Its programs vary, so check what’s on locally.
What are the best nature and wildlife experiences?
- Tour the Jaguar Rescue Center. Injured, orphaned and confiscated native animals, shown on guided tours at 9:30 and 11:30 am (US$29, under-10s free, about 1.5 hours). It’s 15 minutes by bike from us.
- Go dolphin watching from Manzanillo. A boat follows the coast toward Punta Mona, then heads into open water to look for wild dolphins, finishing with a swim at Punta Mona beach (US$95, 4 hours). Sightings are never guaranteed. Dolphin tour.
- Reach Punta Mona by boat or on foot. There’s no road. Take a 20- to 30-minute boat ride along the refuge coast (US$90, 4 hours) or hike 6 to 7 km past three ocean viewpoints and return by boat (US$90, 5 hours).
- Snorkel the Cahuita reef. Cahuita protects the most developed coral reef on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. The tour includes transport, entrance fees and a one-hour forest hike, with pickup at 7 am and drop-off at noon (US$75). Snorkeling tour.
- Kayak the Punta Uva river. A calm jungle-river paddle where sloths, monkeys and birds are commonly seen, plus a short hike to the Punta Uva viewpoint (US$85, 3.5 hours; transport not included). Kayak tour.
- Take a rainforest night walk. 1.8 km of trail by flashlight with a specialist guide, looking for frogs, including the red-eyed tree frog, snakes, owls and night mammals (US$83, 3 hours, ages 7 and up). Night walk.
- Visit the Sloth Sanctuary near Cahuita. This is where Buttercup, its first rescued sloth, lived to the age of 27. The one-hour Buttercup Tour costs US$30 for ages 13 and up, US$15 for children 5 to 12 (about 38 minutes’ drive).
- Meet the macaws at Ara Manzanillo. A great green macaw reintroduction project, with guided visits by reservation daily from 3 to 4 pm (US$20 donation for adults; under-12s free).
- Watch the raptor migration over Këköldi. Each fall, an average of about 2.5 million birds of prey pass over this Bribri–Cabécar territory, peaking in mid-to-late October. Visits must be arranged in advance.
- See leatherback turtles nest at Gandoca. From February or March to July, peaking in April and May, with certified guides only and red light only.
What are the best cultural experiences?
- Take the Indigenous cacao tour. Learn how cacao is grown and why it matters to Costa Rica’s Indigenous communities, with hands-on activities and a waterfall to finish (US$75, 8 am to 1 pm, transport included). Cacao tour.
- Eat Afro-Caribbean. Rice and beans in coconut milk, rondón, patí, pan bon and agua de sapo. Our where-to-eat guide has a glossary and 12 favorites.
- Join the Wolaba Parade. Named for Puerto Viejo’s old Creole name (“Old Harbour”), this community parade started in 2013; its 12th edition, in late August 2026, brought out more than 30 groups. 31 August, the Day of the Black Person and Afro-Costa Rican Culture, follows.
- Spend a day in Limón. Walk past Parque Vargas, the Baptist Missionary House and Big Boy Stadium, about an hour and 15 minutes’ drive away. In October, the Limón Carnival fills the streets.
- Hear the calypso story in Cahuita. Cahuita was home to Walter “Gavitt” Ferguson, the calypso legend who lived to 103; 7 May, his birthday, is National Calypso Day. More on our Afro-Caribbean Puerto Viejo page.
What are the best adventure activities?
- Learn to surf. Our Caribbean Surf Experience is a two-hour session with a professional local instructor, starting with 30 minutes on ocean safety (US$120). Surf lesson.
- Fly the zipline canopy. Twelve platforms and 2,400 m of cable over the rainforest (US$99, 2.5 hours, ages 5 and up, minimum 2). Canopy tour.
- Try the Jungle Adventure. Canopy, canyoning, rappelling, hanging bridges and a Tarzan swing in one circuit (US$120, 2.5 hours, ages 12 and up). Jungle Adventure.
- Raft class III–IV rapids. A full day with 6 am hotel pickup, about 3 hours on the river, 38 rapids, breakfast and lunch (US$112, ages 12 and up). Rafting.
What can you do on a rainy day?
Rain here often comes in short bursts, so a wet morning rarely ruins a whole day. The Jaguar Rescue Center (7) runs its tours rain or shine. A long lunch works too: Caribbean food (18) tastes best slow. Or stay in: our massages start with a 45-minute foot reflexology (US$65), and a 60-minute relaxing massage is US$90.
What can you do with kids?
Punta Uva (3) is the local choice for swimming with children on calm days. The Jaguar Rescue Center (7) is free for under-10s, the canopy (23) takes children from age 5 and the night walk (12) from age 7, and the Sloth Sanctuary (13) is free for under-5s. The Jungle Adventure and rafting are for ages 12 and up.
How many days do you need?
Three full days covers the essentials; five lets you add a big adventure day or Limón. Here’s a three-day plan that works without a car:
- Day 1: wildlife and a calm swim. Cycle to the Jaguar Rescue Center for 9:30. Continue to Punta Uva to swim, then come back to town for a Caribbean dinner.
- Day 2: the reef. Cahuita snorkeling (7 am to noon, forest hike included). Siesta by the pool, then the night walk.
- Day 3: the end of the road. Dolphins or Punta Mona from Manzanillo in the morning, lunch in the village, and the Salsa Brava surf show on the way home.
Staying longer? Add the cacao tour, a rafting day or a day in Limón.