Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica is a low-key stretch of Caribbean coastline at the far end of a long road that runs to the very southernmost corner of Costa Rica. Originally a surfing destination, this charmingly sleepy beach town is an ideal first stop on a Costa Rica itinerary. Here your family can relax for a few days, play in the amazingly warm water and learn first hand about the Central American jungle.
Accommodation options include eco-resorts and open air bungalows, all a perfect introduction to Costa Rica and opportunity for an authentic travel experience for kids and adults alike. There are no mega resorts here, and hopefully things stay that way.
If you're thinking about heading to Costa Rica's Caribbean coast with your family, here are 21 things to do in Puerto Viejo with kids.
Spot Waterfalls in the forest
As you drive from San Jose towards the Caribbean coast, you'll pass through the Parque Nacional Braulio Carrilo. Here a well-maintained road climbs up through mountains and you'll have amazing views of the lush, green rainforest in all directions. Make a game out of spotting waterfalls; they are everywhere! Encourage kids to be the first to point out waterfalls as you pass by in the car.
Eat at Amimodo
Serving up the best oven-fired pizza and other Italian fare in Puerto Viejo, Amimodo is a great option for kids. While not the cheapest place in the area, we loved sitting closest to the beach and the kids loved playing in the sand and on a swing set up on the beach. Consider ordering the seafood stuffed, homemade ravioli for a locally inspired twist on an Italian classic. Amimodo is located on the southern end of town near the Rockin' J's hostel.
If Italian isn't your thing, you'll find plenty of places to eat out in Puerto Viejo. Don't expect prices to be cheap, we found most meals to be American prices, but the quality was always good. Opt for something on the seaside so kids can run in the sand while you wait for food.
Marvel at the Massive size of everything
Things in Costa Rica are just plain big. The trees, the ants and even the waves. Gazing into the jungle will entertain even the youngest kids. Book the family house at La Kukula Lodge in Playa Chiquita where you can wash the sand off from the beach in a shower built right into a towering jungle tree!
Learn about how the once extinct Macaws are Making a Comeback
Only 5 years ago, the Green Maccaws were completely extinct in Costa Rica. Why? Because they were poached and captured so people could keep them as pets.
Today thanks to The Ara Project, up to 25 at any one time live in a refuge at the southern end of the Puerto Viejo strip. Watch the birds soar through a beautiful jungle valley, where they live freely yet are protected and fed at this refuge. Chat with the volunteers who spend day and night with the Macaws, and know you're contribution of $20 per adult goes to support this important project.
Visit the Jaguar Rescue Center
Located just past Puerto Viejo, well marked with signs, you can visit the Jaguar Rescue Center for volunteer led tours at 9:30 and 11:30am daily. Expect to see much more than just jungle cats. Here you can watch volunteers give love and affection to baby monkeys, watch sloths eat in the trees overhead, and learn about the birds and snakes that call the rescue center home. This is a must-visit if you're in the area with kids!
Take the rescue center visit one step further, and you can actually become a volunteer at the Jaguar Rescue Center. This is an awesome educational opportunity for worldschoolers or if you're doing a year long round the world trip. If you have a minimum of 3 weeks to spend, I can't think of a better way to learn about jungle biology and have an amazing experience doing important work to protect orphaned and hurt jungle animals.
Relax in your home reading books
Relaxing at home in the evenings was one of our favorite ways to hear the jungle come alive in the evenings. From our outdoor living room at La Kukula Lodge, We had a front row seat to the sights and sounds of the nighttime jungle.
Look for frogs
Expect to find red tree frogs (the national animal of Costa Rica) along with poison dart frogs (both green and black and orange) in abundance, if you know where to look! Again, make a game of it, just be sure to tell kids not to touch any of them! They have poison in their skin.
Look for Sloths
In Costa Rica you will be able to find both the two- and three-toed sloth. However, because they sleep for 16 hours a day, curled up high in the jungle trees, they can be very difficult to spot on your own. Expect to see them at the Jaguar Rescue Center or if you take a guided tour of one of the national parks in the area.
Visit the Black Sand Beach at Playa Negra
The entire southern Caribbean coast - from Cahuita all the way south to Punta Mona - is lined with unbelievably beautiful beaches. Just northwest of town, Playa Negra offers some of the best, safest swimming conditions for kids. And of course, black sand!
The water here, as in much of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, is as warm as bath water. At Playa Negra the waves are a ton of fun for kids to play in. Be careful with the undertow and small children, it's more of a wading beach for kids under 8 or 9, but still provides hours and hours of fun and entertainment.
Pack a Picnic and Hang Out on the beach
In Puerto Viejo you won't find any beach clubs, or any buildings or services on the beach at all. Pack a lunch, bring towels and beach chairs and hang out on one of Puerto Viejo's 5 beaches for the day. One of the best things about Puerto Viejo is the lack of people, crowds and development, so don't miss an opportunity to soak it all in and enjoy one of these beautiful beaches all to yourself!
Take Spanish Lessons
There are several places where you can take Spanish lessons in Puerto Viejo. Schools like the Spanish School Pura Vida, located right in Puerto Viejo town, offer a variety of courses that start at $150 per week for 3 hours per day of instruction .
Get cozy under the mosquito netting
For those of us who don't live in the tropics, there is something very romantic about laying under the mosquito nets at night. Each night, the whole family would gather in our king-sized bed to read and play on the iPads until it was time for bed.
Learn about how chocolate is made
While we all know that Costa Rica is where some of the world's best coffee is produced, I was surprised to learn that this is the birthplace of some of the world's best cocoa beans as well! Head to Caribbeans for a 2 hour tour of the cacao fields and learn how these beans go from plant to chocolate bar.
Play Games
Another wonderful thing about traveling as a family in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica, is that there are no televisions or outside distractions. After dinner we settled in for a game of dice or cards.
Finca de la Isla Botanical Garden
A visit to this working, tropical farm is a great excursion for families. Check out how the owners grow organic fruit, pepper, cacao, and ornamental plants. Part of the farm is set aside as a botanical garden, which is also good for bird-watching and for wildlife observation (look for sloths, poison-dart frogs and toucans). The informative guided tour includes admission, fruit tasting and a glass of fresh juice to finish, or you can buy a booklet for only $1 and take yourself on a self-guided tour.
Ziplining
Ziplining is a must do if you're traveling in Costa Rica. Consider booking this towards the end of your time in Puerto Viejo, so you have time to learn about the jungle and the animals before experiencing this unique vantage point of the jungle. While there are a number of operators in the area, this is one local company in Puerto Viejo that recieves high marks.
Go to the Cahuita National Park
This park encompasses both jungle and beach, making it an excellent opportunity to learn more about the region and ale a great opportunity to see some of the wildlife here in the jungle you may not have seen on your own. Expert guides know where to find the monkeys and sloths, so it's worth enlisting the services of one of the guides when you arrive.
Horseback riding on the beach
You'll notice horses all along the main road in Puerto Viejo, and these stables exist only to offer horseback rides on the beach. Call the Caribe Horse Riding Club, located just past Punta Uva, to book a ride on the beach, but also consider one of their multi-day horseback trips in the area for a totally unique experience!
And Whatever you do, don't miss Playa Arrecife
For a long, lazy beach day, you can't do better than Playa Arrefife. This is the remote, uncrowded, beautiful Caribbean beaches of Puerto Viejo of which you've probably seen photos. Playa Arrecife was also one of our favorite things to do in Puerto Viejo with kids.
Thanks to a rock reef about 50 feet out in the water, the swimming is ideal for kids.
Playa Arrecife is located next to Punta Uva, about 15 minutes South of Puerto Viejo town. There isn't a very good sign, but fairly close after the Refuggio Restaurant you'll see a gravel road on your left. Turn down this and you'll wind past some homes until you see the Arrecife Restaurant. Park here and enjoy this beach for the day. If you get there early enough you can find a picnic table in the shade of the palm trees. Grab drinks and food from the restaurant for a most relaxed beach day.
Have you spent time in Puerto Viejo with your family? I'd love to hear about your experience! Leave me a comment below.