Amazing Day Trips To Take From Puerto Viejo Costa Rica

Puerto Viejo is a small but popular beach town on the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. It is an area known for its laid-back bohemian vibes, happening night life, delicious food, exquisite beaches, lush rainforest surroundings, and exotic wildlife. It is also an easy departure point for some of the best day trips on the Caribbean coast.

Pacuare River rafting trip

The Pacuare River is one of the top white-water rafting rivers in Costa Rica. With plenty of class II and III rapids, this all-day adventure will be an exhilarating and nature intense experience that the entire family will enjoy. When you are not paddling through the rapids, you will float idyllically through dense tropical forest, next to beautiful waterfalls, and in plain sight of plenty of wildlife.

Cahuita boat, snorkel, and hiking trip

Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge jungle trek

A half-day professionally guided nature trek through the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge is a unique opportunity to experience the exotic flora and fauna of the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. There are 384 species of birds that live in this protected rainforest refuge! Walking through this dense and lively rainforest is a truly magical experience and one that should not be missed, especially because it is so close to Puerto Viejo.

Keep your eyes peeled for sweet tree dwelling sloths

River and sea kayaking journey

Spend the day kayaking with an experienced naturalist and guide around Punta Uva. On this five-hour journey, you will first paddle along the coastline where you will observe dramatic cliffs, mystical caves, and vibrant rainforest. Then, you will paddle up a river where you will likely see sloths, monkeys, turtles, bats, iguanas, and an astounding collection of colorful birds. You will learn a wealth of fascinating information from your guide. You will also have the chance to relax on a beautiful beach and have a little snack before taking a hike to Grape Point.

Animal rescue, chocolate, and waterfall adventure

This combo day trip is definitely one for the books! What better way to spend a day on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica than by visiting an animal rescue center, visiting an indigenous family’s cacao farm, and ending your day swimming beneath a spectacular waterfall in the rainforest? Exotic animals, chocolate, and waterfalls are the perfect trifecta representation of this incredible region of Costa Rica.

Bike the beaches of the southern Caribbean

Within biking distance, you can explore Playa Bonita, Playa Negra, Playa Puerto Viejo, Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, and Punta Uva. Biking is actually a very popular method of transportation here, especially because the terrain is relatively flat. An easy and fabulous day adventure is to rent bikes in Puerto Viejo, pack a cooler, and cruise the beaches of the southern Caribbean.

Explore another country

Bocas del Toro is a gorgeous archipelago that is part of Panama and is actually very close to Puerto Viejo. You can take a boat over to the islands and spend the day snorkeling, looking for dolphins, and relaxing on the beautiful Red Frog Beach. Red Frog Beach also has two beachfront restaurants where you can enjoy a delicious frozen cocktail and your lunch before returning back to Costa Rica.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.