Beaching In Puerto Viejo
No offense to treeless beaches teaming with sprightly teens. It’s the scene for them, and I’ll not throw shade (though, maybe they could use some). My husband fondly recalls hunting for his own towel-shaped piece of paradise on holidays like these, but that time has come and gone.
And absolutely no offence to Aruba. Its beaches came with Starbucks, swimming pools, and $27 club sandwiches, which I was fine with at the time. It was indubitably beautiful. I quite enjoyed the luxury of a shaken martini at a pristine resort beach bar (and I’d still enjoy the martini). I never met a local socially, though, and interaction with nature and wildlife was nearly impossible. I would’ve liked to come upon one of their wild donkeys while ambling off the beaten path, but off-the-beaten-path excursions were a bit too pricey.
It’s different around Puerto Viejo. At some beaches, unbridled jungle dances with the sea, and you’re the only witness. At other spots, surf boards, like sentinels in the sand, await their salt-and-sun-kissed masters. Reggae beats and agave blue cocktails swirl at some PV beach hangouts, and at others still, you can lose yourself in Neruda under a palm as the sun dutifully warms the water for a swim later on. Puerto Viejo has no casinos, no big-name hotels, and no chain restaurants. Any pretentious efforts fail; the young beauty splashing in the sea might be a visiting Alabama heiress- or a waitress in town. You don’t know and it doesn’t matter.
There’s an 11 mile stretch of beach from Playa Negra through Puerto Viejo, and down to Manzanillo. The beaches are accessible right from the main road or through flip-flop stamped footpaths between lengths of the thicker foliage. In Puerto Viejo proper you can see the sea from route 256 or Avenida 73, both dotted with delightful bars right on the beach, or very nearby. Downtown Puerto Viejo is on a small 3 x 5 grid; simple to navigate; and easily accessible from the beach. Further down the main road, past the city center there are car/walk friendly arteries that will deliver you beachfront in seconds, though most folks bike it around here. Some paths are private entries to homes or inns, but there are still plenty of public access points to the beaches. Playa Chiquita’s tricky; if you blink you’ll miss the inconspicuous narrow trail to the water, so watch for it.
At many points on the main road and its arteries you can drive right up to your picnic space, volleyball game or preferred snorkeling spot. The handful of cars you might see won’t spoil your view; the cars are enveloped by bowing palm and almond trees, and the odd dune-buggy right on the beach looks kind of romantic. It’s not congested weekdays, and weekends aren't overwhelmingly so. I’m told Semana Santa, or Holy Week, leading up to Easter is a huge deal, and not the time to visit if your aim is solitude. Most beaches here are dog friendly- if your dog’s friendly. Often enough you’ll see horses trotting along the water at the southeast end of Playa Grande. In Puerto Viejo the unique’s ubiquitous.
Views under the water don’t disappoint in Caribe Sur. Ocean novices, like me, need to pay attention to a few things to fully enjoy though; among them are riptides & reefs and critters that bite. Don’t swim waters with riptides, but go see them. I like to stand on the beach and try to identify them. They’re not a constant, so a beach replete with riptides in August might be calm enough to swim in come October. Talk to locals and proprietors to keep yourself abreast of the swimability of a beach. For the past month, Punta Uva and Manzanillo waters have been tranquil. I’m told I can swim there year round without worry of riptides, due to the protection reefs provide.
Almost anyone would know that the dark patches in the water reveal delicate reef life even really close to shore at Punta Uva and Manzanillo. I didn’t. As I learn to snorkel I’m careful not to touch. That reefs are delicate doesn’t mean they’re wimpy; stepping on or pushing off them does them harm and will give you a grand ole ouch.
Other ouches might come from sandflies or mosquitoes on shore, but they’re relatively easy to avoid if you plan correctly. I’m very grateful that my landlord told me these bugs don’t like the hot and high sun. We go to the beach most days between ten and three. DEET isn’t good for the sea life, and it won’t do you much good if you’re in and out of water anyhow. I do slather myself with coconut oil just in case; the slickness makes landing on my skin difficult for those insects that do brave the hot sun. Once I’m out of the water and maybe hitting a beach restaurant I use a neem oil-based insect repellent made by a fabulous woman at the farmers market downtown. Shamefully, there are times I reach for commercial repellent with 25% DEET; the highest percent allowed in Costa Rica. Between the locally made stuff and good advice, I have bite-free beaching.
The beaches are a draw for the flora, fauna, aqua and … food. Open-air cafés with drinks, nibbles, and typical plates are called ‘rests’ or ‘sodas.’ They’re everywhere, but sometimes you’ve to hunt for them anyway. On my first day I didn’t see many, as they’re camouflaged well by surrounding shades of green and shocks of orange and magenta blossoms. Some are so well tucked away they look like props in giant bonsai scenes.
There’s magic at the beaches of Puerto Viejo. They’re not sanitized, expensive, or impossible to reach. A fancy hotel tricked out with marble and crystal chandeliers may have a combed private beach, but that place is hiding something. And it’s okay to bury yourself in the illusion of a pre-edited holiday experience at a shiny resort; but that won’t be here. Puerto Viejo has no gilding and no glitz, which isn’t to say it doesn’t know how to dress up…
But here, the bond between you, raw nature, and real people is organic and dynamic. When you want it, the beach is always here waiting- open, free, and welcoming.
