Living in Maitri Park

Area Attractions

THINGS TO DO AROUND PUERTO VIEJO

GETTING AROUND:
Walking - the village is small and you can walk end to end in less than 15 minutes.
Bicycle - the area is mostly flat and many sites can be reached easily by bike.
Mopeds - hourly and daily rentals are available.
Horses - ride along the beach or into the jungle - with and without guides.
Bus - very reasonable and reliable when you want to venture further.
Taxis - reasonable rates.
Car Rentals - We would be happy to provide a rental car for you, by the day, week, month, or year. (...might as well buy your own if your that hooked!)

BEACHES AND OCEAN:
Swimming - Black Beach (Playa Negra) offers the safest swimming and calmest waters in Puerto Viejo. Swimming is also pleasant in the natural sea pools and coral reefs around Stanford's or Johnny's Place in the center of town. Take a day trip to the any of the many beautiful beaches between Cahuita National Park and Manzanillo.  Enjoy a day you will never forget.

Surfing – Home of the world-famous Salsa Brava Break,  Puerto Viejo has the best surfing on the Caribbean coast and arguably in all of Costa Rica. Beginners and advanced surfers can both find satisfying waves.  We host 2 world-class surf competitions each year.

Boogie boarding - is popular and a good option for those who want to fully enjoy the waves without surfing.

Snorkeling and Diving - either off a boat or the coast. The underwater coral reefs and tropical fish are breathtaking (try Punta Uva, with calm waters and white sand).

Boat Tours - Local fishermen offer ocean tours for fishing, sight-seeing or just to enjoy the ocean air.  We even have a world famous booze cruise. 

INLAND - JUNGLES, FARMS, WATERFALLS, ETC.
Puerto Viejo is considered the gateway to the most bio-diverse region on the planet, found within the Talamanca mountain range.  Visit the beaches of Cocles and perhaps view a soccer game on the small fields often packed with locals on Sundays. Explore one of the indiginous Reservations and learn about these ancient yet still productive cultures.  Home Creek's Indian Reservation 4 km north of Puerto Viejo. Visit the Botanical Gardens. The owners have been growing spices, tropical fruits and ornamental plants for over 20 years. To the north the Butterfly Garden is a large screened garden representing many of the local butterflies in a natural environment. Also to the north, the Sloth Hospital helps sloths that have been hurt by cars, power lines, etc. They have a wonderful boat tour that takes you through the canals and lagoons where you can see sloths in the wild as well as other wildlife. Bird Watching - This is one of the best places in the world to see a multitude of colorful birds. Many can be seen right from the hotel.  

Tours – There is a wide choice of tour types, provided by local guides and outfitters.  To fully view the plants and wildlife of the Caribbean coast, we recommend you take guided tours.

Canopy Tours - view the jungle from the top of the trees.

Jungle Tours – Cahuita National Park, and the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge are two large national parks are close at hand to see wildlife and fauna. Alligators, iguanas, reptiles, owls, monkeys, and parrots are common sites.

 Farm Tours – Chocolate and Cacao demonstrations, medicinal and botanical gardens.  Local farmers demonstrate how crops are raised in a jungle environment, both by horse or by foot available.

Waterfalls - cool off in the water and enjoy the sites.

Turtle Watching - several options are available to see them and to learn how important they are to the local ecology.

River Rafting - if you want a thrill ride and to see beautiful jungle at the same time try this on your way back home. Most of the rafting trips include transport back to San José.