Day 1 – Sunday (10/03/2013)
We left Bocas del Toro, Panama, with the company Caribbean Tours towards Puerto Viejo, in Costa Rica.
Read about our stay in Bocas del Toro by clicking this post here.
The trip lasted about 2 hours and was even more comfortable than I thought. The highlight of the trip was crossing the bridge between Panama and Costa Rica – what an adventure! I found the police who check passports and grant passage to be quite strange.
As soon as we entered Costa Rica we came across many banana plantations and many blue bags around them, which surprised me at the time, but later I discovered that it is super common... lol
Our hotel
We were dropped off at the door of our hotel, Pura Vida Hotel, and we thought it was really cute!!! We were really excited when we arrived, but we soon had an unpleasant surprise… We chose the room without a balcony, which cost US$$38 per night, and guess where it was? Next to the reception and living area. We could hear everything everyone was saying and there were always people in the living area, and to make matters worse, the windows don't have glass, just mosquito nets. Noisy and no privacy. 🙁
Having lunch in Puerto Viejo
We adapted and went for a walk around the city to forget the surprise. We went to the FLIP FLOP, a really cool restaurant that has huge burgers!
Strolling around Puerto Viejo
Afterwards, we strolled through the streets and our first impressions were not great, but they weren't terrible either. It's not a very pretty village, but there's something about it that makes it cozy. We walked along the seafront, passed by a craft fair and just sat around, enjoying the sunset.
Dining in Puerto Viejo
We stopped for dinner at the restaurant MOPRI, which is not at all cool, but the food is just great. It was recommended by the owner of our hotel and we enjoyed it.
We stopped at the supermarket, bought some beers, snacks, snorkels and sunscreen and we went to the hotel to sleep early.
Day 2 – Monday (11/03/2013)
Manzanillo Point
We woke up early, bought breakfast and rented bikes from a hostel on the main street. We headed towards Manzanillo Point with the idea of stopping at several beaches along the way. We started the tour and soon came across many animals crossing the road, practically empty of cars, with excellent asphalt.
We were so excited that we changed our minds and decided to go all the way to the end of the road and only stop on the way back at the beaches that were halfway. We sweated a lot… The final part of the road to Manzanillo had steep hills that made my legs hurt for the next two days, lol, but it was worth it!
We finally arrived at Punta Manzanillo, where a river meets the sea, which is really cool. We had some delicious coconut water – and it was cheaper than the coconut water in Ipanema! – and went to the beach. Unfortunately, the tide was high, so we couldn’t relax in the water, but we were able to relax after the 15km bike ride.
Playa Grande
We got back on the road and after a few minutes, we stopped at Playa Grande. Very pretty and inhabited.
Grape Point
We return to the bike and we continue to Grape Point, the most famous beach in the region. As we were hungry, we stopped to eat at the only restaurant on the beach, Punta Uva Lounge. We ate delicious sandwiches and seafood there, always keeping an eye on the bikes (everyone told us to be VERY CAREFUL!).
Afterwards, we went to see the famous beach and were greeted by a beautiful sunset. The weather on the beach was wonderful… We regretted not having arrived earlier, but we managed to return there at the end of the trip.
We hurried back to the city because it was getting dark and we didn't see many people cycling on the road with us like we had in the morning. We arrived in PV exhausted, but in time to return the bike. bike without having to pay another night. We ate some junk food at the hotel and passed out on the bed!
Day 3 – Tuesday (12/03/2013)
We woke up early and went to have breakfast at a place that was very busy and looked great. And it was =D Too bad I don't remember the name. I know it was very close to our hotel, on the street we took to get to the main street.
We left there satisfied and went to the bus stop in search of tickets for Cahuita, as the owner of our hotel had recommended the tour. We easily bought the ticket and waited for the bus to arrive for almost half an hour (there are not many time options). We took the bus along with the locals and a few tourists and in a short time – I think less than 1 hour – we arrived in Cahuita.
Cahuita
We got off at the city and didn't like what we saw: a depressing city with unwelcoming people, very different from the PURA VIDA atmosphere of Puerto Viejo. We started walking around the city until we found the entrance to the Cahuita National Park. There is no need to pay to enter, but any help is welcome, so we made our contributions.
We started walking through the trails (trails) and in less than 1 minute, we came across a lizard crossing our path. I thought it was cool and kept watching it until a snake hidden on the edge of the trail struck and ate the poor thing! Oh my gosh, how desperate!!! I screamed so much!!!! It was so painful to see the little animal struggling in the snake's mouth...it was so horrible.
We continued walking and came across many animals!!! I had never seen so many animals together in one place. It was wonderful to be in the middle of all that nature, but at the same time scary… lol.
We also passed by some beaches, but since the sea was rough, we didn't really feel like going in. The fun was admiring the animals. What a wonderful trip!!! I highly recommend it for nature lovers. =D
Dining in Puerto Viejo
We left the park in time to catch the bus back that we had already purchased. When we arrived in Puerto Viejo, we stopped at MOPRI again and ate some wonderful dishes to end the day on a high note.
Day 4 – Wednesday (13/03/2013)
We woke up early and went to have breakfast at an American restaurant across from the place where we rented the quad bike (I don't remember the name, sorry!). The food was wonderful!!!! We ate a typical Costa Rican breakfast, which was practically lunch, the famous rooster, and I found it delicious!! It's rice mixed with beans, a little spicy, but delicious.
Jaguar Rescue Center
We rented the quad bike and ran to the Jaguar Rescue Center, recommended and booked by the hotel owner. This place is a sanctuary where they take care of animals that have suffered an accident and then release them into the wild. What a beautiful job they do! I loved every minute there.
We got a really cool guide (they are all volunteers!) and were introduced to all the animals there. There are so many!!! We had the privilege of spending about 20 minutes in the cage with the little monkeys who interacted with us the whole time. They are so beautiful!!! And we look just like them, huh…
It was hard to leave, but they told us that we couldn't stay with them for too long, so that they wouldn't get emotionally attached and suffer after we left. That makes sense, right? After that wonderful encounter, we spent some time playing with sloths. babies…how delicious!!!! I really want to grab them, but it’s forbidden, of course…lol.
We saw other animals later and had the pleasure of meeting the person responsible for all of this. This woman is blessed, people! If you are interested in volunteering there or making donations, just go to node website from them and get more information. It seems like a super serious place!
Riding a Quad Bike
We continued our journey with our SUPER ATV!!! Wow, what a powerful beast!!! We only rented one and I rode on the back most of the time (100 dollars for the whole day). We stopped at several beaches, took lots of photos, made lots of videos, in short, we really enjoyed the day without any physical effort...lol. It was worth every penny!
We spent more time in Punta Uva, enjoying the beautiful sea. The water temperature was perfect and so were the people on the beach, everyone was at peace. We stopped at a hotel on the highway and had dinner at the restaurant inside it, and luckily, we got along really well (I don't remember the name). The food was great!
The day was very pleasant. If you can afford it, rent a quad bike. You will get to know the surroundings of Punta Uva in a fun and not too tiring way. I thought it was cool to ride a bike in the middle of all the beautiful nature that the place has, but if you are short on time, the quad bike allows you to see more in less time, so it is worth considering this in your travel budget.
We ended the day feeling fulfilled!
Day 5 – Thursday (14/03/2013)
We woke up very early and on time, the company Outdoor Explorers was at the door of our hotel. We booked through the hotel the rafting with them in the Pacuare River and we asked them to drop us off in São José after the tour. We saved on transportation! 🙂
We thought the tour was amazing and we recommend it to people who like adrenaline. I told you all about it in the San José post, just read it. click here to learn more.
To learn more about our 30-day trip through Central America (Jamaica, Costa Rica and Panama), click on the links below:
