Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
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Travel to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, visa requirements / Get around / Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Shopping, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Get outPuerto Viejo de Sarapiquí is an inland town in the province of Heredia, in Costa Rica. It is notable for attractive rain forest nearby, with wildlife viewing (particularly birdwatching) at inland sites and along the Rio Sarapiquí.
Travel to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí - Visa Requirements
Puerto Viejo is on Costa Rica highway 9, about a 2-hour drive from San José. This drive is not for the faint of heart; the road is not in top shape, aggressive drivers are frequent, and all manner of odd things are encountered on the road. If you're not used to driving in Costa Rica, it's a good idea to hire a driver.
Bus service connects Puerto Viejo and San José. Selva Verde Lodge (see under "Sleep") runs a shuttle to and from the San Jose airport.
Tours and Getting around Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí tourist attractions and sightseeing
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí city tours
"Eco-tourism" is booming in the Puerto Viejo region. Some possibilities:
- Boating on the Rio Sarapiquí is possible, using any number of outfitters in town. Wildlife encounters on the river are common; bring a good camera.
- Estación Biológica La Selva, La Selva Biological Station [1], is a research facility near Puerto Viejo operated by an extensive consortium of universities in Costa Rica and the United States. Guided tours are possible by advance arrangement, and are highly recommended for their access to "primary" (old-growth) rain forest.
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí souvenirs and shopping
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging
- Selva Verde Lodge [2] is in the nearby village of Chilamate. Selva Verde is one of the pioneering "eco-lodges" in Costa Rica and has been developed in a way consistent with minimum impact on the surrounding rain forest. The extensive grounds include a preserve with rugged and frequently muddy trails; the lodge makes boots available so that you don't have to trudge through them in your own hiking boots and shoes.
- Almendros y Corales[3] Situated in the rain forest of the Caribbean coast, near the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refugue. The rooms are tent style with mosquito netting, fans and hammocks. A very rustic place, for those who like to camp and be surrounded by nature. The hotel has restaurant facilities.
Get out
- Braulio Carrillo National Park is nearby and offers additional opportunities to experience the rain forest.
This page was last edited by Todd VerBeek. Based on work by Evan Prodromou and Bill Johnson and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license
