Hiking and Nature Tours:
The local community association- ATEC- offers hiking and nature excursions in the area.
Mauricio Salazar at Beach Cottages Chimúri offers hikes to the Keköldi Indigenous Reserve, plus night walks (3 hours; $10).
Puerto Viejo Tours (tel. 506/750-0411, fax 506/755-0082, puertoviejo@yahoo.com), offers local jungle hikes ($20), hiking ($35) at Cahuita, and white-water rafting tours ($75–85), plus trips to Gandoca-Manzanillo, Tortuguero (from $55), KeköLdi ($60), and Boca del Toro in Panamá.
Terraventuras (tel. 506/750-0426, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat.) offers trips to Tortuguero ($50), the Indian reserves ($35), plus dolphin watching ($35), snorkeling ($35), and a rappeling canopy tour.
Rolf, of Bushmaster Expeditions (tel./fax 506/750-0283), offers nature tours to Gandoca ($40). ATV tours are offered by Quad Adven-Tours (tel. 506/750-0632).
Surfing:
The 'Salsa Brava' break is legendary among the surfers in Costa Rica.
From November through April, the village is crowded with surfers, who come for a killer six-meter storm-generated wave called La Salsa Brava.
Beach Break, at Playa Cocles, about 3 km south of Puerto Viejo, is good for novices and intermediates. The safest beach for swimming is Playa Negra and the small beach near the bus stop in town.
Kurt, at Hotel Puerto Viejo, rents boards and gives lessons, as does Cabinas Grant (tel. 506/750-0013).Click HERE for a guide to surfing in Costa Rica.
Other Water Sports:
Reef Runner Divers (tel./fax 506/750-0480, arrecifes55@hotmail.com), next to Pulpería Manuel León, offers guided dive tours ($40 one-tank, $60 two-tank, $50 night dive), PADI certification ($225), and dolphin and snorkeling tours. Puerto Viejo Tours also offers snorkeling. Ocean Adventures rents kayaks, boogies, and snorkeling and surfing gear, as does Juppy & Tino Adventures (tel. 506/750-0621), next door; the latter has kayak tours to Gandoca ($60). Also see Playa Cocles to Punta Uva, below.
The El Pizote Lodge offers fishing trips.
Horseback Riding:
You can rent horses and take guided tours at Don Antonio’s (tel. 506/750-0342), 600 meters south of town ($5 per hour). Seahorse Stables (tel. 506/750-0468, edwinsalem@yahoo.es), near Punta Cocles (see Punta Cocles, below), has tours by reservation only.
Shopping:
Color Caribe (9 a.m.–8 p.m.) stocks a great selection of clothing, jewelry, and souvenirs, including hand-painted and silk-screened clothing, plus hammocks and colorful wind chimes.
Cabinas Casa Verde has a small but upscale boutique selling batiks, Panama hats, Panamian molas, and more. Nearby, LuluBelu (tel. 506/750-0394, 1–9 p.m. Wed.–Mon.) is a colorful place selling an original range of ceramics, jewelry etc.
