Puerto Viejo
Christian May 16th, 2008
Puerto Viejo
Getting to Puerto Viejo Costa Rica from Bocas del Toro was different from we thought it was going to be. We left on the first ferry at 7 to Changuiola. Our boat driver was officially insane, speeding through the narrow passages. We managed to hit a few submerged logs and get tangled in some plants along the way. The only good part of it was that we made it to the dock in half the time it was supposed to take. After getting off the dock, which was clearly in the middle of nowhere with no bus connections, all of us we forced to jump on tourist van which was way overpriced. The van dropped us off at a bridge that was the border between the two countries. After getting our exit stamp at the Panama border, we had had to walk over a wooden bridge with gaps in the boards that showed the river below. It felt rickety and super sketchy. The worst was when a truck would come and you would have to jump to the side on this metal platform that was rusted with holes. Once over the bridge, we had to go to immigration and find our way to the next bus to Puerto Viejo, which ended up not being all that bad. We even met a former marine that was living in San Jose and told us that he has to carry his knife around with him for protection, as he whipped it out. Great Times.
The bus to Puerto Viejo was a hot two hours, but soon gave way to the Caribbean. We were dropped into town and made our way to the place we had reserved. There was plenty of signs, so it was easy to find. What is crazy is that I had stayed in the same cabinas 4 years ago while studying in Costa Rica. They were super nice and the owners are great. We immediately headed out to take advantage of the good weather. We rented some bikes to go Manzanillo, a beach I had visited the last time I was here. The ride was hot and long. Longer than I remember, maybe I am getting out of shape. It was a 13km bike ride in the Caribbean sun, but the reward was worth it.
Manzanillo is a tiny village nestled on the edge of a nature reserve. The beaches there are super nice and for the most part, uncrowded. The water is calm, unlike other beaches in the Puerto Viejo area. This is due to the reef that prevents the waves from reaching the beaches. The reef also makes for great snorkeling. Casey and I found our own private section of the beach and relaxed for a while. We even took some goofy photos. After spending enough time at the water, we walked on one of the trails for a bit in the reserve. We did not see any animals, but we did see tons of brightly colored crabs. After the walk we decided to head back to town. It was a long ride. On the way back we had the opportunity to see a group of howler monkeys in the trees along the road. It was very cool to watch them swing and jump from tree to tree.
The next day was rainy so we spent it using the free wifi. Once the rain let down, we took the rental bikes to a beach a couple kilometers from town, Cocles. It is a surf beach that had pretty big waves. Casey and I went in the water for a bit, and enjoyed the waves (after they broke). It was a good time, but we had to get back to return the bikes. On the way back, we had the rare opportunity to see a sloth up close. It was perched on the wooden fence next to the road. We stood there for 5 minutes or so just watching it. They are very funny animals, which move very slowly. After returning the bikes, we headed back to the cabinas. There was one thing there we had to conquer there. When I was here 4 years ago, I remember climbing 40 feet up a rickety ladder(more boards tied to the tree) to a treehouse.
The treehouse was still there so we had to climb it. Casey volunteered to go first, making her way up the ladder. I then followed. It was as scary as I remembered. It was good though. Once we were up in the treehouse, we had a great view of Puerto Viejo. The tree house swayed back and forth anytime either of us would move. After some photos, we made our way back down. After that, we kind of just hung around for the rest of the night. We decided to stay one more day since the weather was not the best.
The next day we awoke to the birds singing and the sun shining. I went for a run (almost passed out in the heat). It was going to be a good day. We ate some breakfast and headed down for the beach. Right in Puerto Viejo they have a good beach with a tide pool. The clear water was so warm. We sat in the tide pool for a couple hours, just relaxing and talking. It was relaxing and really nice. We headed back to the cabinas for some lunch, grabbing our cameras so that we could take some photos on the beach.
We walked along the beach taking photos and running into a hippie village in the woods. On the way back there was some freak on a bike that was dressed in clothes with holes and a funky hat. Of course he pedaled over to us, why not. He claimed he was a magician/comedian from New York. His card tricks were pretty interesting and his jokes were lude, but he soon left when he realized that we had no money to give him. That was the end of our time on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. It is a beautiful place, which we could have stayed longer. Now it is time to head to La Fortuna.
- Costa Rica
- Comments(0)
