Title: Surviving A Massive Earthquake and Tsunami: What It Feels Like Type: Blog Date: 2010-03-05 Author: Steve Casimiro 
|  In April 1991, Costa Rica was struck by a 7.6 or 7.7 scale earthquake (experts still don’t agree on the magnitude). My girlfriend (now wife) Joni and I were in the far southeastern corner of the country, warming up in the Caribbean after a long winter. On this day, we’d rented bikes in a village called Cahuiti, rode a half-dozen miles south to Puerto Viejo, and spent the afternoon lounging on the beach. Around 3:30, clouds moved across the sun and at 3:57, as we were about to leave, the earthquake hit. This is what happened next.
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Title: Costa Rica…with more detail Type: Blog Date: 2010-03-03 Author: Janna Polzin 
|  Costa Rica was absolutely beautiful. The leaves were green, the air was moist, the people were relaxed, the beer was refreshing, and the sand crabs were really really cool.
The journey started with a 3:30 am pickup from home to get to the airport for a 6:20 flight. Awesome. US customs guy was really mean. Though I think I would be if I was working at 4:30 am. Flights were fine, stopover in Miami was fine. Finally got to San Jose at about 2ish. We arranged a pickup from the airport to the bus station that was halfway across town. Our driver told us that there is around 5 million people in Costa Rica and 2 million of them are all in San Jose. Crazy. Grabbed a bus at 4 and spent the next 4.5 hours getting to the Caribbean coast. There was a delay in the mountains because of a lot of atmospheric fog! We finally arrived in Puerto Viejo after 19 hours of trying to get there. Good stuff.
Recommendation: Book your transportation through Gecko Trail Adventures! |
Title: Best Affordable Beach Resorts Type: News Article Date: 2010-03-01 Author: Travel+Leisure Magazine 
|  Two Puerto Viejo hotels have been featured in the 2010 list of "The Best Affordable Beach Resorts" in the March 2010 issue of Travel+Leisure magazine. Out of 42 hotels worldwide (and no others in Costa Rica), the editors chose Banana Azul (#18) and Le Cameleon (#19).
There’s nothing like a little sand between your toes. These seaside resorts—all $250 or less per day—promise sun and the simple life.
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Title: For Randolph student, Costa Rica project was ‘paradise’ Type: News Article Date: 2010-02-26 Author: Randolph Reporter
|  Like any small Costa Rican village, Manzanillo is rural, impoverished, and what Kayla Hastrup calls “paradise.”
Hastrup, a 2006 Randolph High School graduate now a senior communications major at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, was among 10 students selected to spend 10 days in the Central American country last month as part of the school’s Alternative Break service project program.
From Jan. 6 through Jan. 16, she helped add a bathroom to the village’s small, four-room grade school, gardened, and cleaned a two-mile stretch of beach along the pacific Caribbean Sea.
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Title: Getting a Life in Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2010-02-15 Author: Benita Hussain 
|  I am beginning to feel alive again, slowly but surely, here in Costa Rica. Every drip of sweat that makes its way over my collarbones and down my top is another piece of New York's winter and aggression that leaves my body. And, I swear, there is a lot of sweat, caked underneath rain, mud, horse manure and salt water.
My first three days were spent heading south to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, a Caribbean town 30km north of the Panama's border, and settling into my home for the next 2.5 months: a room in the Playa Cocles jungle/mountain home of Edwin Salem (below-right), one of the original Mavericks surfers, owner of Seahorse Stables, and a friend of my girl June's father.
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Title: Ziplining in paradise Type: News Article Date: 2010-02-09 Author: St John Telegram 
|  You stare straight ahead of you, feeling the sweat break out all over your body - a sweat brought on not only by the heat, but also by nerves and anticipation.
You are perched on a platform mounted in a treetop too many feet above the ground to think about. Your field of vision presents you with lush vegetation, blue sky and a gorge that you know has a bottom only because you can hear the roaring river lost in the undergrowth way below. Barely visible on the other side of this chasm is another platform similar to the one you now occupy. It is your destination.
Recommendation: Go on a zipline adventure! |
Title: South Caribbean Adventures: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca & The Organic Feria Type: Blog Date: 2010-02-01 Author: Just Making Noise
|  This is the beginning of many posts to come about our adventures in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca located on the southern part of the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The drive down there was beautiful and a whole different world from the Pacific side of Costa Rica. We drove through a breathtaking rainforest reserve, over many rivers , past large banana & pineapple plantations and miles of coconut trees along the coast. Can you tell that I've fallen in love with the Caribbean?!
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Title: Saying goodbye to Costa Rica! Type: Blog Date: 2010-01-27 Author: Nikkie Wolf 
|  Yes, finally I am tearing myself away from Central America and heading south so I thought I'd give you a quick update on what I've been up to and what happens next!
I've been keeping myself busy since my last post. I came back to Puerto Viejo for New Year which was a bit of a culture shock. 2 weeks deep in the jungle and then arriving back in the party town of Puerto the day before New Year. The town was packed and spirits were high so a good time was had by all. Needless to say I over-indulged and felt awful the next day but that is what NY eve is all about isn't it?
Recommendation: Go diving! |
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Title: A perfect week at Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Type: Video Date: 2010-01-25 Author: acaciamul 
| The Banana Azul resort was the perfect backdrop for a New Year's vacation. |
Title: Seeking sun and savings Type: News Article Date: 2010-01-24 Author: Patricia Borns, Boston Globe
| Does your favorite winter sport require surf wax not ski wax? For heat on the cheap, we scoured the warm zone for destinations with great packages, or lodging options under $130 a night, and recent round-trip airfares from Boston under $450. Then we applied our rating system: high scores for barefoot simplicity, debits for resort crowds. And the winners are . . .
Puerto Viejo
Small it may be, but Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast was a surfing insiders’ mecca that exploded when the 1994 sequel to “Endless Summer’’ revealed it to the world.
Recommendation: Do an overnight tour to Tortuguero |
Title: Photos taken in Puerto Viejo on Flickr Type: Photo Album Date: 2010-01-07 Author: Flickr Users 
|  Various photos and videos taken by Flickr users which are geotagged as taken in Puerto Viejo. There are some wonderful images of Puerto Viejo here.
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Title: Costa Rica: Day 8 Type: Blog Date: 2010-01-06 Author: Tyler Ingram 
|  Alright, the last couple days of our Costa Rica trip were fairly busy so on Day 8 but we were booked to do a Sea and River Kayak trip at Punta Uva. This trip was to replace the snorkeling trip we did not get to do due to the size of the waves, but in the end it was very enjoyable.
We were picked up at the Banana Azul and headed into Punta Uva with 4 other people (2 Americans and a couple from Romania). Once we got to Punta Uva and the Kayaks were unloaded we got into them and floated around a bit as our guide helped the other people learn to paddle. Robyn and I took level 1 kayaking at Deep Cove in 2008 so we were pretty comfortable on the water.
Recommendation: Do the Kayaking trip at Punta Uva |
Title: Costa Rica: Day 6 Type: Blog Date: 2010-01-01 Author: Tyler Ingram
|  The plan for Day 6 was to head into Manzanillo rainforest (Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo) with a local guide, so we did just that. We were picked up at the Banana Azul at 7am (5am for you pacific time people) and headed into Puerto Viejo to pick up our guide Ricky and continue on to Manzanillo.
The park spans from Manzanillo south down to the Panama boarder encompassing 5,013 hectares of land and 4,436 hectares of ocean. It protects 70% of the Southern Caribbean coast.
You can tell that Manzanillo area is more of a daytime area as it was pretty quiet. No one in the streets, no cars parked, nobody at the beach.
Recommendation: Go to the Gandoca-Manzanillo Reserve with a guide |
Title: Costa Rica: day 5 Type: Blog Date: 2009-12-31 Author: Tyler Ingram
|  Day 5 of our stay at Puerto Viejo was not as grueling as our trek up the beach into Cahuita, but it was just as interesting if not a little bit more.
Even though today is Day 6 here in Puerto Viejo, I did not have time to work on a post for Day 5 as it was pretty busy. We first caught a Taxi from the Banana Azul into Puerto Viejo though that wasn’t our intended destination. We originally were going to take the taxi all the way to the Jaguar Rescue Centre which is south of Puerto Viejo, closer to Punta Uva.
Did I mention I am writing this post from the comfort of our hammock? If only we had a bigger place in the West End, I would so set myself up in a hammock.
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Title: Costa Rica: day 4 Type: Blog Date: 2009-12-30 Author: Tyler Ingram
|  Day 4 here in Costa Rica has proven to be adventurous. We took a suggestion from the Lonely Planet Guide for Costa Rica and traveled roughly 10Km along the beach up towards Cahuita (Parque Nacional Cahuita).
Parque Nacional Cahuita at just 1067 hectares and is one of the more frequently visited national parks in Costa Rica. Primarily made up of Coconut Palms and Sea Grapes, it also includes a swampy area at Punta Cahuita. Granted we never made it that far to see the swampy area with Mango tress, but later this week we will be doing a snorkeling and hiking tour of the Cahuita park in more detail.
Recommendation: Explore Cahuita N.P. with a guide |
Title: Hotel Banana Azul in Puerto Viejo Type: Video Date: 2009-12-19 Author: Isabelle & Alain
| Hotel Banana Azul in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica, a very nice & comfortable hotel built out of local hardwoods that has 12 beautiful guest rooms, situated on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. One phrase to describe Banana Azul: This place is paradise! The hotel is beautiful; the food is fantastic; the beach is gorgeous...and the staff and owners are great! |
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Title: Monkeys Mean Business at Congo Bongo Type: News Article Date: 2009-12-04 Author: Tico Times 
|  There's a "West Side Story" playing out on Costa Rica's southeastern coast. On one side of the road, the gangs are known as white-faced and spider. On the other, the howler, or congo, gang rules.
This, of course, refers to the monkeys in the Caribbean Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, and during this Tico Times visit, things seem rather peaceful on their turf. However, the howlers - the largest of the New World monkey species - are wont to disrupt the calm and are winning at least one battle: control over the sound waves. Their cries can be heard five kilometers away.
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Title: Caribbean Surf Scene Type: Photo Album Date: 2009-12-02 Author: CRSurf 
|  Photos of the surfing beaches and surf shops in Puerto Viejo and area.
Recommendation: Learn to surf! |
Title: Day Two: Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-10-25 Author: ezwriter 
|  Day two started out bright and early. Made my morning trek into a deserted Puerto Viejo (everyone else is still asleep from the partying the night before) planning on breakfast prior to my morning snorkel trip with Reef Runners. Our group was meeting at 8:30am - - being up and out by 7 meant I had plenty of time for breakfast and a couple of cups of (yummy!) coffee.
Surprises started with a couple of horses grazing in a ocean-front field next to the dive center and the bus station. Not sure where they came from, or where they go during the day, but it was not a bad way to start your morning. Luckily, in the same building as the dive center is Soda Louisa - - and they open at 6am! No one here spoke any English, so ordering was a challenge.
Recommendation: Take a snorkel trip with Reef Runner! |
Title: First Whole Day in Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-10-24 Author: ezwriter
|  I arrived late into Puerto Viejo late on 10/23 after my whitewater trip down the Pacuare River. My outfitter, Expladores Outdoors including a transfer to my hotel free of charge in my raft package. This is a fantastic service and they literally delivered me to the front door of my hotel.
It was around 5pm - - already well past sunset in this part of the world. I checked in, got cleaned up and took a taxi into town to have dinner. Early evening is actually pretty quiet - as a party town - - people don't come out until later and then stay out all night. Given the rain, the darkness and the fact that I had NO IDEA what I was dealing with, I decided to turn in early and be ready to take on the town in the light of day.
Recommendation: Take the rafting trip to get to Puerto Viejo |
Title: Prozac for the conscience Type: News Article Date: 2009-10-23 Author: Georgia Brown, Mail & Guardian
| Two surfers cycle past me clutching their boards as a local Rastafarian waves them a salute from his spot under a beach palm tree. Waves break on golden sand, backed by a snaking ribbon of slender palms and tropical green foliage -- it’s a scene you could market as visual Prozac.
It’s not hard to see why Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is one of the most popular destinations...
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Title: Interbus a Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-10-20 Author: Tyler and Coraleigh 
|  Today we rode the Interbus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo. It was really convenient and it picked us up right from our hotel and dropped us off at our place in Puerto Viejo. We left at 7:40am and got here around 12:30pm. What a crazy ride, but for you moms out there it was totally 100% safe with no banditos :O) We picked up four other people before leaving San Jose. A local dentist going to a clinic, a local businesswoman traveling to a hotel, and an Australian guy that was looking to study Spanish in San Jose for 6 months, but changed his mind after 2 days there. hahaha. Along the way we passed all the major banana farms like Chiquita, Dole, and Del Monte. We drove on some twisty roads through the mountains and rainforest, and along gravel roads by the beach. This place is really out here in the middle of nowhere.
Recommendation: Book Interbus to Puerto Viejo |
Title: Faux Green, Land Rover Liberal, BoBo's aren’t just in Newburyport Type: News Article Date: 2009-09-10 Author: Michael Cook
| I recalled that column the other night, as Frank and I sat on the upper level of the southern California “BoBo” chic restaurant in the new, glitzy mini-mall built, you guessed it, by an American “Faux Green, Land Rover Liberal, BoBo” who blew into town a couple of years ago with a trust fund as big as all outdoors and decided he was going to remake Puerto Viejo in his own image, or at least his Calfornia hometown’s image.
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Title: Business serves body, mind, spirit Type: News Article Date: 2009-08-04 Author: Christine Gwidt, Charlevoix Courier
|  In May, in a small coastal village near Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, Heidi Dietrich studied at the Samasati Yoga Retreat Center with 20 other students from all over the world to earn her accreditation as a yoga instructor.
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Title: Costa Rica 2009 > Puerto Viejo Type: Photo Album Date: 2009-08-02 Author: Lori Sorrentino 
|  Beautiful photo album from a visit to Puerto Viejo. Lovely images of people, places as well as animals from the Rescue Center.
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Title: A taste of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast Type: News Article Date: 2009-08-01 Author: Matthew Meeks, World Traveler Examiner 
|  “You want pineapple!?” Before I can even answer he jerks the car off the road into an earthy driveway and the beautiful scenery is now blocked by a cloud of dust and dirt. Juan Carlos, my overly friendly taxi-cab driver, slides open the door of the van, insisting (in a mix of English and Spanish) that I get out and follow him. Mind you, it’s my first day in this foreign country, somewhere between San Jose (the capital) and the Caribbean coastline. I turn and look at my friend, shrug my shoulders and say oh-so-encouragingly, “We‘re on vacation! C’mon!” Having a native pick fresh wild pineapple and slice it open on the side of the road was just the first taste of my tropical trek through Costa Rica.
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Title: Jungle Fever on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast Type: Blog Date: 2009-07-30 Author: Chris Gray 
|  As the howls of spider monkeys echoed around our forested cabin, I tried to open my eyes – only to find that they were crusted shut. “This is not good,” I called out to Don, who was doing a scorpion check of the bathroom. He came out, his eyes red around the rims. “Great, I have it too,” he groused. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to pass this off.”
We were in Tortuguero- a national park on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast that gave new meaning to remote. We had taken two buses and a two-hour boat ride down jungle-lined canals to get here, mostly so we could witness the spectacle of giant sea turtles nesting on the beach at night...
Recommendation: Go rafting on the Pacuare River to get to Puerto Viejo |
Title: Yamangurl's travel to Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2009-07-07 Author: Yamagurl 
|  The camera gear will be in tow and I am salivating at the thought of digitally capturing all the flora and fauna Costa Rica is famous for, not to mention the local flavor.
I have intentionally not pre-planned any activities. Instead, I will awake each day and while I enjoy a cup of that wonderful Costa Rican coffee I will decide what it is I want to do and where I want to go. If anything at all.
I will be staying at a small hotel called Cabinas Guarana, a small property up the road from the beach that is owned by an Italian couple.
Recommendation: Travel via Interbus |
Title: Vale la pena on Costa Rica's Caribbean shore Type: News Article Date: 2009-07-04 Author: Gabe McCarthy, SF Living Abroad Examiner 
|  Air travel is hectic and expensive, often crowded and seems to rarely turn out exactly as planned. The trip from the airport and capital city of San Jose to the Caribe side of Costa Rica makes the airborne leg of the trip seem both insignificant and vale la pena, worth the pain.
The Limon and Talamanca provinces occupy the Eastern shore of Costa Rica. The port city of Limon, the largest and most fiscally significant city on the Caribbean in this country, is charged with the movement and mechanization of any large city and bustles with locals and tourists alike, all pursuing capitalistic endeavors. Cargo ships dwarf the harbor and giant Lego blocks stamped with Dole and Del Monte crowd their decks. It is through this deep water port that the great majority of Costa Rica's chief export leaves.
Recommendation: Get your bus ticket in advance with airport pickup |
Title: EnM's World: Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Type: Photo Album Date: 2009-06-27 Author: EnM 
|  Puerto Viejo photo journal with some recommendations on where to stay and where to eat.
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Title: Banana Azul in Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-06-26 Author: Lily N 
|  We stayed in the Apartment at Banana Azul for a week. The Apartment was the owners’ residence until they finished their home just a few meters away from the property. As a result, their pets would often wander up and sleep on the furniture in the Apartment. We had two cats who regularly visited and Benji the Dog. All were polite and lovely pets and it really made it feel like home for us because we have three dogs and two cats at home. There was an amazing open-air bathroom with a deep tub and shower that faced out into the forest. The apartment is on the second floor so no one was “looking in” while we showered.
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Title: The Volun-Tourist: Learning to surf Type: Blog Date: 2009-06-26 Author: Anna Salinas
|  Here’s how I feel about hammocks: they’re too small. They’re not suited for stomach-sleepers. They rock too much. There’s no place to tuck in your sheets.
But for one weekend, I decided to put aside my hammock hate and settle down in the aptly named hostel, Rocking J’s. The place is in Puerto Viejo, a tiny beach town on the east coast that’s become a popular haven for backpackers, local surfers, and surfing backpackers.
And like the Rasta-influenced town, Rocking J’s feels overwhelmingly Caribbean. “Por favor, vaya a la playa,” requests a sign in the lobby. Beside the text are two marijuana leaves ex-ed out in red lines.
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Title: Don Faust > Travel > Costa Rica Type: Photo Album Date: 2009-06-09 Author: Don Faust 
|  Photos from trip to Costa Rica including Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and Tortuguero. Great selection from a talented photographer!
Recommendation: Go to Tortuguero |
Title: Costa Rica's lesser-known Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2009-06-09 Author: Budget Travel Magazine 
|  Whenever anyone writes about Costa Rica they're usually referring to the west coast or the string of volcanoes. But I reckon the best place in Costa Rica is the little publicized Caribbean coast—untouched by mass tourism, no big resorts or group tourism, beaches that rival anything the 'traditional Caribbean' has to offer—and all without a hefty price tag.…
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Title: Snorkeling Punta Uva Type: Video Date: 2009-05-11 Author: Condé Nast 
| Condé Nast Traveler senior assistant editor Alex Pasquariello tests out his Flip Ultra camcorder underwater in Punta Uva.
Recommendation: Book a snorkeling tour |
Title: Forming pyramids and frightening the children Type: Photo Album Date: 2009-04-19 Author: Bruce McIntyre
|  Photos from 2008 Costa Rica trip: Puerto Viejo. Lots of photos from Banana Azul, Flowers and life everywhere!
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Title: New Guesthouses Offer ‘Barefoot Luxury’ on Southern Caribbean Coast Type: News Article Date: 2009-02-13 Author: Tico Times
|  The new Geckoes Lodge on the southern Caribbean coast is a place to sit back, relax and leave your watch behind. About a kilometer inland from the beach on Cocles' Margarita Road, a gorgeous expanse of unspoiled jungle holds four houses: two for guests, one for the full-time staff and one belonging to owners Zoë Courtier and Tom Keller.
Recommendation: Book a Romance & Adventure package at Geckoes Lodge |
Title: Puerto Viejo Type: Photo Album Date: 2009-02-04 Author: DrewDomkus 
|  Drewdomkus' photostream tagged with Puerto Viejo. Pics from around town, from the jungle and from Cariblue.
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Title: January 09 Trip to Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2009-01-31 Author: joe brannan
|  Puerto Viejo is kind of the hub of the southern Caribbean coast. Lots of restaurants, some shopping, and an array of lodging from hostel types to cabinas (usually little individual cabins or houses) to full size villa rentals. PV is big time surfer town with famed (or so they? say) break at Salsa Brava just south of town. Lots of people carrying surfboards on foot and on bicycles (looked kind of difficult to me but I have very little sense of balance).
Recommendation: Stay at Hotel Suerre |
Title: Where the Jungle Meets the Sea Type: Blog Date: 2009-01-30 Author: Alf Anderson
| Impenetrable forest, the white spray of cataracts tumbling through the greenery across distant hillsides, titanium-bright blue morpho butterflies bobbing past you.
On the last day of our stay in Costa Rica I asked Mike, a Californian surfer we’d hooked up with on arrival, how he’d sum up his visit. “Great place, great people, great beaches - yeah, that’s about it”. Well, I suppose you might expect a classic soundbite from a Californian, but his comments were a pretty accurate - if short - summary of the country’s Caribbean coast.
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Title: Cahuita Butterfly Garden Type: Video Date: 2009-01-24 Author: gabianta
| Video taken at the Cahuita Butterfly Garden. |
Title: Puerto Viejo Mashup Type: Video Date: 2008-12-31 Author: centralelements
| DIRECTED-FILMED-EDITED BY:
ALEXX THOMPSON. I shot jerry and Juny in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica with some additional footage shot in Bocas Del Toro Panama. later added the kid loco meets king tubby tune.locals jerry and junny |
Title: i wanna go throw up so i can eat some more Type: Blog Date: 2008-11-16 Author: sarah laccabue
| for the past two days i have basically been back in arcata (minus the overcast gross weather). everywhere i go there are hippies and some of the streets smell like weed. right back at home!
it is beautiful though. hot weather, sun and ocean. we are staying at the banana azul in puerto negro and the 13 room hotel basically has a private beach so yesterday we all layed out and played in the warmest ocean water i have ever been in. i layed on the hammock and read my book. it was perfect!
in the afternoon we went to the jungle spa and had wonderful massages and i got a banana honey body mask and got wrapped in banana leaves.
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Title: Be Pampered In A Spa In The Middle Of The Jungle Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-29 Author: Bobby Rica
|  Just as I thought that the attractions of Costa Rica have reached its full potential, I stumbled upon this pure jungle spa situated in Puerto Viejo, right across Playa Cocles in the Southern Caribbean coast. It’s the perfect place if you want to indulge yourself in a variety of body treatments aiming to soothe every tired muscle and abate work-induced stress.
Owing to its location (right in the jungle), the La Costa de Papito Pure Jungle Spa was built to complement its surroundings.
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Title: Jungle Explorers Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-13 Author: The Gordons 
|  During our travel planning, we reached out to a local non-profit, who provides educational assistance, food, and micro loans mainly to indigenous people in Costa Rica. We brought a 50 lbs box of school supplies for the school children. Through this experience we’ve communicated with the owner, Barry and Nancy and finally were going to be meeting them. They live one mile from our hotel. What amazing people they are. We visited for a good hour or longer and discussed...
Recommendation: Hike in Cahuita National Park |
Title: Our Journey to the Edge of the World Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-12 Author: The Gordons
|  We were in complete awe at the fact that we were literally in the middle of the jungle. We pulled up to our hotel gate, no radio and windows rolled down. You could hear a combination of the end of a tropical thunderstorm, the waves and the loudest bugs/crickets we’ve ever heard.
We strolled up to the open air common area and checked in. Nina checked us in and took us up to our rooms. The 12 room hotel is newly built, all wood and very open and airy – almost a hostel like feel. Our room has large doors out to our massive patios with our table, chairs, relaxing chair and hammock. From our bed with the doors open you can hear the distinct sound of calm ocean waves lapping against the shore. Then Nina said a magical phrase that was music to our ears – “When you’re ready head down to the bar for your welcome drink.”
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Title: Hotel Banana Azul Puerto Viejo Type: Video Date: 2008-10-06 Author: NowFilms 
| Video from Hotel Banana Azul in Puerto Viejo featuring the hotel as well as lots of the town and local beaches. Also lots of ideas on local activities.
Recommendation: Stay at Banana Azul |
Title: Travel to Puerto Viejo Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-06 Author: L. Gruger Art & Travels
|  We went to Austin, Texas first for 2 days and enjoyed the music scene. And then got up early to get to the airport to fly to San Jose, Costa Rica. We had a long travelling day yesterday. After we landed in C.R. we took a 4 hour bus ride to Puerto Viejo. We had got up at 4 a.m. to drive to the airport. Puerto Viejo is a small town/village on the Caribbean coast. It has a jamaican feel to it. Very laid back and artsy. We're staying at Hotel Guarana, a very nice, charming, comfortable place to stay with little cabinas. There is lots of green jungle surrounding the area with beautiful beaches. I'll try to post some more pics of the village and beach soon.
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Title: Hotel Agapi Type: Video Date: 2008-10-05 Author: NowFilms
| Video done for Hotel Agapi in Puerto Viejo with shots of the hotel, owners Tasso and Cecillia and local color from the town of Puerto Viejo and area beaches.
Recommendation: Stay at Agapi |
Title: Ron Don, Costa Rica Type: Blog Date: 2008-10-05 Author: The Hungry Cyclist 
| After weeks living on the Gallo Pinto, the rather romantic name given to no more than rice and beans, thoughts arriving at Costa Rica´s Caribbean Coast filled me with pangs of excitement. I was longing for my fix of pristine, palm-lined beaches, live reggae and colorful culture. But most of all my taste buds were itching for a well needed and much belated hit of Caribbean Flavor.
Jerked chicken, coconut bread and patty's were all on the menu but the famous Run Down, pronounced Ron Don, was frustratingly impossible to find. A dish that is saved for family occasions it is near impossible to find in the tourist restaurants and cafes of the small towns that hug the stunning coast line. So while drowning my cullinary sorrows in a small bar in the town of Puerto Viejo, you can imagine my delight when a local fishermen said he would show me how to make this traditional fisherman's dish.
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