Active Pursuits

Cultural & Adventure Tours

The Asociación Talamanqueña de Ecoturismo y Conservación (ATEC; Talamancan Association of Ecotourism and Conservation; tel. 2750-0398 or tel./fax 2750-0191; www.ateccr.org), across the street from the Soda Tamara, is concerned with preserving the environment and cultural heritage of this area and promoting ecologically sound development. (If you plan to stay in Puerto Viejo for an extended period of time and would like to contribute to the community, ask about volunteering.) In addition to functioning as the local information center, Internet cafe, and traveler's hub, ATEC runs a little shop that sells T-shirts, maps, posters, and books.

ATEC also offers quite a few tours, including half-day walks that focus on nature and either the local Afro-Caribbean culture or the indigenous Bribri culture. These walks pass through farms and forests, and along the way you'll learn about local history, customs, medicinal plants, and Indian mythology, and have an opportunity to see sloths, monkeys, iguanas, keel-billed toucans, and other wildlife. There is a range of different walks through the nearby Bribri Indians' Kéköldi Reserve, as well as more strenuous hikes through the primary rainforest. Bird walks and night walks will help you spot more of the area wildlife; there are even overnight treks. The local guides have a wealth of information and make a hike through the forest a truly educational experience. Half-day walks (and night walks) are $20 to $35 (£10-£18), and a full-day tour costs between $33 and $80 (£17-£40). ATEC can arrange snorkeling trips to the nearby coral reefs, as well as snorkeling and fishing trips in dugout canoes. A half-day of snorkeling or fishing costs around $20 to $45 (£10-£23) per person.

ATEC can also help you arrange overnight and multiday camping trips into the Talamanca Mountains and through neighboring indigenous reserves, as well as trips to Tortuguero and even a 7- to 10-day transcontinental trek to the Pacific coast. Some tours require minimum groups of 5 or 10 people and several days' advance notice. The ATEC office is open daily from 8am to 9pm.

Local tour operators Exploradores Outdoors (tel. 2750-0641; www.exploradoresoutdoors.com), Puerto Viejo Tours & Rentals (tel. 2750-0411), and Terraventuras (tel. 2750-0750; www.terraventuras.com) all offer a whole host of half- and full-day adventure tours into the jungle or sea for between $25 and $100 (£13-£50) per person. One popular tour is Terraventuras' zip-line canopy tour, which features 23 treetop platforms, a large harnessed swing, and a rappel.

One of the more educational tours is the 2-hour Chocolate Tour (tel. 2750-0075) through a working organic cacao plantation and chocolate production facility. The tour shows you the whole process of growing, harvesting, and processing cacao, and of course there's a tasting at the end. The tour is run by reservation only, and costs $15 (£7.50) per person, with a four-person minimum.

Scuba divers can check in with Aquamor (tel. 2759-9012) or Reef Runners Dive Shop (tel. 2750-0480). Both operations frequent a variety of dive sites between Punta Uva and Manzanillo, and if you're lucky the seas will be calm and visibility good -- although throughout most of the year it can be a bit rough and murky here. Aquamor is based down in Manzanillo (where you'll find the best reefs), while Reef Runners has an office in downtown Puerto Viejo.

A Little Mind & Body Revitalization

If you're looking for some day-spa pampering, check out Pure Jungle Spa (tel. 2750-0536; www.purejunglespa.com). Located at La Costa de Papito, these folks have a wide range of massage and treatment options at reasonable rates. They make many of their own oils, masks, wraps, and exfoliants.

Better suited to a longer stay, Samasati (tel. 800/563-9643 in the U.S., or 2756-8015 in Costa Rica; www.samasati.com) is a lovely jungle yoga retreat and spa, with spectacular hillside views of the Caribbean Sea and surrounding forests. Rates here run between $75 and $162 (£38-£81) per person per day, depending on occupancy and room type, and include three vegetarian meals per day and taxes. A wide range of tour, massage, and yoga packages are available. If you're staying elsewhere in Puerto Viejo or Cahuita, you can come up for yoga classes ($12/£6), meditations ($5/£2.50), or private massages ($75-$85/£38-£43) with advance notice. Samasati is located a couple of kilometers before Puerto Viejo (near the turnoff for Bribri) and roughly 1.6km (1 mile) up into the jungle.

Sunning & Surfing

Surfing has historically been the main draw here, but increasing numbers of folks are coming for the miles of beautiful and uncrowded beaches, acres of lush rainforests, and laid-back atmosphere. If you aren't a surfer, the same activities that prevail in any quiet beach town are the norm here -- sunbathe, go for a walk on the beach, read a book, or take a nap. If you have more energy, there's a host of tours and hiking options, or you can rent a bicycle or a horse. For swimming and sunbathing, locals like to hang out on the small patches of sand in front of Stanford's Disco and Johnny's Place. There are small, protected tide pools in front of each of these bars for cooling off.

If you want a more open patch of sand and sea, head north out to Playa Negra, along the road into town, or, better yet, to the beaches south of town around Punta Uva and all the way down to Manzanillo, where the coral reefs keep the surf much more manageable.

Just offshore from the tiny village park is a shallow reef where powerful storm-generated waves sometimes reach 6m (20 ft.). Salsa Brava, as it's known, is the prime surf break on the Caribbean coast. Even when the waves are small, this spot is recommended only for very experienced surfers because of the danger of the reef. Other popular beach breaks are south of town on Playa Cocles. If you're interested in surf lessons or want to rent a board, check in with Aventuras Bravas (tel. 8849-7600). They charge $10 (£5) for a half-day board rental, and $15 (£7.50) for a full-day rental.

Several operators and makeshift roadside stands offer bicycles, scooters, boogie boards, surfboards, and snorkel gear for rent. Shop around to compare prices and the quality of the equipment before settling on any one.

Another Way to Get Wet & Wild

Exploradores Outdoors (tel. 2222-6262 in San José, or 2750-2020 in Puerto Viejo; www.exploradoresoutdoors.com) runs daily white-water rafting trips on the Pacuare and Reventazón rivers. The full-day trip, including transportation, breakfast, and lunch, is $95 (£48). If you want to combine white-water rafting with your transportation to or from the Caribbean coast, they can pick you up at your hotel in San José with all your luggage, take you for a day of white-water rafting, and drop you off at day's end at your hotel anywhere on the Caribbean coast from Cahuita to Manzanillo. You can also choose to use the option in the other direction.