Puerto Viejo is a very small town, with a soccer field at its center. If you continue past the soccer field on the main road and stay on the paved road, then turn right at the Banco Nacional, you’ll come to the Río Sarapiquí and the dock, where you can look into arranging a boat trip.

Getting There

By Car: The Guápiles Highway (CR32), which leads to the Caribbean coast, heads north out of downtown San José on Calle 3. Turn north before reaching Guápiles on the road to Río Frío (CR4), and continue north through Las Horquetas, passing the turnoffs for Rara Avis, La Selva, and El Gavilán lodges before reaching Puerto Viejo.

A more scenic route goes through Heredia, Barva, Varablanca, and San Miguel before reaching Puerto Viejo. This route passes very close to the Poás Volcano and directly in front of La Paz waterfall. If you want to take this route, head west out of San José, then turn north to Heredia and follow the signs for Varablanca and La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

If you connect the two routes mentioned above, you get what is sometimes referred to as “The Sarapiquí Loop.” This loop is a pretty drive, punctuated with attractions and tour opportunities, and it also connects quite nicely with an alternative route to La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area.

Tip: If you plan to stop on the way to see La Paz Waterfall Gardens ★★ or visit Rain Forest Adventures ★, budget at least 2 hours to visit either attraction.

By Bus: Empresarios Guapileños buses ((tel) 2222-0610 in San José, or 2710-7780 in Puerto Viejo) leave San José roughly every hour between 6:30am and 6pm from Gran Terminal del Caribe, on Calle Central, 1 block north of Avenida 11. The trip takes 2 hours; fare is C3,000. Buses for San José leave Puerto Viejo mostly hourly from 5:30am to 5:30pm.

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