Puerto Viejo isn’t a place you check off a list. It’s a place that changes you—if you let it. Each of the experiences listed above isn’t just about activity, but connection. With nature. With people. With yourself.

In the calm of the Río Cocles, you may find answers to questions you didn’t know you were asking. On a hike through Gandoca-Manzanillo, surrounded by trees older than any building back home, you might remember what it feels like to be small in the best way. In a chocolate ceremony with the Bribri, you may taste not only cacao but culture, resilience, and the unbroken line of tradition passed down over centuries.

What I’ve learned after living and managing properties in this area is that Puerto Viejo gives back what you bring to it. Show up open and curious, and this town will meet you with warmth, magic, and maybe even a sense of belonging. Many come here for the beaches or the jungle. But they stay because they feel… home.