Today we’re back on the Caribbean coast, we haven’t seen the Caribbean since we left Caye Caulker over 3 weeks ago. We left San Jose at 8:00 for a 5 hour journey to Puerto Viejo. One short stop in Limon on the way for toilets and refreshments.
Limon is a container and liner port, on the way into the town there are huge yards full of Maersk, Hamburg Sud, Hapag-Lloyd and many other shipping containers. The port is currently being expanded to handle more traffic – mainly outbound refrigerated containers of Costa Rican produce, primarily bananas and pineapples.
We arrive at lunchtime, it’s warm but with a nice breeze from the sea. Check in to the hotel and have a quick orientation walk of the town, it’s only a few blocks so nothing is far away.
Bryan, our new guide, is from La Fortuna further north in Costa Rica (where we were a couple of days ago), he doesn’t like San Jose – too big and bustling, he’s much happier here.
The town has a very Caribbean vibe, plenty of rum shacks, lots of reggae bars, pictures of Bob Marley all around. It’s very slow and relaxed, the sea seems to be at the end of almost every street.
We missed breakfast because of the early start so lunch is long overdue, we both have an avocado and cheese sandwich, mine is accompanied by a passion fruit smoothie – it’s all very good.
The best beach is a couple of kms out of town, it’s now a bit late for bike hire so we walk. The road follows the coast, either at the back of the beach or a little way inland with the sea visible through trees. All along the road there are more bars and restaurants. The beach is good, the sea much better. Nothing like the UK where you creep in up to your waist, the water is warm in the late sun. The waves break about 50m off the beach, the biggest are about 2m high, unfortunately the board-hire stalls are starting to close down for the day – maybe tomorrow.
Wander back to the hotel as the sun is going down, the sky above the sea turns many shades of pink.
Although lunch was very good the choice of food in Puerto Viejo is a bit disappointing, the majority of restaurants cater to tourists and the menus are mixed international rather than anything more local. We have pizza in a restaurant owned by a German lady.
Looks like paradise. Amazing pictures. Reality check though: I don’t recall your wading in the sea to your waist on the George borough anniversary coastal trips. And Julian just charged in.