Costa Rica Beaches

Location: between Cocles and Punta Uva beaches in Limon, Costa Rica.
Puerto Viejo Beach (Salsa Brava) GPS Coordinates: 9.658912, -82.751339 (9°39’32.08″N, 82°45’04.82″W)
District: Cahuita, canton: Talamanca, province: Limon.
Zone postal code: 70403.

  

Getting to Puerto Viejo Beach in Talamanca, Limon:

From San José

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km towards to San Jose, on your right you should see the Hospital Mexico, take the exit to your right, to La Uruca (on the roundabout, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and continue to San José (keep on the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to a gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit to Guapiles-Limon and follow the road #32 to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter the city, at a gas station you should take the exit on your right, following the road signs to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and continue along the coast road to Puerto Viejo for about 60 km (37 miles). Once in Puerto Viejo, you can choose to visit any of it beaches like El Chino, El Parquecito or Salsa Brava.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, rain can be bad, lighting is poor and there are potholes and there could be people walking/cycling, which may be unseen.

BY BUS

You can take a bus from the route San José – Puerto Viejo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., +506 2257-8129 / +506 2758-1572) which takes about 4.5 hours. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to secure your space.

BY PLANE

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Limon airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines every day. From here you can take a taxi or rent a car and drive or to Puerto Viejo beach, which takes about 40 minutes.

Puerto Viejo Beach nearby Restaurants: Bread and Chocolate, Creperie Sel et Sucre, Le Numu, Stashus con Fusion

Puerto Viejo beach nearby Hotels: La Isla Inn, Le Cameleon

Address map: Click here to view address map from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Puerto Viejo Beach in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica.

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Playa Cocles Costa Rica

Location: between Cocles and Punta Uva beaches in Limon, Costa Rica.
Cocles Beach GPS Coordinates: 9.652517,-82.738985 (9°39’09.06″N, 82°44’20.34″W)
District: Cahuita, canton: Talamanca, province: Limon.
Zone postal code: 70403.

Getting to Cocles Beach in Talamanca, Limon:

From San José

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km towards to San Jose, on your right you should see the Hospital Mexico, take the exit to your right, to La Uruca (on the roundabout, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and continue to San José (keep on the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to a gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit to Guapiles-Limon and follow the road #32 to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter the city, at a gas station you should take the exit on your right, following the road signs to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and continue along the coast road to Puerto Viejo for about 60 km (37 miles). Once in Puerto Viejo, follow the road for about 3 km (2 miles) until you reach Cocles Beach.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, rain can be bad, lighting is poor and there are potholes and there could be people walking/cycling, which may be unseen.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San José – Manzanillo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., 2257-8129 / 2758-1572), making the stop at Cocles Beach entrance, which takes about 5.5 hours. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to secure your space. This bus runs only once a day and is at noon.

You can also take a bus from the route San José – Puerto Viejo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., 2257-8129 / 2758-1572) which takes about 4.5 hours which has several departures, and then take a taxi to Cocles Beach.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Limon airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines every day. From here you can take a taxi or rent a car and drive or to Cocles beach, which takes about 50 minutes.

Address map: Click here to view address map from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Cocles Beach in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica.

Location: between Cocles and Punta Uva beaches in Limon, Costa Rica.
Chiquita Beach GPS Coordinates: 9.637873, -82.709077 (9°38’16.34″N, 82°42’32.67″W)
District: Cahuita, canton: Talamanca, province: Limon.
Zone postal code: 70403.

Haga click en el siguiente enlace para leer está página en Español: Playa Chiquita Costa Rica

Chiquita Beach is a beautiful beach about 2 km long, with gold sands and crystal blue waters, surrounded by lush vegetation along its coastline, located just southeast of Puerto Viejo in Limon, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

Chiquita Beach is an open-type beach, so heavy swells can be presented, but in the southern sector is protected by a promontory, where there are small colonies of coral, making it an ideal beach to practice some diving and snorkeling, or well just relax and enjoy the sea and sun, always taking precautions when bathing by strong currents.

Chiquita Beach is home to a small, quiet but colorful and naturally beautiful town, located along the coast and quite isolated, making it a perfect destination for those who want to get lost in the beauty of Costa Rica, where can find some hotels, resorts, supermarkets, restaurants and shops, among other things. However, for those looking for a little nightlife and fun, should remember that Puerto Viejo is just 15 minutes.

Chiquita Beach is ideal for a bit of hiking around and exploring the beauty of the region and culture. In addition, you can take some dolphin tours, practice a little surfing, horseback riding, canopy and ATV tours in the jungle. Also, from Chiquita beach, visitors can hike the stunning Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, a true paradise for nature lovers, thanks to the wide variety of tropical fishes and marine life that can be observed near the reef coral, and are also common dolphins and manatees, which are almost extinct in Costa Rica.

Getting to Chiquita Beach in Talamanca, Limon:

From San José

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km towards to San Jose, on your right you should see the Hospital Mexico, take the exit to your right, to La Uruca (on the roundabout, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and continue to San José (keep on the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to a gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit to Guapiles-Limon and follow the road #32 to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter the city, at a gas station you should take the exit on your right, following the road signs to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and continue along the coast road to Puerto Viejo for about 60 km (37 miles). Once in Puerto Viejo, follow the road for about 7 km (4 miles), you will pass through the communities of Puerto Viejo, Cocles and Chiquita until you reach Chiquita Beach.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, rain can be bad, lighting is poor and there are potholes and there could be people walking/cycling, which may be unseen.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San José – Manzanillo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., 2257-8129 / 2758-1572), making the stop at Chiquita Beach entrance, which takes about 5.5 hours. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to secure your space. This bus runs only once a day and is at noon.

You can also take a bus from the route San José – Puerto Viejo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., 2257-8129 / 2758-1572) which takes about 4.5 hours which has several departures, and then take a taxi to Chiquita Beach.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Limon airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines every day. From here you can take a taxi or rent a car and drive or to Chiquita beach, which takes about 50 minutes.

Address map: Click here to view address map from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Chiquita Beach in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica.

Location: between Chiquita and Grande beaches in Limon, Costa Rica.
Punta Uva Beach GPS Coordinates: 9.636132, -82.699740 (9°38’10.07″N, 82°41’59.06″W)
District: Cahuita, canton: Talamanca, province: Limon.
Zone postal code: 70403.

Punta Uva beaches are considered among the most beautiful in the world, and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful beaches of Costa Rica, characterized by its golden sands and crystal blue water with gentle waves, an amazing presence of coral reefs along its coast and surrounded by lush tropical forest, located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, just 7.2 kilometers from Puerto Viejo and 4.7 kilometers from Manzanillo in the province of Limón.

Punta Uva beach is a semi-bay type, which coast has two beaches separated by a headland called “Punta Uva”, hence its name, making it ideal for swimming in its calm waters, or to practice some diving, snorkeling, fishing from the edge of the reef and some beach games. There are tours to see wildlife in this nature reserve as monkeys, toucans, sloths and iguanas, as well as some marine tours, ideal for watching dolphins and manatees, which are almost extinct in Costa Rica, which will make your visit to Punta Uva unforgettable.

The town of Punta Uva is a small community with a few hotels and restaurants, known for the friendliness of its people. Importantly, part of Punta Uva beach is within the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, dedicated to protect the coral reef and the lowlands of the southern Caribbean coastal region of Costa Rica, which has allowed preserve the natural beauty and flora and fauna. The shelter itself is a paradise for nature lovers, thanks to the great variety of marine life with lots of tropical fish that can be seen near the coral reef.

Getting to Punta Uva Beach in Talamanca, Limon:

From San José

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km towards to San Jose, on your right you should see the Hospital Mexico, take the exit to your right, to La Uruca (on the roundabout, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and continue to San José (keep on the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to a gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit to Guapiles-Limon and follow the road #32 to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter the city, at a gas station you should take the exit on your right, following the road signs to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and continue along the coast road to Puerto Viejo for about 60 km (37 miles). Once in Puerto Viejo, follow the road for about 8.5 km (5 miles), you will pass through the communities of Puerto Viejo, Cocles and Chiquita until you reach Punta Uva Beach.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, rain can be bad, lighting is poor and there are potholes and there could be people walking/cycling, which may be unseen.

BY BUS

You can take a bus from the route San José – Manzanillo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., +506 2257-8129 / +506 2758-1572), making the stop at Punta Uva Beach entrance, which takes about 5.5 hours. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to secure your space. This bus runs only once a day and is at noon.

You can also take a bus from the route San José – Puerto Viejo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., +506 2257-8129 / +506 2758-1572) which takes about 4.5 hours which has several departures, and then take a taxi to Punta Uva Beach.

BY PLANE

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Limon airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines every day. From here you can take a taxi or rent a car and drive or to Punta Uva beach, which takes about 50 minutes.

Address map: Click here to view address map from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Punta Uva Beach in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica.

Location: between Punta Uva and Manzanillo beaches in Limon, Costa Rica.
Grande Beach GPS Coordinates: 9.634660, -82.684444 (9°38’04.77″N, 82°41’03.99″W)
District: Cahuita, canton: Talamanca, province: Limon.
Zone postal code: 70403.

Getting to Grande Beach in Talamanca, Limon:

From San José

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km towards to San Jose, on your right you should see the Hospital Mexico, take the exit to your right, to La Uruca (on the roundabout, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and continue to San José (keep on the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to a gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit to Guapiles-Limon and follow the road #32 to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter the city, at a gas station you should take the exit on your right, following the road signs to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and continue along the coast road to Puerto Viejo for about 60 km (37 miles). Once in Puerto Viejo, follow the road for about 10 km (6 miles), you will pass through the communities of Puerto Viejo, Cocles, Chiquita and Punta Uva, until you reach Grande Beach.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, rain can be bad, lighting is poor and there are potholes and there could be people walking/cycling, which may be unseen.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San José – Manzanillo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., +506 2257-8129 / +506 2758-1572), making the stop at Grande Beach, which takes about 5.5 hours. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to secure your space. This bus runs only once a day and is at noon.

You can also take a bus from the route San José – Puerto Viejo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., +506 2257-8129 / +506 2758-1572) which takes about 4.5 hours which has several departures, and then take a taxi to Grande Beach.

By plane:

You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Limon airport, either with Sansa or Aerobell Airlines every day. From here you can take a taxi or rent a car and drive or to Grande beach, which takes about 50 minutes.

Grande Beach Nearby Hotels:

Congo Bongo Hotel

Address map: Click here to view address map from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Grande Beach in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica.

Open in Google Maps

Location: between Grande Beach and Punta Manzanillo in Limon, Costa Rica.
Manzanillo Beach GPS Coordinates: 9.6328645, -82.6582748 (9°37’58.31″N, 82°39’29.79″W)
District: Cahuita, canton: Talamanca, province: Limon.
Zone postal code: 70403.

  

Manzanillo Beach is one of the most beautiful and picturesque beach of Costa Rica, approximately 4 km long with whitish sandy, few waves and gentle slopes, bordered by countless coconut palms and coral reefs that extend 200 m offshore, located south of Puerto Viejo between Punta Uva to the north and Punta Manzanillo to the south, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica in the canton of Talamanca in the province of Limon.

Manzanillo Beach is all a tropical paradise, very conducive areas for bathing as well as being the perfect spot for diving and snorkeling thanks to the presence of corals, as it boasts an amazing coral reef a short distance from the coast, which makes it one of the most scenic areas of the country. Also, if you want you can take a dolphins tour off the coast and take a look at three species of dolphins that live in the waters around, or if you want to walk, you can climb Punta Mona and observe some of the monkey species native of Costa Rica in their natural habitat.

Manzanillo Beach takes its name from an ancient Manzanillo tree that was planted in the center of town in the early 1940s. Today, Manzanillo is a quiet little fishing village with a relaxed, cultural and unique atmosphere with friendly people and delicious cuisine. The whole place is very influenced by the Afro-Caribbean traditions and customs, perfect for a romantic getaway or with friends. However, tourism has developed in the area and is now a major source of income for residents, so now it has very colorful markets and many restaurants and cafes that serve one of the best seafood from around the country, with a variety of fish, crabs, prawns and lobsters making it known for its good food. Also, you will find different hotels and accommodation for all tastes and budgets, but do not look for night life here. Tourists looking for some Caribbean style nightlife should opt for Puerto Viejo as your destination, located about 10 km north, where you will find lots of live music and party!

Importantly, Manzanillo Beach is located within the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, dedicated to protect the coral reef and the lowlands of the southern Caribbean coastal region of Costa Rica. The refuge itself is a paradise for nature lovers and underwater enthusiasts, thanks to the wide variety of tropical fish that can be seen near the coral reef, and are also common dolphins and manatees, which are almost extinct in Costa Rica.

Getting to Manzanillo Beach in Talamanca, Limon:

From San José

From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km towards to San Jose, on your right you should see the Hospital Mexico, take the exit to your right, to La Uruca (on the roundabout, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and continue to San José (keep on the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to a gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit to Guapiles-Limon and follow the road #32 to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.

When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter the city, at a gas station you should take the exit on your right, following the road signs to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and continue along the coast road to Puerto Viejo for about 60 km (37 miles). Once in Puerto Viejo, follow the road for about 14 km (8.5 miles), you will pass through the communities of Puerto Viejo, Cocles, Chiquita and Punta Uva, until you reach Manzanillo Beach.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, rain can be bad, lighting is poor and there are potholes and there could be people walking/cycling, which may be unseen.

By bus

You can take a bus from the route San José – Manzanillo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., +506 2257-8129 / +506 2758-1572), making the stop at Manzanillo Beach, which takes about 5.5 hours. We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to secure your space. This bus runs only once a day and is at noon.

You can also take a bus from the route San José – Puerto Viejo (Autotransportes MEPE S.A., +506 2257-8129 / +506 2758-1572) which takes about 4.5 hours which has several departures, and then take a taxi to Manzanillo Beach.

Manzanillo Beach Hotels:

• Congo Bongo Hotel
• Almonds & Corals

Address map: Click here to view address map from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Manzanillo Beach in Talamanca, Limon, Costa Rica.