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How to use this guide

For anyone who wants to spend one or two days on the southern Caribbean coast on a small budget and without booking tours. The places fall into two areas. South of Puerto Viejo, along the 13 km coast road, are Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva Beach and, at the end of the road, the Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge trail. To the north lies Cahuita: the town, Playa Negra (Cahuita) and the park's coastal trail, which starts at the Playa Blanca entrance.

For the south, hire a bike in Puerto Viejo: it is the usual way to get along the coast and costs about $3 to $12 a day. Go to Punta Uva first, since snorkelling is best in the morning on a flat sea, then carry on to Manzanillo to walk to the Miss May Point lookout, about 15 minutes in; last entry to the trail is at 15:00. On the way back, stop at Playa Chiquita if the tide is low, which is when the rock pools are at their best.

Cahuita deserves a separate day. Start the trail early: it is about 8 km one way, at least 2 hours without stops, and the section between Punta Cahuita and Puerto Vargas closes at 14:00. Then stroll round the town, with its wooden houses on stilts and its calypso tradition, and finish at Playa Negra. If you are there on a Saturday, the Puerto Viejo farmers' and artisans' market runs from 6:00 to 12:00. With only one day, choose between the bike ride south and Cahuita. If money is tight, the only fixed cost on the southern route is the bike: the refuge asks for a voluntary donation.

Tips

• Bike theft is common: lock the frame and the wheel, and do not ride at night on unlit roads. Towards Manzanillo there are unpaved, potholed stretches.
• At Playa Chiquita wear water shoes for the rocks and urchins. At Punta Uva kayaks and snorkelling gear are hired out on the beach.
• At Manzanillo a local guide is not required but helps you spot wildlife and adds safety: robberies have been reported in this remote area. Beyond Miss May Point, towards Punta Mona, the path becomes faint.
• There is another Playa Negra north of Puerto Viejo: make sure which one you are heading to, and do not leave belongings alone on the sand.
• In Cahuita, ask about live calypso nights. The Puerto Viejo craft market opens in the afternoons from Thursday to Sunday.