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Costa Rica · Puerto Viejo & Cahuita

South Caribbean beaches

From Cahuita to Manzanillo: which beaches suit swimming, which suit surfing and where to find tide pools and reef.

7 places

  1. Punta Uva Beach1

    Photo: Jaimedelamata, CC BY-SA 3.0

    BeachOpen

    Punta Uva Beach

    About 8.5 km south of Puerto Viejo6.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A beach with usually calm water, a reef close to shore and a rock arch at the point, good for swimming and unguided snorkelling on calm days.

    Source: My Tan Feet – Punta Uva visitor’s guide · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: With swell or murky water, snorkel visibility drops sharply: go on flat, morning seas. Kayaks and gear are rented on the beach.

    Nearby: Kayak or SUP on the Punta Uva river (0.8 km) · Ara Manzanillo (great green macaws) (1.7 km) · Playa Chiquita (1.9 km)

    Sources: My Tan Feet – Punta Uva visitor’s guide · Crystal Jungle Villa – Snorkeling in Puerto Viejo (2026)

  2. Manzanillo village and beach2

    BeachOpen

    Manzanillo village and beach

    13 km south of Puerto Viejo, end of Route 25610.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A fishing village at the end of the coast road, with calmer water, a reef close to shore and the entrance to the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge.

    Source: Wikipedia – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: There are few shops and ATMs: carry cash.

    Nearby: Dolphin-watching tour in Gandoca-Manzanillo (0 km) · Snorkelling and diving on the Manzanillo reefs (1.2 km) · Ara Manzanillo (great green macaws) (3.1 km)

    Sources: Wikipedia – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca · Costa Rica Guide – Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge

  3. 3

    BeachOpen

    Playa Chiquita

    About 5 km south of Puerto Viejo5 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A string of small coves with tide pools among rocks and reef, backed by jungle, between Cocles and Punta Uva.

    Source: ICT – Cahuita and Puerto Viejo mini-guide · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: The pools are best at low tide with a calm sea; wear water shoes for the rocks and urchins.

    Nearby: Jaguar Rescue Center (1.3 km) · Punta Uva Beach (1.9 km) · Surf lessons at Cocles and Playa Negra (2.5 km)

    Sources: ICT – Cahuita and Puerto Viejo mini-guide · Wikipedia – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

  4. Cocles Beach4

    BeachOpen

    Cocles Beach

    2 km south of Puerto Viejo on the Manzanillo road2.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not needed

    The area’s most popular surf beach, with light sand and consistent waves, about 2 km south of town. It has strong rip currents.

    Source: Wikipedia – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Booking
    Not required (public beach).

    Tip: There are strong rip currents: avoid swimming, heed warning signs and, if caught, swim parallel to the shore. Bag theft from the sand is reported.

    Nearby: Surf lessons at Cocles and Playa Negra (0 km) · Guided jungle night walk (0 km) · Caribeans chocolate forest tour (Cocles) (1 km)

    Sources: Wikipedia – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca · ICT – Cahuita and Puerto Viejo mini-guide

  5. Playa Negra (Puerto Viejo)5

    BeachOpen

    Playa Negra (Puerto Viejo)

    Starts at the western end of Puerto Viejo town1.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A dark volcanic-sand beach stretching north-west of town, quieter than the centre and with learner-friendly waves when the sea is gentle.

    Source: Crystal Jungle Villa – Surfing in Puerto Viejo (2026) · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: Assume there are no lifeguards and do not leave bags unattended on the sand.

    Nearby: Finca La Isla botanical garden (0.7 km) · Puerto Viejo nightlife (1.1 km) · Afro-Caribbean food: rice and beans, rondón and patty (1.1 km)

    Sources: Crystal Jungle Villa – Surfing in Puerto Viejo (2026) · Wikipedia – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

  6. 6

    BeachOpen

    Playa Negra (Cahuita)

    1–2 km north-west of central Cahuita14.5 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A long, quiet dark-sand beach north of Cahuita town, with some beginner surf when there is swell.

    Source: ICT – Cahuita and Puerto Viejo mini-guide · 2026

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: There is another Playa Negra north of Puerto Viejo: check which one you mean. Do not leave belongings unattended on the sand.

    Nearby: Cahuita town and Afro-Caribbean culture (1.3 km) · Playa Blanca–Punta Cahuita–Puerto Vargas coastal trail (1.6 km) · Tree of Life (botanical garden and wildlife rescue) (1.9 km)

    Sources: ICT – Cahuita and Puerto Viejo mini-guide

  7. 7

    BeachOpen

    Puerto Vargas sector (Cahuita National Park)

    Route 36, about 4 km south of Cahuita town11 km from the centre

    Entry
    $5.65
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    The park’s southern entrance, with parking, a long beach and access to the southern end of the coastal trail. It is the option if you arrive by car and prefer a fixed fee paid by card.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Cahuita · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $5.65 for non-resident foreign adults and children (VAT included); residents ₡1,130. Parking extra.

    Nearby: Cahuita National Park (0.2 km) · Snorkelling on the Cahuita reef (1 km) · Playa Blanca–Punta Cahuita–Puerto Vargas coastal trail (3.1 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Cahuita

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