Snorkelling, surfing, kayaking
and ziplines

How to use this guide

This is for travellers who come to the southern Caribbean to stay active: there are water plans for beginners, a wave for experts and three trips on land. The sea decides each day's plan. On calm days, head for the reef: Snorkelling on the Cahuita reef is only allowed with an accredited guide or operator, and Snorkelling and diving on the Manzanillo reefs has dive centres at Punta Uva. At Manzanillo, September and October usually bring clearer water. With a swell, visibility drops sharply and it is better to switch to surfing or to land.

To learn, the Surf lessons at Cocles and Playa Negra are the place. Salsa Brava, off central Puerto Viejo, only works well from December to March and breaks over a sharp reef: if you are not advanced, watch from shore. Kayak or SUP on the Punta Uva river and the Dolphin-watching tour in Gandoca-Manzanillo, 2 to 3 hours long, are the calmest options here.

A good day mixes bike and water: ride the 13 km of Route 256 by bike, paddle at Punta Uva and carry on to Manzanillo beach for the dolphin trip. The Bribri waterfalls (Volio and others) are best in the morning, before the afternoon rain. The Zipline canopy tour near Puerto Viejo takes half a day, with departures around 8:00 and 13:00, and is not for children under 4. On a tight budget, skip the canopy and the Cahuita tour: the bike, and snorkelling with a mask at Punta Uva on calm days, cost far less.

Tips

• Buy the Cahuita snorkelling trip from accredited local operators in town, use biodegradable sunscreen and do not touch the coral.
• For dolphins, choose community operators, such as ATEC or Gandoca Tours, that do not chase the animals and keep their distance.
• Cocles has strong rip currents: only learn with an instructor and ask the school about the best tide of the day.
• Bike theft is common: lock both frame and wheel, and do not ride at night on unlit roads. Towards Manzanillo there are unpaved stretches with potholes.
• At the Bribri waterfalls you pay a small entry fee to the community. Go with a local guide: the stones are slippery and the river rises fast with rain.