How do I get to Puerto Viejo and Cabinas Los Almendros?
Location
Cabinas Los Almendros is located in downtown Puerto Viejo, on
a quiet street, just steps from a beautiful beach protected by a
reef so it is safe for children. We're a short walk to a large
international variety of restaurants, bars and more. See
our location on the Puerto Viejo Satellite Map
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limon (there is also another
Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica named Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui so
don't get on the wrong bus!) is located on the Caribbean coast
of Costa Rica not far from the Panama border.
Getting Here
There are a number of different options for getting to the
Puerto Viejo area:
Driving
If you'd like to drive to Puerto Viejo, the route is fairly
easy once you're out of the confusion of San Jose and the road
is in good condition and paved until the last 5 miles or so into
town. A 4WD vehicle is not needed to get down here but you may
want one once you're here to explore more.
Get detailed driving instructions and search for car rental
rates.
 Bus
The public bus is the most economical (about $8pp) and is
quite easy. It leaves 5 times daily from the Caribe Sur Bus
Terminal in San Jose at 6am, 10am, Noon, 2pm and 4pm. And there
are also additional frequent buses as well that go to Limon
where you can transfer to Puerto Viejo. One disadvantage here is
that these buses do sometimes sell out and you can only buy
tickets in person at the bus terminal so if you can get there
the day before to get your tickets, that is best.
Find full bus schedules and info.
Shared Ride Minibus
 Shared
ride van services are comfortable and pick you up right at your
hotel and will bring you right to Cabinas Los Almendros. They
travel around Costa Rica on a scheduled basis. We find the most
reliable to be Interbus which costs $35 per person from San Jose
to Puerto Viejo (leaving daily at 7:50 am) and $39 from Arenal
to Puerto Viejo (leaving daily at 6 am). They will not transport
pets, you will need the private driver option (see below) for
that.
We're happy to book Interbus for you whether to or from
Puerto Viejo or to or from any other destination in Costa Rica.
Book this option |
Get more information, rates and schedules.
 Private
Driver
If you're coming straight down to the coast from your
international flight and would prefer not to spend the first
night in San Jose, the best option is often a private driver
that meets your flight and will bring you directly to Cabinas
Los Almendros.
There's no waiting for a scheduled departure, no luggage
restrictions (they use a roomy 10 passenger van and even bigger
vehicles are available if you've got a big group) and no
stopping along the way for other passengers. Price is $160 for
the van from San Jose Airport (or from a San Jose area hotel) to
Puerto Viejo. They also can take you from any other place in
Costa Rica (e.g. Arenal to Puerto Viejo or vice-versa).
Book this option |
Get more information and rates.
 With
a River Rafting Trip
For the adventurous, an unforgettable way to get to Puerto
Viejo is to book a rafting trip down the Pacuare river. The
one-day trip is $95 pp but they will pick you up and drop you
off at your choice of San Jose, Puerto Viejo or Arenal! If
you're coming from San Jose, your day will start at about 6 am
at your San Jose hotel, then you'll spend the full day in the
adventure of a lifetime and arrive into Puerto Viejo in the
evening. There is no additional cost for being delivered to a
different city than you got picked up so it's like getting your
transport for free! You even get lunch. They also offer a 2 day
option with an overnight along the river. Some of the other
tours we offer also include a similar transportation option.
Book this option
or get more info |
Get more information on this and all the tours we offer.
 Leaving
Puerto Viejo?
It's not over yet... one final option, best for leaving
Puerto Viejo and getting to your next destination, is to book a
multi-day package which includes transportation from Puerto
Viejo to San Jose or Arenal. Our multi-day packages include
transport from Puerto Viejo and give you the option of ending
your trip in San Jose or Arenal (depending on the package).
For example, our
Bocas del Toro, Panama package can include a flight back to
San Jose, our
Tortugero package ends in San Jose and our
Arenal Volcano package ends in Arenal which is a convenient
location for continuing your Costa Rica trip on the Pacific side
or the north of the country.
Check out all the options on our tours page.
 Getting
Around in the Area
Once you're here, it's pretty much flat. So a great way to
get around is to rent a bicycle. Lots of places in town rent
them for a few bucks a day. Ask us at the office to recommend a
place.
There is some local bus service between Puerto Viejo and the
smaller communities southeast of Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita,
Punta Uva and Manzanillo. And there's a little more back
in the direction of Cahuita to the northwest.
Taxis are also available.
Check out the
Puerto Viejo Satellite transport page for detailed
information on your options for getting around in the area. | 
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