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west end of Playa Puerto Viejowater off Playa Puerto ViejoNikki and Ricky; enjoying Playa Puerto Viejoback of Playa Puerto Viejobeach at Playa Puerto Viejoeast end of Playa Puerto Viejoparking lot at Playa Puerto ViejoATV tour group enjoying Olga’s Restaurant/El Encanto at Playa Puerto Viejobeach path between the makeshift parking lot and the beachhorseback riding on Playa Puerto ViejoRicky; with the friendly parking attendant
Note: The Playa Puerto Viejo referred to in this article is the Playa Puerto Viejo that is located along Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast, immediately west of Brasilito and Playa Conchal. We cite the beach name as Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste) to distinguish it from Playa Puerto Viejo (Caribbean), a similarly named beach located along Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast.
Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste) fast facts
English name: Puerto Viejo Beach
Distance from San Jose: 275km (approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes)
Playa Puerto Viejo is blessed with soft, shimmery, pink-hued, light-brown sand that ripples in shallow water. It is supple enough for you to dig your toes into. Bright-blue water sparkles offshore between vegetation-covered headlands that appear bright green and lush for much of the year (typically between May and December). Playa Puerto Viejo is one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches.
Crowds and noise
Playa Puerto Viejo is one of Costa Rica’s best-kept secrets. It receives only a handful of visitors each day (if any) because only a few locals reside in the area and the region’s visitors tend to gravitate toward more popular beaches nearby, such as Playa Conchal. Noise is generally kept to a minimum, save for when ATV tour groups make a pitstop at Olga’s Restaurant/El Encanto, a snack bar by the beach.
Cleanliness and Ecological Blue Flag rating
Costa Rica’s Programa Bandera Azul Ecológica (Ecological Blue Flag Program) promotes sustainability and public health. Every year, beaches in Costa Rica strive for top honors, which are bestowed annually according to strict ecological criteria. Beaches that participate in the program and meet 90-100% of the eligibility criteria achieve a 1-star rating. Further efforts invite beaches to earn additional stars (5 stars is the highest rating), including special colored stars. (To learn more about the program and discover what each blue flag rating means, see our related blog post: Award-Winning Blue Flag Beaches In Costa Rica: Photos & Map; Most-Recent Winners.)
Playa Puerto Viejo is not currently participating in the Programa Bandera Azul Ecológica. Therefore, it does not have a star rating.
Development at Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste)
Hotels, restaurants, tours, bathrooms, etc.
There is no commercial development at Playa Puerto Viejo, apart from a small snack bar (Olga’s Restaurant/El Encanto) at the back of the beach, which is only open on occasion. Horseback riding tours run in the region sometimes visit this beach.
Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste) safety
Swimming and water safety
Swimming is allowed at Playa Puerto Viejo and is calm in the shallow water. Further out, there is a rip current. As always, exercise caution in and around the water, especially if you plan to visit with children or inexperienced swimmers.
General safety
Never bring items of value with you to the beach and always keep an eye on your belongings. Remember to lock your rental car if you have one. Do not visit the beach before sunrise or after sunset. If possible, visit the beach as part of a group to avoid being at this remote-feeling beach alone.
Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste) location and road conditions
Access to Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste) and 4×4 requirement
Playa Puerto Viejo is located on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. It sits southwest of the community of Brasilito and occupies the westernmost end of Playa Conchal.
Playa Puerto Viejo is an approximate 14-kilometer, 25-minute drive south, west, then north from Brasilito via the hamlets of Huacas and Matapalo. The drive between Matapalo and the beach is unpaved and quite bumpy. A high-clearance vehicle (i.e., not a sedan) is recommended to reach Playa Puerto Viejo.
Map of Playa Puerto Viejo Costa Rica
Parking at Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste)
There is no official parking at Playa Puerto Viejo, though there is a makeshift parking lot at the end of the road that leads to the beach (the unnamed road that departs from Matapalo to the north). There is room for several vehicles. Locals stationed at the lot offer to keep watch over parked cars for tips. (For tipping advice, don’t miss our related blog post: What To Know About Tipping In Costa Rica.) Once you park in the lot, you’ll need to follow a short path over a small hill to reach the beach.
Best reason(s) to visit Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste)
Offering solitude and some of the prettiest sand along the northern Pacific coast, Playa Puerto Viejo is worth visiting purely to experience the beach. One of our favorite Costa Rican vacation homes, Villas La Paz, is located within walking distance of Playa Puerto Viejo, but even if you don’t plan to stay at that property, the beach can easily be enjoyed during a day trip taken from whichever destination you station yourself at along the northern Pacific coast.
Beach-hopping from Playa Puerto Viejo (Guanacaste) (or alternative beach options in the region)
Recommended day trips from Playa Puerto Viejo include visits to Playa Conchal, Playa Brasilito, Playa Flamingo, Playa Real, Playa Grande, or Playa Tamarindo.
Not sure which Costa Rica beaches are the best to visit? Let the beaches in this article inspire you:
Do you have questions about Playa Puerto Viejo, want to know more about the area surrounding the beach, or need help incorporating a visit to the beach into your vacation? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂
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Photos of Playa Puerto Viejo Costa Rica (Guanacaste) From Our Personal Collection
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We provide photos of Playa Puerto Viejo Costa Rica (Northern Pacific coast), plus info about beach features, safety, location, parking, and more!
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Tagged: beach, beaches, costa rican beaches