WILDLIFE, BEACHES, CULTURE, FOOD & MORE
ABOUT PUERTO VIEJO
A Caribbean Melting Pot
Puerto Viejo is officially called Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, as that is the area in which it is located. It is a small coastal town with very strong Caribbean influences as many of its inhabitants are Jamaican or from Jamaican descent. This Caribbean influence is part of what makes Puerto Viejo such an attractive place to visit. The vibe is very laid-back and the inhabitants are very friendly and welcoming.
You will immediately feel the relaxed vibe when entering Puerto Viejo. Surfers catching waves while tourists and locals relax on the beach and watch them, people enjoying food and drinks at the restaurants and bars and tourists scouring the local stalls is what you will see when walking through Puerto Viejo. When walking through the center expect to hear a lot of reggae or reggae-influenced music coming from the bars, restaurants and shops.
To get an impression of the Caribbean vibe watch this music video about Puerto Viejo!
Weather in Puerto Viejo
Contrary to common opinion that it rains all the time on the Caribbean, the South Caribbean Coast is actually one of the driest places in Costa Rica when you look at total rainfall over the year - check this chart to see a comparison of the different areas of Costa Rica.
The difference is that on this side, it is more spread out over the year. Also note that most rain comes at night and days clear by early-late morning. The weather charts below will give you a general idea of the patterns but it's still a crap shoot. And most time, when it rains, it may be short, but a dump an amount of water you might have never seen before. It can be very magical.
As you can see, the average temperature hardly varies at all different times of year. Rainfall does vary a little. The chart makes it look like it's raining all the time, but while there is some rainfall most days as you can see it often comes either in the middle of the night or a quick shower in the afternoon, and then it's sunny again. The most consistently dry months are September and October, which just happen to be the wettest on the Pacific with pretty much constant rain there. So if you're planning a Costa Rica trip in the fall, keep that in mind!
The chart is courtesy of climate-data.org. Check that site for more information and to compare to other destinations in Costa Rica.
Below you can find the current weather forecast for Puerto Viejo.
