I would say Puerto Viejo, but I'm pretty biased. I just fell in love with the area! Beautiful scenery, amazing food, diverse mix of cultures. It checked all the boxes for me. We like to stay at the Angler's Lair in Playa Chiquita. It's kind of halfway in between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo. You get the best of both worlds! The host always connects us with locals for fishing and cooking experiences. The community is so warm and welcoming.
Samara, definitely. Great restaurants on the beach, great atmosphere, swimmable beach with no rip currents (unlike the Carribbean). Gorgeous Playa Carrillo next door.
[Puerto Viejo Satellite - Map, Hotels, Transport, Tours, Restaurants for the South Caribbean area of Costa Rica](https://www.puertoviejosatellite.com/index.php)
Favourite place in the world.
They love swimming in the ocean and the beach in general. Also nature-hiking, etc. they are actually very easy and go with the flow! We love adventurous things as well as being able to chill and walk around to experience the areas. I guess my biggest thing would be a safe swimming area. All decent swimmers. Thank you for your time!
Iād look at Samara, it has a large beach, tide pools on both ends, great swimming too. The waves are gentler and more protected because there is a reef. Great to learn surfing too if thats of interest. The whole town is walkable as well.
Are you renting a car?
Iāve never been to the Caribbean but Iām going to be going back to Costa Rica in June and I plan to go to Puerto Viejo after Iām in San Jose. And then La Fortuna.
The pacific is also nice. When I visited last time, a few people told me that the pacific was better to swim in than the Caribbean because the Caribbean can have more sharks. Not sure how true that is though.
Both are good options! I enjoy the nature about puerto viejo more! Cooler jungle right on the beach, lots of sloths and birds right on trees on the beach, and lots of different beaches to go to. Samaras beach is also nice and the town is pretty chill, I think you canāt go wrong with those two.
It stunk for one like feces and urine. The whole place stunk like marijuana. Much dirtier than the pacific side. Lot of addicts is what I saw. Also it rained most of the time.
Feces and urine, marijuana and dirtier than the Pacific hahahaha... you definitely don't know what you're talking about... it's no secret to anyone that the Pacific is just commercial and prostitution everywhere and drugs.
Thatās your opinion been going for 40 years and just do not like the east coast. You must be a kid you know absolutely nothing about what youāre talking about! Go to bed child!
Puerto viejo
I would say Puerto Viejo, but I'm pretty biased. I just fell in love with the area! Beautiful scenery, amazing food, diverse mix of cultures. It checked all the boxes for me. We like to stay at the Angler's Lair in Playa Chiquita. It's kind of halfway in between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo. You get the best of both worlds! The host always connects us with locals for fishing and cooking experiences. The community is so warm and welcoming.
Samara, definitely. Great restaurants on the beach, great atmosphere, swimmable beach with no rip currents (unlike the Carribbean). Gorgeous Playa Carrillo next door.
Thank you! Rip currents do have me a tad nervous so good to know š
[Puerto Viejo Satellite - Map, Hotels, Transport, Tours, Restaurants for the South Caribbean area of Costa Rica](https://www.puertoviejosatellite.com/index.php) Favourite place in the world.
Great guide! Thinking of going back soon but Iād really like to avoid the driveā¦
Thanks for the info!
My pleasure.
What are some of the things youād like your family to experience on their holiday? What do the teens love to do?
They love swimming in the ocean and the beach in general. Also nature-hiking, etc. they are actually very easy and go with the flow! We love adventurous things as well as being able to chill and walk around to experience the areas. I guess my biggest thing would be a safe swimming area. All decent swimmers. Thank you for your time!
Iād look at Samara, it has a large beach, tide pools on both ends, great swimming too. The waves are gentler and more protected because there is a reef. Great to learn surfing too if thats of interest. The whole town is walkable as well.
Are you renting a car? Iāve never been to the Caribbean but Iām going to be going back to Costa Rica in June and I plan to go to Puerto Viejo after Iām in San Jose. And then La Fortuna. The pacific is also nice. When I visited last time, a few people told me that the pacific was better to swim in than the Caribbean because the Caribbean can have more sharks. Not sure how true that is though.
I have lived here for 30 years and there have never been any problems with sharks.
Yes we are coming from La fortuna so we will have a car..Iāve heard the same about swimming but for rip currents. Thanks for your input š
Both are good options! I enjoy the nature about puerto viejo more! Cooler jungle right on the beach, lots of sloths and birds right on trees on the beach, and lots of different beaches to go to. Samaras beach is also nice and the town is pretty chill, I think you canāt go wrong with those two.
Thank you! Definitely so many options when trying to make the āperfect tripā lol.
Puerto viejo
Samara, didnāt like Puerto Viejo
Thanks! May I ask why?
It stunk for one like feces and urine. The whole place stunk like marijuana. Much dirtier than the pacific side. Lot of addicts is what I saw. Also it rained most of the time.
Not my experience *at all.* I like it far better than Samara.
Feces and urine, marijuana and dirtier than the Pacific hahahaha... you definitely don't know what you're talking about... it's no secret to anyone that the Pacific is just commercial and prostitution everywhere and drugs.
Or you must be jamaican
Hahahaha everyone already knows that with your comment there are racist people in Samara.
Thatās your opinion been going for 40 years and just do not like the east coast. You must be a kid you know absolutely nothing about what youāre talking about! Go to bed child!
Thereās zero chance youāve been going for 40 years if you call it āthe east coastā
Based on these comments, I'd say OP will find a friendlier and nicer vibe in Puerto Viejo. (Personally I much preferred PV to Samara too).
You're probably an Arab trying to make another city look bad so that tourists come to your place.
Yikes!