Puerto Viejo
20-25th September 2011
Jumping off the bus in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, we were hit by a sense of Rastafarian tranquillity. This town is a small Caribbean surf haunt renowned for the Salsa Brava- one of the biggest breaks in Costa Rica and with such a shallow reef it generally results in broken boards and bones! September is calmer on the surfing front though, allowing for the underwater gardens to be explored with maximum visibility.
We checked into our hostel/hotel- Lizard Kings, about a 5 minute walk east if the main town but closer to the gorgeous beaches. After a hectic few weeks and with stormy weather in the rest of the country, we decided to take advantage of the microclimate in this part of Costa Rica and hit the beach.
Our first evening we wondered along the small village paths, chatting to local street venders and watching the sun go down over the bay. We met a restaurant owner and fisherman Laszlo. Hungarian in origin but with a decent amount of time spent on the US and now living in Costa Rica to take advantage of a simpler way of life. Laszlo is a heavy stock, bald man, in his 50's with a kind face and a massive tash, making Robs three week attempt look like bumfluff! We watched as he prepared his newly caught tuna and took him up on the offer of carpaccio for tea. Delicious! Robs eyes were gleaming by this point and after tasting the freshness of the fish we were hooked and set for a 3.30am start to go out on his boat the next morning.
Bleary eyed, barely awake but with a spark of excitement at the prospect of a big catch of our own, we set off listening to Laszlo's stories of conspiracy theories, his pet monkey and armageddon (apparently 25th Dec 2012), and soon we were awake. We released the 20ft, well equip fishing boat into the merky waters at the practically non-existent harbour at Puerto Limon. The harbour master- a homeless man, paid in bananas to look after the truck for the day. Soon out at sea we felt the power of the 300hp engine as we skipped over the waves. Now to find the fish... We followed the birds as they plunged into the drink picking off any bait fish driven to the surface by the tuna. We surveyed the horizon for glimpses of tuna launching themselves from the sea and used the onboard GPS and sonar fish finder as aids. Within an hour we hit a big storm and got very wet! Not a good omen for the fishing either as dirty waters make the lures harder for the fish to see.
An hour later, Wham... Two reels sing in unison as line spins into the sea. Fish on! Rob and I spring into action and pluck the two yellowfin tuna from the depths below. They were only small by Costa Rican standards but they put up a good fight. Once on the boat their warm blood was let from their bodies and we drank beer to celebrate the first fish and end of the storm.
Next on the agenda- catch a Wahoo. These fish are fast and can be tricky to hook as they race towards the boat in an attempt to release the tension on the line. We caught three- extreme! And sorry Rob, but you have to admit, mine was the biggest.
Exhausted and relieved there was no seasickness, we returned to town. At the close of day, as the sun dipped its feet into the sea, setting the sky alight with hues of orange and red, we cleaned the fish and smiled at our catch.
After 14 hours of sleep and sushi for breakfast we were ready to explore the miles of picture postcard beaches extending over 20km of this palm lined coast.
Bikes are the best way to get around and so with our $5 beach cruisers hired we peddled to Playa Punta Uva. Picture this: crystal clear warm waters, white sandy beaches, coconut trees brimming with fruit, howler monkeys calling nearby and Rob with a tight pair if shorts emerging from the sea. All I needed was a white horse and we would have recreated the scene from Casino Royale.
Another perfect sunset, cocktail in hand watching the stray dogs courting rituals on the beach, we finished the day off nicely with one of the best meals we've ever had- our own caught Wahoo, lightly breaded with chips and an ice cold Costa Rican beer.
Days 23-25 blurred into a one as we truly relaxed. The weather was sublime and we spent our time cycling between beaches, sunbathing, snorkelling, handlining for small fish, searching for crabs, drinking fresh coconut milk, practicing our Spanish (which is now just one level up from appalling-an improvement) and contemplating staying here for good!
We found a cute little eatery called 'Bread and Chocolate' and ate breakfast there every day. The pancakes and french toast were to die for. We chatted to the locals and laughed some more at Laszlo's tales. He told his restaurant customers that they were eating the fish we caught, flashing around the pictures, and Robs head grew a few inches (if that's possible) as he remarked on his fishing skills- "not like those other son of a b**** tourist mongrels!" Ha!
We were in two minds whether to travel to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. People had told us that it's not the 'real' Costa Rica. And yes it is different. An amalgamation of cultures, people who have travelled here and have fallen in love with place and so never left, and with a solid Caribbean rather than Latin American foundation, its captivating. There's a hint of tourism here, making the bars a little more stylish and dotting the main street with local craftsmen and women selling their goods. But with no marina or airport, and fairly poor roads, it manages to maintain a certain easy charm, and we hope it stays that way.
Hostels we've stayed in:
Tranqullia backpackers San Jose- $24 private room, shared bath. Clean, small, dimly lit room, messy kitchen, dogs barking, in red light district.
Sleepers Monteverde $18 private room with bathroom, good breakfast. Grumpy host but overall nice hostel. 2 nights.
Sleepers La Fortuna $ 14 private room with bathroom, good breakfast but dirty kitchen. A bit noisy. 2 nights.
Cabinas mariscar Tortuguero $18 private room with bathroom, no breakfast. Right on the beach, nice atmosphere, peaceful, hammock. 2 nights.
Lizard kings Puerto Viejo $35 private room with bathroom, fridge and tv, no breakfast. Good location, has a pool but we didn't use it. Friendly staff but very quiet and under achieving compared to the rest of town. Rob blocked the toilet! 5 nights.
Hostel Pangea San Jose $32 private room, shared bathroom, no breakfast. Clean and modern. Lots of communal space and a good place to meet people. 1 night.
Things we couldn't do without so far:
iPhone- crucial for maps to get around and internet access in wifi zones.
Swiss army knife
Torch
Waterproof jackets
Walking boots
Kindle with all the travel guides
Pack of cards
Alarm clock (watch or phone)
Caxton card-prepay card with low overseas rates
Notebook
Things we wish we had:
The ability to speak fluent Spanish!