Choose from condo and apartment rentals, cozy cabins or beach villas - vacation rental options in Puerto Viejo provide perfect holiday retreats for groups, families or couples. Planning a holiday with your surfing buddies? Combine luxury and nature at a 4-bedroom tropical villa in the rain forest, just a few steps from the Playa Chiquita. As it sleeps 8, you’ll enjoy plenty of space for around $100 per person - a great value for low-cost holidays. For a romantic getaway, awake to a symphony of sea and forest sounds in your private beachfront cottage with hardwood floors and custom furniture. It’s elevated with an enormous porch overlooking the sea, so perfect for outdoor wine sipping at sunset.

Puerto Viejo manages to combine the best of all worlds with sparkling beaches, tropical rain forests, a refuge for wildlife and reefs for snorkeling. Outdoor enthusiasts have a complete menu of activities – world-class surfing, hiking through lush, exotic forests, diving in pristine waters and mountain biking. With increasing numbers of young people attracted to the Salsa Brava waves, the village has a lively assortment of bars, night spots and restaurants that exude the relaxed Caribbean life style. Expect a great mix of seafood, steak and hearty regional fare. Try Cococongo in Playa Negra for enticing Mediterranean cuisine or, for a taste and touch of Paris, the entrée and dessert crepes at Sel et Sucre (Salt & Sugar). To dine as the locals, Soda Johanna’s humble eatery fits the bill, where you’ll discover fabulous Caribbean cuisine and some of the best fried plantains in Costa Rica. Wrap up the day at El Loco Natural for calypso to reggae live music, food and drink.

With so many opportunities to enjoy the rich tropical landscape around Puerto Viejo, you’ll appreciate the many tours available to visitors. Talamanca Ecotourism & Conservation Association (ATEC) is a good choice, as it is a local, non-profit organization with over 100 native naturalist guides devoted to preserving culture and ecosystems in the area. They offer everything from surf lessons and waterfall hikes to horseback riding or a tour of the Kekoldi Indigenous Territory, just 15 minutes from Puerto Viejo.

From colorful bungalows to beachfront villas, vacation rentals deliver comfort, space and convenient amenities to make your stay memorable. Take your home-cooked breakfast on the veranda followed by a walk by the sea. Enjoy a day of surfing and come back to your special retreat for a home-grilled steak. Hotel stays simply don’t compare with the privacy and privilege of home rental vacations.