Salsa Brava

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca


Specializing in tacos, Caribbean bowls and sweet plantain fries, this popular spot is the perfect end-of-day cocktail stop – hit happy hour from 4pm to 6pm and you'll also catch two-for-one mojitos to enjoy while taking in the sunset over the Salsa Brava surf break. On Friday and Sunday the bar brings in DJs for popular reggae nights. Cocktails from US$5.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Puerto Viejo de Talamanca attractions

1. Playa Cocles

1.01 MILES

Playa Cocles has waves for surfers who aren't keen to break skin and bones at nearby Salsa Brava (Costa Rica's biggest break). Instead, it has steep lefts…

2. Finca La Isla

1.08 MILES

West of town, this farm and botanical garden has long produced organic pepper and cacao, along with more than 150 tropical fruits and ornamental plants…

3. Jaguar Centro de Rescate

2.2 MILES

Named in honor of its original resident, a jaguar, this well-run wildlife-rescue center in Playa Chiquita now focuses mostly on other animals, including…

4. Aiko-logi

3.47 MILES

Nestled into the Cordillera de Talamanca, 15km outside Puerto Viejo, this private 135-hectare reserve is centered on a former finca (farm), on land…

5. Cacao Trails

3.73 MILES

Halfway between Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca in Hone Creek, this botanical garden and chocolate museum has a couple of small exhibits devoted to…

6. Punta Uva

4.16 MILES

Off a dirt road marked by Punta Uva Dive Center is a quiet, idyllic cove that could double for a scene in the film The Beach. When the water is calm, it…

8. Parque Nacional Cahuita

7.9 MILES

This small but beautiful park – just 10 sq km – is one of the more frequently visited national parks in Costa Rica. The reasons are simple: the nearby…