Working remotely from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica can be a dream come true: beaches, surf, nightlife can all blend together with your regular work schedule.
We spent about a week in Puerto Viejo, working remotely and surfing. If you’re considering Puerto Viejo as your next remote work destination, keep reading!
Can you work remotely from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?
Yes, you can work remotely from Puerto Viejo, but you need to pay attention to a few different details that we’ll explain in this article.
Puerto Viejo is a small, yet fun beach town located on the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. It’s known for its surf (Playa Cocles and the famous -and dangerous- Salsa Brava surf break), beaches (like Playa Negra) and reggae-themed beachside parties. It’s also very close to Cahuita National Park – a must visit for anyone who wants to see wildlife such as monkeys and sloths in their natural habitat.
What’s the wifi/cell data like in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?
Wifi or cell data in Puerto Viejo is good as long as you’re in the right spot. The closer you get to the town center, the better reception you can expect. Due to the weather in the area, power/wifi outages can be somewhat normal, so having a personal hotspot (like your phone) is definitely a good idea.
Our Liberty/Movistar and Claro simcards had full 4G/LTE coverage in the city center but got progressively worse as we drove outside of town.
We stayed in two different Airbnbs and the wifi was pretty good almost the entire time we were there. It was definitely fast enough for work and video calls. If you’re looking for an Airbnb to work from (or any other accommodation in the area), we recommend searching for the words “internet”, “wifi”, and “wi-fi” in the Airbnb listing comments to get the scoop:
Alternatively, you can also check the internet speed (if listed), but we always recommend getting some first-hand feedback from previous travelers.
Are there any coworking spaces for digital nomads in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?
Unfortunately, there aren’t any coworking spaces in Puerto Viejo besides the one located at the Selina hostel (hot desk: $10/day, $50/week). Google Maps mentioned another coworking space called Puerto&Co – Coworking Space and Vegan Cafe, but unfortunately it was closed while we were there.
Besides that, there aren’t any other cafes with air conditioning and wifi where you could really spend hours working from. House of Roam, half-cafe, half-surf shop with really good coffee even has a sign saying “No Cowork”. I actually had one of the waiters approach me to warn me about it as soon as I opened up my laptop.
Therefore, our recommendation is to book accommodation with good wifi or book a day/weekly pass at Selina’s co-work – which is always a safe bet.
What else is there to do in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?
Now let’s get to the fun part! Puerto Viejo is full of things to do, see, and eat. These are our main highlights:
What to Do:
- Playa Punta Uva: Punta Uva Beach is by far the most scenic beach in the area. It’s the typical Caribbean postcard featuring a beach with crystal clear waters, white sand, and palm trees everywhere. Just a short 15-min drive from downtown Puerto Viejo.
- Playa Cocles: This is the main surf beach and also home to the free “Rustic Beach Fitness” gym – both things combined made it my favorite spot in Puerto Viejo. The waves in Cocles aren’t necessarily easy, although you’ll see many beginners taking lessons in the white water. This is a beach break with fast waves breaking in shallow waters, so beware of the bottom!
- Playa Negra: This is a -typically- uncrowded black sand beach with clear waters. The ocean floor is filled with sand dollars and this long beach offers great oceanside walks.
- Canopy: One of the best options for canopy or ziplining is Nativo Canopy. It offers 13 different lines that travel though the jungle and was a super fun experience.
- Cahuita: The Cahuita National Park is a short 20 minute drive from downtown Puerto Viejo. It’s definitely worth the visit for snorkeling and jungle wildlife sightings such as monkeys, sloths, raccoons, snakes, lion fish, and puffer fish.
Where to Eat:
- Tasty Waves: Located in front of Playa Cocles, it’s a great spot for some post-surf grub. Awesome burritos, happy hour specials almost every day, and nightlife events.
- Koki Beach: This is more of a fancier (and pricier) place with the occasional sloth visitor climbing through the restaurant. The food was delicious.
- Restaurant Riquisimo: A great spot if you’re looking for some local, more affordable, but still really good food.
- Cocomar: This is the place to go if you’re looking for delicious, fresh, seafood.
Nightlife:
- Johnny’s: This bar is the place to be on Wednesday nights (reggae/reggaeton night). They have a DJ and play different music on different nights.
- Puerto Pirata Tiki Bar – Good international food and a variety of cocktails. The burritos are absolutely delicious here.
- Hot Rocks – Live music almost every night, latin dance nights/classes, with some of the best bar food & drinks options in town.
Additional information about Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica:
It’s not a requirement but it definitely helps to have a car or to rent a place that offers bicycles – people bike everywhere here and is relatively safe. Lots of accommodation options are outside of the town so it helps having some sort of transportation method available.
September & October are the driest/sunniest months, although you can still count on some rain every once in a while. Big wave season for advanced surfers is from November – April.