Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
forest. It's ideal for bird-watching, hiking and splashing around in swimming holes. Day
tours from Puerto Viejo (or Cahuita) can be arranged, as can overnight tent platform stays.
Reserve ahead.
SALSA BRAVA
One of the biggest breaks in Costa Rica, Salsa Brava is named for the heaping helping of
'spicy sauce' it serves up on the sharp, shallow reef, continually collecting its debt of fun
in broken skin, boards and bones. The wave makes its regular, dramatic appearance when
the swells pull in from the east, pushing a wall of water against the reef, in the process
generating a thick and powerful curl. There's no gradual build-up here: the water is trans-
formed from swell to wave in a matter of seconds. Ride it out and you're golden. Wipe out
and you'll rocket headfirst into the reef. In his memoir,In Search of Captain Zero,surfer
and screenwriter Allen Weisbecker describes it as 'vicious.' Some mordant locals have
baptized it 'the cheese-grater.'
Interestingly, this storied wave helped turn Puerto Viejo into a destination. More than
30 years ago the town was barely accessible. But that didn't dissuade dogged surfers
from the bumpy bus rides and rickety canoes that hauled them and their boards on the
week-long trip from San José. They camped on the beach and shacked up with locals,
carbo-loading at cheapsodas. Other intrepid explorers - biologists, Peace Corps volun-
teers, disaffected US veterans looking to escape the fallout of the Vietnam War - also ma-
terialized during this time, helping spread the word about the area's luminous sunsets,
lush rainforests and monster curls. Today Puerto Viejo has a fine paved road, global eat-
eries and wi-fi. The fierceness of Salsa Brava, however, remains unchanged.
Activities
ATEC
is an excellent source of general information on local activities.
Surfing
Breaking on the reef that hugs the village is the famed
Salsa Brava
, a shallow break that is
also one of the country's most infamous waves. It's a tricky ride - if you lose it, the waves
will plow you straight into the reef - and definitely not for beginners. Salsa Brava offers
both rights and lefts, although the right is usually faster. Conditions are best with an east-
erly swell.
