Day 5 - Saltwater and Sunshine

No agenda. No excursions. Just Puerto Viejo, the Caribbean, and whatever felt good next.

After the drive into Puerto Viejo, I was ready for a day that required absolutely nothing from me.

I grabbed my beach bag, hopped in the car and headed out to see what I could find.

I had no plans to conquer Puerto Viejo.

I just wanted to enjoy her.

First stop?

Beach. Obviously.

Behold - Playa Cocles.

I practically had her to myself. It's all the things I love in a beach: swimmable water, natural shade, white sand, no beach vendors...just pure, untouched land.

This one hit differently.

Maybe it was everything I'd released on the drive into Puerto Viejo.

Maybe it was finally having nowhere I needed to be.

Maybe it was just the sun, the music and a beautiful morning.

Whatever it was, I felt my heart soften.

So I stayed there for a while.

I put on music.

I called in support from my spirit team, from Creator and from the land.

I prayed.

I cried a little.

Because apparently Costa Rica and I were still doing that.

And I let myself think about what I was actually ready to release.

Not just the relationship.

The future I'd attached to it.

The plans.

The expectations.

The idea that my life was supposed to look a certain way by now.

I had spent enough time trying to figure out what came next.

That morning, I just asked that whatever did come next be in favor of my highest good.

And tried to trust that.

No grand revelation.

No sudden enlightenment.

Just a little more surrender than I'd had the day before.

Sometimes that's enough.

And when hunger eventually interrupted my peace...

Well.

You already know.

The Investigation Continues

Caribbean chicken.

Listen.

I was committed to this comparison, and picking a winner was becoming increasingly difficult.

They were all so good.

But the rice and peas at El Chante del Moncho Soda?

Best so far.

(Don't tell the others.)

I didn't know when I arrived in Puerto Viejo that Caribbean chicken would become its own subplot in this vacation, but apparently we were committed now.

The investigation continues.

Time to Move

After lunch, it was time for beach number two.

I opted for Playa Puerto Viejo since it was right in town and near all the shops and cafés.

I was also on the hunt for the infamous jerk chicken man.

I never found him.

If you do, let me know.

But the beach?

Lovely.

This was one of the things I was beginning to love about Puerto Viejo.

One minute, I could be stretched out beneath a palm tree with practically nobody around.

A short drive later?

Surfers.

Music.

Shops.

People.

Food.

Life.

Same coastline.

Completely different energy.

So naturally, I wandered.

A Little Baya Baya

With no jerk chicken in sight, I made my way over to Baya Baya.

And this is where I met their dulce de leche croissant.

Dear God.

To die for.

And the cappuccino was so good I asked if I could buy a bag of their beans.

To my absolute dismay, they weren't selling them.

Baya Baya, if you're selling those beans now—

SEND ME SOME.

Eventually, I decided I'd done enough exploring for one day.

Beaches.

Sunshine.

Surfers.

A little wandering.

A little shopping.

And, of course, another round of Caribbean chicken.

I'd call that productive.

So I made my way back down that long dirt road to Kanik.

And honestly?

After a full day in the sun, I wasn't mad about the distance anymore.

I was tired.

Sun-kissed.

Fed.

And ready for bed.

Tomorrow I'd be packing up and moving again.

But tonight?

We'd done enough.

Good night, PV.

The Details

🏖️ Beach — Playa Cocles. Would I go again? Absolutely. Swimmable water, natural shade, white sand and plenty of room to find your own little piece of paradise. I got there early and practically had the place to myself. My tip: Go early, find a spot beneath the palms and stay awhile.

🍗 Lunch — El Chante del Moncho Soda. Would I eat there again? Yes. I came for round two of my Caribbean chicken investigation and left fully committed to the research. If you're exploring the area and craving local Caribbean flavors, put this one on your list.

🏖️ Beach — Playa Puerto Viejo. Would I go again? Yes, but for a completely different reason than Cocles. This one puts you right in the middle of town—surfers, shops, cafés, people and plenty to wander into when you've had enough sun. Bonus points if you locate the elusive jerk chicken man. Please report back.

☕ Café Stop — Baya Baya. Would I go again? In a heartbeat. Come for the dulce de leche croissant, stay for the cappuccino. Both were good enough to earn Baya Baya a permanent spot on my Puerto Viejo return list.

🚗 Getting Around. Having a car made this kind of day incredibly easy. I could start somewhere quieter like Cocles, head into the heart of Puerto Viejo later, and wander once I got there without having to plan the whole day around transportation.

💡 Solo Travel Note: Want to meet people or find nightlife when you're traveling alone? Check the hostels—even if you aren't staying in one.

They're often great places to find salsa nights, parties, group outings and other social events.

I actually rented a bed at a hostel in Puerto Viejo so I'd have somewhere to shower and change before joining their salsa night.

Did I make it to salsa?

Nope. 😂

By evening, I wanted my own bed more than I wanted new friends.

But that's the beauty of solo travel:

Make the plans. Change the plans. They're yours.