Your options for beaches in Puerto Viejo seem endless. And you’ll almost never encounter a crowded beach like you would at other beach holidays. If there was another group within 50 feet of us, that was considered a crowded beach day for us. So with all those options, what are the best Puerto Viejo beaches for kids?
As a whole, Playa Chiquita, Playa De Corales, Chino Beach, and Punta Uva have smaller waves because of their reef break. But if you’re looking for some bigger waves to play in, Playa Cocles, Playa Chasma, Playa Negra, and Playa Grande are also great options for families with kids in Puerto Viejo.
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Puerto Viejo Beaches Map Key
- Playa Chiquita
- Playa Cocles Locals Beach
- Chino Beach
- Playa De Corales
- Playa Cocles Surf Beach
- Punta Uva
- Playa Chasma
- Playa Negra
- Playa Grande
Playa Chiquita
Pros: Reef Break Provides Smaller Waves, Shade Available, Picturesque, Beach Walks
Cons: Strong Current, Further Out of Town
Playa Chiquita is definitely a favorite Puerto Viejo beach amongst tourist and expat families. It’s a bit further out of town, but is worth the trek out there when the waves are just too big at other beaches.
The trees go pretty close to the water and provide for some picturesque spots to set up camp for the day. And on the day we were there, the trees didn’t seem to bring on the bugs like at Playa De Corales.
Even though the reef break helps to diminish the waves, there was still a strong current that could be dangerous at times. You won’t be pulled out to sea, but you could get pulled into rocks and reef.
The actual entry point is a bit further west than what is marked on Google Maps. But if you see a gate opening and a small pull-off area for parking on the side of the road, you’ve found it! If that gate leads to a trail leading toward the ocean, you’ve definitely found it! And you may even spot a few crabs along the way.
Playa Chiquita
Playa Cocles Locals Beach
Pros: Quiet, Sand Play, Off the Beaten Path, Playground nearby, Potential Wildlife Spotting, Beach Walks
Cons: Minimal Shade, Bigger Waves, Difficult to access via car
Playa Cocles “Locals Beach” is my own made-up name for this beach. We love it because it is basically never busy. A few tourists manage to find it, but it’s mostly frequented by locals in the evenings coming down to the water for the sunset and to fish. The beach goes for ages in either direction, which provides for some nice beach walks or runs as well.
The sand area is huge, but there is almost no shade. But since it’s so out in the open, there are also very few bugs to contend with. Depending on the day, the waves can be a bit big for little ones. I mean, it has the same waves as the surf beach just a stone’s throw away. We had fun playing in the bigger waves and treated it like nature’s playground.
Since it is so quiet and tucked away from the road, a couple of times we were able to play in the water while simultaneously watching Howler monkeys swing through the trees. We also managed to spot a sloth one day!
There’s also a playground nearby, which is the only playground that we found in Puerto Viejo! It is a bit run down, but hey, it’s a playground!
Playground near Playa Cocles Locals Beach
Okay, how to get to it??
Just west of Freddy’s Fruit Stand, and “Escuela de Cocles”, there’s a small dirt road. Turn down that road and just go straight. Some people do bring their cars back there. But there are quite a few large ruts in the road and we saw a few people regretting their decision to drive all the way back. We only had bicycles, so it was never a problem for us!
Chino Beach
Pros: Smaller waves, Right in town, Mix of locals and tourists
Cons: Busy
Chino Beach is where you’ll probably end up if you want a little beach break when you’re shopping in town. It has a good mix of locals and tourists, as it’s so convenient. There are restaurants lining the beach, and we enjoyed taking our vegan ice cream from Heladeria Ocho Nani.
The waves are pretty manageable for little ones, and it’s definitely a perfect spot for a quick dip to cool off. It isn’t a place where I’d park myself for the day, but we definitely found ourselves here multiple times due to its proximity to town.
Playa De Corales
Pros: Tidal Pools, Gentle waves, Shade available, Close to the Jaguar Rescue Center
Cons: Crowded, Insects, Minimal swimming areas
Playa De Corales is the Puerto Viejo beach known for its access to tidal pools. So don’t make the mistake that we did and go during high tide. The waves are definitely gentle, but there aren’t a ton of swimming friendly spots. And on the day we went, it was pretty crowded and difficult to find your own spot to hang out.
There was a nice trail that followed the coast that was fun to check out. But as far as hanging out at the beach… It was crowded, the bugs were biting in full force, and there weren’t a lot of great swimming spots. Maybe on a different day we would’ve had another experience, though.
You can access Playa De Corales via the restaurant El Rincon Porteno. We cut through their parking lot and then walked along the trail until we found a spot to hang out for a bit.
Playa Cocles Surf Beach
Pros: Lifeguards, Close to a lot of restaurants, Sand Play, Surfing, Beach Walks
Cons: Busy, Young Backpackers Vibe, Bigger Waves
Play Cocles is huge. But the surf beach across from El Sol Del Caribe is what most people are talking about when they say “Playa Cocles”. We tend to prefer quieter beaches, so it wasn’t one of our favorites. But if your family likes a busier beach with a lot of people watching, or if you’re a surfing family, Playa Cocles could be a good fit for you.
Playa Cocles from the road
Punta Uva
Pros: Snorkeling, Smaller waves
Cons: Further out of town
Punta Uva is known for its access to snorkeling. It can be busy on the weekends, but during the week you’ll likely find a spot to yourself. Because of the snorkeling reefs, you’re also protected from the larger waves that hit beaches like Playa Cocles.
Admittedly, we never made it here. Our daughter was too young for snorkeling and it’s just so far out of town. With beautiful beaches closer to us, it never became a priority for us. But families with older kids love visiting here to enjoy the snorkeling and sea life.
Playa Chasma
Pros: Sand Play, Mix of Locals and Tourists, Beach Walks
Cons: Minimal Shade, Bigger Waves
Playa Chasma is just a bit further out of town from Playa Cocles Locals Beach. It has quite a few access points. Its beach is very similar to Playa Cocles, with a large sand area, minimal shade, and bigger waves. It tended to be a little bit busier than Playa Cocles Locals Beach, and is a bit further out of town. If it’s closer to your accommodation, though, it could be a good option for your family!
Playa Negra
Pros: Local and tourist spot, Laid Back, Beach Walks, Black Sand Beach
Cons: Bigger waves, Black sand is hot
Playa Negra is a black sand beach, which makes sense if you know a bit of Spanish. It’s just west of town and usually on the quieter side. I often saw ticos (Costa Ricans) playing soccer on the beach. And it generally had a pretty laid back feel to it compared to some other Puerto Viejo beaches.
Depending on the day, the waves could be big, as there’s no reef break. But it does go for a while, so you could really get a good beach walk in… though the black sand could get hot if you aren’t walking in the water!
Playa Grande
Pros: Beach Walks, Sand Play, Quiet
Cons: Further out of town, Bigger waves
Playa Grande is even further out of town than Punta Uva. But because of that, it’s almost never crowded. You can occasionally spot some surfers in the area, which means the waves can be bigger here. Which depending on the day, could be either fun or dangerous for little ones.
This quiet coast goes on for ages and provides for some nice beach walks. And it’s large sandy area means you can make some epic sand castles. So if you find yourself that far out of town, it could definitely be a fun beach to check out!
If you’re wondering how to even get to Puerto Viejo, check out How to Get to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica With Kids. If you’re a vegan family and wondering where to eat in Puerto Viejo, check out Vegan-Friendly Puerto Viejo Restaurants and Shops.