Puerto Viejo sits about 220 km southeast of San José on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. The most common way to arrive is by bus: regular services run from San José's Caribbean terminal (MEPE) to Puerto Viejo, taking around 4–5 hours via Limón. The trip is comfortable and inexpensive.
Faster but pricier are the shared shuttle vans that pick up at hotels in San José, La Fortuna and Monteverde; popular operators include Caribe Shuttle and Interbus. Driving is straightforward — a rental car gives you the freedom to explore the beaches south to Manzanillo — but watch for potholes and slow-moving trucks on the road from Limón.
From Panama, several daily buses run from Bocas del Toro and Almirante via the Sixaola border, taking 4–5 hours total including the crossing.