On a bend on the Costa Rican Caribbean coast, between sweeping dashes of cacao plantations and emerald-green jungles, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca pops up with all its rambunctious rum bars and bamboo Rasta shacks. For years, it's been the getaway of choice for wave riders and good-time seekers, with more colorful beach casitas and late-night music bars than you can shake a three-toed sloth at – but don't do that!

The main draws are twofold: chilling and surfing. Master the first by asking your Puerto Viejo de Talamanca tour guide about the paradisiacal beaches that stretch from wide Playa Negra to forest-fringed Playa Chiquita. For hitting the waves, there's everything from gnarly reef breaks for the pros to fat and slow-moving beginner peaks that roll into the sand. Search for them in Playa Cocles or at the hollow barrels of infamous Salsa Brava.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is also considered a fine jump-off point for exploring the wild reserves that cluster along the eastern coastline of the country. To the south is the Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, a land of empty coves, slithering snakes, and parrots. To the north is Puerto Vargas, flanked by cotton-white sands and rainforests, and the Cauhita National Park, showcasing coral reefs off the Caribbean coast.