With some great day trip options available in the surrounding area, renting a car makes good sense. Without one, it’d be much harder to explore all that Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, 50 miles away, has to offer. Cahuita National Park, Punta Uva Beach and Black Beach alone make the drive out worthwhile. The locals will also probably point you toward Quepos, 55 miles away. If you only have time for one attraction here, let it be Manuel Antonio National Park. (But we’re also big fans of Manuel Antonio Beach and Playa La Macha.)