AUTHENTIC DELUXE RAINFOREST EXPERIENCE Deluxe treehouse style villa with 2 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms & private plunge pool. Casa Bromelia is immersed in a jungle garden with lots of wildlife, at walking distance from spectacular beaches (1.5km), 5 min drive to lively Puerto Viejo center & 30 min to Cahuita National Park. Fiber optic wifi, fully fitted kitchen with all basics & 18L bottled water. Breakfast US$15 pp per day, extra bed for 6th person US$25 per night, paid laundry service provided. Geckoes Lodge has 4 holiday houses on a 2 hectare fenced property: 1 standard bungalow, 1 open glamping house and 2 luxury villas with private plunge pools. They are set in a magnificent rainforest garden with lots of wildlife and a river, only minutes from some of the world's most beautiful beaches. The road to Geckoes is unpaved, but there is no need for a 4W drive. It is best to have some kind of transportation - there are bike, scooter and car rentals nearby. Elevated to capture the rainforest view and with spacious accommodation for five, Casa Bromelia is the perfect place to holiday with friends or family. It can also be a wonderfully romantic escape for just the two of you. Casa Bromelia is your luxurious holiday home from which to explore the Caribbean coast: snorkel coral reefs from white sandy beaches, take a horseback trip through the rainforest, surf the Salsa Brava, swing through the rainforest canopy, or simply bird watch from your pool while the barbecue cooks dinner. House features: * Private plunge pool with terrace, loungers, barbecue and outdoor dining furniture. * Open plan living area with hammocks, rockers, sofa and dining area. * Fully fitted kitchen. * Two comfortable bedrooms each with a safe: Bedroom 1: Queen size double bed, mosquito net, dressing table, easy chairs, spacious clothes storage. Bedroom 2: 3 Twin beds, mosquito nets, dressing table, easy chairs, spacious clothes storage. * En suite 2 full bathrooms with double washbasins and rainforest outlook. * Fiber optic wifi - daily cleaning from Monday till Saturday The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is where the rainforest meets the ocean. This area is stunningly beautiful with lots of beaches, and plenty of nature and wildlife to enjoy. Geckoes Lodge is situated in the small settlement of Cocles, at 4 km from Puerto Viejo. Here you can feel miles from anywhere, but you have everything on your doorstep. Cocles has numerous restaurants and supermarkets, and easy access to the beach. It is a quiet haven where the tropical beauty induces relaxation and embracing the good life: 'Pura Vida'. Owners Tine & René live on site. We will gladly help you to book tours, restaurants or bikes at no extra cost. Geckoes Lodge is small enough to offer you personal service when you need it and to respect your privacy. We have three dogs - they are big, but very friendly and always stay at our house. You will have the entire house and plunge pool to yourself, with a private parking spot. Apart from that, you can wander around in our well-kept 2 hectare garden/rain forest park and discover all the wonderful fauna and flora of the Caribbean. We will gladly help you to spot animals or to show you the path to the river. Whatever you need, we're around to help: you are welcome! Geckoes Lodge is situated on Margarita Road in Cocles, 4 kilometres south of the village of Puerto Viejo and 1 kilometre inland. Puerto Viejo stretches along the the south Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and encompasses the neighbourhoods of Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo, where the road ends. The small settlement of Cocles has numerous restaurants and supermarkets and easy access to the beach. Quiet and relaxed Cocles is home to both locals and foreigners and the best restaurant on this coast! Although each neighbourhood has its own character, the entire area has a distinct Caribbean atmosphere due to the historical influx of Jamaican settlers. This is illustrated in the prevalence of Caribbean cuisine, reggae music, Rasta and Patois being spoken alongside English and Spanish. However, this 'Garden of Eden' has recently attracted people from all over the world resulting in an international mix of cultures reflected in the variety of restaurants! Far less developed than the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the Caribbean coast is verdant and lush with great tracts of pristine rainforest bordering the spectacular beaches. The pace of life is 'tranquilo' and being surrounded by such tropical beauty lends itself to relaxation and embracing the good life: 'Pura Vida'. * Transport In and Around Puerto Viejo Geckoes Lodge is one kilometre from the beach and the main road where there are supermarkets and restaurants. Therefore you may appreciate some form of transport. The following options are available in Puerto Viejo: bicycles, scooters, quads, motorbikes, taxis, tuktuks and rental cars. If you would like a rental car but do not want to drive from San José to Puerto Viejo, there are now 2 car rental companies in the area; Adobe and Alamo. * Travelling from San Jose to Geckoes - Flying: Sansa Airlines has daily flights to Limón, which is one hour from here. Please be aware of the strict baggage restrictions on these domestic flights. You can take a taxi from the airport or have your rental car delivered there. - Rental car: you can have the car ready at the airport or delivered to a hotel in San José. A gps or Waze is very handy, especially for navigating your way through San José!! We advise against driving after dark on your first day. - Public bus: from the “Terminal Atlantico Norte”, Avenida 9, Calle 12, buses leave for Puerto Viejo four times a day. Any taxi driver will know where this terminal is (insist on the taxi meter running!), although often referred to as terminal San Carlos. - Shuttles: there are various options for shuttles, minivan services run by private companies - contact us for details and/or reservations. Prices are around US$60 pp. - Private minivan or taxi: If you would like a direct private transfer from the airport or a hotel, hiring a chauffeured minivan / taxi is an option. This will cost you approximately US$250, which is almost the same as four people going on a shuttle. Contact us for details and/or reservations. Parking is included at Geckoes and having a car here means you can explore this stretch of coast easily. Things to do. If you need a break from lying in your pool, watching the birds and butterflies or enjoying the beaches, there are plenty of other things to see and do in and around Puerto Viejo … Here are just a few of them - send us a message if you want to book in advance! * Visit the injured or orphaned ‘stars of the rainforest’ and learn about their rehabilitation. Tours at 9.30 & 11.30 daily except Sunday. Private tours available on request. * Botanical Garden: take a guided walk around this stunning rainforest garden, taste local fruits straight from the trees and photograph tiny Red Poison Dart frogs. * Fishing / Snorkeling/ Dolphin Watching: half or full day out on the water. * Boat trip on the Tortuguero Canal: half a day (just the canal) or full day (including visit to the little town of Tortuguero) on the canal spotting lizards, crocodiles, monkeys, birds and sloths. * Turtle watching: in season you can be part of a small group guided by local experts to witness the moving spectacle of turtles returning to their birthplace to lay their eggs. * Horseback riding: with options for adults and children at all experience levels, take an adventure and spot wildlife from the saddle. * Canopy Zip-line Tours: take a swing through the canopy and see nature up close with the thrill of a fairground ride! * Chocolate Tour: learn the history of cacao and taste organic chocolate - a must for chocoholics! * Surfing Lessons: learn how to surf or improve your technique at Cocles beach, home of the famous Beach Break. * Scuba diving / Snorkeling: take a snorkeling trip to the outer reefs and become part of the underwater world or learn how to dive in warm, clear waters and get your PADI certification. * Spa Time: indulge yourself and choose from a menu of treats all featuring local fruits and oils. The Spa uses local fruits and chocolate and the smells are divine! * Rainforest Waterfall: take a picnic and the road to Bribri and immerse yourself in the cool, clear water of a rainforest waterfall. Just ask us for directions. * Gandoca Lagoon: trip in a rowing boat to enjoy the spectacular lagoon and any wildlife that happens to be around. Like a miniature Tortuguero, this small lagoon is a relaxing boat trip, spotting monkeys or basilisk lizards and bird life, and learning about the eco-system. * Talamancan Mountains and Indigenous tribes: if you're interested in the indigenous culture of this area, you can visit an indigenous tribe and/or a local indigenous family. This is just a few of the activities on offer in and round Puerto Viejo ... there are many more! Got a special interest or wish that isn't covered by this list? Just tell us and we'll do our best to help.