Puerto Viejo: Bribri Chocolate Making & Waterfall Day Trip

Summary

Bribri culture, chocolate making and Talamanca waterfall swim from Puerto Viejo

You’ll join a Bribri family near Puerto Viejo to taste fresh cacao fruit, help make traditional chocolate by hand, and learn about local plants in their permaculture garden. Afterward, cool off with a swim under a Talamanca waterfall before returning home — it’s a day full of new flavors, laughter, and real moments you’ll want to remember.

What’s the experience like?

“You have to try it,” our guide said, cracking open the cacao pod right there in the garden. I was expecting something bitter but the pulp was sweet and slippery, almost floral — not what I thought chocolate would start as. The Bribri family laughed when I made a face (I think I looked surprised), and then they showed us how they grind the beans by hand. There’s something about the rhythm of it, their stories mixing with the sound of stone on stone. We were all a little sticky from the heat, but nobody seemed to mind.

I didn’t realize how many plants had stories until we walked through their garden. Our host pointed out leaves for fevers, roots for stomach aches — honestly I couldn’t keep track of all of them, but you could tell these weren’t just facts for them; it’s their way of life. When we finally tasted the puréed chocolate we’d helped make, it was still warm from grinding. Not sweet like back home, but earthy and rich. I still think about that first bite.

The drive up into the mountains after felt quiet in a good way — windows down, jungle air coming in. The waterfall pool was colder than I expected (someone yelped getting in), but once you’re swimming under that rush of water you kind of forget everything else. We ate some fruit by the rocks before heading back to Puerto Viejo. It’s funny how a day can feel both long and too short at the same time.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Bribri culture and waterfall visit

• Leave Puerto Viejo at 8 am
• Drive 30 minutes to Bribri reserve
• Join Indigenous family and learn culture
• Explore medicinal plants
• Taste cacao fruit
• Make puréed chocolate
• Visit waterfall in Talamanca mountains
• Swim in pool under waterfall
• Return to Puerto Viejo

Top questions

How long is the drive from Puerto Viejo to the Bribri reserve?

About 30 minutes by car from Puerto Viejo to the Bribri Indigenous reserve.

Can you swim at the waterfall during this tour?

Yes, there’s time to swim in the large pool under the waterfall in Talamanca.

Is lunch included on this Bribri chocolate tour?

No full lunch is included, but fruit is provided during the experience.

Is this day trip suitable for kids or people with mobility needs?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and infants or small children can join with prams or strollers.

Will I meet local Bribri people on this tour?

Yes, you’ll spend time with an Indigenous Bribri family who share their culture and traditions.

What do you do during the chocolate making part?

You’ll taste cacao fruit and help make puréed chocolate using traditional methods.

Does this tour include hotel pickup from Puerto Viejo?

The tour includes transportation options with pickup from Puerto Viejo.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from Puerto Viejo, time with a Bribri family learning about medicinal plants and chocolate making in their garden, tasting cacao fruit and freshly made chocolate together, plus a visit to a mountain waterfall where you can swim and enjoy fresh fruit before heading back home.