Central America

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Limón · Costa Rica

Sanctuary Score

65 / 100

#78 in the Americas

“Where the rainforest spills onto Caribbean sand and the rhythm turns Afro-Caribbean — a barefoot, bike-everywhere town of patois, cacao, and sloths in the trees.”

The Caribbean coast at Puerto Viejo de Talamanca — Costa Rica

Photo: hh oldman · CC BY 3.0

Moss-covered driftwood on the shore — Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica — Pexels

A two-toed sloth, emblem of the Caribbean coast — Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica — Photo: Geoff Gallice · CC BY 2.0

The ten pillars

Each scored 1–10 by hand. Their sum is the Sanctuary Score.

Nature9 / 10

Walkability7 / 10

Food7 / 10

Healthcare6 / 10

Climate stability5 / 10

Air & water7 / 10

Safety5 / 10

Connectivity4 / 10

Community7 / 10

Beauty8 / 10

At a glance

Tracked separately from the score — these describe the place, they don't rank it.

Climate: Tropical
Sensory load: 5/10 · balanced
Cost: $$; ~$750/mo · 1BR
Expat community: Medium

Sources

Scores are set by hand against cited public sources — the curation stays auditable.

Is Puerto Viejo de Talamanca your sanctuary?

The Index says life is good here. The assessment tells you whether it fits the way your nervous system actually works.

Find your sanctuary

← Back to the full Index