Puerto Viejo de Limón comes alive each year during the Chocolate Festival, a vibrant celebration rooted deeply in the cacao traditions of Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. This event is more than just a festival—it's an immersive journey into the world of chocolate, from bean to bar, set against the raw backdrop of lush rainforest and Afro-Caribbean culture.

Held in the town’s bustling streets and nearby cacao plantations, visitors get the chance to experience hands-on chocolate making workshops, guided tours through cacao groves, and lively marketplaces filled with artisanal chocolates and local flavor. The terrain here is gently rolling with some forested paths weaving through plantations—a manageable walk for most visitors seeking a mix of cultural discovery and outdoor activity. Expect distances of 2-4 kilometers when touring farms, with light elevation changes up to 50 meters. The trails are shady, sometimes muddy during rainy spells, and dominated by cacao trees whose pods dangle like jewels among the leaves.

The Chocolate Festival pulses with energy—from the rhythmic afrobeat music to the fragrant air mixing fresh chocolate, ripe tropical fruits, and wet earth. Rivers nearby dare you with their lively currents, pushing the humid forest atmosphere into a rich sensory encounter. This setting invites visitors of all experience levels—whether casual walkers interested in local flavors or seasoned adventurers looking for cultural immersion paired with nature walks.

Practical preparation is key to enjoying this event fully. Comfortable, waterproof footwear will help navigate dirt paths softened by tropical rains, while plenty of water ensures you stay hydrated among the tropical humidity. Early mornings and late afternoons offer the most comfortable temperatures and softer light, perfect for both exploration and photography.

Beyond tasting, the festival’s workshops reveal how cacao fermentation and drying are both science and an art. Participants learn how to distinguish flavors based on growing conditions, and the stories told by local farmers highlight the environmental challenges cacao faces, reinforcing respect for this fragile ecosystem.

Puerto Viejo’s Chocolate Festival is an engagement with a craft fiercely itself—a tradition maintained by dedicated hands and natural rhythms, not easily dominated but shared generously. Whether sampling chocolate at a street stall or hiking through shaded groves where pods mature under patient trees, each moment invites you to understand the connection between nature, culture, and craft.

This festival is your gateway to appreciating chocolate beyond the sweet, encouraging a deeper awareness of the land it springs from and the people who tend it. Plan your visit around the festival season, pack smart, and prepare to taste, learn, and walk through a living tradition that challenges as much as it rewards.