5 Best Places to Shop in Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica

Small by U.S. standards, this farmers' market has a handful of vendors selling fresh produce and meats in the community center building. Open Sunday 6 am to noon. 

Puerto Viejo's Saturday-morning farmers' market is a good place to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies for that weekend beach picnic. It takes place in a building just south of the bus stop.

Puerto Viejo's nicest shop sells a wonderful selection of local indigenous carvings—balsa and chonta wood are especially popular—as well as jewelry, paintings, and ceramics by 30 artists from the region. Prices run a tad higher here than other places around town, but you're assured of good quality.

Really two stores in one, Tienda del Mar sprawls around a street corner in the center of town and specializes in bright, colorful batik clothing of all sizes, as well as more run-of-the-mill T-shirts, sandals, wood carvings, ceramics, and postcards.

This shop near the bus stop offers a good selection of locally made crafts and colorful clothing. They carry national brands of swimwear, as well as Lycra made from recycled plastics.