PV is situated in the South Caribbean of Costa Rica. It is a surfer/backpackers town with a number of activities from chilling and taking in the atmosphere to surfing at the Salsa Brava beach, hiking through the forests at Manzanillo and Cahuita witnessing the great raptor migration in October/November from Kekoldi, seeing nesting marine turtles in nearby Playa Negra or Gandoca, or arranging trips a little further on such as to Yorkin or an overnight rainforest stay at the Aiko Camp.
Spanish is the main language, but you will find most businesses have many English speakers as well. Hotel pricing is surely based on quality and safety, as the cheaper (10-20$ rooms) often get raided and broken into, rarely do they have hot water. Where as the rooms that go for $35 and up tend to be more secure. A lot of places to eat - as of 2009 there has been an influx of higher end construction work, where in the town center there now is a shall shopping "mall". Plans of the city to build a port for cruise ships have been discarded, so this town should keep its tranquil atmosphere despite somewhat rising tourism!