Drake Bay - Osa - Golfito - Golfo Dulce 

Finding a place where you can get away from it all is becoming harder and harder. But at beautiful Drake Bay on the northern end of Costa Rica's Osa peninsula, you can certainly get away from most of it.

Drake Bay is either undeveloped backwater or unspoiled paradise, depending on your point of view. Most people think it's paradise but night owls, barflies and other species of party animal will not find a lot to sustain them here.

They say that if Sir Francis Drake sailed past today (this is unlikely), he'd have no difficulty recognizing the broad bay where he dropped anchor more than 400 years ago. There are only a couple of phone lines, no roads hence no cars, no main power supply, no souvenir shops, no crowds of tourists in Pura Vida T-shirts.

That's what Drake Bay doesn't have. What it does have is rustic charm and breathtaking natural beauty—dense rain forests teeming with birds and animals, a pristine Pacific coastline for swimming, snorkeling, diving and kayaking and a selection of hotels, jungle lodges and camps to suit most tastes and budgets.

And some of the best fishing you're likely to find anywhere, with marlin, sailfish, wahoo, dorado, tuna, rooster-fish, cubera, grouper and more just a leisurely boat ride offshore, and fresh-water rivers loaded snook and snapper.

Osa Peninsula

The Osa Peninsula has been described as "the most biologically intense place on Earth" by no less an authority than National Geographic Magazine. The main feature of the Osa, and that which makes it famous throughout the world, is the 42,000-hectare (103,782-acre) Corcovado National Park, home to almost 400 species of birds, 140 species of mammals, 116 species of amphibians and reptiles, more than 500 species of trees and more than 6,000 species of insects. The park protects endangered species such as the jaguar, puma, crocodile, tapir, poison dart and golden frogs and the harpy eagle. The expansive beaches of the Osa are also nesting sites for several varieties of sea turtles. If you really want to experience a lowland tropical rainforest in its most natural state, yet also enjoy an outstanding tropical beach environment, then the Osa Peninsula is the place to do it.

World-class sport fishing tours both inshore and offshore hook you up with giant game fish such as snook, roosterfish, dorado and marlin. Anglers from Roy's Zancudo Lodge across the gulf from Puerto Jimenez have established more than 30 IGFA world records. Kayak trips with local guides such as Andy Pruter of Everyday Adventure Tours take you deep into the mangroves near town or out past rocky points at Cape Matapalo.

Corcovado

Corcovado provides the ultimate in rainforest treks—a vibrant, living Celestine Prophecy. Nearly as awe-inspiring are other hikes in more easily accessible private primary rainforest preserves with breathtaking waterfalls and an abundance of wildlife. You can even arrange to climb trees in the thick jungle with state-of-the-art climbing equipment!

Corcovado is a 54,539 hectares national park, located in the Osa Peninsula on the South Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Established in 1975, the park covers a large coastal and inland area, providing the best access to beautiful, ever-changing beaches and estuaries. It has been identified as a tropical and premontane wet forest, and it holds several habitats that can be found as you hike its challenging trails: mountain forest, cloud forest, deep canyons, coastal vegetation, herbaceous swamp (such as Corcovado Lagoon), mangrove, alluvial plain forest, holillo forest, and palm forest.

Adjacent to the park, national policy established Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve in 1978, providing better protection to the area. Gold mining and farming continued to happen for many years, and gold panners are still a threat to the environment, although to a lesser extent than in past years.

Some of the 6,000 species of insects might try to turn you journey into a big annoyance: make sure to bring the right amount of mosquito repellent; other species may be more benevolent to you, such as the 123 species of gorgeous butterflies.

Marine life is just as rich. Sea turtles nest on some of the beaches, and sperm whales have been spotted offshore. There is a live coral reef, but snorkeling is hardly recommended: sharks have been sighted near the area. There are also 40 species of fresh water fish in the many rivers that bathe the area.

The Park has several entrance points for self-guided expeditions: La Leona, Sirena, Los Patos and San Pedrillo. They each have a station where park rangers live and provide visitors with handy, and some times life-saving information. In the surrounding areas to each entrance you will find some other options for lodging. Camping is also available.

As many ecological projects of Costa Rica, Corcovado National Park has become a laboratory where social and environmental paradigms are being studied and developed into new alternatives. Stations usually turn into the meeting spot for scientific researchers and biologists, as well as nature lovers and curious tourists. Casual conversations will provide you with amazing first hand information about rare animals or specific habitats. But when hiking, your only companion will be the sounds of nature -so many, and yet so anonymous-, and you will hardly meet any other human on the trails, but yourself.

Drake Bay - Osa - Golfito - Golfo Dulce  - Corcovado Hotels

Bahia Paraiso Rain Forest Lodge NEW! Located between Drake Bay and Corcovado National Park offers deluxe rooms with private bath, ocean view veranda and hammock; standard rooms with private bath; furnished tents with 2 single beds and front porch. Std Room $75

Hotel Posada Playa Tortuga A small and nice hotel located 8km (5mi) south of the Ballena Marine National Park. The perfect location to get away from everything. $55

Aguila de Osa Inn The Aguila de Osa Inn offers privacy and seclusion in a setting where adventurists will experience the Osa in its entirety. Double $390

Cabinas Playa Cacao Six individual thatch-roofed bungalows conveniently located inside the Wildlife Refuge of Golfito with an unparalleled 300º view of the surrounding rainforest mountain range & peaceful gulf waters. Bungalows up to 3 People $31 - $41

Marenco Beach and Rain Forest Lodge Marenco's breathtaking, exotic coastal location provides unlimited opportunities for adventure, family recreation, nature study, research and yes; even some rest and relaxation, in one of the world's classic wilderness areas. All inclusive 3 day 2 night from $506

Lapa Rios Wilderness adventure in a class by itself: upscale and personalized service in an unforgettable Pacific jungle setting, with a clear commitment to the environment and the local community. All inclusive Single $232

Casa Punta Banco A private jungle home where nature, privacy, unspoiled beaches, and beauty abound. Rent the House for $1200/week up to 12 persons.

Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge Tucked away in the trees and cooled by the Pacific Ocean this unique lodge offers accommodations constructed in harmony with the landscape and the environment. 3 day 2 night from $365

Golfo Dulce Lodge The Golfo Dulce Lodge reflects the natural beauty and the ecological harmony of its wonderful, unspoiled tropical surroundings within one of the last big areas of densely rain-forests in Costa Rica. Starting @ $85

Villas Rio Mar Kick back and relax amidst gardens in our thatched roof bungalows with open terrace-like living rooms on the banks of the Baru river, surrounded by impressive tropical forests, and just a short walk from the village of Dominical. Single $60 - $70

Drake Bay Wilderness Resort No place in Costa Rica offers the visitor a better opportunity to study and appreciate the richness of this small country. "What Costa Rica is all about." 4 day 3 night $770