Getting Here and Around

The fastest way to get to Drake Bay is to fly directly to the airstrip. You can also fly to Palmar Sur and take a taxi to Sierpe and then go on a thrilling, if bumpy, boat ride to Drake Bay. From the airport, it's a 25-minute taxi ride to Sierpe. You can pay $15–$20 per person for a seat in a communal boat. These small, open boats leave at low tide, usually 11 to 11:30 am for the one-hour trip to Drake. You need to be at the dock at least an hour early to ensure a seat. There is also boat service from Drake Bay to Sierpe, from the beach, between 7 and 7:30 am, and around 2:30 in the afternoon. Many lodges arrange boat transportation from Drake Bay or Sierpe, and captains will often stop along the way to view wildlife in the river mangroves. From Rincón you can drive to Drake on a 30-km (19-mile) sometimes-graded dirt road, but only in dry season when the rivers are low enough to cross. Getting here by bus is not easy. Buses leave Puerto Jiménez for La Palma about every two hours from 6 am to 8 pm, connecting in La Palma with buses to Drake Bay at 11:30 am and 4 pm daily, except Sunday. Buses leave Drake at 4:30 am and 1 pm heading for La Palma, to connect with buses in Rincón de Osa to either Puerto Jiménez or San José. These bus schedules often change, so be sure to check with a local source. The drive from San José to Drake is a scenic but exhausting seven hours long.