Drmargs

I'm planning a trip to the Osa Pennisula in November with my mother who is a birder. I enjoy hiking, wildlife, and beaches. We are considering Bosque del Cabo on the PJ side or Casa Corcovado on the Drake Bay side. WE're having a difficult time comparing the different sides of the Pennisula. What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? Seems like there is quite a difference in price between the two, so we're leaning towards Casa Corcovado. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Also, other hotel recommendations would be helpful as well, though we have read the postings here. Thanks.

greenfieldhunter

Personally we like PJ- not because of the town itself but because of the options available to visit other areas as well as its location on the Gulfo Dulce.
From PJ you can visit Matapalo, Carate, Golfito and Zancudo with ease.

I posted a looong trip report on this area several monthes ago- if you click on my screen name and scroll done you should be able to find it- I think it was called "a very long southern costa rica trip report'
We visited both PJ and DB on that trip.

Either place is quite nice- enjoy

other hotels to consider would be Tiskita Lodge, Iguana Lodge, Mirador Lodge (very cheap!!) La Leona Tent Camp, Lookout Inn. try wwww.southerncostaricahandbook.com -or something very close to that

RHR

We were at Casa Corcovado last February and found it to be a wonderful location. However, once you are there, you are there.

After landing in Palma Sur and taking a 45 minute bus ride to Casa Corcovado's meeting place, you then take a 1 1/2 hour boat ride to get to the resort. Don't get me wrong, the place is really nice and we didn't want to leave but it is very secluded. There is a really nice beach (down a major hill) that is part of the property, but if your not a strong ocean swimmer, I wouldn't recommend it. I lifeguard on the Atlantic and I was weary about swimming alone. Thanks to the two guides at Casa C who swam with me or I wouldn't have gone in.

Activities at Casa Corcovado are very very planned. One day a trip to Cano Island (by boat) where guests from who knows where show up to have lunch and overall it was somewhat dissapointing. Snorkeling is mediocre at best.
The next day a planned hike, which was really nice, but nothing out of the ordinary. Rooms are adequate and meals were so so. The only reason we chose this place was because we couldn't get into Bosque.

This year we booked early and did get into Bosque and from what I've read, it would certainly be the way to go.

As for birding, Casa C has a knowlegable bird guide (if thats the proper name) and he was more than happy to take people out in the morning to find birds. As far as McCaws we only saw two or three when we were there and one Toucan.

glover

We also stayed several days at Casa C a few years ago in February and I would agree with mostly everything Drmargs said. We had a great time and really loved it there. The staff was nice, the setting is beautiful, the accommodations were nice. The food was mediocre, but my expectations for that were low. Felt like we saw lots of wildlife on the grounds (they have their own trails) and in the park with guide: scarlet macaws often, a boa constrictor curled up on rock on the beach, an anteater, a hummingbird nest, coatis, monkeys, bats hanging upside down in tree sleeping during day, blue morpho butterflies, many other beautiful birds, leafcutter ants on the beach. . . .

So if Casa is what you choose, you'll really enjoy it! Having said all that, if I go back and decide to spend more $$$$ I'm gonna go for Bosque which people seem to find even more special - primarily, it sounds to me, because of the quality of the staff there and their attention to any number of details.

JoseO

Any choice there would be fine, did you see the trip report about Bosque? It was a couple of weeks ago. The bird and monkey pictures were really nice to see.
The link :
http://www.tonisstory.blogspot.com/

It was long but a fun read. My wife is organizing a trip for us to CR now. We want to try Bosque as well as CCocovado Jose'