The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Ballena Marine National Park
Named for the whales who use this area as a nursery, the park has four separate Blue Flag beaches stretching for about 10 km (6...
Named for the whales who use this area as a nursery, the park has four separate Blue Flag beaches stretching for about 10 km (6 miles) and encompasses a mangrove estuary, a remnant coral reef, and more than 12,350 acres of ocean, home to tropical fish, dolphins, and humpback whales. Playa Uvita is the most popular sector of the park, with the longest stretch of beach and shallow waters calm enough for kids. Restaurants line the road to the Playa Uvita park entrance, but there are no food concessions within the park. Access to each of the four beaches—from north to south, Uvita, Colonia, Ballena, and Piñuela—is off the Costanera Highway. Although the official park offices are open 7 am to 6 pm, visitors can stay on longer, especially to view sunsets or camp.
Entrance at Playa Uvita, about 20 km (12 miles) south of Dominical, Uvita, Puntarenas, 60504, Costa Rica8705–1629Sight Details
Rate Includes: $7 -
2. Corcovado National Park
This is the last and largest outpost of virgin lowland rain forest in Central America, and it's teeming with wildlife. Visitors who tread softly along...
This is the last and largest outpost of virgin lowland rain forest in Central America, and it's teeming with wildlife. Visitors who tread softly along the park's trails may glimpse howler, spider, and squirrel monkeys, coatimundis, peccaries (wild pigs), poison dart frogs, scarlet macaws, and, very rarely, jaguars and tapirs. Most first-time visitors to Corcovado come on a daylong boat tour from Drake Bay or hike in from Carate, Los Patos, or Dos Brazos del Río Tigre. But to get to the most pristine, wildlife-rich areas, you need to walk, and that means a minimum of three days: one day to walk in, one day to walk out, and at least one day inside the park. Park policy requires every visitor to be accompanied by a certified naturalist guide. Whichever guide or tour company you hire can make the park reservation and pay the park entrance fees for you in Puerto Jiménez. All accommodation and food within the park are now provided by a local community consortium called ADI Corcovado ( reservaciones@adicorcovado.org). The daily limit on the number of overnight visitors at the Sirena station is 70, bunking down in platform tents with all meals and bedding provided. No outside food is allowed.There's also camping ($4) at the San Pedrillo sector, but without meals or bedding. Ranger stations are officially open from 7 am to 4 pm daily, but you can walk in almost any time with a certified guide, as long as you have reserved and paid in advance. For safety reasons, there is no longer any night walking permitted into or out of the park. For more information, see the highlighted listing in this chapter.
Corcovado National Park, Carate, Puntarenas, Costa RicaSight Details
Rate Includes: $15 per day -
3. Hacienda Barú
This leading ecotourism and conservation wildlife refuge offers spectacular bird-watching tours and excellent naturalist-led hikes (starting at $36), a thrilling Flight of the Toucan canopy...
This leading ecotourism and conservation wildlife refuge offers spectacular bird-watching tours and excellent naturalist-led hikes (starting at $36), a thrilling Flight of the Toucan canopy tour ($52), a chance to spend the night in the jungle ($158), or self-guided walks along forest and mangrove trails ($15). The refuge also manages a turtle-protection project and nature-education program in the local school. You can stay in basic cabins or in poolside rooms—or just come for the day.
Costanera Hwy., Dominical, Puntarenas, 11909, Costa Rica2787–0003Sight Details
Rate Includes: From $15 -
4. Nauyaca Waterfalls
This massive double cascade, the longer one tumbling down 150 feet, is one of the most spectacular sights in Costa Rica. The falls (aka Barú...
This massive double cascade, the longer one tumbling down 150 feet, is one of the most spectacular sights in Costa Rica. The falls (aka Barú River Falls) are on private property, so the only ways to reach them are on horseback, hiking, or riding in an open truck. Arrive before 1 pm as access to the waterfalls closes at 2 pm.
Hwy. to San Isidro de El General, 10 km (7 miles) northeast of Dominical, Dominical, Puntarenas, 11909, Costa Rica2787–0541Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10 to hike -
5. Playa Uvita
At the northern end of Ballena Marine National Park, wide, palm-fringed Playa Uvita stretches out along a tombolo (a long swath of sand) connecting a...
At the northern end of Ballena Marine National Park, wide, palm-fringed Playa Uvita stretches out along a tombolo (a long swath of sand) connecting a former island to the coast. At low tide, you can walk out to the famous "whale tail," where you'll get magnificent views of the hills and jungles of Uvita (and maybe spot a macaw). This is the most popular beach, especially on weekends, with shallow waters for swimming. On weekdays you may have it almost to yourself. It’s also the launching spot for boat tours and the favorite vantage point for spectacular sunsets. There is no parking at the beach, but there are private parking lots along the road leading to the park entrance, charging $4 a day. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.
Uvita, Puntarenas, Costa RicaSight Details
Rate Includes: $7 -
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6. San Vito to Paso Real
The paved, scenic road from San Vito to Paso Real travels along a high ridge with sweeping valley views on either side. Halfway between Boca...
The paved, scenic road from San Vito to Paso Real travels along a high ridge with sweeping valley views on either side. Halfway between Boca Limón and Las Vueltas, stop to enjoy a refresco and the views at open-air Restaurante La Carreta. As the road descends, the wide valley of El General River opens up before you, planted with miles of spiky pineapples and tall sugarcane. Few passing opportunities require a lot of patience, especially in the valley if you find yourself caught in a slow-moving convoy of trucks hauling pineapple and sugarcane.
San Vito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica -
7. Wilson Botanical Garden
A must-see for gardeners and bird-watchers, the world-renowned Wilson Botanical Garden is enchanting even for those who are neither. Paths through the extensive grounds are...
A must-see for gardeners and bird-watchers, the world-renowned Wilson Botanical Garden is enchanting even for those who are neither. Paths through the extensive grounds are lined with exotic plants and shaded by avenues of palm trees and 50-foot-high bamboo stalks. In 1961, U.S. landscapers Robert and Catherine Wilson bought 30 acres of coffee plantation and started planting tropical species, including palms, orchids, bromeliads, and heliconias. Today the property extends over 635 acres, and the gardens hold around 2,000 native and more than 3,000 exotic species. The palm collection—more than 700 species—is the second largest in the world. Fantastically shaped and colored bromeliads, which usually live in the tops of trees, have been brought down to the ground in impressive mass plantings, providing one of many photo opportunities. Guided walks are conducted at 7:30 am and 1:30 pm. The garden was transferred to the Organization for Tropical Studies in 1973, and in 1983 it became part of Amistad Biosphere Reserve. Under the name Las Cruces Biological Station, Wilson functions mainly as a research and educational center, so there is a constant supply of expert botanists and biologists to take visitors on natural-history tours in the garden and the adjoining forest trails. Birders can hike to the new canopy tower in the forest, funded by the local San Vito Birding Club, to get up to eye level with birds in the treetops. Twice a month, members of the San Vito Bird Club lead free birding tours of the garden, complete with binoculars and field guides to share. Check www.sanvitobirdclub.org for the bird-walk schedule. If you spend a night at the garden lodge, you have the garden all to yourself in the late afternoon and early morning, when wildlife is most active. Guests also have access to the Río Java trail, where monkeys abound.
Road to Ciudad Neily, 6 km (4 miles) south of San Vito, San Vito, Puntarenas, 60801, Costa Rica2773–4004Sight Details
Rate Includes: Guided tour from $34 per person -
8. American Zone
The northwestern end of town is the so-called American Zone, full of handsome wooden houses where the expatriate managers of United Fruit lived amid flowering...
The northwestern end of town is the so-called American Zone, full of handsome wooden houses where the expatriate managers of United Fruit lived amid flowering trees imported from all over the world. Many of these vintage houses, built of durable Honduran hardwoods, are now being spruced up. Eccentric garden features, such as a restored railway car, make the neighborhood worth a stroll. If you're on foot, there's also excellent birding in and around the gardens.
Golfito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica -
9. Centro Biológico Las Quebradas
In a lush valley 7 km (4½ miles) northeast of San Isidro de El General, this community-managed nature reserve protects 1,853 acres of dense forest...
In a lush valley 7 km (4½ miles) northeast of San Isidro de El General, this community-managed nature reserve protects 1,853 acres of dense forest in which elegant tree ferns grow in the shadows of massive trees, and colorful tanagers and euphonias flit about the foliage. Five kilometers (3 miles) of trails wind uphill through the forest and along the Río Quebradas, which supplies water to San Isidro de El General and surrounding communities. There's also an easily accessible sensory garden, with plants to smell and taste, and a butterfly garden. To get here from the Pan-American Highway, head 7 km (4½ miles) northeast at the sign for Las Quebradas. The reserve is 2 km (1 mile) north of town on an unpaved road.
Off Pan-American Hwy., 7 km (4½ miles) northeast of San Isidro de El General, Quebradas, San José, 11901, Costa Rica2771–4131Sight Details
Rate Includes: $4, Must have a reservation to visit weekends. -
10. Chirripó National Park
The main attraction of this national park is Mt. Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica and a mecca for both hikers and serious summiteers....
The main attraction of this national park is Mt. Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica and a mecca for both hikers and serious summiteers. It's a 48-km (30-mile) round-trip hike, with an elevation gain of 6,890 feet to reach the hostel, and another 1,000 feet to reach the summit. You need to be very fit and acclimatize before setting out. The round-trip usually takes three days: one day to climb to the hostel, one day to explore the surrounding summits, and one day to descend. With the number of hikers limited to 52 per day on the San Gerardo route, and only 15 hikers per week from the San Jerónimo trail, it’s becoming an ever more exclusive experience to hike here. Lodging at the summit hut is set at $35 per night. Though the hostel is slightly more comfortable than it used to be, keep in mind that it is still fairly basic, with bunk beds and no hot water for showers. It’s chilly at the top, so be sure to pack lots of layers. The maximum stay at the hostel is three days, two nights. Lodging and food service in the simple restaurant are arranged by Consorcio Aguas Eternas, which also can provide all the gear you need, from pillows, towels, and sleeping bags to porters to haul them. Depending on which of the various meal packages and local lodging before and after the hike you choose, prices for a hike start at about $250 per person. Porter fees are set at about $4 per kilo, and charged each way. The easiest way to arrange a hike is through one of the hotels that belong to the consortium, such as Hotel de Montaña El Pelícano, which can arrange all the details, from park reservation to lodging, food, and gear.
Main street, south side of soccer field, San Gerardo, Cartago, 11904, Costa Rica2742–5200Sight Details
Rate Includes: $18 per day park fee; $35 per day for lodging in park, plus food, Closed 2 wks in Nov. -
11. Cloudbridge Private Nature Reserve
This private nature reserve staffed by volunteers and a senior biologist has an easy trail to a waterfall, plus almost 12 km (8 miles) of...
This private nature reserve staffed by volunteers and a senior biologist has an easy trail to a waterfall, plus almost 12 km (8 miles) of river and ridge trails, including one trail that utilizes 4 km (2½ miles) of the Chirripó National Park trail. It's a pleasant alternative for hikers who aren't up to the challenge of Chirripó or haven't reserved a spot far in advance. You can take a guided 3½-hour tour past two waterfalls and learn about the flora and fauna of the cloud forest for $35. There's also an art gallery featuring nature paintings by artist Linda Moskalyk, and accommodations in four fully equipped houses (starting at $70, two-night minimum). Volunteers often occupy the simple rental cabins, so check the website for availability. There's no admission fee to hike in the reserve, but donations are requested.
2½ km (1½ miles) northeast of San Gerardo de Rivas, San Gerardo, Cartago, 11904, Costa Rica8856–5519Sight Details
Rate Includes: By donation -
12. Finca 6 Museum of the Spheres
About an hour from Uvita, you can learn about the mystery of Costa Rica's pre-Columbian spheres—massive, perfectly round stones uncovered in the 1930s—in this archaeological...
About an hour from Uvita, you can learn about the mystery of Costa Rica's pre-Columbian spheres—massive, perfectly round stones uncovered in the 1930s—in this archaeological museum, built on a recently designated UNESCO World Heritage site near Sierpe, the port for boats to Drake Bay. Dating from 800 to 1500 AD, these carefully arranged spheres of varying sizes cover acres of land, popping up miles from the source of the rock used to carve them. Anthropologists speculate they may have served as agricultural calendars or as ceremonial sites similar to Stonehenge. All of the theories are outlined, in English and Spanish, along with displays of period pottery, sculpture, and other artifacts in a light and airy new museum, a branch of San José's National Museum. Much of the museum is outdoors, to view archaeological sites and see the spheres in situ. The sun is hot, so come early and bring along a hat and a water bottle. Squirrel monkeys and birds inhabit the wooded areas along the trails, so it's a good idea to carry binoculars and cameras, too. If you are on your way to the Osa Peninsula, by car or boat, don't miss this opportunity to encounter a surviving vestige of indigenous culture.
8 km (5 miles) west of turnoff from Costanera to Palmar Sur, on road to Sierpe; look for Finca 6 sign on left, just before small bridge, Costa Rica2211--5847Sight Details
Rate Includes: $7, Closed Mon. -
13. Los Cusingos Bird Sanctuary
This property contains birding trails and the house of the late Dr. Alexander Skutch, the region's preeminent ornithologist and coauthor of A Guide to the...
This property contains birding trails and the house of the late Dr. Alexander Skutch, the region's preeminent ornithologist and coauthor of A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica, the birders' ultimate companion. His 190-acre estate, an island of forest amid a sea of new farms and housing developments, is now run by the nonprofit Centro Científico Tropical (Tropical Science Center), which has improved 2 km (1 mile) of trails and maintains the simple house where Dr. Skutch lived—without electricity—from 1941 until his death in 2004, just a week shy of his 100th birthday. Room by room, the moldy books, piles of journals, vintage typewriter, and humble bedrooms and kitchen speak to Skutch's lifelong philosophy of simplicity. Among the 200 or so bird species that still visit the property are cusingos or fiery-billed araçaris—colorful, small members of the toucan family, for which the property is named—and mixed tanager flocks. The sanctuary is a half-hour's drive southeast of San Isidro de El General in the town of Quizarrá. Just show up, or call ahead if you want a guided tour.
15 km (10 miles) southeast of San Isidro de El General, Quizarrá, San José, 11901, Costa Rica2738–2070Sight Details
Rate Includes: $17 -
14. Oro Verde Private Nature Reserve
You'll find excellent bird-watching and hiking in this nature preserve, uphill from the Costanera. Family-run, the property has well-groomed trails through a majestic, primary forest...
You'll find excellent bird-watching and hiking in this nature preserve, uphill from the Costanera. Family-run, the property has well-groomed trails through a majestic, primary forest reserve. Early-morning, three-hour birding tours start at 6 ($40 per person, two person minimum) and end with a hearty home-cooked breakfast. In the afternoon, you can set out for a three-hour birding walk. For a totally different perspective on wildlife, join the naturalist-guided night tour, from 6 to 9 pm. The best way to book is through the Uvita Information Center.
Km 159, Costanera Hwy., Uvita, Puntarenas, 60504, Costa Rica2743–8889 -
15. Parque Reptilandia
With more than 300 specimens, this impressive collection includes snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and other reptilian creatures, housed in visitor-friendly terrariums and large enclosures. Stars...
With more than 300 specimens, this impressive collection includes snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and other reptilian creatures, housed in visitor-friendly terrariums and large enclosures. Stars of the exhibit are a Komodo dragon, Gila monsters, and a 150-pound African spur-thighed tortoise that likes to be petted. Kids love the maternity ward showcasing newborn snakes. More mature snakes live under a retractable roof that lets in sun and rain. Although snakes are generally more active in sunlight, this is still a great rainy-day activity. Guided night tours can also be arranged to watch nocturnal animals. If you're not squeamish, snake-feeding day is Friday, spread out from 10 am to 3 pm.
Road to San Isidro, 11 km (7 miles) east of Dominical, Dominical, Puntarenas, 11909, Costa Rica8308–8855Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12 -
16. Piedras Blancas National Park
There is some good birding in the dense forest here, which is also an important wildlife corridor connecting to Corcovado National Park. Follow the main...
There is some good birding in the dense forest here, which is also an important wildlife corridor connecting to Corcovado National Park. Follow the main road northwest through the American Zone and past the airstrip and a housing project. The place where a dirt road heads into the rain forest is great for bird-watching. There are marked trails from the entrance near the marina, but the park is best explored with a guide; the best birding is along the road.
Adjacent to Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, Golfito, Puntarenas, 60505, Costa RicaSight Details
Rate Includes: $11 (cash only), Closed Sun. -
17. Playa Ballena
This lovely strand is backed by lush vegetation and is fairly easy to get to from the main highway, along a short, bumpy dirt road....
This lovely strand is backed by lush vegetation and is fairly easy to get to from the main highway, along a short, bumpy dirt road. There's free parking close to the beach. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.
4 km (2½ miles) south of Playa Colonia access road, off Costanera Hwy., Ojochal, Puntarenas, Costa RicaSight Details
Rate Includes: $7 -
18. Playa Colonia
This beach is safe for swimming and has a view of rocky islands, which you can visit by kayak. The access road is a well-graded...
This beach is safe for swimming and has a view of rocky islands, which you can visit by kayak. The access road is a well-graded dirt road. There is a sandy break for surfing, with gentle waves for beginners. In high season, vendors sell cold drinks and souvenirs at the beach entrance. It’s the only beach where cars can park practically on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.
2 km (1¼ miles) south of Playa Uvita along Costanera Hwy., Ballena Marine National Park, Puntarenas, Costa RicaSight Details
Rate Includes: $7 -
19. Playa Dominical
Long and flat, Playa Dominical is good for beachcombing among all the flotsam and jetsam that the surf washes up onto the brown sand. There's...
Long and flat, Playa Dominical is good for beachcombing among all the flotsam and jetsam that the surf washes up onto the brown sand. There's shade and parking under palm trees along the new brick-paved road that parallels the beach. The water is relatively clean and local businesses make sure things look tidy. Photo opportunities abound here, with buff surfers riding the waves and vendors' clotheslines of colorful sarongs flapping in the sea breeze. Tortilla Flats restaurant is practically on the beach. Huge waves and dangerous rip currents make it primarily a surfing beach. In high season, flags mark off a relatively safe area for swimming, under the watchful gaze of a professional lifeguard. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; walking.
Dominical, Puntarenas, 11909, Costa Rica -
20. Playa Dominicalito
This wide beach is usually calmer and more suited to boogie boarding and beginner surfers. There are hidden rocks near the shore, so the best...
This wide beach is usually calmer and more suited to boogie boarding and beginner surfers. There are hidden rocks near the shore, so the best time to swim is at low tide. This is one of the best walking beaches, with lots of shade under tall palms and beach almond trees early in the morning. The sun sets behind a huge rocky outcropping topped with tiny palm trees, an ideal shot for photographers. There is an unofficial campground running parallel to the beach, which is popular with locals, especially during Easter, Christmas, and school holidays. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.
Dominical, Puntarenas, 11909, Costa Rica
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