Southern Costa Rica (w/ Golfito)

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Home | Destinations | South Puntarenas | Southern Costa Rica (w/ Golfito)

Destinations

South Puntarenas

Osa Peninsula & Drake Bay

Southern Costa Rica (w/ Golfito)

Popular Cities
	Coto 47 Airport
	Golfito
	Golfito Airport
	Golfito Refuge
	P. N. Piedras Blancas
	Pavones
	Playa Zancudo

Costa Ballena

Central Pacific (w/ Manuel Antonio)

Pavones Beach

The Golfito area around Southern Costa Rica is often referred to as the last frontier. A remote and secluded region of the country, Southern Costa Rica is an unexplored rugged wilderness, where the amenities are basic, but the where one can experience an alternative Costa Rica compared to the hustle and bustle of more popular touristy destinations.

One of the main reasons why this beautiful region remains so cut off from San Jose is because of the distance. A typical bus ride from Downtown San Jose to Golfito, a major town in Southern Costa Rica can take up to 8 hours or more. However, do not worry if you wish to tour the area, as the Golfito Domestic Airport sits 4 km north of the center of town with regular flights by both Sansa and Nature Air.

A major southern port until the mid 1980’s, Golfito was the center for this banana growing region, with the United Fruit Company’s headquarters being based here in the north of town. Since its closure, this town has suffered from major economic loss and unemployment, but with the advent of tourism, this community is slowly rebuilding itself on more modern lines. A rustic and tranquil place with plenty of hotels and accommodations, many people use Golfito as a stopover before heading to the stunning beaches of Playa Zancudo, Pavones, and Piedras Blancas National Park.

Zancudo with its gentle surf and peaceful atmosphere is the prefect place to kickback and relax. Here the water sparkles at night with the bioluminescence of tiny marine plankton that live in these waters to create a magical effect. However, for those looking for some action, Pavones is the place to go. Said to have the longest left point break in the world, on a good south swell you can ride a wave for over 3 minutes. Considered to have the best surfing on the Pacific side of Central America, the ideal time to catch a wave here is between April and October, when the surf is at its biggest. A 2-hour drive south of Golfito, visiting Pavones is a must for the expert surfer.

With a stunning diversity of flora and fauna, the gorgeous Piedras Blancas National Park is a significant natural reserve and wildlife refuge located just north of Golfito. Sportfishing is also another major highlight of Southern Costa Rica, with many sport fishermen using Golfito as a home base while they are out catching Pacific sailfish. The best season for this is November to May.

Esquinas Rainforest Lodge

Lapa Rios

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge

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Agua Buena
Canas Gordas
Chacarita
Coto 47
Coto 47 Domestic Airport
Curre
Finca Colorado
Gamba
Golfito
Golfito Domestic Airport
Golfito National Wildlife Refuge
Las Mellizas
Las Tablas Protected Zone
Neily

Paso Canoas
Paso Real
Pavones
Piedras Blancas National Park
Playa Cacao
Playa Carbonera
Playa Cativo
Playa Zancudo
Potrero Grande
Progresso
Punta Banco
Rio Claro
Sabalito
San Vito
Ujarras

Home | Destinations | South Puntarenas | Southern Costa Rica (w/ Golfito)

Southern Costa Rica (w/ Golfito), Costa Rica