Península de Osa & Golfo Dulce

Introducing Península de Osa & Golfo Dulce

It’s not uncommon to use superlatives when describing the Península de Osa and the Golfo Dulce. National Geographic famously described it as ‘the most biologically intense place on earth.’ That’s right, on earth. Residents claim it is the most picturesque, the most pristine, the most perfect spot in Costa Rica. Certainly, indisputably, it is the most remote (which goes a long way toward explaining why the other adjectives also apply).

Containing a huge swathe of Pacific rain forest, the Osa is crammed with life. What’s more, you can actually see it. From the army ants toiling away, to the scarlet macaws squawking in the almond trees, from Baird’s tapirs hanging around Sirena ranger station, to the four species of monkeys swinging in the trees, this is undoubtedly Costa Rica’s top spot to witness life at its wildest. And not only in Parque Nacional Corcovado – although that’s the obvious place – but also in the surrounding reserves that create a biological corridor around the gulf. And there are plenty of sleepy beachside towns like Bahía Drake to laze around in plus brilliant surfing at Pavones or Zancudo.

The peninsula protects the Golfo Dulce from the powerful Pacific, attracting groups of whales and dolphins to its tranquil waters. Fringing the bay, miles of shoreline are populated with swaying palms and prodigious birdlife, but hardly a human soul.

While the Guaymí Indians were the earliest inhabitants of the Osa and still live here, much of this area was never populated or developed by Ticos. It means that roads are poor and most of the peninsula is still off the grid. In recent years, all those superlatives have attracted the attention of gringos who want to trade in their workaday world for a piece of paradise.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009