Puerto Jimenez is a funky ole gold mine town & the only small town with restaurants, bank, ATM, gas station, shoppes, internet cafes, airstrip, car rentals, grocery stores & night life.
All towns south of PJ (See below) are on a bumpy, unpaved road with no bridges over rivers. Many rivers become un passable for periods of time during heavy rains. You should consider this and plan accordingly. There are only a handful of places to stay north of Puerto Jimenez mostly rental homes, on the grid & easy to get to town. There are tons of fun eco tours near Puerto Jimenez;
zip lines,
kayaking,
Quiet beaches,
Horse back riding,
Swim with Dolphins
Kayak and Chocolate Tours
You will definitely want a 4 X 4 between May- November. Wildlife and rainforest is the attraction of the Osa and you are in for a surprise. Corcovado National Park headquarters is in PJ- reservations are necessary no more than 36 hours in advance and there is a daily limit of 50 people. Consider this and be aware that the "park" is not the only place to see wildlife such as in other areas of Costa Rica such as Manual Antonio. There is lots of wildlife in the rainforest of the towns of Bambu, Sandalo, Agujas, Canaza,- all about 10 minutes from Puerto Jimenez and there are easy 2 hour hikes up the rivers (take a guide)into Corcovado where most tourists never see- these areas are remote, pristine & teeming with wildlife. Get off the beaten paths of Corcovado National Park & go where most tourists don't go. If you only have a week or less on the Osa Peninsula consider staying at lodges & vacation home rentals north of Puerto Jimenez about 10-15 minutes- in towns such as Bambu, Sandalo, Agujas, Canaza, and avoid beaches where eco lodges and cabinas are located where there are more tourists on beaches.
While all beaches on the Osa are uncrowded, those north of town have no eco lodges, motel style or cabinas directly on the beach & so are completely private! You can easily day trip to surf Matapalo or go see real isolation in Carate and choose days when the sun is shining & roads are easier to drive!
Great for surfers--it gets three amazing surf breaks. Waves are inconsistent but big when swells hit. Pristine beaches. Secluded, yet close to Corcovado National Park and Isla del Caño.
Carate
Has a local airport with regular flights to San Jose. Surrounded by tropical rain forest on east end of Corcovado National Park. Nice accommodations. Largely unknown to tourists.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Osa Peninsula
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Osa Peninsula - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Osa Peninsula hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Osa Peninsula Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
