Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [349]
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Getting There & Around
The best option for exploring the peninsula in depth is to have your own private transportation. However, you will need to bring a spare tire (and plenty of patience): roads in Osa are extremely poor, as most of the peninsula is still off the grid.
Major towns in Osa such as Golfito and Puerto Jiménez are serviced by regular buses, though public transportation can get sporadic once you leave these major hubs. Unpaved roads can also make for a long and jarring bus ride, so it’s probably best to bring a rolled-up fleece for your bottom and an mp3 player for your sanity.
If you’re planning on hiking through Corcovado or visiting one of the lodges in Bahía Drake, another excellent option is to fly. Both NatureAir (www.natureair.com) and Sansa (www.sansa.com) service the Osa peninsula, namely Bahía Drake, Puerto Jiménez and Golfito. Prices vary according to season and availability, though you can expect to pay around US$100 to/from San José.
Alfa Romeo Aero Taxi (2735-5353; www.alfaromeoair.com) offers charter flights connecting Puerto Jiménez, Drake and Golfito to Carate and Sirena. Flights are best booked at the airport in person, and one-way fares are typically less than US$100.
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TO CORCOVADO VIA BAHÍA DRAKE
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The first of two principal overland routes to Parque Nacional Corcovado, the Bahía Drake route starts in the Valle de Diquis at the northern base of the Península de Osa, which is named for the indigenous group of this area. From here, the valley stretches west to the basin of the Río Grande de Térraba and south to Sierpe, from where the Río Sierpe flows out to Bahía Drake. The route also takes in the Humedal Nacional Térraba-Sierpe, a vast reserve that protects an amazing array of jungle swampland and overgrown mangroves.
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SIERPE
This sleepy village on the Río Sierpe is the gateway to Bahía Drake, and if you’ve made a reservation with any of the jungle lodges further down the coast, you will be picked up here by boat. Beyond its function as a transit point, there is little reason to spend any more time here than it takes for your captain to arrive, though fortunately you won’t have to if you time the connection right.
The Centro Turístico Las Vegas (6am-10pm), next to the boat dock, is a catch-all place for tourist information, distributing a wide selection of maps and brochures. It also offers internet access and serves a broad range of food to waiting passengers.
If you get stuck for the night, the only real accommodations option in town is Hotel Oleaje Sereno (2786-7580; www.hoteloleajesereno.com; s/d from US$45/70; ). This surprisingly stylish little motel has a prime dockside location overlooking the Río Sierpe, and is home to pleasant rooms with wood floors, sturdy furniture and crisp, mismatched linens. The open-air restaurant is one of Sierpe’s most welcoming, with linen tablecloths and lovely river views. If you make prior arrangements with the manager, you can safely and conveniently leave your car here when you continue on to Drake.
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Getting There & Away
AIR
Scheduled flights and charters fly into Palmar Sur (Click here), 14km north of Sierpe.
BOAT
If you are heading to Bahía Drake, your lodge will make arrangements for the boat transfer. If for some reason things go awry, there is no shortage of water taxis milling about, though you will have to negotiate to get a fair price.
BUS & TAXI
Buses to Palmar Norte (₡300, 30 minutes) depart from in front of Pulpería Fenix at 5:30am, 8:30am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, 3:30pm and 6pm. A taxi to Palmar costs about ₡10,000.
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HUMEDAL NACIONAL TÉRRABA-SIERPE
The Ríos Térraba and Sierpe begin on the southern slopes of the Talamanca mountains and flow toward the Pacific Ocean.