Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [354]
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Tours
Corcovado Expeditions (8818-9962; www.corcovadoexpeditions.net) Offers competitively priced tours to Corcovado and Isla del Caño, as well as a wide variety of specialty hikes including unique excursions to look for rare tropical birds and poison-dart frogs.
Night Tour (8382-1619; www.thenighttour.com; tours US$35; 7:45-10pm) Tracie the ‘Bug Lady’ has created quite a name for herself with this fascinating nighttime walk in the jungle. Tracie is a walking encyclopedia on bug facts, and not just the boring scientific detail – one of her fields of research is the military use of insects! Participants use night-vision scopes as an added bonus. Make reservations well in advance.
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Bahía Drake for Children
The remote location and difficult access are two major hurdles in planning a family visit to Bahía Drake, particularly if your children are very young. However, assuming they’re a bit older, and they have a healthy sense of adventure, this is one corner of Costa Rica where their imagination can really run wild. With so much virgin nature at their disposal, kids can be kids as they swim, snorkel, hike, ride and boat their way through the great outdoors. Accommodations are also varied, allowing you to either spoil your family with eco-luxury, or win them over with rustic charm.
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Sleeping & Eating
This area is off the grid, so many places do not have electricity (pack a flashlight) or hot water. Reservations are recommended in the dry season (mid-November to the end of April).
While budget and midrange options are available, accommodations in Bahía Drake are heavily skewed toward the top end. But, you can expect tremendous quality and service for your dollars, especially as you ascend the price ladder.
High-season rates are quoted; prices are per person, including three meals, unless otherwise stated. Note that three daily meals are also included in the price at all midrange and top-end lodges because stand-alone eating options are virtually nonexistent in this part of the peninsula.
At budget places, affordably priced food is available onsite at the restaurant/cantina. Most hotels and lodges also have small shops that sell snacks and drinks. If you’re planning on hiking, be sure to stock up on lots of fresh water as well as your favorite form of trail mix – once you’re out on the trail, options are decidedly limited.
All of the midrange and top-end accommodations listed in this section provide transportation (sometimes free, sometimes not) from either Agujitas or the airstrip in Drake with prior arrangements.
For other accommodations, check out the stretch of coastline from Bahía Drake to Corcovado (Click here).
BUDGET & MIDRANGE
Finca Maresia (8832-6730; www.fincamaresia.com; dm US$18, s/d US$25/36, standard/superior bungalow US$55/75) After traveling the world for more than 20 years, the owners of this absolute gem of a hotel decided to settle down in their own veritable slice of paradise. Here amid a large finca (farm) that stretches across a series of hills, Finca Maresia beckons to shoestringers and budget travelers alike by offering a combination of low prices, high value and good design sense. All seven rooms overlook lush environs, and play a near-continuous audio track of jungle sounds. Beyond the show-stopping natural setting, the internationalism of the owners is evident as you walk from room to room and view the transition from modernist glass walls to Japanese-style sliding rice-paper doors.
Cabinas El Mirador Lodge (8836-9415; www.miradordrakebay.com; r US$45; ) High on a hill at the northern end of Agujitas, El Mirador (Lookout Point) lives up to its name, offering spectacular views of the bay from its eight cozy cabins – catch the sunset from the balcony, or climb to the lookout that perches above. The hospitable Vargas family ensures all