Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [356]
Most lodges provide transportation to/from the airport, which involves a jeep or a boat or both, but advanced reservation is necessary.
BOAT
All of the hotels offer boat transfers between Sierpe and Bahía Drake with prior arrangements. The trip to Drake is scenic and at times exhilarating. Boats travel along the river through the rainforest and the mangrove estuary. Captains then pilot boats through tidal currents and surf the river mouth into the ocean. Most hotels in Drake have beach landings, so wear the appropriate footwear.
If you have not made advance arrangements with your lodge for a pick-up, you can always grab a private water taxi in Sierpe for a negotiable price.
BUS & CAR
A rough dirt road links Agujitas to Rincón, from where you can head south to Puerto Jiménez or north to the Interamericana. A 4WD is recommended for this route, especially from June to November, as there are several river crossings. The most hazardous crossing is the Río Drake, and locals fish many a water-logged tourist vehicle out of the river – see boxed text for some tips on not destroying your rental.
Once in Agujitas, you will likely have to abandon your car as most places are accessible only by boat or by foot. As theft or vandalism is always a very real possibility in Costa Rica, you should park your car in a secure place, and pay someone to watch it for a few days. There are several small pulperías where the management would be happy to watch over your 4WD for a nice tip.
If you are hiking through Parque Nacional Corcovado, but you want to avoid the arduous San Pedrillo trail, you can hire a 4WD vehicle to La Palma (US$50 to US$75) and start the hike there. In theory, a bus also goes to La Palma, departing Drake at 4am during the dry season only, but it’s best to inquire locally as it’s not reliable.
HIKING
From Bahía Drake, it’s a four- to six-hour hike along the beachside trail to San Pedrillo ranger station at the north end of Corcovado. If you are heading into the park, make sure you have reservations to camp at the ranger stations – for more information, see our full coverage of Parque Nacional Corcovado.
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BAHÍA DRAKE TO CORCOVADO
POISON DARTS & HARMLESS ROCKETS
Traversed by many streams and rivers, Corcovado is a hot spot for exquisitely beautiful poison-dart frogs. Two species here, the granular poison-dart frog and the Golfo Dulce poison-dart frog, are Costa Rican endemics – indeed, the latter only occurs in and around Corcovado. A search of the leaf litter near Sirena ranger station readily turns up both species, as well as the more widespread green and black poison-dart frog.
You might also find some other members of the family that have one important difference: they’re not poisonous! Called rocket frogs because of their habit of launching themselves into streams when disturbed, they are essentially poison-dart frogs without the poisonous punch.
Why the difference? It probably arises from their diets. Poison-dart frogs have a diet dominated by ants, which are very rich in alkaloids, and are thought to give rise to their very formidable defenses. Rocket frogs also eat ants, but in far lower quantities, and rely instead on their astounding leaps to escape predation. They also lack the dazzling warning colors of their toxic cousins, but it’s safer (and kinder to the frog) to observe, rather than handle, any species you might encounter.
This craggy stretch of coastline is home to sandy inlets that disappear at high tide, leaving only the rocky outposts and luxuriant rainforest. Virtually uninhabited and undeveloped beyond a few tourist lodges, the setting here is magnificent and wild. If you’re looking to spend a bit more time along the shores of Bahía Drake before penetrating the depths of Parque Nacional Corcovado, consider a night or two in some of