Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [376]
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From La Palma
From the north, the closest point of access is the town of La Palma, from where you can catch a bus or taxi south to Puerto Jiménez or north to San José.
Heading to Los Patos, you might be able to find a taxi to take you partway; however, the road is only passable to 4WD vehicles (and not always), so be prepared to hike the 14km to the ranger station. The road crosses the river about 20 times in the last 6km. It’s easy to miss the right turn shortly before the ranger station, so keep your eyes peeled.
If you have a car, it’s best to leave it with a hotel or lodge in La Palma instead of traversing the route to Los Patos, though it certainly is an adventure. Furthermore, once in Los Patos, there is no reliable place to park your car while trekking in the park.
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From Carate
In the southeast, the closest point of access is Carate, from where La Leona station is a one-hour, 3.5km hike west along the beach.
Carate is accessible from Puerto Jiménez via a poorly maintained, 45km dirt road. This journey is an adventure in itself, and often allows for some good wildlife-spotting along the way. A collective 4WD taxi travels this route twice daily for ₡3500. Otherwise you can hire a 4WD taxi; prices depend on the size of your party, the season (prices increase in the rainy months) and your bargaining skills.
If you have your own car, the pulpería in Carate is a safe place to park for a few days, though you’ll have some extra piece of mind if you tip the manager before setting out.
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By Air
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. Note that long-term parking is not available at any of these locations, so it’s best to make prior arrangements if you need to leave your car somewhere.
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GOLFO DULCE
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While Golfo Dulce is certainly less celebrated than the Península de Osa, an increasing number of travelers are making the arduous journey in search of the world’s longest left-hand break at Pavones. The region is also home to Parque Nacional Piedras Blancas, a stunning tract of rainforest that used to be part of Corcovado, and still protects the same amazing biodiversity. This far corner of Costa Rica is also home to significantly large indigenous populations, which live in the Reserva Indígena Guaymí de Conte Burica near Pavones.
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GOLFITO
A historic banana port that is slowly fading into obscurity, Golfito is a rough-and-ready town struggling to find a purpose beyond yellow gold. Although Golfito has temporarily postponed its demise by implementing duty-free shopping for domestic tourists, the jungle behind it is slowly creeping in, and local residents hardly seem concerned about it.
As the largest town in Golfo Dulce, Golfito is a major transportation hub for hikers heading to Corcovado, surfers heading to Pavones and sportfishers docking for the night. Although it’s unlikely that you’ll want to stick around for any longer than you have to, there is a certain charm to Golfito that isn’t lost on everyone. Case in point – the verdant slopes of the Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Golfito surround the town, and provide a picturesque backdrop to the crumbling buildings.
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History
From 1938 to 1985, bustling Golfito was the headquarters of United Fruit’s operations in the southern part of Costa Rica. In the 1980s, declining markets, rising taxes, worker unrest and banana diseases forced the company’s departure. Although some of the plantations now produce oil from the African oil palm, the collapse of the banana industry