Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [377]
In an attempt to boost the region’s economy, the federal government built a duty-free facility (depósito libre) in the northern part of Golfito. This surreal shopping center attracts Ticos from around the country, who descend on the otherwise dying town for 24-hour shopping sprees.
Not so fast: the duty-free shopping is for Costa Rica residents only, so you can put away your credit card. Worse yet, the primary impact on foreign tourists is that tax-free shoppers are required to spend the night in Golfito, so hotel rooms can be in short supply on weekends and during holiday periods.
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Orientation
Golfito is named after a tiny gulf that forms an inlet into the eastern shore of the much larger Golfo Dulce. The town is strung out along a dusty coastal road with a backdrop of steep, thickly forested hills. The southern part of town is where you find most of the bars and businesses, including a seedy red-light district. Nearby is the so-called Muellecito (Small Dock), from where the daily ferry to Puerto Jiménez departs.
The northern part of town was the old United Fruit Company headquarters, and it retains a languid, tropical air, with its large, veranda-decked homes. Now, the so-called Zona Americana is home to the airport and the duty-free zone.
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Information
Banco Coopealianza (8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat) Has a 24-hour ATM on the Cirrus network and a Western Union office.
Golfito On-line (2775-2424; per hr ₡600; 8am-9pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun) Speedy internet connections and delicious air-con.
Hospital de Golfito (2775-0011) Emergency medical attention.
Immigration office (Migración; 2775-0423; 8am-4pm) Situated away from the dock, in a 2nd-floor office above Soda Pavas.
Port captain (2775-0487;7:30-11am & 12:30-4pm Mon-Fri) Opposite the large Muelle de Golfito.
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Sights
REFUGIO NACIONAL DE FAUNA SILVESTRE GOLFITO
The small, 28-sq-km reserve encompasses most of the steep hills surrounding Golfito. It was originally created to protect the town’s watershed, though it has also had the wonderful side effect of conserving a number of rare and interesting plant species. For example, the reserve is home to several cycads, which are ‘living fossils,’ and are regarded as the most primitive of plants. The reserve also attracts a variety of tropical birds, four species of monkey and several small mammals.
There are no facilities for visitors, save a gravel access road and a few poorly maintained trails. About 2km south of the center of Golfito, a gravel road heads inland, past a soccer field, and winds 7km up to some radio towers (Las Torres) 486m above sea level. This access road is an excellent option for hiking, as it has very little traffic. In any case, you’ll probably see more from the cleared road than from the overgrown trails.
A very steep hiking trail leaves from Golfito, almost opposite the Samoa del Sur hotel. A somewhat strenuous hike (allow about two hours) will bring you out on the road to the radio towers. The trail is easier to find in Golfito than at the top.
Another option is to walk along the poor dirt road heading toward Gamba. This road begins a couple of kilometers northwest of the duty-free area and crosses through part of the refuge. The local bus stops at the beginning of this dirt road, from where it is about 10km to Gamba.
Finally, there are several trails off the road to Playa Cacao. Hikers on these routes will be rewarded by waterfalls and views of the gulf. However, the trails are often obscured, so it’s worth asking locally about maps and trail conditions before setting off.
As always, be sure that somebody knows when and where you are going before you set off on an independent hike.
PLAYA CACAO
Just a hop, skip and a jump across the bay, this small beach offers a prime view of Golfito stretched out along the coast, with the rainforest as a backdrop. If you’re stuck in Golfito for the day, Playa Cacao is perhaps