Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [384]
Angela: People are attracted to the region by big wildlife and even bigger trees. Although much of Costa Rica is packaged for tourist consumption, the rainforest in Golfo Dulce is as real as it gets. The kind of people who come down here are the kind of people who want to be in the jungle. Almost everyone down here is extremely sensitive to development, and the last thing we want is for the peninsula to develop along the same lines as Cancún.
Are you optimistic about the future of Golfo Dulce? Angela: Development may be inevitable, but I am optimistic because the market is demanding sustainability. People are coming to the region because they want to see green, and in the end, I believe that developers here must always keep this market force in mind.
Marshall: This region is home to one of the last rainforests on the planet, and it is just something that we need to protect. It is a special place, and its value is too much to destroy, though fortunately people are finally starting to catch on to this fact.
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Orientation & Information
The name Pavones is used to refer to both Playa Río Claro de Pavones and Punta Banco, which is 6km south.
The road into Pavones comes south and dead-ends at the Río Claro, which is where you’ll find a small soccer field. About 200m to the east, a parallel road crosses the Río Claro and continues the 6km to Punta Banco.
Pavones has no bank or gas station, so make sure you have plenty of money and gas prior to arrival.
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Sights
Set on a verdant hillside between Pavones and Punta Banco, the Tiskita Jungle Lodge (in San José 2296-8125; www.tiskita-lodge.co.cr; guided hike US$15) consists of 100 hectares of virgin forest and a huge orchard, which produces more than 100 varieties of tropical fruit with origins from all over the world. Fourteen trails wind through surrounding rainforest, which contains waterfalls and freshwater pools suitable for swimming. The combination of rain-forest, fruit farm and coastline attracts a long list of birds. About 300 species have been recorded here. The fruit farm is particularly attractive to fruit-eating birds such as parrot and toucan. The forest is home to more reticent species such as yellow-billed cotinga, fiery-billed aracari, green honeycreeper and lattice-tailed trogon. The owners – personable conservationists and conversationalists Peter and Elizabeth Aspinall – or their son usually guide hikes. Reservations are recommended.
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Activities
SURFING
Pavones is one of Costa Rica’s most famous surf breaks – when the surf’s up, this tiny beach town attracts hordes of international wave riders and Tico surfer dudes. Conditions are best with a southern swell, usually between April and October. However, because Pavones is inside Golfo Dulce, it is protected from many swells so surfers can go for weeks without seeing any waves.
Pavones has become legendary among surfers for its wicked long left. Some claim it is among the world’s longest, offering a two- or three-minute ride on a good day. Legend has it that the wave passes so close to the Esquina del Mar Cantina that you can toss beers to surfers as they zip by. Be warned: when the wave is big, it can deposit surfers on the sharp rocks at the far end of the bay.
Locals know that when Pavones has nothing (or when it’s too crowded), they can head south to Punta Banco, a reef break with decent rights and lefts. The best conditions are at mid or high tide, especially with swells from the south or west.
YOGA
Yoga Farm (www.yogafarmcostarica.org; dm/r per night US$35/40, per week US$175/240) This yoga retreat center and working farm is a unique and welcome addition