Exploring Costa Rica Guidebook

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SOUTHERN ZONE

COSTA Rica's Southern Zone is visible proof that sometimes in the world of tourism being off the beaten path can be an asset. The breathtaking beaches at Uvita, surfers paradise at minical, majestic heights of Mount Chirripó, calm, lake-like Golfo Dulce, or unique small towns like San Vito and Ojochal don t get the tourist traffic thanks to their distance from the Central Valley and, in some cases, memorably poor roads, though the highway between Dominical and Uvita is arguably the best in the country. As a result, the travelers who do make the trek are often rewarded by empty shorelines and quiet jungle retreats.

LOS SANTOS - CERRO DE LA MUERTE

THE Route of the Saints offers scenery too breathtaking, and attractions too numerous, for travelers to rush past on their way to or from San José. The road winds between villages including Santa María de Dota, San Marcos de Tarrazú, San Pablo de León Cortés, Copey and San Gerardo de Dota. Those with a hankering for trout fishing have options aplenty, and some locations will cook your catch for you on the spot, making this a nice day or weekend trip.

SAN ISIDRO DE EL GENERAL

THE gateway to the Southern Zone, busy San Isidro also called Pérez Zeledón is many travelers' first stop in the region. Just a few hours from San José, this town, with its fair share of restaurants, hotels and language schools, makes an excellent base for beachhopping, exploring Chirripó National Park, or heading to points south like Puerto Jimenez and Golfito.

SAN GERARDO DE RIVASCERRO

TREKKERS use San Gerardo de Rivas as the base camp for climbing the country s highest peak, Cerro Chirripó (3,820-m or 12,532-ft) in the 49,000-hectare Chirripó National Park. The best time to visit Chirripó is mid-Dec. to mid-April during dry season. From Chirripó peak, on clear days, both Pacific and Caribbean coasts are visible.

The community of this mountainous region now offers many attractions, such as hot springs and waterfalls, horseback riding, birdwatching and trout fishing.

DOMINICAL

WHILE small and comfortable, Dominical is home to an increasing number of restaurants and hotels, giving visitors plenty of options. You can laze at the beach all day and enjoy a romantic, first-class dinner at sunset or surf and hike, then chill with the toned and buff at a beachside bar. Trees hug the shore, giving the beach a pristine look, though it's known for strong riptides; for safer swimming, visit Dominicalito Beach, 1 km. south.

UVITA-BALLENA-OJOCHAL

VISITORS to these spread-out beach towns will need a vehicle to get around. Uvita is home to the Ballena National Marine Park whatever you do, do not leave Costa Rica without a visit at low tide to the park's so-called Whale s Tail, where you can walk on a sand bar out to sea and watch waves crash before you, to your left and to your right nothing short of spectacular.

In nearby Ojochal, the community is so friendly that the local map includes residents homes. With many French Canadians among its population, this trilingual town boasts a French bakery and some outstanding restaurants hidden along the winding jungle roads.

SIERPE – DRAKE BAY – OSA PENINSULA

BEAUTIFUL, tranquil Drake Bay, with its undisturbed beaches and romantic coves, is a home base for many an adventurous traveler ready to experience the wonders of nearby Corcovado National Park. British pirate and explorer Sir Francis Drake landed there in 1579 and is rumored to have buried treasure along coast; the area is named for him.

With an increasing number of options in the area, budget travelers have an easier time these days putting together an itinerary, though all-inclusive hotels still predominate.

The town of Sierpe is home to the river of the same name, which feeds 39,950 acres of mangrove forest the largest in the country.

PUERTO JIMENEZ – CARATE

PUERTO Jiménez has multiple personalities. At the water s edge as its name suggests, it s a haven for sport fishers, with tour companies lining the harbor. Along secluded, whitesand Playa Platanares, it s a relaxing, pleasant tourist destination, with luxurious accommodations, fine food and even gourmet ice cream to be had. And downtown, it s a dusty place that feels like the end of the earth a gold rush in the 1960s and 70s gave it an Old-West feel it hasn t shaken, though good restaurants and hotels are certainly available. On the road west to Carate, vacation rentals and fancy lodges hide in the jungle.

GOLFITO

WHEN Costa Rica's economy revolved around bananas, that industry revolved around Golfito, where the United Fruit Company had its headquarters for nearly 50 years until it pulled out in the 1980s. The distinctive UFC architecture homes, schools and the impressive hospital all raised above the ground on stilts marks the town, though the Depósito Libre, or duty-free zone, has given the town a new reason for being (Ticos come from all over the country to buy imported goods there, infusing their tourist dollars into Golfito).

The center of town remains a bit depressed, but marina facilities, sport fishing, and the surrounding attractions keep foreign as well as national tourists flocking to Golfito. Check out golfito-info.com for lodging, activities.

THE GOLFO DULCE

The Sweet Gulf, the tenth deepest gulf in the world and one of four tropical fjords on the planet, gives the towns that surround it a calm, lakeside feel. Reel aficionados can fish to their hearts content in the gulf, and snorkeling is also outstanding here, since open-ocean fish such as tuna, dorado and swordfish can be found along with 5,600-year old coral reefs that attract myriad other species. Beaches range from the popular Playa Cacao near Golfito to secluded slices of heaven further north. Hotels arrange kayaking, boat tours, transfer to Casa de Orquídeas.

ZANCUDO

ITS name, which means mosquito in Spanish, may not do Zancudo justice; it is one of Costa Rica's gems, where no swarms of tourists distract visitors from one of the best swimming beaches in the country. The peaceful strip of dark sand is dotted with good restaurants, hotels and sportfishing outfits.

PAVONES

ABOUT 10 km. south of Zancudo, Pavones is famous among surfers for one of the longest left-hand wave breaks in the world, May-Sept. At more than a km. on a good day, the break can give a three-min. ride. Non-surfers stay busy w/spectacular scenery, great birding, especially to the south toward Punta Burica.

SAN VITO – BUENOS AIRES

BUSTLING San Vito (pop. 45,000) overlooks Coto Brus coffee region from 960 m. above sea level. Ice cream, pastry, pizza and shoe stores underscore lingering Italian flavor imparted by town s founding Italian immigrants. Guaymí women in colorful long dresses from nearby Indigenous reserve also much in evidence.

Jumping-off point for exploring wilds of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, shared with Panama. Scenic mountain drive north from Ciudad Neily with ocean and gulf views.

Another scenic drive links San Vito to Buenos Aires, set among pineapple fields, surrounded by Indigenous reserves.