Getting Oriented
- Zona de Los Santos. Beautiful, mountainous coffee region.
- San Gerardo de Dota. Top nature destination with great hiking trails.
- San Isidro de El General. Bustling market town and the gateway to Chirripó National Park.
- San Gerardo de Rivas. Wild, scenic place for bird-watching, hiking, and Chirripó National Park.
- San Vito. Agricultural market town with Italian flair.
- Dominical. A lively surfer haven next to lush forest.
- Ballena National Marine Park. 10 km (6 miles) of pristine beaches and a chance to watch dolphins and migrating whales.
- Golfito. The eastern Golfo Dulce draws anglers and kayakers.
- Playa Zancudo. Slow-paced beach town with good sportfishing.
- Playa Pavones. Surfing town with bird-watching nearby.
- Puerto Jiménez. Frontierlike town and gateway to Corcovado National Park.
- Corcovado National Park. 1,153 square km (445 square miles) of rain forest straight out of a David Attenborough nature documentary.
- Cabo Matapalo. Rain forest meets the sea at the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula.
- Carate. Remote, black volcanic-sand beach that feels like the end of the road.
- Drake Bay. Adventure-filled destination great for hiking, snorkeling, and boat rides.
- The Central Highlands. The main road climbs more than 7,000 feet over mountains and above the clouds of the Central Highlands before descending into the huge Valle de El General agricultural region. Highlights are fabulous mountain lodges, world-class bird-watching, and high-altitude hikes.
- Valle de El General Region. This prosperous region, centered on the bustling market town of San Isidro de El General, is the gateway to Chirripó National Park, home of the country’s highest peak.
- Dominical and Ballena National Marine Park. The coast has miles of beaches peppered with small beach communities, including Dominical, a lively surfer haven, and Ojochal, a French-accented enclave. Ballena National Marine Park offers 10 km (6 miles) of pristine beaches and a chance to watch dolphins and the migrating whales for which the park is named.
- The Golfo Dulce. The eastern Golfo Dulce draws anglers and kayakers to Golfito, nature lovers to eco-lodges accessible only by boat, beachcombers to slow-paced Zancudo, and serious surfers to Pavones.
- The Osa Peninsula. The wild Osa Peninsula consists almost entirely of Corcovado National Park, 1,156 square km (445 square miles) of primary and secondary rain forest straight out of a David Attenborough nature documentary.
