Puerto Jimenez
Located on the Golfo Dulce “Sweet Gulf” Puerto Jimenez is the heart of the Osa Peninsula.
This laid-back small town of about 700 inhabitants owes his fame to the time of the gold rush. Today there are only few gold panners left, the real gold lies in the riches of Corcovado National Park that has changed this sleepy town into a thriving visitors departure and arrival point.
The town itself is just a couple of dusty roads, small restaurants, few budget hotels, a handful of small travel agencies, a clinic, a soccer field and an airstrip. Due to its remoteness, we suggest you to fly into Puerto Jimenz. Daily flights with Sansa and Nature Air connect San José in about 50 mins. From here you can also reach Golfito on asmall passenger boat, the 35 km (22 miles) trip across the waters is like a short but very pleasant mini cruise, dolphins are likely to swim and play alongside the boat, you can almost touch them!
A “direct” bus service also connect S. José to Puerto Jimenez. A word of advice when travelling on the bus to S. José. This 8 to 9 hours journey will take you through cold mountain regions, keep a sweater handy, the bus driver is not likely to stop the bus to allow you to get to the luggage department. The road up on the mountains is infact so narrow and dangerous that there are almost no places for the bus stop.
For the more adventurous a 4 x 4 vehicle is strongly recommended, it represents the best option for exploring the area. It might take you as much as a 7 hours tedious drive from San José to Puerto Jimenez but once in the Peninsula de Osa you will surely enjoy the freedom of having your own vehicle to visit areas that will be otherwise very difficult to reach.
The most attractive hotels in the area are infact at some distance from the town center so is the Corcovado national Park with its remote and pristine beaches.
Take a boat tour from Puerto Jimenez and explore the estuary of the Rio Tigre and the mangroves of the Gulfo Dulce, you will see an incredible number of animals and birds like the magnificent scarlet macaw. This colorful bird can be spotted flying in pairs over the town especially before sunset and most come to eat fromthe trees surrounding the soccer field. A delightful sight!
Puerto Jimenez offer plenty other activities mostly water related likefishing, snorkeling and scuba diving. Due to ocean strong currents swimming is to be done with extreme caution.
Foryou surfing enthousiasts the place to be is Cabo Matapalo on the the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula known for its right point breaks. .
This laid-back small town of about 700 inhabitants owes his fame to the time of the gold rush. Today there are only few gold panners left, the real gold lies in the riches of Corcovado National Park that has changed this sleepy town into a thriving visitors departure and arrival point.
The town itself is just a couple of dusty roads, small restaurants, few budget hotels, a handful of small travel agencies, a clinic, a soccer field and an airstrip. Due to its remoteness, we suggest you to fly into Puerto Jimenz. Daily flights with Sansa and Nature Air connect San José in about 50 mins. From here you can also reach Golfito on asmall passenger boat, the 35 km (22 miles) trip across the waters is like a short but very pleasant mini cruise, dolphins are likely to swim and play alongside the boat, you can almost touch them!
A “direct” bus service also connect S. José to Puerto Jimenez. A word of advice when travelling on the bus to S. José. This 8 to 9 hours journey will take you through cold mountain regions, keep a sweater handy, the bus driver is not likely to stop the bus to allow you to get to the luggage department. The road up on the mountains is infact so narrow and dangerous that there are almost no places for the bus stop.
For the more adventurous a 4 x 4 vehicle is strongly recommended, it represents the best option for exploring the area. It might take you as much as a 7 hours tedious drive from San José to Puerto Jimenez but once in the Peninsula de Osa you will surely enjoy the freedom of having your own vehicle to visit areas that will be otherwise very difficult to reach.
The most attractive hotels in the area are infact at some distance from the town center so is the Corcovado national Park with its remote and pristine beaches.
Take a boat tour from Puerto Jimenez and explore the estuary of the Rio Tigre and the mangroves of the Gulfo Dulce, you will see an incredible number of animals and birds like the magnificent scarlet macaw. This colorful bird can be spotted flying in pairs over the town especially before sunset and most come to eat fromthe trees surrounding the soccer field. A delightful sight!
Puerto Jimenez offer plenty other activities mostly water related likefishing, snorkeling and scuba diving. Due to ocean strong currents swimming is to be done with extreme caution.
Foryou surfing enthousiasts the place to be is Cabo Matapalo on the the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula known for its right point breaks. .