One of the most magical places in Costa Rica is the Osa Peninsula. Famous for housing the largest national park in the country, a lush rain forest and incredible coastlines, the Peninsula de Osa contains so much biodiversity within its jungles that renown biologists and scientists visit specifically to study the flora and fauna.
However, one must keep in mind that it is the jungle, a wild, unruly jungle that hasn’t seen too much human impact. If you don’t like bugs, humid weather or getting down and dirty, then the Osa might not be for you.
But if strange insects in your hotel room or intense humidity doesn’t bother you, then a visit to the Osa Peninsula is just what you need. You never know what kind of experience you’ll have in the rugged jungle. You may see a puma napping, a tapir strolling on the beach or a mom and baby humpback whale breaching!
If you’re planning a trip to the Osa Peninsula, travel information be a bit scarce as it is still fairly undeveloped. So in this post I’m going to go over the main towns and villages, hotels, how to get there and the best things to do to make it easy to plan your Osa Peninsula trip.
There are Amazon affiliate links in this post.
Osa Peninsula Travel Guide
Location
The Osa Peninsula is in the Puntarenas province on the Pacific side.
Towns/Villages
Since most of the Osa Peninsula is Corcovado National Park, there are few towns and villages scattered throughout. The two main tourist hubs in the Osa Peninsula are Puerto Jimenez and Drake Bay.
Travel Map
Here is a map we made of the Osa Peninsula, including the different towns, villages and hotels we will talk about in the post further on. Hopefully the map will help you understand the Osa Peninsula better, as it is very big.
Puerto Jimenez
The biggest town is Puerto Jimenez (see what the town looks like here) and this is usually where people stay if they plan to do the long hike from Leona Ranger Station to Sirena in the national park since the town is very close.
You can find pretty much everything in Puerto Jimenez: bank, ATM, supermarket, pharmacy, local airport, hostels and hotels. Many visitors choose Puerto Jimenez as their home base in Osa Peninsula since it has those conveniences.
Get in:
Driving: Drive on the Costanera Sur from San Jose about 4.5 hours. It’s just one long road with plenty of signs for Puerto Jimenez. Then turn right at the huge intersection instead of going straight to Paso Canoas, the Panama Costa Rica border. Keep going for another hour or so. This road is completely paved and becomes unpaved once you reach town. You can use Waze.
Flying: A popular way to get to Puerto Jimenez is to fly. There is a local airport right in town and is a 50 minute flight from San Jose.
Boat: If you’re coming from Golfito, there is a boat that goes across the Golfo Dulce to Puerto Jimenez. Tickets are around 3000 colones each way per person, they have small and big boats. Last time I checked, the schedule leaving Golfito to Puerto Jimenez was 730, 10, 1 PM, 3 PM and 5 PM and is about a 30 minute boat ride (this is subject to change!)
Bus: There is a public bus from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez everyday at 8 AM and 12 PM with Transportes Blanco. This is a 8 hour ride. You can also take the bus from San Isidro de General with Transportes Blanco everyday at 630 AM, 11 AM, and 3 PM (from San Jose) that is 4 hours. There is also a bus from Ciudad Nelly everyday at 7 AM and 2 PM with Transportes Terraba that is 4 hours.
Shuttle: You can take a shared shuttle with EasyRideCR. A private shuttle can cost around $400-500 depending on the number of people from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez.
Where to stay
Puerto Jimenez has a handful of hostels, mid range hotels and upscale lodges to choose from. Most of the upscale hotels are on the beach and the hostels and budget places in town.
- Crocodile Bay Resort: Love fishing? The Crocodile Bay Resort focuses on sport fishing and eco tours. They have all inclusive options and air conditioned rooms on a huge beach front property.
- Cabinas Tropicales: They have double, triple and family rooms at mid-range/budget prices. Close to town and the beach.
Alternative options
There are also many lodges and hotels on the outskirts of Puerto Jimenez. It is best to rent a car if staying at one of these places or arrange for transportation beforehand.
- Danta Corcovado Lodge: This is one of the most unique hotels in Costa Rica with bedrock inspired designed cabinas (you feel like you’re in the Flintstones). Good for a jungle getaway. About 30 minutes north of Puerto Jimenez.
- Iguana Lodge: This is an upscale boutique eco-lodge on Playa Platanares, about a 15 minute drive from Puerto Jimenez. They’re right on the beach, they have a restaurant and can arrange tours.
Recommendations
If you aren’t planning on renting a car and are on a budget, I recommend staying at one of the places in town. That way you’ll be close to all the conveniences, it’s cheap and you can book tours with your hotel. For those who need a place to sleep before heading off into the national park, hostels are an excellent cheap option.
For those who don’t mind splurging and are interested in day trips, the upscale hotels on the beach are the way to go. They normally offer an all-inclusive option or have a restaurant. This is more for people who aren’t planning on hiking overnight in the national park and want a home base to explore the Peninsula. You will spend quite a bit on food however, since it is normal for hotels to increase restaurant prices.
Cabo Matapalo
Caba Matapalo is a village on the outermost point of the Peninsula. Most people who stay in Matapalo, as known by locals, are surfers. There are beaches with waves ranging from beginner to expert and are usually fairly empty due to its remote location. Also a great place for birdwatchers.
Get in
From Puerto Jimenez, continue on the very bumpy road (route 245) for about 45 minutes until you reach the small town of Matapalo.
Hotel recommendations
You won’t find too many hostels or budget options in Matapalo. Some hotels are on the road to Matapalo from Puerto Jimenez, some are beach front in the village.
- Blue Osa Yoga Retreat & Spa: Yoga lover? Join a yoga retreat at Blue Osa or go for your yoga teacher training. It’s not very close to Puerto Jimenez but they provide food. It’s on the beach so you can do your yoga exercises with a great view and they also have a yoga studio. One of the best yoga retreats in Costa Rica.
- Lapa Rios Eco Lodge: This lodge is on a 1000 acre private reserve and is famous for their eco-tourism. No AC, Internet or TV so it’s for those who want to unplug from the world and enjoy the Costa Rican rain forest. They include all the meals in their price.
- Bosque del Cabo: An excellent option for families with a private pool, simple trails and easy wildlife watching from the cabinas. Amazing property with high chances to see pumas!
If you’re driving, we do recommend a 4×4 as the road is in rough shape.
Carate
The tiny town of Carate is another stop over town for travelers who are hiking Leona Station in Corcovado National Park. It’s about a 45 minute walk to the ranger station.
Get in
From Puerto Jimenez, continue on the route 245 road (same to Matapalo) for about 1.5 hours. This is a very bumpy road so a 4×4 is required. You can see what driving this route is like in our Youtube video below.
This video was taken in July, a month or so after rainy season started and river levels were fairly low. *Remember that water damage is not covered by any car rental insurance so be VERY careful if you are driving in rainy season! We drove our own car*
In rainy season (read more about Costa Rica weather here), you need to check the tides before driving to Carate since you need to cross about 5 rivers. During high tide, the rivers can get so full cars cannot cross.
Carate also has its own airport but it’s not really used. Majority of people fly in from Puerto Jimenez and get a shuttle to Carate.
Hotel recommendations
Since it’s so small, there aren’t a ton of lodging options in Carate and nothing budget. Whether you decide to stay in Carate before starting the long Corcovado National Park hike or use it as a home base, it’s best to research carefully if you want to stay in Carate or not. You’ll notice a common theme among Carate hotels: remoteness, no AC, limited electricity and expensive meals.
- La Leona Lodge: From Carate, you need to walk about 30 minutes on the beach to reach La Leona Lodge. They have beach front or jungle view glamping tents without electricity or Wi-Fi for the ultimate jungle experience. The closest hotel to Corcovado National Park on this side at only a 10 minute walk to the Leona station.
- Finca Exotica Lodge: Bungalows have jungle or sea views, has a yoga studio and spa and close to the beach.
The highlight of staying in Carate is its location, there aren’t too many other places in Costa Rica as remote. This is a side of Costa Rica not many people experience so it can be exactly what you’re looking for.
Drake Bay
Sitting on the west coast of the Osa Peninsula is Drake Bay which has a rich history as it was believed to be a port used by Sir Francis Drake, hiding treasure long lost.
It has its own airport, doesn’t have ATMs and is close to the Corcovado National Park. You can find a few hostels, budget hotels and luxury all inclusive lodges.
We’ve written an in-depth guide to Drake Bay which you will find information for how to get there, hotels, restaurants, activities and more. Read our Drake Bay guide here.
Best Things to Do
Most activities are centered around nature and the outdoors which is why this area is perfect for the outdoor lover.
- Hiking Corcovado: The ultimate activity in the Osa Peninsula is hike Corcovado National Park. You can hike overnight or do a one day hike. The most popular ranger stations to visit are San Pedrillo and Sirena and the overnight hike is from Leona to Sirena.
- Snorkeling/Scuba diving Caño Island: For those staying on the west side of the peninsula (Drake Bay), this is a must do. The island is considered the 2nd best place for snorkeling/scuba diving in Costa Rica so if you want to swim with turtles, definitely do this! We did this and it was amazing! Read about our experience snorkeling at Caño Island.
- Humpback whale/dolphin tour: During certain months of the year, particularly August and September, the humpback whales pass through the Osa Peninsula. You can take a whale/dolphin watching tour out of Drake Bay. If you’re in Puerto Jimenez, you can see dolphins and whales in Golfo Dulce.
- Sierpe Mangrove: If you’re in Drake Bay, visit Sierpe Mangrove to see wildlife on a leisurely boat ride or kayak your way through the water. You can see snakes, birds, monkeys and more.
- Fishing: Deep sea fishing is incredible at the Osa Peninsula. Catch huge rooster fish, snappers, groupers and more.
- Surfing Playa Matapalo: If you’re a surfer, head to Matapalo to catch waves, the best spot on the Osa Peninsula.
Tips for Visiting Osa Peninsula
- If you’re renting a car, a 4×4/4wd is a must. The road to Puerto Jimenez is paved but that’s it. Carate and Matapalo are equally as bumpy, especially in rainy season. Get our car rental discount here.
- Make sure to check road conditions with your hotel during rainy season months of August/September/October and November, especially if you’re going to Carate and Drake Bay.
- This area is incredibly humid. Here are our packing tips:
We highly recommend bringing clothes that dry fast like Nike Dri Fit.
Bring waterproof equipment in rainy season, especially if you have expensive cameras and equipment. We used our Aqua Quest waterproof backpacks which saved our cameras.
A microfiber towel will be super helpful when hiking in the national park since it’s so humid.
An insulated water bottle to always have cold water. Drinkable water may not be readily available depending on your hotel and area you are in. Make sure to ask your hotel if you need to drink bottled water.
Mosquito repellent is an absolute must!
This post has affiliate links.
madeleine says
Hi, thank you for the great information. I visited Corcovado which was amazing but there were a lot of ticks. I was picking them off for days. I am thinking of going back to the Osa without visiting Corcovado this time. Do you know if there are ticks everywhere on the peninsula or are they mostly in the Park area? Also which town would you recommend to stay in? Thank you.
Sammi says
I’d say they are everywhere on the peninsula as it’s all like tropical primary/secondary rainforest and very dense. I’d check out Drake Bay if you haven’t gone it or Puerto Jimenez. You can also go down to Matapalo/Carate, there are some hotels there
Liz says
Hola Sammi – MyTanFeet has been so helpful in planning our return trip to Costa Rica! Thank you! My family of 4 including 2 adult children will be staying on Cabo Matapalo for a few days at the end of this month. Casa Bambu. Very excited, but there are no included tours as there are at the various eco-lodges and we are trying to find a private guide for a nature hike / walk / tour in the area. Can you recommend someone? Looking for English-speaking skills in addition to good nature skills.
Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Liz, unfortunately we don’t have any partners down there. Maybe you can ask your host if they have any contacts, usually they do even for Airbnbs
Linda says
Hello,
This will be our first time traveling to Costa Rica. We are trying to see as much wildlife as possible. We are nature lovers and not so much into tourist places. We are planning on two weeks. So far I have the following lodges picked out.
3 days Arenal Observatory Lodge,
2 days Senda Monteverde Hotel,
3 days Bosque del Cabo
3 days Playa Nicuesa
When first planning our trip my main focus in the Osa Peninsula of course was hiking to Corcovado National Park. It seems it is more difficult to get to Corcovado from the lodges I’m staying at. Do you think I should change one of the lodges and spend some time in Drakes Bay instead? Should I add another day in Monteverde?
Sammi says
You can ask Bosque del Cabo to set you up with a tour to Corcovado National Park, as it’s not too far from the Leona sector of the NP.
Flynn Ingram says
Hi! I’m from the UK and I am visiting Costa Rica for a month in January. I have 3/4 days to experience the osa peninsula as I am trying to keep to as low a budget as possible (staying in hostels). I am travelling as cheap as possible without a car. Where do you recommend I stay in osa penninsula for the best experience I can make out of this? Thank you so much,
Flynn
Sammi says
There are lots of hostels and cheaper cabinas strewn out throughout the Osa Peninsula, you can see which one fits your needs and budget the best.
Kathy says
Hello! planning a trip to Osa- partly bc I want to see the bioluminescence in golfo dulce. Do you have any experience with doing a night kayak tour/any recommendations?
thanks,
Kathy
Sammi says
Hi Kathy, I have only done it in Paquera, Costa Rica but I believe there is a company in Drake Bay that runs bioluminesence, not sure about Golfo Dulce to be honest
Darrin Ingraham says
I booked a room at the Jungla del Jaguar Lodge & Hostal [Jungla del Jaguar Lodge & Hostel is located a 20 minute boat ride from Drake Bay, on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.]
It’s not mentioned in your blog. Im curious about your opinion on this Adult Lodge.
Sammi says
We have never stayed there but we had some friends who really like it and only had good things to say about it
Regina says
We are couple in our 30s & going to be staying in Uvita. We will have 1 day available to travel to Osa peninsula. We love snorkeling and we love hiking so I’m torn between doing a Corcovado day trip or a Cano Island day trip. It doesn’t seem like there are many options to do both in one day. What do you most recommend between the two?
Sammi says
If you like snorkeling, I’d do the Cano Island day tour
Holly says
Thanks for your wonderful blog it has helped us a lot! Just wanted to add that Iguana Lodge now has AC as we are staying there now and our room has a new AC unit, very nice!
Sammi says
Oh thank god I’m glad to hear. We suffered there without AC, especially our equipment haha since I am horrible dealing with humidity.
Lisa says
We have 3 days to spend on the Osa peninsula. It will be our first time in Costa Rica. Would you choose Carate or Drake Bay?
Sammi says
I personally would choose Drake Bay, especially if you don’t plan to rent a car because you can easily fly to Drake Bay, in Carate you’ll need a car to get around unless you’re staying at one of the very nice hotel resorts there that can provide and arrange everything for you.
Sammi says
August is still a good time but you will need to be prepared for rain, mostly in late afternoons and nights. Depending on where you are going in the Osa Peninsula, there are some very nice resorts that are like all-inclusives, as they include meals, can book tours on site and have very nice rooms. They can also help them to arrange your transportation for you so you don’t need to plan as much and it’ll be much easier. You can check Lapas Rios or El Remanso.
I would also just try to stick to one destination and if you want to go to Corcovado National Park, Drake Bay is a good option and they have a couple nice hotels with meals included and can book tours on site, help with transportation, etc.
Valerie says
Your posts are incredibly helpful and inspiring as I plan our trip. I’m most interested in hearing your thoughts on visiting the Osa Peninsula for the first time during rainy season (August) versus holding off for a trip that can be done in drier months. I’m old enough to know you don’t always circle back as intended to opportunities you pass up, but I am also traveling with a 15, 13, 10 year old and thinking about makes sense.
Christopher Elias says
We are staying at Jonny’s cabins in drake bay. I have 3 kids 10,10, and 12. Is this a safe place to stay for 2 nights. We wanted to experience costa Rica. How is the drive from playa del coco? Any other kid friendly tips for the area?
Sammi says
Hi Chris, we’ve never stayed at Jonny’s cabins but Drake Bay is very remote, it is hard to drive there (not recommended) and from anywhere in Osa Peninsula to Coco is like a 9 hour drive. Coco is in the Pacific NW corner in Guanacaste, Drake is in Osa Peninsula and it is best to take the boat or fly to and from Drake Bay.
Jill Eddings says
Thanks for all this information. I am relying on this heavily. I am taking my 13yo son CR April 30-May3. I was planning on staying at Tulemar but wanted to do a long day trip to Corcovado to do some hiking. How should I plan to get there? Is it reasonable to hire a cab to take me there? Is there a tour that you recommend we book? He is obsessed with hiking and animals, but it is just us, so I am nervous about driving and going alone. Is it even reasonable to try to get to this park from Manuel Antonio for the day? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Jill! It’s not really possible to do a day trip to Corcovado from Tulemar and there aren’t any tour companies who offer it. But if you can get to Uvita which is 1 hour from Manuel Antonio, I know there are tour companies who do a 1 day Corcovado NP trip (they go to San Pedrillo or Sirena station by boat) to hike.
But if you don’t have a car, it would be easier to stay in Manuel Antonio which already has great hiking and lots of nature. It would be expensive to get a cab from Manuel Antonio to Uvita as well.
Kalyan Panja says
Hi, I’ve been reading up on visiting Costa Rica a ton and your blog was one of the most helpful. I also looked through all of your comments which were helpful as well.
Jen says
Hi Sammi,
We are traveling to Corcovado Jungle Lodge in a few weeks. I wondered if it’s safe to fill our water packs with their water for hiking into the park? This is our 3rd time to CR and we’ve always drank the tap water without issue. I know they’re super remote so wasn’t sure if it was still safe?
I enjoy reading your blog~it’s quite informative!
Thank you
Sammi says
I would ask the lodge to be sure and see if they have their own water dispenser. When we stayed in La Leona Lodge, they had their own water dispenser so we filled our bottles with that.
Sammi says
Hi Shabana, I would definitely put more days in Osa, mostly because it takes a while to get there and it’s not enough time to do Corcovado (one full day tour), Cano Island (another full day tour) and the Mangrove (half day). I believe for the mangrove you can either go on a boat or via kayak. There is also a guide with the kayak tour and I’ve never heard of a crocodile attack there personally and lots of people do the kayak.
As for lodges, we have only been to Iguana so I can’t comment on the other ones. Here is our review of Iguana Lodge
shabana feroz says
Hi,
Love the article and information is very helpful. We are planning to visit Osa peninsula in late March with our 11 year old daughter. Just wondering if the boat mangrove tour is the same as the kayak tour. How safe is it?. I get anxious with the crocodiles in the water but do not want to miss out on this tour. Also please comment which lodge is better to stay at-
La Paloma, Iguana lodge, Luna lodge or Lapa lois. We plan to visit Corcavado for sure and perhaps cano and the mangrove tour. Are 2 days enough or you recommend 3?. We Plan to see the other touristy areas after visiting osa. Any input is much appreciated.
Tanya says
Hello! This is very helpful. We are bringing our children (10YO & 11YO) to CR for the first time in April 2019, and are thinking we’d like to do Monteverde (which we’ve visited before) and Osa (which we have not). Is that too much and/or too difficult? They’d like to zipline the canopy, see lots of wildlife including turtles, and snorkel. We hear from friends that Osa is just beautiful but we don’t want to spend a lot of our limited time in travel. Thanks in advance for your advice, and for this incredibly informative blog!
Sammi says
Hi Tanya, Osa is amazing but it takes quite a bit of planning to go because it’s very far so you need to figure out how to get there. The easiest way is to fly into the Puerto Jimenez or Drake Bay airport and fly back because the drive from Monteverde to Osa is incredibly long. Monteverde doesn’t have an airport though so the best option is to go back to San Jose and catch a flight from there to Puerto Jimenez. Flying is more expensive but it saves you a ton of time and it’s worth it to go to Osa.
katherine says
hi there, loved your detailed write up! am planning to visit CR during april 2019.
Have you had experience to drive Manuel Antonio National Park to Puerto Jimenez? Is the road well paved? Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Katherine, the main road that goes from Manuel Antonio to PUerto Jimenez is well paved. Actually it is quite a nice road. But once you get to Puerto Jimenez, the road becomes unpaved and a 4×4 is highly recommended for Puerto Jimenez, especially if you want to go explore to Carate or Matapalo. A 4×4 is necessary to go there.
Mariryan Heschmeyer says
Hi guys thank you so much for your video of the drive to carate. We are heading to CR aug 23-30 and we’re planning on driving from dominical to carate but are hesitant bc of the conditions from PJ to carate. We will have 3 or 4 nights in carate and We do have a 4×4. Do you think we should fly into PJ instead and take a taxi to carate. Looking at either staying at Luna lodge or lookout inn. Any advice is helpful!!
Sammi says
Hi Mariyan! That video is from Juy so weather conditions were similar to August. As long as you have a 4×4, the car will make it but make sure to check the tides before leaving for Carate. There are a few rivers to cross and you want to go in low tide to make sure you can get across, especially if it’s been raining hard that day. I would recommend driving just because it’s so hard to get around that area without a car, no buses, taxis, etc (Carate).
Kim says
Hello, you guys are awesome! Your website is great! I am leaving to CR in 4 days and I am super excited! I am a little bit scared to drive Uvita to Drake and I will really want to visit the Corcovado Park, is there tours that start from Uvita or Ojochal? One day tour or maybe 2 days.
Thank you in advance!
Kim
Sammi says
Hi Kim! Glad to see you on the blog 🙂 You can take a day tour from Uvita to Corcovado National Park, it takes you to San Pedrillo station to hike around the station. We went with Bahia Aventuras who runs this tour and they are really great, here is their site: http://www.bahiaaventuras.com/national-parks/corcovado/
May says
Do they allow you to visit hotels even if you aren’t staying at them? For exanple, would I be able to pay an entrance fee just to eat at the hotels restaurant, take a yoga class or use their pool?
Just curious because I plan on staying in aguila and a little bummed about them not having a pool. Thanks!!!!
Sammi says
Some hotels allow this but not all, I’d contact the hotel you’re staying at and see if they have any partnership or contact to nearby hotels that allow outside guests
David Wingo says
Traveled to the Osa Peninsula 7 times(first time in 1995) , always staying around Drake Bay and Punta Marenco. (plus 3 camping trips to the Sierna Ranger station) Really enjoyed your info about Puerto Jimenez, Carate and Matapalo. Would have used your rental car website but no pick up location in Puerto Jimenez:(
Sammi says
Hi David, that sounds awesome! I would have loved to see Osa back then. Thanks for reading our blog 🙂 I’m hoping they will put an office in Puerto Jimenez soon, it’s getting more popular so it’d be great!