Puerto Jimenez
Puerto Jiménez might be the best town from which to access Corcovado National Park. Located on the eastern coast of the Osa Peninsula, on the Dulce Gulf, this small town has plenty of hotels and activities to offer as well as being favorably located. From Puerto Jiménez, you can explore just about everything there is to offer, even take a ferry across the gulf to the colorful city of Golfito. Exploring the history of this small unhurried city may give you the impression of the Wild Wild West.
More about Puerto Jimenez
Nowadays, however, the people are much more relaxed and things are much calmer, just the way they like it. More people prefer to try some of the world-class sportfishing, located just offshore Costa Rica’s fish friendly Pacific coast. To get to Puerto Jiménez from Palmar, travel southeast along the Pan-American Highway until the town of Chacarita. From there, follow Hwy 245 south—the only highway that winds around the Osa Peninsula. The total trip from Palmar should be around 53 mi (85 km).
Exploring the very rugged Corcovado National Park will not leave you disappointed. The closest entrance to the park is La Leona, located to the south near the town of Carate. The drive takes an hour and there is a ranger station to get information, although there are no roads leading into the park so intrepid visitors will have to start hiking before the park entrance. Puerto Jiménez also has the administrative office for Corcovado national Park, which is a great place to stop and get Corcovado Park knowledge prior to your departure.
Puerto Jiménez has its own airport conveniently located in the middle of lush green vegetation to the north of town. The hour long flights arrive here regularly from San José which might just be the most stress-free way to travel. By land, the trip can take 9-10 hours, making the alternative seem a little more appealing.
A short drive south from Puerto Jiménez along the pictorial coastal route, lays a great, isolated haven called Cape Matapalo (Cabo Matapalo). This unexplored village has great waves for surfing and the ubiquitous feeling of seclusion, common to the Osa. Matapalo´s pristine beaches on the southern tip of the peninsula give it charming appeal and easy access to Corcovado National Park. If on the way south along Hwy 245 you decide you need a pit-stop, two beaches await any ocean craving humanitarians. Playa Tamales and Playa Sombrero stretch along the coastline between Puerto Jiménez and Cape Matapalo. Various vacation homes and lodges can be found that overlook white sandy beaches and water as blue as the feathers of a scarlet macaw.
Incredible Stays
The Iguana Lodge
The Iguana Lodge is located in the Osa Peninsula on the South Pacific of Costa Rica 4km from the town of Puerto Jimenez. Surround yourself with the utter raw and untamed beauty of the jungle and breathtaking beaches of the Peninsula just outside your doorstep. Discover the most exotic birds, diverse and exuberant wildlife and unforgettable marine species of this awe inspiring jungle location.
The Agua Dulce Beach Resort
The Agua Dulce Beach Resort is on the beach of Playa Platanares, located on the coast of the untamed Osa Peninsula. From the beach you can often spy whales and dolphins.
Danta Corcovado Lodge
Set in the South Pacific region, Danta Corcovado Lodge is a family-run farm with lodging options on the Osa Peninsula. Danta Corcovado Lodge offers creatively designed accommodations in a rainforest setting 8 km from Corcovado National Park and with close proximity to the Guaymi Indigenous Reserve.
Cabinas Jimenez
These cabins offer a comfortable place to stay while you get to know the wilds of the incredibly biodiverse Osa Peninsula. It takes about an hour to drive from here to La Leona, one of the ranger stations that serves as an entrance to Corcovado National Park. This is known as one of Costa Rica’s most vast and untouched tracts of jungle, but Puerto Jimenez puts you within easy reach of some helpful visitor services.
Arenas de Osa Lodge
Arenas de Osa Lodge is located in Puerto Jimenez, a port town on the Osa Peninsula. The Osa Peninsula is the top eco-tourism destination in Costa Rica, and has no shortage of outdoor activities for visitors to choose from. In Puerto Jimenez visitors will find sufficient facilities and an ample number of tour operators who can arrange adventures such as waterfall rappelling, mountain biking, kayaking, sport fishing, and multi-day treks into Corcovado National Park.
Botanika Osa Peninsula
Botanika Resort, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, is a luxurious sanctuary nestled within the unspoiled tropical splendor of Costa Rica's southwestern coast. Located on the Osa Peninsula, this eco-rich resort converges with the verdant rainforest and Corcovado National Park, offering a breathtaking backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and Golfo Dulce.
Blue Osa Yoga Sanctuary and Spa
Isolated on the south end of the Osa Peninsula, South Pacific Region, the Blue Osa Yoga Sanctuary and Spa is nestled into the jungle overlooking a secluded beach. Located 8 miles from Puerto Jimenez, this exquisitely designed property creates a comfortable and relaxing ambiance where guests can focus on restoring their personal well-being.
Cacao Monkeys
Cacao Monkeys is a sustainable and environmentally friendly project offering 5 bungalows in the town of Puerto Jimenez on the Osa Peninsula, part of the South Pacific region of Costa Rica. The surrounding 8.6 acres (3.5 ha) of secondary forest gives visitors a taste of one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet.
We believe travel is more than ticking destinations off a list – it’s about discovering new places deeply, feeling connected wherever you go, and knowing you have a trusted team behind you every step of the way.
