Wilderness Frontier Region
Costa Rica’s Wilderness Frontier is one of the country’s least explored and most beautiful areas. Spanning the south Pacific coast, it includes the Golfo Dulce towns of Golfito and Pavones and encompasses the entire Osa Peninsula and all its jewels.
read more closeThe isolation and the pure, simple beauty of the Osa Peninsula make it a place worth visiting. More than eighty percent of the peninsula is protected by Corcovado National Park, renowned for its biodiversity and outdoor activities, including rainforest hikes, wildlife watching, snorkeling and scuba diving. National Geographic dubbed the park “the most biologically intense place on Earth” with good reason. Thirteen types of forest thrive here, and the diverse habitats protect several endangered species such as Baird’s tapirs, squirrel monkeys, giant anteaters and jaguars.
Puerto Jimenez and Drake Bay make excellent bases for explorations throughout the peninsula. The region is home to one of the longest humpback whale-watching seasons in the world – December-April and July-October – and spinner, spotted, and bottlenose dolphins are often spotted in the Pacific’s aquamarine waters. Visitors can partake in snorkeling and scuba diving tours to Cano Island, canoeing and kayaking, surfing, sport fishing and of course, swimming.
Back on land, Costa Rica’s Wilderness Frontier promises even more variety: mountain bike through rainforests, beaches and sleepy farms; set out on day hikes and spectacular night tours; ride horseback through the jungle; and take an exhilarating zipline tour through the forest canopy. On the Osa Peninsula, excitement and adventure share center stage with the great outdoors.
Hanging ten on the southern tip of the Golfo Dulce, Pavones is a surfing paradise legendary for one of the longest left point breaks in the world – on a slow, southern swell, this break can hold steady for up to three minutes. While surfing is the town’s clear calling card, Pavones is a great destination for adventures in offshore sport fishing, bird and wildlife watching, and horseback riding.
Just 20 miles north of Panama, Golfito rounds out the attractions of Costa Rica’s Wilderness Frontier. Known best for its duty-free shopping, this small port town is a destination unto itself. Sport fishing conditions are top notch, and many outfitters base their operations in Golfito, or Zancudo. The town is also home to the Golfito Wildlife Refuge, and is convenient for day trips to the Osa Wildlife Refuge and Piedras Blancas National Park.
This Region is Best Known For:
Spectacular Wildlife Encounters
Rainforest Hikes in Corcovado National Park
World-Class Sport Fishing
Epic Waves for Experienced Surfers
Snorkeling and Diving at Cano Island
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