Visit Costa Rica and support local businesses on the Osa Peninsula!

Select Community Descriptions on the Osa Peninsula

Drake Bay

Drake is a small community located on the north Pacific side of the Osa Peninsula. The bay is sheltered from large waves and is a destination for humpback whales from September to January. The beach is beautiful and the bay is an excellent area for swimming. Forests surrounding the community are supported by some of the most ancient soils in Central America, making the forests important for conservation and research. Drake Bay has grown a great deal in the past years as this spot has become more of a tourist destination. It's important that this growth is not at the expense of the ecosystems. There are a number of large hotels in the area, however there are also excellent local businesses that need your support. One of these businesses is Emiliano's Boat Service (see the link on the navigation bar).

Rancho Quemado

Features of Rancho Quemado include: Chocuaco Lagoon, one of the three lagoons on the Osa and a great area for seeing water birds, including the boatbilled heron (which the lagoon is named after); close proximity to cloud forests of the Osa; numerous endemic species, including Passiflora eueidipabulum and Pleodendron sp nov.; abundant wildlife including sloths, monkeys, macaws and the silky anteater; horseback ridding; families offering friendly hospitality. Rancho Quemado is a remote area which does not have electricity and treated water has only recently become available. The businesses we list here will welcome you into their way of life, show you the highlights near their community and provide you with a memorable experience.

La Palma

Tourists best know La Palma as a starting point for their journeys to Los Patos Ranger Station and Sirena Biological Station in Corcovado National Park. Historically it was a gold miners town - a place to buy supplies and sell the gold they had mined from the area. Today La Palma is also used as a stopping point on the way to Playa Blanca, a beach on the Gulfo Dulce which offers kayaking and other water activities.

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