Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and get off in the town of Guácimo (often called Las Tablas). From Guácimo buses depart
at noon and 5pm for El Carmen; if the road conditions permit, they continue 4km to the
village of Altamira. From the village of Altamira, follow the Minae sign (near the church)
leading to the steep 2km hike to the ranger station.
GOLFO DULCE
While the Golfo Dulce is certainly less celebrated than the Península de Osa, an increasing
number of travelers are making the arduous journey in search of one of the world's longest
left-hand breaks, at Pavones. The region is also home to Parque Nacional Piedras Blancas,
a stunning tract of rainforest that used to be part of Corcovado, and still protects the same
amazing biodiversity. This far corner of Costa Rica is also home to significantly large indi-
genous populations, which live in the Reserva Indígena Guaymí de Conte Burica near
Pavones.
Golfito
With a long and sordid history, Golfito is a rough-around-the-edges port that stretches out
along the Golfo Dulce. The town was built on bananas - the United Fruit Company moved
its regional headquarters here in the 1930s. In the '80s, declining markets, rising taxes,
worker unrest and banana diseases forced the company's departure.
In an attempt to boost the region's economy, the federal government built a duty-free fa-
cility, the so-called Zona Americana, in Golfito. This surreal shopping center attracts Ticos
from around the country, who descend on the otherwise dying town for 24-hour shopping
sprees. Unless you count this shopping center, Golfito has no attractions whatsoever. And
as charmless as it is by day, by night the place is home to surly ex-military men, boozy
yachters, prostitutes and shady characters.
Still, as the largest town in Golfo Dulce, Golfito is a transportation hub for hikers head-
ing to Corcovado, surfers heading to Pavones and sportfishers. Although it's unlikely that
you'll want to stick around for any longer than you have to, there is a certain visual appeal
to the crooked buildings and long-faded facades of Golfito. Plus, the verdant slopes of the
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Golfito surround the town, providing a picturesque
backdrop to the crumbling buildings.
 
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