Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A bus to Neily leaves from the
pulpería
near the dock at 5am and noon (US$4, two hours).
The bus for Golfito (US$4) leaves at 5am for the three-hour trip, with a ferry transfer at
the Río Coto Colorado. Service is erratic in the wet season, so inquire before setting out.
CAR
It's possible to drive to Zancudo by taking the road south of Río Claro for about 10km.
Turn left at the Rodeo Bar and follow the signs across the bridge. From there, 30km of
poorly maintained dirt road gets you to Zancudo.
Pavones
Home to what may be the longest left-hand surf break on the planet, Pavones is a le-
gendary destination for surfers the world over. As this is Costa Rica's southernmost point,
you'll need to work hard to get down here. However, the journey is an adventure in its
own right, especially since the best months for surfing coincide with the rainy season.
Although the village remains relatively off the beaten path, both foreigners and Ticos
are transforming Pavones from its days as a relative backwater. Still, development is pro-
gressing slowly and sustainably, which means that the palm-lined streets are still not
paved, the pace of life is slow and the overall atmosphere remains tranquil.
The name Pavones is used to refer to both Playa Río Claro de Pavones and Punta
Banco, which is 6km south.
The road into Pavones comes south and dead-ends at the Río Claro, which is where
you'll find a small soccer field. About 200m to the east, a parallel road crosses the Río
Claro and continues the 6km to Punta Banco.
Sights
Tiskita Jungle Lodge
NATURE RESERVE
( 2776-2194, 2776-2193;
www.tiskita.com
;
guided hike US$25)
Set on a verdant hillside between Pavones and Punta Banco, Tiskita Jungle Lodge consists
of 100 hectares of virgin forest and a huge orchard, which produces more than 125 variet-
ies of tropical fruit. Trails wind through surrounding rainforest, which contains waterfalls
and freshwater pools suitable for swimming. The combination of rainforest, fruit farm and
