Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Orientation
The shores of Bahía Drake are home to two settlements: Agujitas, a tiny town of 300 res-
idents spread out along the southern shore of the bay, and Drake, a few kilometers to the
north, which is little more than a few houses alongside the airstrip.
If you're visiting the area on a budget, the best bet is to stay in Agujitas, a one-road
town. That road comes south from Rincón and past the airstrip in Drake. At the T, the right
branch dead-ends at the water, where the
pulpería,
clinic and school constitute the heart of
Agujitas; the left branch heads out of town southeast to Los Planes. From the eastern end
of Agujitas, a path follows the shoreline out of town. A swinging, swaying pedestrian
bridge crosses the Río Agujitas to Punta Agujitas. From here, the trail picks up and contin-
ues south along the coast, all the way to Parque Nacional Corcovado.
The only way to get around the area is by boat or by foot. Fortunately, both forms of
transportation are also recreation, as sightings of macaws, monkeys and other wildlife are
practically guaranteed.
Getting There & Away
AIR
have daily flights to the Drake airstrip, which is 2km north of Agujitas. Prices vary accord-
ing to season and availability, though you can expect to pay around US$140 to/from San
José.
necting Drake to Puerto Jiménez, Golfito, Carate and Sirena. Flights are best booked at the
airport in person; one-way fares are typically less than US$100.
Most lodges provide transportation to/from the airport or Sierpe, which involves a jeep
or a boat or both, but advance reservation is necessary.
BOAT
Unless you charter a flight, you'll arrive here by an exhilarating boat ride through man-
grove channels and the ocean. It's one of the true thrills of visiting the area. Boats travel
along the river through the rainforest and the mangrove estuary. Captains then pilot boats
through tidal currents and surf the river mouth into the ocean. All of the hotels offer boat
