Southern Pacific Region

Area Information  | Weather | Travel Time | Hotels | Tours | National Parks

Area Information:

National Geographic magazine labelled this area " the most biologically intense place on earth ".  Flying to this area is recommended because it's an 8 hours drive by car and boat. There are domestic flights that would transport you to that region in one hour. If you love the jungle and seek unparalleled adventures, this is the real thing. This is a pristine area where it takes you to contact the deepest contact with nature. A minimum of 3 days stay with an expert guide is recommended to really enjoy and experience this unforgettable adventure. Boats are the main means of transportation in this area. You can visit Caños Island and enjoy the excellent beaches and snorkelling in the area. The Corcovado National Park is a very popular site for the visitors in this region. Because of its isolation, its biological richness and its relatively undisturbed forests, is now one of the most important natural areas in Central America . In the heart of the peninsula boasts a large forested plateau, many rivers, estuaries and wetlands, an extensive stretch of mangroves in the north, and a huge lagoon in the alluvial lowlands which are nearly surrounded by the mountains of Corcovado National Park . Miles of unspoiled beaches, rocky headlands, and crystal-clean waterfalls create a visual spectacle of extraordinary beauty. It is in these forests that the nearly pristine northern part of Corcovado National Park and Marenco Biological Reserve are situated. Poorly understood climatic factors create conditions in which lowland rain forests thrive, quite distinct from the more seasonally dry and deciduous forests which formerly covered the coastal areas to the north and south. Separated from the wet lowlands of the Atlantic by the cool Talamanca Mountains , the island-like isolation of the region has led to the restriction of many wet-forest species to the lands around the Golfo Dulce. Within Costa Rica , for example, the Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri orstedii) is found only in this area. Endemism, or the presence or unique species, is well documented for birds: of 394 species of birds recorded to date in this region, 22 species and subspecies are encountered only in southwestern Costa Rica . This region contains endemic frogs, snakes, and lizards, and endemism among plant trees reach their northern limit here. Within these forests one encounters perhaps the most complete lowland tropical insect fauna to be found between Panama and Mexico . Documentation of the flora and fauna of this immensely rich area is only just the beginning.

Corcovado National Park:

At Corcovado , the potential for wildlife viewing in the tropical rain forest is tremendous and, for most visitors, more than compensates for lack of comforts. Corcovado National Park is a protected wilderness area with great biodiversity. The Park is located in the western sector of the Osa Peninsula on the Southern Pacific coast and protects 41,788 hectares of shallow lagoons, marshes, mangrove swamps, rivers, rainforests, low altitude cloud forest and 46 kms. of sandy coasts. These habitats provide refuge for endangered animals, such as the tapir (frequently seen at Sirena), ocelot, cougar, giant ant eater, Corcovado may well be the best place in the world to see the Scarlet macaw. Other protected species include howler, spider, squirrel and white-faced Capuchin monkeys, Great tinamou, Silky anteater, Poison dart frog, Glass frog (with transparent skin), caiman, bushmaster snake, and Leatherback, Olive ridley and Green turtles that nest at Llorona Beach between October and April. The forests are tall, thick and dark, dotted with holillo and other palms where there is little or no drainage. Some of the most notable species are the purple heart, nargusta, espave, crabwood and silk cotton. Scientists have identified 500 species of trees, 140 mammals, 367 birds, 40 freshwater fish, 117 amphibians and reptiles (including 32 species of snakes and 48 species of frogs and toads.) It is estimated that there are some 6,000 species of insects. The climate at Corcovado in the low-lying areas is generally hot and very humid. The climate in the highlands, which reach 745 meters above sea level, is mainly cool, more as a result of the cloud cover than the altitude. Average annual rainfall is quite high, 4,500 - 7,000 mm., with torrential rains from April to December. It rains all year long on the peaks, providing sufficient humidity to fulfill the needs of the entire forest mass. Since it has a short dry season which lasts from February to April, it adversely affects the under study of the area.

Isla Del Caño:

The beach is of white sand and the water very clear most of the time. It is very good for snorkeling. At the island, there are trails where you can take a walk. There are not many birds and almost no animals on the island. If you wish to see the spheres and pottery described in books, you will be unlucky because there is very little left. The boat trip sometimes could be rough depending on the weather. You may see dolphins near the boat and if you are lucky you might see whales. (January to March). The other area around the Park and Peninsula is located near and after Puerto Jimenez by the side of the Golfo Dulce. Here you can find many hotels offering eco-tourism adventures. The best way to get there is by plane from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez and then with an organized transfer to your hotel. The Isla del Caño lies 17 km. due west of Drake Bay . The island and its environs invite study from several points of view. It is Costa Rica 's largest concentration of coral-building organisms along the Pacific. Schools of tangs, jacks and needlefish present an ever-changing panorama to those who venture below the surface. Boring sponges, Diadema sea urchins, sea cucumbers, many crustaceans and calcareous alga mats and balls add to the variety of life found among the Porites and Pocillopora corals of these reefs. Ongoing research by scientists of several nations is currently focused on the factors surrounding coral die-off, such as occurred in 1983-84, probably due to changes in water temperature associated with "El Niño"' the capricious current of Eastern Pacific equatorial waters. Re-colonization and re-growth of the corals is being studied intensively. Marine life is abundant in the general vicinity of the island. Fishing boats take tuna, shrimp, shark, mackerel, snapper, and sardines in quantity. Manta rays are often seen breaching. Dolphins are encountered daily, and Olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are commonly observed swimming and even mating as they travel to and from the sandy beaches of the peninsula where they lay their eggs. Humpback whales are seasonally present and often sighted from Marenco Beach & Rain Forest Lodge, and the Sierpe River . Although rich in marine resources, the area is little studied apart from the reefs of the Isla del Caño. The island's forest and its inhabitants are in stark contrast to those on the mainland less than 11 miles away. The island has a resident insect fauna that is perhaps one percent as rich as that of the mainland. Moreover, the forest on this island is a curiously impoverished version of that on the mainland. The central plateau is a nearly nonspecific stand of Brachium utile, the white latex, fruits, and seeds of which are readily edible to humans. Stone spheres and Indian graves found all over the island suggest that this was an ancient cemetery. The obviously heavy usage of the island by the aboriginal population, and the fact that Brachium utile is never found in mono-specific stands on the mainland indicate that the island may have been used as an orientation by the Indians, a plantation free of mainland herbivores and seed predators, such as agoutis, picas, and insects.

Weather:

The Southern part of the Pacific coast, gets more rain than the North; it receives an average of 197 inches a year. It is normally very warm and humid.  For live weather info, see our weather page.

Travel time:

Flying to this area is recommended because it's an 8 hours drive by car and boat. There are domestic flights that would transport you to the region in one hour.

Hotels:

There are a variety of rainforest lodges in the Osa Peninsula that would satisfy any traveler's budget.  For more information, review our list of recommended hotels for this region.

Tours :

GaiaLink Tours and Services is please to offer a wide selection of tours throughout this region.  Whether you're looking for adventure, sightseeing or education, we have the tour for you.  Please see our list of recommended tours for this region.

National Park & Preserves:

*Click the links below for more information on tours and packages in this area:

Southern Pacific Region Hotels | Southern Pacific Region Tours