'''Drake Bay''' is a city in Osa Peninsula region of Costa Rica.

Get in

Fly in to the Drake Bay Airport with Nature Air from San Jose. Fly in to Palmar Sur with Nature Air from San Jose, take a taxi or bus to Sierpe, take a boat down the river to Drake Bay. Your hotel can make arrangements for you. If you fly you will be limited to 30 pounds (15 kilos) of luggage. In the dry season the very rough road from San Jose may be passable all the way to Drake bay, or at least to Sierpe.

Get around

On foot. For tours, transportation is usually by boat and can be arranged through your hotel.

See

Corcovado National Park is the main attraction. There are 3 primary ranger stations which serves as the entry point into this park. Tour guides are highly recommended. "Dry Season" is a subjective term. Be prepared to get your shoes soaked and hike through ankle deep mud.

San Pedrillo: Closest entry from Drake Bay. It is accessible by either a 4 hour hike or 1 hour boat ride from Drake Bay. Boats can be arranged with your hotel. The hike comprises of beach and mountain hikes. You will also walk past various eco-resorts. There is a beautiful waterfall with a great swimming hole near this station. Ask the ranger for directions or guide to take you there.

Sirena: 2.5 boat ride or 8-10 mile hike. Please be warned hike from Drake Bay to Sirena ranger station is considered extremely strenuous and difficult. The stretch between San Pedrillo and Sirena is mostly beaches with almost no shade. You can camp at the Sirena Station which has showers and wide decks to sleep to keep you out of the rain. NOTE: Ask Sirena Station for food when you apply for a permit. They can arrange a light meal for you for a nominal fee. Very beautiful hikes around the area and highly recommended.

La Leona: Most Southern ranger station.

Los Patos: Only accessible by 2 hour car ride from Drake Bay. If you are hiking this to the beach, it is almost all decline and will take up to 7-8 hours to the beach. Better approached from Puerto Jimenez or Carate, not Drake Bay unless by plane.

There is also the Cano Island Biological Reserve. The scuba diving can be cloudy but the snorkling is excellent. It is about 1.5 - 2 hour boat ride from Drake Bay.

The little town is off the grid and very quiet, but walking around can make for an interesting afternoon.

Do

Snorkel at Cano Island. Hike at Cano Island to see pre-Columbian stone spheres. Take a Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour. Scuba Dive in the Cano Island Biological Reserve. Fishing. Swim and Boogie board. Surf. Birdwatching. Take a night tour with Tracy and John. Hike in Corcovado. Take a zipline Original Canopy Tour. Sea kayak, in Drake bay and on the Rio Agujitas. Horseback Riding.

Buy

There is not much to buy, other than souvenirs from your hotel.

Eat

It is best to eat at your hotel.

Drink

The bar of your hotel. This is a very small and quiet town.

Sleep

La Paloma Lodge is a pricy but charming eco-lodge.

Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge.

Drake Day Wilderness Resort.

Delfin Amor Eco Lodge.

Aguila de Osa.

Jinetes de Osa.

Pirate Cove & Cano Divers.

Get out

The main excursion from Drake Bay is to backpack through Corcovado. Adventurous backpackers can plan a one way trip from the first ranger station to one of the more remote ranger stations, and arrange for a boat to drop off and pick up.

Scuba divers can arrange for a trip to Coco island.