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Golfito Journals

No Artificial Ingredients: Golfito Costa Rica

A July 2002 trip to Golfito by ext212

Los Chorros Waterfalls Photo - Los Chorros Waterfalls, Golfito, Costa Rica More Photos
Quote: The Costa Rica Tourism Board picked the best slogan for their country: "No Artificial Ingredients." And that's no lie. Costa Rica is pura vida -- the pure life. To stick with the theme, we chose to use San Jose as only a springboard for our final destination: Golfito.

No Artificial Ingredients: Golfito Costa Rica

Overview

Costa Rica: Pura Vida Photo - Golfito, Costa Rica
Quote:
The Costa Rica Tourism Board picked the best slogan for their country: "No Artificial Ingredients." And that's no lie. Costa Rica is pura vida -- the pure life. To stick with the theme, we chose to use San Jose as only a springboard for our final destination: Golfito.Quick Tips: Spend more than a week in this beautiful country! If I can go back to any of the countries I've visited, Costa Rica is number one on my list.Best Way To Get Around: We only spent five days in Costa Rica, so we opted for the all-day car tour around San Jose through El Cafetal Inn for US, but you can definitely take the public buses if you're staying in San Jose for more than one day. Golfito, our final ...Read More

El Cafetal Inn in San Jose

Hotel

Quote:
We stayed on course when we were in Costa Rica and chose El Cafetal Inn over the many hotels that pepper the capital of San Jose. El Cafetal Inn sits in the middle of a coffee plantation in hilly Atenas, less than an hour away from the San Jose International Airport. Our room had the view of the lush family-owned plantation where we could hear the howler monkeys in the morning. Oscar, the driver, picked us up at the airport for US$25 and drove us around San Jose for another US$25.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 28, 2004

El Cafetal Inn in San Jose
St. Eulalia de Atenas
Golfito, Costa Rica
(506) 446-7361

Los Cocos Cabins in Golfito

Hotel

Playa Zancudo Photo - Los Cocos Cabins in Golfito, Golfito, Costa Rica
Quote:
Beachfront accommodations, secluded beach, thatched huts -- we didn't need anything else! We finally arrived in Golfito after a chartered flight from San Jose and Andrew of Los Cocos was waiting for us in Los Cocos Restaurant a few minutes from the airstrip. From there, we took a speedboat ride across the peninsula and THEN boarded his pick-up truck to their place by the beach. We rented one of the private cabins in front of Playa Zancudo that included a private bath and kitchen and a loft. We stayed here for three nights and it rained for 26 hours! Other people might think rainfall is the worst that can happen during a vacation but for us, all we could think about was, "Hell, we're in Costa Ri...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 28, 2004

Los Cocos Cabins in Golfito
Playa Zancudo
Golfito, Costa Rica
(506) 776-0012

Los Chorros Waterfalls

Attraction | "Los Chorros Waterfalls in San Jose"

Los Chorros Waterfalls Photo - Los Chorros Waterfalls, Golfito, Costa Rica
Quote:
We were only in San Jose for a day and by the time we arrived and checked in at El Cafetal Inn, most of the eco-tours were done and most of the parks were closed. We were able to catch Los Chorros Waterfalls before sunset and before the mosquito witching hour. Although it was a rushed trip to see the falls, we were still rewarded with a sight of one of Costa Rica's natural jewels.

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 28, 2004

Los Chorros Waterfalls

Golfito, Costa Rica

Osa Peninsula

Attraction | "Hiking the Rain Forest in Osa Peninsula"

Osa Peninsula Photo - Osa Peninsula, Golfito, Costa Rica
Quote:
After the 26-hour rain let up in Golfito, we arranged to hike the Osa Peninsula across the water. The speedboat ride was less than 30 minutes, but the pick-up truck ride from the dock to the middle of the forest was the long haul. It didn't matter, though, because it was during the ride that we saw toucans, macaws, and monkeys. Our driver stopped every time our guide spotted anything in the trees. The hike itself was less grueling than I expected. We only did the "mouth" of the peninsula before we had to turn back, but it was still a very nice hike amongst trees, fauna, and frogs.

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 28, 2004

Osa Peninsula

Golfito, Costa Rica

Rio Coto River Tour

Attraction | "Rio Coto River Tour in Golfito"

Rio Coto River Tour Photo - Rio Coto River Tour, Golfito, Costa Rica
Quote:
Before the biblical 26-hour rain started to pour in Golfito, we signed up for the Rio Coto River tour with Susan of Los Cocos Cabin. It was so tranquil before sunset and the mangroves were ready to take in more water, awaiting for the high tide. We saw a lot of Costa Rica's birds like the pink spoonbill. We even saw a Jesus lizard, aptly named because it walks on water, and the many orchids that thrive on mangroves and drink up the gallons of rainwater that fall on Golfito every year.

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 28, 2004

Rio Coto River Tour
Playa Zancudo
Golfito, Costa Rica

About the Writer

ext212

ext212
New York, New York

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