Golfito, South Puntarenas

Golfito is Costa Rica’s most southern port town; it located across from the Osa Peninsula on the Golfo Dulce. Golfito has long been know to surfers as the gateway to Pavones, just to the south, and to sport fishermen as the year round sport fishing meca. However recently Golfito has become the gateway to Costa Rica’s newest attraction Eco-Lodges, Eco Lodges are all about being a small hotel or lodge that blends into its environment while offering its visitors an opportunity to view its natural surroundings with the least amount of impact to the environment.

Eco Lodges are Costa Rica’s logical next step in tourism. For many years Costa Rican’s have been preserving and honoring its forests, oceans, and environment; and nature tourism or Eco Lodges are the answer. Just to the north in Piedras Blancas National Park there are a handful of Eco Lodges popping up. The easiest way to get there is to have the lodge pick you up in Golfito and take you on a beautiful 30 minute boat ride to the lodge where you will be surrounded by nature.

Just to the south at Pavones and across the gulf at Cabo Matapalo surfers have long known of amazing waves that roll in. To get to Pavones you can either fly into Golfito Domestic Airport or drive to Golfito and continue south about one to one and a half hours.

For a long time Golfito has been the port of choice for anglers and sport fishermen as there are fish to be caught year round and the fish of choice is always the Pacific Sailfish. Although the fishing season is year round the best months to sport fish is from November to May during the dry season of Costa Rica.

Map of the Area

Click to enlarge map - Map of the Area

The history of Golfito is an interesting one and the city is now on the rise again due to tourism and not bananas. Golfito used to be thriving banana port for many years (from about 1938-1985). Golfito fell from the thriving port town in 1985 due to rising export taxes and labor disputes. When United Fruit company who had the major presence moved south to Ecuador it left Golfito in a state of poverty and lifelessness. Shortly after United Fruit’s departure the Costa Rican government opened Golfito up as a Duty Free Zone in an effort to bring the city back to life. Today Golfito is a popular destination for Tico's (Costa Rican’s) who are looking for a bargain on large appliances and electronics.