Our ultimate destination in Costa Rica was an eco resort about 45 minutes from the closest town, Puerto Jimenez. A small town in the gulf on the Pacific side.

A quiet remote town in the 1960’s, Puerto Jimenez has grown to become one of the largest towns on the Osa Peninsula today. Located in the southern part of the Puntarenas province, this laidback town is one of the main gateways to the beautiful Corcovado National Park. The last town before one can enter the park premises; a main ranger station is situated here with many tourists using this town to stock up on supplies before they trek their way through the gorgeous and diverse wildlife that the Corcovado National Park has to offer.
Situated in the Golfo Dulce, Puerto Jimenez has a wonderful beach where one can relax while taking in the superb beauty of the Osa Peninsula. This tiny ‘frontier’ town has a good number of hotel and resorts, both affordable and luxurious, with many rental tour companies and travel agencies in the area from where trips around the region can be arranged. Transportation can also be organized from Puerto Jimenez, while if you get bored you can head out to the lovely remote village of Cabo Matapalo, which is famous in the region for its awesome surf breaks.
With a history of being a key gold mining and logging town before the Corcovado National Park was created, the locals in the area still log and mine gold here, but in much smaller numbers as this entire region is now a protected habitat. In and around the Puerto Jimenez, there is much to see and do. Sport fishing excursions can be arranged, while for the more adventurous, hiking, rappelling, mountain biking and kayaking tours are on hand. If you prefer a more tranquil relaxed holiday, take a dolphin watching tour of the lovely Golfo Dulce and the Pacific, or simply sit on the beach to view some of the most amazing sunsets in all of Costa Rica.
You can get to Puerto Jimenez either by bus or car. However, it can be as long as a 10-hour drive so, it is better to fly in to the domestic airport out here from San Jose International Airport. Flights also come in to the airport here from Pavas as well.

The airport itself has a short runway right beside the cemetery … I saw a few cemeteries in Costa Rica with the most notable feature being the huge ceramic above ground boxes. Many of them were shattered on the end and empty.

The roads are what you expect, requiring the right vehicle.

The town itself is what you would also expect for a small rural location. Fishing, tourism, agriculture, a few run down shops.

And about half way to the resort, we saw our first monkey …. Really glad I brought my 70-200.