Drake Bay
In a country renowned for its ecotourism Drake Bay, on the Osa Peninsula in the southwest, is one of the last few 'untouched' areas to be found in Costa Rica. In this remote part of the world, secluded beaches are lined with dense rainforest, the crystaline waters stocked with marine life and the nearby Corcovado National Park offers unparalleled opportunities for wildlife watching. If you want a moment away from the hustle of Costa Rica's prime tourist spots then Drake Bay is the place for you - just get going soon as there is no way this paradise remains undiscovered for much longer...
You will have heard of the Arenal Volcano, the famous Manuel Antonio National Park and maybe even some of the beach towns in the northwest but one place that might not show up in your guide books is Drake Bay. Bahia Drake, as it is locally known, is one of the few remaining 'undiscovered' gems to be found within Costa Rica.
Mass tourism has not reached this secluded part of the country as of yet and this helps to make it one of the most spectacularly beautiful destinations within Costa Rica - not to mention it is also found within the Osa Peninsula, one of the most biologically diverse regions on the planet, making it an absolute paradise for wildlife lovers. The only downside? It is quite an enthralling journey to reach but absolutely, one hundred percent, worth it and if you visit Costa Rica without making the effort to get to Drake Bay you are truly missing out on one of the best experiences of your life.
Things To Do
1. Corcovado National Park
Costa Rica is full of national parks and in all of them you can see diverse wildlife fairly easily however Corcovado National Park offers a unique perspective that you will not find anywhere else in the country. This huge park, it encompasses an area of over 164 square miles (424 square kilometers), boasts the proud statistic of housing around 3% of the globes total biodiversity. That is a dizzying statistic when you think about it and it is no surprise that you are guaranteed wildlife sightings when you visit here. The difference between here and some of the other Costa Rican parks is that this one feels unvisited. The park limits guest numbers on a daily basis, only allows a certain number to stay overnight (in locally run ranger stations) and access into the park is only possible via boat or through some arduous trekking.
You can visit Corcovado in a number of ways but the key thing to remember is that you have to travel with a guide. Guided trips depart from Drake Bay as well as from Puerto Jimenez (a town on the north edge of the Peninsula) and also from Uvita (although this is quite a journey). The most common tour is a day trip where you enter the national park via boat from your chosen departure destination, spend the day walking the park trails with a guide before heading back by boat. For the more adventurous there are multi-day (two or three days) adventures that include an overnight stay in one of the ranger stations within the park. We did a two day trip with a night spent in the Sirena ranger station and would highly recommend it.
This was one of the best wildlife experiences we have had in our lives. We saw a huge range of species including tapirs, sloths, macaws, tamanduas, snakes, monkeys and crocodiles all in a seemingly untouched jungle wilderness. If you are thinking of travelling to Drake Bay then a trip to Corcovado has to be part of your itinerary - just book early if you want to do a multi-day tour as, as mentioned above, only a limited number of people are permitted to stay in the park overnight. There was simply too much for me to write about Corcovado in these post and so for more information about how to organise it, costs and in-depth information checkout my full article here.
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Opening Times:
Corcovado National Park: ALL YEAR ROUND (some sections close in October and others can close at short notice during the rainy season)
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Cost:
Day tours cost around $140-180 per person (£110-140pp)*
Multi-day tours cost around $320-650 per person (£250-510pp)*
*cost varies by company, where you are departing from and if/where you stay in the park
2. Bahía Drake Public Trail
Alongside the bay's main beach, Drake Bay is home to some absolutely stunning stretches of sand. Most of these are only accessible on foot and this walk, listed here on Alltrails, is one to do if you have a spare day as the total trek, there and back, will take you around 5hrs and is just over 20km in length. It is definitely not easy, most of it is on a rocky footpath or on sand and it is not very well signposted in places but it will take you to eight beaches in total, most of which you will likely have to yourselves and all of which are picturesque. The finale of this out-and-back trail is Playa San Josecito, one of the best swimming beaches in the region, with crystal clear waters. If you are lucky, when you arrive here you might find a tour boat docked who will then be able to take you back to Drake Bay (for a fee of course), otherwise you have to endure the long return walk instead.
We actually visited San Josecito as part of our snorkelling tour (see below) and so only ended up walking to the first two beaches when we did this hike. The second, Playa Pequena, was a superb swimming spot and one of the most picturesque pieces of sand we have ever visited - it honestly looked like something out of a pirate movie.
The other thing to mention is that this walk is also one of the best spots within the bay for wildlife spotting. We were joined on the trail by a toucan, macaws, a spider monkey and a huge troop of white-faced capuchins. All in all, well worth a day out but take all the food and water you need with you (there is almost nowhere to buy anything on the way) and wear decent shoes - flip flops are not going to cut it for this trail unfortunately...
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Opening Times:
Bahía Drake Public Trail: ALL DAY (be aware there is no lighting at all on the trail so we would highly recommend walking in the daylight hours only)
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Cost:
FREE
3. Caño Island
The Osa Peninsula is not solely famous for its terrestrial wildlife but it is also home to Isla del Caño, one of the country's best places to snorkel. Cano Island is a small island located around a one hour boat ride off the coast of Drake Bay that, along with the fifty square kilometer surrounding ocean, is a designated biological reserve. The actual island lacks some of the wildlife that can be found on the mainland but the surrounding coastline is absolutely stocked with marine life and is one of the best places to see turtles, sharks and rays.
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The island can only be visited with a certified guide on a snorkeling or scuba diving tour. Even with a guide you are only allowed to snorkel on one side of the island and only permitted to make landfall on one particular stretch of beach - where you stop for a break and can walk up to a small lookout post. Guided trips to this island are commonly found departing from Drake Bay but we saw some advertised in Uvita as well. Most depart in the morning, when the sea is usually at its most calm, and return early in the afternoon.
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We only did the snorkeling trip and we were a bit dubious as to exactly how much marine wildlife we would see but we ended up being totally blown away. We saw huge amounts of tropical fish swimming amongst gigantic rocks and corals but we also saw a reef shark and loads of hawksbill turtles! This is another activity in Drake Bay that can get booked up very quickly, due to only a limited number of guests being permitted each day, but it is a must for anyone who enjoys the ocean or wildlife. If interested check out my full post regarding visiting Cano Island here where we give some tips for choosing the best company to book your tour with.
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Opening Times:
Caño Island: ALL DAY (dependant on tour times - which usually run in the mornings)
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Cost:
Tours cost around $100-125 per person (£75-100pp)*
*cost varies by company and depending on where you are departing from
4. Night Wildlife Walk
Throughout Drake Bay you will find a number of places advertising for wildlife walks at night time. There is a lot to see around Drake Bay at night but only if you know exactly where to look - hence the need for a guided trip. Most of these tours set off after the sun has set, usually around 6-7pm and involve trekking around the nearby walking trails in search of animals, usually for a few hours, equipped with a head-torch. Whilst you defineitly will see enough wildlife during the daylight hours in Drake Bay, a whole new set of creatures emerges after the lights go out!
There are a number of tours available but the most famous, and the one we attended, was with Tracie the Bug Lady. This tour is noted in the Lonely Planet guidebook and has great reviews on TripAdvisor. We booked via email and met up with Tracie (a Canadian biologist) and her partner Gianfranco, as well as six other tourists. Head torches were given to all and we headed into the night. In all honesty the three hours walking flew by and we saw way more creatures than we thought we would - and not just creepy insects either. We saw frogs, bats, a heron, snakes, some of the most fascinating spiders, ants, an (as yet) unnamed species of velvet worm and a small crocodile which glided past our boat. All of these sightings were accompanied with detailed information about each species from our two guides as well as close-up viewing through Gianfranco's spotter scope.
As with most things in Drake Bay it is worth booking this tour before you arrive because they are very popular and numbers are limited each evening.
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Opening Times:
Night Wildlife Walks: MON-SUN (from 6pm/after sunset)
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Cost:
Evening tours cost around $35-55 per person (£28-45pp)*
*cost varies by company and, sometimes, on group size
5. Playa Colorada
The main beach in Drake Bay is one, that if you read about online, is not recommended for swimming but we could not disagree more. The centre of the beach is used as the launch point for tour boats and, with no pier, they have to reverse right into the shallows in order for people to climb aboard. It makes sense then that this area of the beach might not be the most advisable for swimming...
The far end, near the coast guard building, is very rocky and so not the best for taking a dip either but the stretch that runs from Hotel Rancho Corcovado to the small river that flows out past Casa el Tortugo is an excellent spot for swimming. The waves are pretty big but it is easy to remain within standing depth and we saw children happily playing in this section on a daily basis. It is also the best section of the beach for shade, with a number of overhanging trees, but it is also a safe spot for belongings given that there are no paths or roads running directly behind it - just inaccessible jungle. The beach is all sand here with no stones or rocks at all, just the odd hermit crab wandering along the shoreline! Expect to see macaws, toucans and pelicans regularly flying overhead whilst you bathe in the water and we popped down here most days for a cooldown in the sweltering Drake Bay afternoons.
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There are a few food options right down on the beach front and usually a few local sellers if you fancy a refreshing coconut water. The beach is within walking distance for almost everyone in town, just remember that the hill down to it is quite steep (and you might have to scale it on the way back home).
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Opening Times:
Playa Colorada: ALL DAY
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Cost:
FREE
Where To Stay
Drake Bay is a fairly small town and honestly wherever you select to stay will result in you having an amazing time. When selecting where to stay it is probably worth thinking about a few things however, just to maximise your enjoyment (and minimise the need to take expensive local taxis). There is no public transport in Drake Bay at all and so it is definitely worth situating yourself within walking distance of the main beach, Playa Colorada, which also doubles as the launch point for where the tour boats depart from. Given that you are likely going to be travelling to this beach a lot you can save yourself some big taxi expense by being able to walk there - the other option is stay at a hotel or resort that offers free transfers for tours. In all honesty, anywhere within Drake Bay is worth it but I would try and stay close to the beach front if possible, somewhere within 10/15 minutes travel time as a maximum.
The aforementioned Hotel Rancho Corcovado gets good reviews, is right on the beach and has it's own fleet of boats which take guests on trips, although this does make it a slightly pricer option for the area. The best (in terms of facilities and ratings) hotel in the area is probably the Drake Bay Wilderness Resort, situated just outside of town on the first section of the Drake Bay Beach Walk. We walked through the hotel grounds a few times and it looked very nice (it was unfortunately fully booked when we visited and well out of our budget range anyway).
We actually stayed at Casa el Tortugo, a well priced option that is also home to one of the most popular restaurants in the bay. We absolutely loved it here. The staff were amazingly friendly, the location meant we could get to the beach in just a two minute walk but also were able to easily access the town. The rooms were basic but they were spotlessly clean (with a daily service), had good WiFi and the grounds were filled with wildlife including herons, basilisk lizards and the occasional baby crocodile in the river - hence why we were told not to use it as a cut through to the beach... Breakfast was not included but this actually turned out to be a good thing because we only ate there in the morning once - the tours in Drake Bay start very early and so you will not have time to be eating a full plate of pancakes!
Location Tips to Consider
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Stay within walking distance of the main beach - it is where all the tour boats depart from and where you will need to be to catch the water taxi.
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The main road through town loops up the hill, which is fairly steep. You can save walking time by walking along the beach, just be mindful this may involve crossing the small stream.
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There are a number of more remote accomodatoions outside of the area highlighted opposite. I would only recommend these if you can guarntee they offer free transfers or tours of their own - taxis into town are not cheap and something you ideally want to avoid.
Where To Eat
There are quite a few restaurants in Drake Bay but some of them are not the greatest and all of them are on the slightly pricier side (which is understandable given that most of the goods have to be imported by boat). I would avoid most of the restaurants at the top of the hill on the main street as they are definitely not of the best quality and thrive on having access to tourists walking through. Still, with a bit of research you can find some great spots to eat in Drake Bay - which is worthwhile given that most hotels here do not provide cooking facilities and the local supermarkets are a tad expensive, whilst simultaneously not having a great variety of goods.
Almost all the restaurants here are locally run and therefore very small in size. Due to which I would highly recommend making reservations, especially during peak season, as most of the restaurants can get full up quickly. Unfortunately, making reservations in Drake Bay can be a bit of a hassle given that most places do not have their own websites - we found the best method to use was WhatsApp but finding a number was also sometimes hard to find.
BEST FOR A MEAL
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Lookout Restaurant
Probably our favourite spot in Drake Bay. This tiny restaurant is situated atop a little hill and is one of the best spots in the bay to watch the sunset. Due to this, the tables become very desirable around 5/5:30pm so it is highly recommended to make a booking (you can do so via WhatsApp). The food is predominantly local dishes, with the casado (a combination of rice, beans and plantain served with fish of the day) being a personal favourite.
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Opening Times: MON-SUN (16:30-21:00)
Cost: £10pp (main plus non-alcoholic drink)
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Claudio's Grill
Situated at the other end of the main beach, Claudio's Grill is a slightly bigger restaurant that specialises in local food, especially of the seafood variety. This is a very popular restaurant with tour groups and so it is worth making a reservation. The setting, at the far end of the beach, makes for a fantastic post-dinner walk and the food, a mixture of seafood, pastas and local casado is top notch.
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Opening Times: MON-SUN (12:30-20:00)
Cost: £10pp (main plus non-alcoholic drink)
BEST FOR A SNACK
01
Gaby's Food Truck
This permanent food truck is found right next to where all the tour boats leave on the main beach. It has slightly fluid opening hours which can make planning a visit here a bit tricky. One of the most refreshing options is the fresh fruit juices but one of our favourite things from here however was the salchipapacarne, a local dish consisting of fries topped with sliced spicy sausage and shredded beef.​
Opening Times: Unknown (no set schedule)
Cost: £6pp (main plus a fruit juice)
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Casa de Tortugo
The restaurant attached to our hotel has a slightly smaller menu than some of the other restaurants and has a more western influence in comparison. We actually liked having lunch here rather than a full dinner given the type of food available. Just be warned that they do cater for tour groups and if one of those is seated you might have a very long wait for your food...
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Opening Times: MON-SUN (13:00-21:00)
Cost: £10pp (main plus non-alcoholic drink)
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Best Time to Visit
Despite being one of the least frequented parts of Costa Rica it is still worth bearing in mind that you will likely be paying premium for your Drake Bay accommodation during the countries 'peak' tourist season (December-February). This is not really due to the number of tourists but more because of the lack of available accommodations. Drake Bay is still in its infancy in terms of a being tourist spot and, as such, the number of hotels and hostels found within the small town is minimal. Almost all of them will be at full capacity during the peak months so expect to pay a higher rate and you will have to make sure you get your booking in early. In terms of tours, these seem to stay at about the same price throughout the year but again it is worth inquiring early if you wish to get in with the most reputable companies.
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Drake Bay is situated on the Osa Peninsula which, as mentioned before, is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. All this biodiversity relies on a tropical climate to survive harmoniously and so you can definitely expect sun, humidity and rain when you visit - no matter the time of year. The temperature remains high all year round, often around 30C, but if you manage to visit Drake Bay without experiencing some rain then congratulations, you are an anomaly. The 'peak' weather season is probably January-March since these are the notably drier months. You will find warm temperatures, plenty of sunshine but the likelihood of a few showers (this period averages around 7 days with rainfall per month). Any rain during this period is likely to not be that heavy and should pass through quickly. April sees the beginning of the wet season and whilst temperatures remain high periods of rain will become more frequent and slightly heavier, often in the form of morning or afternoon thunderstorms.
May-August sees the rain become increasingly more consistent and persistent but you will still find plenty of sunshine between the showers. If you are travelling between these months be prepared to get wet at some point. September and October are when the real rains start and, given its remote location, this can be a tricky time to travel to Drake Bay. The rural road into town sometimes gets washed out and sections of Corcovado National Park close due to the heavy rain. By November the rains begin to ease as the wet season comes to a close but December is seen as the real transitional month within the region. This can be a good time to visit, especially before the Christmas period, as you will miss the peak arrival of tourists but still have a chance of good weather.
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We traveled to Drake Bay in January, just after New Year, and we had absolutely glorious weather for the week we were there It was hot, there was plenty of sunshine and we only had rain a couple of times, always overnight. Given that you are likely traveling here for the wildlife and the beaches I would really recommend aiming to travel during the peak weather seasons of January-March. The slight extra cost incurred for travelling at this time of year will be totally worth it when you are rewarded with more consistently good weather. It is also worth mentioning that Drake Bay itself is still far cheaper overall than some of 'main' tourist destinations in Costa Rica, so just by choosing to come here you are saving yourslef some money... If you truly want to actually save some money then I would recommend aiming for the shoulder months of December and April, where you will find less tourists, slightly cheaper accomodations but still have a good shot at some favourable weather conditions.
Currency
Like most places in Costa Rica, the local currency, colones and US dollars are widely accepted. A small selection of hotels accept card payments but most, including all restaurants, will only take cash. The added hassle? There's no bank or ATM in Drake Bay so you will need to bring all the cash you require with you. One tip is to try and pre-book your tours before getting here, most accept online bank transfers or PayPal and it helps to keep your cash for everything else you will need once you arrive.
Language
Whilst you will find English speaking guides within most tour companies it is likely that the majority of hotel staff and restaurant workers will only speak Spanish. There are no large chain hotels here, most of the accomodationsa nd restaurants are run by local families and so conversing in Spanish might be required. Of all the places in Costa Rica, this is the one where we needed our Spanish skills the most so it would definitely help to have some understanding of the language.
Safety
Despite being in a completely remote part of the country we never felt unsafe at all. The local community is super welcoming and literally everyone we met was incredibly friendly (this despite the aforementioned language barrier). The only words of advice we got were to be watchful of our belongings on the beach, making sure not to leave them close to any walking paths or access points and to be wary of wandering along the roads in the evening. There are no sidewalks and no street lamps in Drake Bay so it is incredibly difficult for cars/motorbikes to see pedestrians - a head torch is highly recommended, so you can see where you are going and to help warn others of your presence.
Public Transport
Do not expect to find Uber here. In fact do not expect to find taxis of any kind really... There are no public buses, no registered taxi service and not even mototaxis - if you need to get around without walking your hotel will be able to call a 'taxi' but, as mentioned before, these are just locals who own big trucks and they do not come cheap. Walking is your best way to get around in Drake Bay.
When you eventually want to leave or if you are embarking on any tours you will likely be getting a boat. These depart from the main beach, Playa Colorada, but you will not find a pier/jetty. Instead the boats will reverse as close to shore as they dare and you will have to hop in/out amongst the waves. For this reason I would highly recommend bringing a backpack instead of a suitcase when visiting Drake Bay, it makes getting onboard a lot easier and just take some time to consider your footwear when on boat trips - whatever you have on is going to get wet so just make sure it is not your favourite pair of trainers!
How To Get There
All of the above hopefully makes Drake Bay sound like a place you would like to visit right? The only thing that might prove problematic now is getting there as, realistically, there are only two options for making it to Drake Bay.
The first is flying. Sansa, the local Costa Rican air carrier, offers flights from the capital, San Jose, directly to Drake Bay. This is the option we took to arrive and it is an absolute experience in itself. The planes are 12 seater, single propeller, you have to be weighed along with your luggage to ensure the whole plane is within limits and you can really feel every bumpy bit of turbulence - definitely not the choice for a nervous flier. On the positive side the views are spectacular and the hour flight basically doubles as an aerial tour all along the Costa Rican Pacific coast. At the end you will touch down in one of the smallest, most remote, jungle enshrouded 'airports' you have ever seen before having to venture over a river crossing in your pre-arranged taxi. It is easily the most memorable flying experience we have ever had and we would highly recommend it to anyone willing to give it a go.
On the other hand you can reach Drake Bay by water (we actually did this journey in reverse to leave once we had finished our week there). You can make your way to the river town of Sierpe, which in itself is no easy feat as there is not any direct public transport, where you can then get a river taxi along the Sierpe River, out into the sea and around to the beach at Drake Bay. You simply pay the captain of the river taxi when onboard but it is usually a set price and runs to a fairly well kept schedule - which all the hotels in town will know.
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Along the river you'll pass through one of the largest mangroves in Central America and have the chance to see huge crocodiles floating by (which is as unnerving as it sounds). Once out in the ocean you have to cross the bay, which can be very choppy with high waves, before undertaking a wet landing on the main beach of Drake Bay. The boat will reverse towards the shore and you have to jump out (you will get wet feet and legs) carrying your luggage, hence why a backpack is preferable over a suitcase. Again, it is an adventure in itself and well worth an experience if you plan on extending your time in Costa Rica.
Both of these options are somewhat influenced by the weather. Heavy rain, high winds or a rough sea might see your way in/out of Drake Bay delayed or cancelled at short notice and you might think you could maybe drive there instead right? Wrong. There is now a road that connects Drake Bay with the rest of the country (it used to be solely accessed by boat) but by all accounts it is pretty poor. It is entirely unpaved and involves having to cross a number of unbridged rivers. If there has been a particularly heavy period of rain then these rivers swell and the road becomes impassable, cutting Drake Bay off. If you are going to risk driving the consensus is wait for good weather and get a very good 4x4 - there's also almost no amenities along the way so spare fuel, a satellite phone and extra tyres are all good practice in case of emergencies.
In all honesty I do not know why anyone would want to drive here, the flight and river boat are worthwhile travel experiences themselves and all add to the allure of visiting somewhere that still holds that 'undiscovered' feel. Plus, once you arrive, you'll have no use for that car anyways - you'll be living on the local boats!
Where To Next?
Drake Bay is the perfect all-round destination because you could easily spend 5-7 days here as a standalone holiday and have the most amazing time. If, like us, you want to explore more than one destination within a country then there are a few ways you could incorporate Drake Bay into an itinerary, with some of the best options listed below.
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Uvita, COSTA RICA
Uvita is a town situated on the Pacific coast and makes a great logical next destination when departing Drake Bay by river taxi. The town is only an hour drive from Sierpe and it is very easy to arrange a private or shared transfer from the port town to Uvita. This is exactly what we did after spending 6 nights in Drake Bay, headed up the coast for three nights in Uvita.
Uvita is most famous for it's huge dark sand beach and iconic 'Whales Tail' rock formation. If you were looking out closely you likely would have seen this geographical feature from your plane window on the flight to Drake Bay but it is well worth a view up close. Uvita is also one of the best spots in Costa Rica for whale and dolphin watching, with daily tours running (pretty much) all year round.
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Manuel Antonio, COSTA RICA
Slightly further up from Uvita along the Pacific coast, about two hours drive from Sierpe, is one of the countries most famous attractions, Manuel Antonio National Park. This area of Costa Rica has some exceptional beaches and some of the countries highest end hotels. The park itself is one of the most visited attractions and can feel busy, especially after just enduring the tranquility of Drake Bay.
We visited here but at the end of our month tour. Stopping here after Drake Bay makes logical sense in terms of travel direction I would maybe caution doing so. In all honesty we saw more wildlife in Corcovado than we did here and so there's a strong chance you feel underwhelmed doing this straight after - plus its a given that the amount of people will have you longing for the tranquility of Drake Bay.
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San Jose, COSTA RICA
If you do not fancy the river boat option then your only real way out of Drake Bay is to fly. Flights here only go to and from the capital, San Jose, so it makes sense as your next destination.
The capital has been long undervalued as a tourist stop and we actually did not spend any time here at all. There are lots of good things to be read online about this city and it would be easy to spend a few days here seeing the main attractions. We, like most others however, used the city as a stopover for the odd night before heading further afield - almost all major roads in Costa Rica lead back to San Jose and so it acts as a connection for the whole country.
Flying back would also allow you to catch another internal flight right away to somewhere else in the country, or an international one, taking you back home or onto another country to continue your adventures.
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David, PANAMA
We had originally planned to spend time in Panama before crossing the land border into Costa Rica by bus. Said bus leaves from the Panamanian town of David, crosses the border, and can drop you in Palmar Norte - not far from Sierpe where you can then pick up the river taxi to get to Drake Bay.
We unfortunately never actually made it to Panama, opting to avoid it as, at the time, protestors were busy creating roadblocks on the country's major highways, severely disrupting bus travel. If Panama is somewhere you would like to visit in Central America then it would be easy to add this country before or after visiting Drake Bay.
