Puntarenas Province Hotels

Paquera, Tambor, and Cóbano A - Z

Montezuma, Cabuya, Cabo Blanco

Mal País, Playa El Carmen, Santa Teresa, A - Z

Miramar, Santa Elena, Monteverde, Orotina, A-Z

Puntarenas, Puerto Caldera, Mata Limón

Herradura, Jacó, Esterillos, Punta Leona, Hermosa de Jacó,
Playa Bejuco, Parrita, La Palma, A - Z

Manuel Antonio, Quepos, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, A - Z

Quepos to Dominical

Playa Dominical, Playa Tortuga, Ballena Marine Park, Bahía Uvita de Osa, Ciudad Cortéz, Palmar Norte, Ojochal, Ciudad Neilly, Río Claro, Vergel de Punta Mala, A - Z

Sierpe Bahía Drake, Isla del Caño, A - Z

Alto Los Mogos, Puerto Jiménez, Playa Carbonera, Carate, Corcovado, A - Z

Golfito, Piedras Blancas, Playa San Josecita A - Z

Playa Zancudo, Pavones A - Z

About the Province of Puntarenas and its Beach Resorts

Puntarenas is the province with the largest Coast Line, most Beaches, most vacation hotels and resorts on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Located about 110 km West of San José, in the nearer past it was the main destination of the people from Costa Rica's Capital San José to enjoy a few days at the long sandy beach.

The Capital of the Province has the same name is also the biggest coastal town of Costa Rica about 50'000 habitants. During the 19th century the access to the Caribic Coast from San José was very difficult. At that time Oxcarts took the long and dangerous journey to the Main Port Town called Puntarenas. The goods, mostly Coffee had to take a long trip around the Horn to Europe.

It is important here to mention that many places are located in the Province of Puntarenas of which people think that they don't belong here, as for instance Monteverde, Montezuma, Malpais and Playas Tambor. The wonderful Hotel El Establo for instance, which was founded by Quakers, belongs to Puntarenas.

There are several bigger hotels available in Puntarenas City, some small Cabins and Villas along the Coast and a larger All Inclusive Deluxe Resort right on the on outscirts called Doubletree Resort by Hilton Puntarenas.

Generally the Pacific Coast, with exception of the southern end, is more developed for tourism than the Caribbean Coast. If you are looking for luxury beach and resort accommodations, golf courses and high end residential areas and condominiums, the Pacific Coast of Puntarenas and Guanacaste are the places to look for it. There is for instance the famous Marriott Los Sueños Golf and Beach Resort with its famous marina at Playa Herradura.

There are many other popular Vacation Spots in the Province of Puntarenas and its Pacific Coast. These well-developed places include Swimming, Horseback riding, Sport fishing, Golfing, Boating, Sailing, Water sports and Surfing. Beach Resort towns, like Montezuma, Mal País, Playa Tambor, Herradura, Jacó, Quepos, Manuel Antonio with its world famous Manuel Antonio National Park offer a great variety of Hotel Accommodations, sports, tours and activities. There are also miles of undeveloped stretches of beautiful beaches, Biological Reserves and National Marine Parks.

Driving South, you can find lots of deserted beaches, wildlife and small coastal towns. Reaching Playa Dominical you'll find again some hotels and cabins on the beach including the well known Villas Rio Mar located a little off the Beach on the Riverside. This nice three star Hotel also marks the end of the area called Central Pacific.

From here on going south we are the South Pacific Area. There is a very good high way called 'La Costanera' from here all way down to Palmares and Golfito. This biologically richest area of Costa Rica is not very developed for tourism, probably because the communication lines like telephones are sparse. Here there are many little hotels and cabins with which we unfortunately cannot work, because the owners have only one Cellular Phone or go to pick up reservations request at nearby Internet cafe once or twice a week.

In the green Season road access to some of the nice places like Corcovado Jungle Lodge is difficult. Normally one would drive to Sierpe and stay in the Oleaje Sereno or en el Oleaje Sereno, take a boat from Sierpe to the Drake Bay area. Rates are similar to the Hotels in Tortuguero calculated All Inclusive food bus or plane transportation, because the Hotels will pick the tourists up in San José and bring them back there at the end of their vacation.

From Bahía Drake it is not difficult to hike to the Corcovado National Park along the coast. It takes between 4 and 7 hours to reach the San Pedrillo Ranger Station. From this point hiking trails continue into the Park. It's good to get a table about high and low tides. The best time for the walk is during low tide, since on some places one can get cut off during high tide. If you cannot follow along the beach there are in-land trails around that obstacle. There are several small lodges and tent camps in the area for instance the Aguila de Osa Inn.

The exciting part of the Corcovado National Park is its long trails that all lead to a ranger station. This National Park with its enormous amount of different Flora and Fauna harbours the largest population of the beautiful Scarlet Macaw or Lapa Roja together with Tapirs, 5 species of Cats, Crocodiles, Peccaries, Giant Anteaters, Monkeys and Sloth. There are over 400 species of birds, even the almost extinct Harpy Eagle can be found here. But please don't think that they are lined up along the trails. Most of the animals are very hard to see, and it is a good idea to get a experienced Nature Guide.

The big selection of different activities and immense Bio-Diversity in this area makes a stay of at least 3 - 4 days recommendable, specially if getting there is by ground transportation. Activities range from canoeing, scuba diving to snake nature hikes. My personal favourite place between Palmares and Golfito the Esquinas Rain Forest Lodge is located near the Piedras Blancas National Park in a Nature Reserve also called the Rain forest of the Austrians, because Austrian Doctors collected the money to buy this Private Rain Forest Reserve.

A little further on that road only passable with a 4 x 4 vehicle, you'll reach Golfito. There are several medium-sized hotels along the town like Las Gaviotas. This port town once used by the point where bananas left Costa Rica on ships, but today the main attraction is a duty free zone at the very north end of Golfito. It also is a good point from where to start expeditions to Puerto Jiménez, the Corcovado National Park or take a small boat and go to the nearby Playa Sancudo.

About 15 km south of Zancudo is the Bahía de Pavón. It is famous for its Surf; Surfers say it is the best in all Central America. April to September is the time with the highest waves. A big long left can give you a three minute ride. But besides surfing, there is not much to do in this area. The so called Pavones comprises the two beaches Río Claro and Pavones. There you can find one of our personal favourite Hotels the Tiskita Jungle Lodge. If you keep on going further south you soon will reach Panama.