The Treasures of Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula

[Lookout Inn Lodge]

by Bert Woodson

As a recent transplant to the Osa Peninsula (six weeks) I am amazed every day by the unspoiled, pristine, and remote beauty I am surrounded with.  Every day is an adventure.  I moved here after 2½ years as the proprietor of the Bella Vista Lodge just outside of Dominical. I had heard from my guests about the Osa.  Without fail, they loved it.  I never had the time to get away and experience it for myself.  Running a small resort is all-consuming and leaves little time to get away.

I took a job at the Lookout Inn in Carate, as Innkeeper.  Never having experienced off-the-grid living, this was a bit of an adjustment.  From Puerto Jimenez, south, power is supplied through solar systems with back-up generators.  Water comes from artesian wells.  There is no phone service—land-line or cell. 

(Ok, if you have an emergency and you need a cell signal, there is a sweet spot on the beach next to the turtle conservation hatchery where you can pick up a signal.  There’s a cut between the mountains and if you look for the chair, you found it.) Roads have recently been re-done so that what used to take 2½ hours is now under an hour.  No more white-knuckle, teeth jarring commute to the big city (Puerto Jimenez, population 1,780).  My timing was good.

 

I sit here now in my “office”, overlooking lush jungle and the Pacific waves crashing 150 feet below.  Now, this place isn’t for the faint of heart.  If you are into the all-inclusive resort with the paper umbrellas in your Pina Colada while you anxiously awaiting karaoke at 8:00, this place isn’t for you.  The Osa is for the sophisticated traveler and not the tourist.  There is a big difference.

 

Today..so far, I’ve seen 2 humpback whales breach completely out of the water about 300 meters off of the beach, a pair of white-tailed black hawks, iguanas on the Stairway to Heaven staircase behind the Lookout,  white-faced capuchin monkeys up here on the garden deck rails bumming bananas, at least 30 wild scarlet macaws, 2 of which visit a couple of times a day for snacks, a laughing falcon, and a bunch of hummingbirds—it goes on and on.  At this point you’re probably saying to yourself, “Sure Bub.” I’ll post as many pics as I can.  We are very close to the Corcovado National Park, called “the most biologically diverse place on the planet”, by National Geographic.  We have motion- activated cameras catching images of tapirs, ocelots, and the occasional puma at night.  You do want to carry a flashlight at night to watch for the crawly things.

 

At the Lookout Inn, we have bungalows (strategically placed for privacy) with only a couple of full walls.  The rest is open-air with get-back-to nature open showers and beds with mosquito netting, although the ocean breeze keeps the biting bugs away.  (We do have walled rooms with screens too if you must.) This is the case with most of the properties on the Osa.  You won’t see a Marriot or a fast-food chain here. 

 

Most resorts here include 3 meals a day in your nightly rate.  Restaurants are few and far between, and you really can get world-class meals at the better resorts.  We have an incredible selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, (many of which are grown here in our garden) poultry, seafood, pork, and beef, to work with, and you won’t find a genetically engineered or hormonally injected thing here.

 

Your trip to Costa Rica is not complete without a visit to the Osa Peninsula!  Sport fishing, whale and dolphin watching, waterfall rappelling, miles of beaches where you may not see another footprint, horseback riding, kayaking—we gotcha covered.

Getting here is easier than you might think. First, fly into San Jose'.  Then, you have the choice of renting a 4x4 (don't let anyone tell you a 2 wheel drive will be ok) and picking up in San Jose' on your arrival. Or, take a commuter flight into Puerto Jimenez. This is a quick jump, and then pick up your 4x4 rental there and make the drive. If you choose not to rent, there are taxis available at about $80.00.  You can charter a single engine Cessna for the 7 minute ride for up to 5 people for about $180.00. The landing strip is on the beach 3 minute's walk from Lookout Inn. The collectivo (public transport) runs twice a day for $8.00.  The drive from Puerto Jimenez to Carate' used to be a 2 1/2 hour ride.  The roads are in good condition now, so it can be done in less than an hour.

See you soon!!