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Dominical:
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With a stunning setting, and miles of nearly deserted beaches backed by
rainforest-covered mountains, Dominical and the coastline south of it are
excellent places to find uncrowded stretches of sand, spectacular views,
remote jungle waterfalls, and abundant budget lodgings. The beach at
Dominical itself is one of the prime surf destinations in Costa Rica, with
both right and left beach breaks. When the swell is big, the wave here is a
powerful and hollow tube, and the town is often packed with surfers. In fact,
while the beach at Dominical gets broad, flat, and beautiful at low tide, its
primary appeal is to surfers. It is often too rough for casual bathers.
However, you will find excellent swimming, sunbathing, and strolling
beaches just a little farther south at Dominicalito, Playa Hermosa, and
inside Ballena Marine National Park.
Horseback tours can also be arranged to the nearby Nauyaca Waterfalls,
or one can visit the Marino Ballena National Park, which is home to a
number of marine mammals like turtles and whales that come here
seasonally to mate and nest. If you like, you can take a short day trip to the
lovely Caño Island just off the coast. This island is considered one of the
best adventure diving spots in the world and is home to an impressive
array of underwater marine life.
With near perfect weather all year long, Dominical has warm temperatures
during the day and a cool ocean breeze by night. Many surfers who often
come here usually sleep on the beach under the stars. However, there are
accommodations here to suit every pocket. Dining is a fabulous
experience in Dominical, especially if you love seafood. There are a
number of local restaurants or ‘sodas’ in the area, which serve everything
from fresh lobsters and shrimps to delicious crabs and fish.
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Golfo Dulce:
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If what you seek is pristine rainforest teeming with monkeys, macaws, and
mysterious beasts, the area around the Golfo Dulce is the place to go.
From the quiet waters of the gulf and its mangroves to the National Park of
Piedras Blancas, nowhere else in Costa Rica will you find such intense
and diverse tropical flora and fauna. If you want to escape other travelers,
try the virgin nature reserves around Golfito on the mainland just across
the Golfo Dulce. If the jungle isn't challenge enough, test your surfing skills
on one of the world's longest lefts in Pavones, or sip the milk of a freshly
cut coconut and enjoy the sunset on the area's secluded beaches.
The Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce is a beautiful place to visit and explore
with a large bay area, many secluded beach strips and a number of
surrounding rivers. A lowland region with large tracks of evergreen forests,
the Reserva Golfo Dulce is also one of the wettest areas in the world with
an annual rainfall of some 200 inches every year.
Accessible either from the town of Puerto Jimenez or Chacarita, this
reserve is a tranquil and peaceful area with ample bird watching,
swimming and hiking opportunities. Serving a biological corridor between
the Corcovado and the Piedras Blancas National Parks, the Reserva
Forestal Golfo Dulce is a great place to observe nature at its most pristine.
Monkeys are the most common residents here followed by tapirs,
numerous bird species and many big cats.
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