Hot Spots:
Cano Island, Paradise Bay (whale-watching), Corcovado National Park
Beaches:
While there are many unnamed small beaches to enjoy as you walk along the trail from Agujitas to Corcovado National Park, there are several named beaches known for swimming, boogie boarding and body surfing. If the waters are calm enough, snorkeling is also an option.
Playa Cocalita
A 30-minute walk from the town of Agujitas (Drake) over a suspension bridge crossing the Agujitas River, this small beach is often deserted, despite its proximity to the small hotels in the area. You can snorkel offshore here and find some marine life.
Any of the hotels can give you directions: it is pretty hard to get lost. But, just in case, follow the beach side trail that picks up in front of the Jinetes de Osa Hotel and walk pass the Aguila Inn Hotel. Cross the suspension bridge over the Aguila River and hike steeply uphill for ten minutes or less. At the top, turn left (make a note of the sign pointing towards the bridge so you don’t pass it on the way back).
Pass by the La Paloma Hotel on your right. The road/trail has a few branches in various directions; just keep heading straight. Once you begin to walk downhill, you are nearby. There is a sign pointing to the right that says “beach”. Go down the steps and Playa Cocalita is the next sandy beach. There is a branch to the trail that goes right once you are at the bottom of the steps; it just goes to a small section of beach. If you continue to follow this same trail south along the coast for another six hours or so, you will eventually end up in Corcovado National Park and pass by several small beaches and coves along the way.
Playa Caletas
Another small beach located a little south of Playa Cocalita. There are a few hotels nearby.
Playa San Josecito
A two-hour walk from Drake, this is a longer beach than any of the others and it truly faces west, making for spectacular sunsets. The bay here, Bahia San Josecito aka Paradise Bay, is well known for whale sightings. The Rio Agujitas Waterfall spills over into the ocean another thirty minutes from here, as does the Rio Claro’s waterfall. Several tour companies offer day trips to this beach.
Snorkeling is good offshore and there are plenty of palm trees providing shade for a relaxing day at the beach.
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Parks & Refuges:
Corcovado National Park
The San Pedrillo ranger station is less than an hour boat ride from Drake and the Sirena Ranger Station is about 30 minutes or so more to the south (depending on the ocean). Both stations have trails. A naturalist guide is recommended in order to be able to see as much wildlife as possible. Scarlet macaws are plentiful in the park along the coast.
Cano Island Biological Reserve
A 45-minute boat ride from Drake, Cano Island is a scuba diving and snorkeling hot spot. The waters are usually clear and always warm and there is a plethora of marine life including sea turtles, large schools of fish and reef sharks. There is a trail on the island that leads to an archaeological site and a lookout. It is a 30-minute walk to the lookout and about 45 minutes to the archaeological site.
Terraba-Sierpe National Wetlands
The nearby Terraba - Sierpe National Wetlands protects more than 66,850 acres of wetlands in between the Terraba and Sierpe Rivers and is of international importance. It is a great place for bird watching. Canals through the mangroves can be explored in small boats or kayaks.
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Waterfalls:
Río Agujitas Waterfall
The waterfall is a two and a half hour canoe/kayak trip from Drake. There are swimming holes along the way. The falls are 20m high and in the dry season, it is a good location to find poison dart frogs, monkeys and many species of birds.
The Don Petrona Waterfalls
These are on private property and only accessible with a guide who has permission.
Vijagua Waterfall
It's a two hour hike from Drake to reach this series of falls.
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Museums & Gardens:
Cano Island is an archaeological site with Indian burial grounds and granite spheres.
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