Sierpe

General Information:

Location: 9 miles south of Palmar Sur on the Osa Peninsula

Weather: Hot and humid, rainy season runs from May through late October

Temperature: Average temperature: 83° F

Altitude: Sea level

Read more about the South Pacific Tourism Region

Explore Sierpe & the Osa Peninsula on our travel blog

About:

Sierpe is the mainland gateway to the Osa Peninsula and all its jewels, including Cano Island Biological Reserve, Corcovado National Park and the Terraba-Sierpe Wetlands. The quaint fishing village is also a base for world-class sport fishing excursions into neighboring rivers and the Pacific Ocean.  Fantastic diving is just a two-hour boat ride away through the beautiful Terraba-Sierpe Wetlands, the largest mangrove forest in Central America.

The  town is an archeological hotspot for Diqui stones, perfect spheres of granite-like rock carved by indigenous tribes between 200 A.D. and 1500 B.C. Central park exhibits an enormous example of this ancient art – the sphere is about ten feet tall and weighs at least two tons.

For its size, Sierpe offers an impressive variety of activities for visitors. Sport fishing expeditions up the Sierpe River to Drake Bay almost always end with a cooler full of fish. Canopy tours, horseback riding and dolphin and whale watching can also be enjoyed in and around Drake Bay, which is about an hour away by boat. Cano Island provides some of the best diving and snorkeling in the country, while Corcovado National Park’s Sirena and Pedrillo stations are home to a stunning array of wildlife.

Sierpe is easy to access in comparison to other nearby destinations. Public transportation departs daily to Puerto Jimenez, Drake Bay and San Jose. A handful of restaurants and bars serving inexpensive typical food are located around the perimeter of the park. Several budget and mid-range hotels offer comfortable accommodations, and can be found both downtown and on the road leading to Palmar Norte.

Things to Do:

ATV Tours
Nothing compares to the adrenaline rush of zipping through streams and along hilly back roads on an ATV. Tours feature a visit to the isolated rainforest town of Sabalo, passing by stunning scenery and local farms on the way. The trip lasts between four and six hours, and provides plenty of opportunities to view animals in their natural habitat. An overnight excursion exploring the mountain trail between Sierpe and Drake Bay crosses five rivers and many scenic hills and valleys. The tour includes four meals and accommodations in Drake Bay.  Be prepared to get dirty!

Bird and Wildlife Watching
Bird watching is spectacular in and around Sierpe and the Terraba-Sierpe Wetlands. Over 100 species can be found roosting in the trees, including tanagers, hawks, flycatchers, robins, toucans, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and common black hawks.

Hiking
A trailhead beginning at the town of Sabalo ends deep in the rainforest, at an enormous 80-foot waterfall. Poison dart frogs, monkeys, crocodiles and a multitude of birds are just a handful of animals that may cross paths with hikers en route.

Horseback Riding
Horseback riding tours trek through Sierpe’s lush jungles for four miles to the Chocauco River. Here, adventurers board a small boat and travel two miles upstream to explore a locally owned farm. After a short hike to a nearby waterfall, they can enjoy a packed lunch before doing it all over again – but this time, in reverse.

Mangrove Tours
Half or full day boat and kayak tours to the Terraba-Sierpe National Wetlands are available and include lunch. Bird watching enthusiasts from all over the world come to take advantage of the reserve’s incredible biodiversity. Monkeys (four species), sloths, anteaters and other wildlife can also be spotted among some of the tallest mangroves in the world.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Roughly two hours from Sierpe by boat, Cano Island is the area’s ultimate snorkeling and diving site. The journey weaves through mangroves to the open sea, providing passengers the opportunity to view playful dolphins, leaping rays and a variety of seabirds and flying fish. Under the sea, a colorful assortment of marine life can be observed, including bicolor parrotfish, jewel damsels, Moorish idols, barber fish, golden phase puffer fish and more.

Sport Fishing
Whether you’re an experienced angler or just want to have fun, both inshore and offshore sport fishing  excursions are a sure bet. Machaca, roosterfish, snook, red snapper and grouper are commonly fished from the Sierpe River, while jacks, black tuna and mackerel are more often caught inshore. Sailfish, marlin, mahi mahi and yellow fin tuna are found in large numbers offshore. Passing whales, dolphins and sea turtles keep fishermen entertained during dry spells – but these waters are so incredibly rich that expeditions are almost guaranteed to come back with some sort of catch for dinner.

Surfing
Accessible only by boat, the river mouth break at the Sierpe River offers spectacular surf. The Rio Agujitas estuary in Drake Bay is another prime surfing spot, but locals tend to prefer Rio Claro’s rocky point break over all others.

The river mouths at the nearby Ganado and Sierpe Rivers, along with Playa Rincon, also have decent sandy-bottom beach breaks. Rio Llorona’s estuary is another notable gem, where waves have been known to reach heights of 16 feet.

Getting There:

Air:
Flights with local carriers Sansa and Nature Air depart daily from San Jose to the Palmar Sur airport which is fifteen minutes from Sierpe. Taxis to Sierpe run $10-15.

Bus:
Buses run daily from San Jose to Palmar Norte, and from there it is a short cab ride to Sierpe. Taxis usually cost about $15 each way, and the trip takes 15 minutes.

The bus leaves San Jose for Palmar Norte at 5:00 a.m.; 7:00 a.m.; 8:30 a.m.; 10:00 a.m.; 1:00 p.m.; 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. It takes 5-6 hours and costs $8.

Buses depart Palmar Norte for San Jose at 4:45 a.m.; 6:15 a.m.; 7:45 a.m.; 10:00 a.m.; 1:00 p.m.; 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Car:
From San Jose, take the Interamerican Highway south to San Isidro del General. From San Isidro, follow the signs to Dominical and continue along the coastline south past Punta Uvita, driving towards Palmar Norte. At the stop sign of the Panamerican Highway South, turn right, cross the bridge, and turn right again to Sierpe. Here the road turns to gravel. Follow this road to Sierpe.

Alternatively, from San Isidro del General, you can take the Panamerican Highway south to Buenos Aires. You will pass through sugar cane and pineapple plantations. After Buenos Aires, continue south alongside the Terraba river until you reach Palmar Norte. Cross the river bridge and turn right to Sierpe.

For more specifics, see our Detailed Driving Directions to Sierpe.

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