Osa Peninsula is located in extreme southern Costa Rica, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Golfo Dulce bay. The peninsula is conveniently divided into north and south regions, as the entire central area of the peninsula is encompassed by remote Corcovado National Park.
The northern part of Osa Peninsula is most easily reached by a half-hour flight between San Jose and the village of Drake Bay. Passengers are met at the dirt airstrip by lodge staff and transported by 4-wheel-drive vehicle to the lodge. Alternatively, one can fly to Palmar Sur, then transfer by land to Sierpe and from there by boat to one's lodge. The transfer to Sierpe and boat trip is best arranged through the lodge where one is staying. This transfer is a scenic and enjoyable trip for those not wanting fly both directions between San Jose and Drake Bay.
The southern side of Osa Peninsula is most easily reached by a 45-minute flight from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez. Alternatively, Puerto Jimenez can be reached via a regular ferry from Golfito if one first visits other parts of southern Costa Rica before going to Osa.
The interior of the peninsula is extremely remote and can be reached only by long hikes into the interior via frequently muddy trails. The very remote Sirena Ranger Station on the Pacific coast within Corcovado National Park can be reached by air or boat. Both are somewhat problematical. Only charter flights go into the short airstrip at Sirena, while boats trying to land at Sirena must navigate very tricky tidal currents that can be quite dangerous if attempted at the wrong time of day. The more accessible San Pedrillo Ranger Station in the northern part of Corcovado National Park can be reached only by boat and requires a beach landing. Such a boat transfer can be arranged through one of the lodges around Drake Bay. The southern part of the park is accessible by flights into Carate or by a long rough road that circles around the southern coastline from Puerto Jimenez. From Carate one can then walk about 45 minutes along the beach to reach the entrance to Corcovado National Park, which is still a very long hike from Sierpe. It's also possible to hire an ox cart and driver through one's lodge at Carate if one wants to avoid the long walk along the beach.
