The town of Golfito was established by the United Fruit Company as the main port for its banana growing operation in the 1930's. Following a prolonged strike in the mid-1980's, those operations were shut down. Since then, Golfito has become a resort town catering heavily to sport fishermen seeking fabulous deep-sea fishing in the gulf and out in the Pacific Ocean.
The Golfito area including Piedras Blancas National Park offers exceptional birding opportunities featuring a variety of southern Costa Rica specialties and endemics. Golfito is situated in a hilly area on the Golfo Dulce coast and is covered with lowland wet forest. The hill above the town where the radio towers are located is a prime place for seeking near endemics such as Charming Hummingbird and Black-bellied Wren. The gardens and private reserve around Esquinas Lodge and trails into the adjacent Piedras Blancas National Park afford excellent birding opportunities as well. Piedras Blancas National Park is a remote area of primary rainforest with steep and muddy trails. Bird sightings can often be few and far between, but birds such as the near endemic Black-striped Woodcreeper and Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager make the park worth a visit. Aside from the birding, just walking through the relatively unspoiled rainforest of Piedras Blancas is a memorable experience.
