Drake Bay

Drake Bay is a tiny town in the northern part of The Osa Peninsula. It is most easily accessed by a domestic flight from San Jose. Most flights make a stop in the bay-side Puerto Jimenez before arriving to the Drake Bay Aerodromo which consists of a gravel runway and a covered sitting area. In the not-very-dry season (which includes the beginning and end of the dry season), the short route from the airport to the town includes fording a river with your bags over your head. Another option, which is suggested by many of the hotels, is flying into Palmar Sur and taking an hour-long boat ride along the Rio Sierpe to the center of town.

The actual town of Drake Bay is mostly set up along one dusty dirt road paralleling the beach. Small schools, local tour operators and some pulperias or General Stores line the road, and the locals can often be seen getting back and forth by bicycle or on horseback, greeting everyone as they go.

While the town remains tranquil and simple now, construction is on the rise in The Osa Peninsula, and it is unlikely the town will be this way forever. So far hotel development has remained on the outskirts of town, most of them only accessible by a short boat ride. Hopefully in a town that attracts investors and tourists for its natural beauty, the newcomers will have the foresight to protect this all-important asset.

• Drake Bay Hotels