REAL ADVENTURE
Adventures and Excursions in Golfo Dulce
We are passionate about our surroundings and love sharing our spectacular corner of paradise with our guests. Having always sought true, off-the-beaten-track adventures during our own travels, our aim is to let you experience our stunning location exactly as we would want to. We have created a selection of excursions which we believe do just that; an eclectic mix of rainforest and ocean adventures which we are sure will create unforgettable memories of your stay with us.
Our Ocean Adventures and Rainforest Expeditions are run exclusively by us for guests staying at our nature Retreat. We will suggest you go off exploring at the right time of the day, the correct tide, and even the perfect moon phase!
In order to provide the most personal and memorable experience, all our excursions are run in very small groups of no more than 5 guests and always on a private basis for groups of 4 or more visiting together.
For longer stays or for the most adventurous out there, we can also organise excursions further afield to some of our preferred destinations around Golfo Dulce such as Caño Island, one of Costa Rica’s most pristine Marine Biological Reserves with great snorkelling and diving opportunities. We will take care of all the logistics for you - for these particular excursions we have partnered with the most professional operators so all you need to do is relax and have fun!
OCEAN ADVENTURES
FURTHER AFIELD
RAINFOREST EXPEDITIONS
SELF-GUIDED EXPLORATION
Ocean Adventures
Mangroves Boat & Kayak Adventure
Your trip to Golfo Dulce wouldn't be complete without visiting its magical mangroves. A beautiful boat ride into the gulf takes you to the secluded estuary of the Rio Esquinas, where an extensive mangrove forest provides a home for a wide variety of animals, including crocodiles, boas, white ibises, capuchin monkeys, ospreys and more. You will be able to explore its vast network of waterways both by boat and kayak, slowly moving through this exceptional ecosystem of enchanted forests. This unforgettable excursion ends with a refreshing swim in one of Golfo Dulce’s emerald bays on the way back to the Retreat.
This excursion lasts 4-5 hours and costs $240 per cabin for up to two guests and $45 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Private Golfo Dulce Explorer
Private Boat Tour: Dolphin Watching, Snorkelling and Boat Picnic
We recommend that you spend as much time as possible exploring the magical Golfo Dulce. The deep and sheltered waters of our gulf have created a very unique marine ecosystem which hosts a high level of marine biodiversity, from coral species to tropical fish and charismatic resident cetaceans. This private boat excursion will let you combine our most popular boat-based activities into an unforgettable half-day: you will be looking for schools of resident dolphins both along and away from the coast; you will slowly snorkel along coral reefs, home to myriads of tropical fish. There will also be time to swim in the turquoise waters of the gulf and explore the wild coastline, with its coves and palm-fringed beaches and enjoy some delicious home-made food while relaxing on our boat.
This private excursion lasts 5 hours and costs $275 per cabin for up to two guests and $40 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Dolphin Watching & Whale Watching
Golfo Dulce is the permanent home of bottlenose, spinner and spotted dolphins, which can easily be spotted throughout the year as you tour the gulf in our boat. From late July to the end of September, you are also likely to encounter humpback whales, who migrate to the calm waters of the gulf to give birth. Our boatman will take you along stunning coastlines as well as deeper waters in order to observe these charismatic cetaceans. Our corner of the world remains to this day fairly unexplored so most dolphin and whale sightings happen in a very personal setting, making the experience truly magical.
These excursions last 2.5 hours and cost $195 per cabin for up to two guests and $35 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Night Bioluminescence
Once the sun sets, the bay of Golfo Dulce becomes host to an incredible natural phenomenon. Disturbance of the water, from the passage of a boat, trailing hand or jumping fish, leads to a unique biological light show: minute organisms producing their own ethereal bioluminescence (click here if you want to find out the science behind this incredible spectacle). On a clear, moonless night, the sky is spectacularly scattered with stars, mirroring the twinkling lights below. Golfo Dulce is one of a handful of places in the world where bioluminescent is always present. We aim to set off immediately after dinner and you will have the option to gaze at this amazing spectacle from the boat or jump in with your mask and become part of the show.
This excursion lasts 1 hour and costs $110 per cabin for up to two guests and $20 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Snorkelling in Golfo Dulce
Snorkel in turquoise green waters with primary rainforest hanging over you. You will meet a myriad of different fish, including trigger, parrot, puffer, and surgeon fish which live around the underwater network of lobe corals. Stingrays, moray eels, sea stars and, occasionally, sea turtles, can also be seen. We will provide cold water, masks, fins and life vests. Please make sure to bring your own coral-safe sunscreen lotion. Please note that underwater visibility in Golfo Dulce is very weather dependent.
We offer a Short Snorkelling Boat Excursion to a nearby reef, where you will be swimming over live colonies of mostly Porites lobata coral colonies. This excursion lasts 1.5 hours and costs costs $95 per cabin for up to two guests and $30 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin. We also offer a Long Snorkelling Boat Excursion on two separate reefs which might also give you the opportunity of encountering other marine life such as dolphins, sea turtles and rays as you cross the gulf. During this excursion you will also be learning about an ambitious coral restoration programme which takes place in the gulf. This longer excursion lasts about 3.5 hours and costs $160 per cabin for up to two guests and $35 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Scuba Diving in Golfo Dulce
Enjoy the awesome wreck diving in Golfo Dulce and its incredible marine biodiversity while surrounded by untouched tropical rainforest and remote beaches. We have partnered with a one of the most professional PADI schools of the country to offer you an amazing and safe dive experience. You will be picked up directly from our beach by their professional crew in a fully equipped dive boat and do two dives with a PADI master, one of which will be on a shallow or deep wreck, depending on your certification level. This activity is available all year round but please note that the best visibility in the gulf is between the months of January and March.
This excursion includes two dives and costs $195 per certified diver (we may require a minimum of two guests for this trip but please check with us).
Artisanal Fishing
With no commercial fishing allowed within the Golfo Dulce, our surrounding waters teem with a wide variety of fish including bonitos, mackerels, barracudas and tunas. This excursion is a wonderful and relaxing opportunity to take in the spectacular views, sounds and smells of the rainforest from the sea. With some luck, you will then enjoy your catch of the day as part of your dinner! At Golfo Dulce Retreat we offer Artisanal Fishing where you will be trawling from our boat with traditional hand lines, just like the locals do in order to supplement their meals.
This boat excursion lasts about 1.5 hours and costs $95per cabin for up to two guests and $20 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Boat Transfer to Golfito or Puerto Jimenez
Your stay at Golfo Dulce Retreat includes one complimentary boat pick-up on the day of arrival after lunch at around 1pm and a return journey to town on the day of departure after breakfast at around 10am. The journey from either Puerto Jimenez or Golfito takes approximately 30 minutes. If you require any additional boat transfers while staying at the Retreat, we will be happy to take you to either town for $80 one way and $130 round trip with a two hour wait included.
Rainforest Expeditions
Waterfall Expedition
Take a trek to the edge of primary rainforest with one of our experienced guides, through dense jungle all the way to our beautiful waterfall. On the way there, make sure to stop by our gigantic 500 year-old Ceiba tree. At the waterfall, you will be searching for the endemic Golfo Dulce Poison-dart Frog, with its distinctive orange markings. Finally, take a cool dip and a vigorous shoulder massage (courtesy of Mother Nature) before hiking back to the retreat.
This excursions lasts 3 hours and costs $90 per cabin for up to two guests and $20 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Primary Rainforest Flame Hike
Venture off track into luscious primary rainforest - accompanied by our local guide - where you will encounter dynamic walking palms, giant vines and ancient vaco trees, the source of nutritious milk-like sap for past indigenous tribes. This hike truly comes alive when you reach the kerosene trees, named for their remarkable resin which is highly flammable. Keep your eyes peeled for peccaries, curassows and playful squirrel monkeys – you never know what you might find!
This excursion, which involves a steep climb and descent, is around 2 hours long and costs $75 per guest for up to two guests and $15 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin.
Ceiba to Ceiba Hike
Journey through thick primary rainforest to meet the first two of seven gigantic secular Ceiba trees which form a 30 mile long line from our property all the way to the border with Panama. Although the significance of this perhaps mystical passage has been lost throughout the centuries, we know that these magnificent trees were planted centuries ago by local indigenous populations. Note that this is a challenging hike at 6 miles (10km) long and cumulative elevation gain of 1150ft (350m) and requires a good level of fitness.
This excursion lasts 6-8 hours and costs $120 per cabin for up to two guests and $20 for any additional guest sharing the same cabin. Packed snacks and entry ticket to Piedras Blancas National Park are included.
Night Walk
Join us after dinner for a walk around our two wildlife ponds and their surroundings led by our resident naturalists. You will discover the many nocturnal inhabitants of the retreat, including the emblem of Costa Rica, the red-eyed tree-frog. Make sure to point your search light at eye level and discover an amazing spectacle!
This excursion lasts about 45 minutes and costs $25 per cabin.
Further Afield
Snorkelling or scuba diving at the legendary Cano Island (Isla de Caño)
Caño Island is situated 20 km off the Osa Peninsula in the Pacific Ocean and is a protected national park and marine biological reserve. Its waters are home to a spectacular variety of marine flora and fauna, including sea turtles, sharks, moray eels, parrot fish and more, and are ranked as the top snorkeling destination in Costa Rica.
This excursion lasts all day (5am to 5pm approx.) and includes about 2 hours of snorkelling or scuba-diving , all equipment, boat crossings and car transportation, packed breakfast and a simple lunch at a local restaurant in the quaint village of Drake on the Osa Peninsula. We will require a minimum of two guests and plenty of notice to arrange this trip.
Please enquire with us for prices.
Inshore and Offshore Fishing
Join the most experienced fisherman in the gulf for an unforgettable day of fishing in Golfo Dulce and beyond. The excursion will begin from our beach at sunrise when you will embark a 30ft professional sports fishing charter. A full day trip comes to $1,450 for up to 4 people.
Self-guided Exploration
Rainforest Trails
The forests around the retreat consist of a vast variety of trees and plants. Our Giant Ceiba Trail allows you to explore these species in greater depth, discovering details of how they live and contribute to the rainforest. Whilst on the walk, you will witness the enormity of our Ceiba, a gargantuan tree that was around when Europeans first explored Costa Rica. There is also a good chance of spotting wildlife such as monkeys (spider, squirrel, howler and capuchin), curassows, agoutis and peccaries throughout your journey into the rainforest.
This is an easy self guided trek which takes around 1.5 hours to complete. Walking boots, water bottles, walking sticks and tree map will also be provided on a complimentary basis.
Kayaking and Stand-up-paddle boarding
Our pebbly beach is but a minute’s walk from the main living areas and provides an enthralling activity at both high and low tide. We have a number of kayaks and standup paddling boards available for use. Kayaking along our beach Playa San Josecito will give you a magnificent view of our spectacular setting. Expect to see jumping fish around you, gliding birds and, if you're truly blessed, dolphins gently taking in air as they surface. For the more experienced and adventurous, paddle further afield to a small waterfall and take a closer look at our local colony of brown pelicans (March-November).
Use of kayaks and stand-up-paddling boards is complimentary. We will also provide you with water shoes and sports life jackets.