Golfo Dulce, Panama Cruise Port

Golfo Dulce is a tucked away, almost entirely landlocked gulf in southern Costa Rica. Located in the Puntarenas province, it borders the Pacific Ocean and separates most of the Osa Peninsula from the mainland. To the north of the gulf lies Piedras Blancas National Park. The Osa Conservation Area, which surrounds and includes the entirety of the park, aids in protecting its more than 50 miles of rainforest and its marine life, including a rare species of needlefish. Portions of the dense evergreen rainforests run beside long stretches of beautiful beaches that make the shorelines so enticing. The area is also filled out with tall, treacherous mountains and rivers of varying length and speed. One of the park’s most interesting features is its 53 species of bat. Most of those bats can be nourished on fruit alone, allowing them to have a symbiotic relationship with the plentiful rainforest.

• The park is home to over 100 species of animals including numerous varieties of raccoon, weasels, skunks, and monkeys. The different wildcats are pumas, ocelots, margays, and jaguars.
   
• Reptiles are also in abundance in the park’s diverse ecosystem. Visitors can see colored frogs, basilisks, iguanas, various snakes, and crocodiles reign within the park’s swamps.
   
• The Golfito Marina Village and Resort is a $42 million dollar world-class resort scheduled to open in 2019. Located right beside the only government-approved drop off area for yachts, the resort offers luxury as well as peaceful seaside living.
   
• Sport fishing is a big draw in the area because of the plethora of maritime species. Travelers can rent guided boats to take them out to the depths so they can fish for rare or unusual trophies.