Travel Guide Golfito

Golfito is an almost obligatory stop between the Pacific coast and the southern cordillera, and the main development pole of the region. The city is however of average size, between a hill with slopes so steep that it could be a cliff (the refuge of wild life), the jungle and the ocean. It owes its current status as a port to the intense banana traffic that animated its docks until 1985, when the United Fruit Company closed its doors for lack of profitability in the global economic market. Since then, four-wheel drive vehicles have replaced cargo ships and visitors have replaced farm workers and sailors. Golfito has a free trade zone (Depósito Libre) where household appliances and other fancy goods are less taxed than in the rest of the country, but still expensive. Therefore, it is business that attracts most of the visitors to Golfito. People come to spend a weekend, an afternoon on the beach and leave with a smartphone, an MP3 player or a stereo. This constant flow of people keeps the hotels, restaurants and bars alive, but Golfito has many other assets. Its surrounding hills, bay and view of the Osa Peninsula are beautiful. The Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, adjacent to the town, is the main attraction that draws tourists here. It offers many hiking trails on which to observe the enchanting biodiversity of the surroundings