Where to Stay in the Southern Pacific and Osa: A Jungle Lodge, a Quiet Hillside, and a Village Base

Three very different stays in one region, and how to put them together.

October 11, 2026 · 6 min read

People ask us where to stay in the southern Pacific all the time. The honest answer is more than one place. This stretch of coast has remote rainforest, quiet hillsides above the ocean, and a village with some of the best food in the country. Each fits a different kind of trip. I have been to the three places below over my 26 years in Costa Rica, and they work well together.

Prices and details change, so confirm them with each property before you book.

Corcovado Wilderness Lodge: the boat-in jungle stay

This lodge sits in Drake Bay on the edge of Corcovado National Park. It covers 189 acres of private reserve and runs off the grid. No road reaches it, so you arrive by boat.

You have two ways in. Drive to Sierpe and take the lodge's boat, which means arriving in Sierpe by 11 am. Or fly from San José to Drake Bay on Sansa, about 40 minutes, then ride a 20 to 30 minute boat from the beach. Boarding is a wet landing in calf-deep water, so pack light and wear sandals. Our Sierpe boat guide and our Monteverde to Drake Bay plan cover the trip in detail.

Pick it if you want guided hikes, wildlife, and a real disconnect. Skip it if you want a resort, nightlife, or easy trips to town. A dinner out here means a boat ride.

Oxygen Jungle Villas & Spa: quiet above Uvita

Oxygen is an adults-only retreat in the hills above Uvita, with views toward Marino Ballena National Park. Guests must be 18 or older. It has 12 villas and a limit of 24 guests, which keeps it calm. The villas have glass walls with jungle or ocean views. The property also has an infinity pool, a spa, an open-air yoga pavilion, and trails through a private reserve with a waterfall.

Pick it for a couple's rest after the jungle. Skip it if you travel with children or dogs. It sits up a hill, so plan on a car or a driver for dinners and beach days.

Ojochal Gardens: a village base with a kitchen

Ojochal is a small village in the Costa Ballena region, known for its restaurants. Ojochal Gardens has villas and suites in tropical gardens, with a pool, tennis and pickleball courts, and restaurants on the property. The larger units have kitchenettes.

Beaches sit a short drive away, and so do the waterfalls. Pick it if you want space, a kitchen, and dinners you can walk to, plus day trips without changing hotels. Skip it if you want an ocean view from your bed. This is a garden village stay.

How to put them together

Do the jungle first. Take the early boat out of Drake Bay to Sierpe, then drive on to Uvita. That puts the hardest place to reach at the start of the trip, and everything after it is easy.

A week that works: three nights at the lodge, two nights at Oxygen to rest, and two nights at Ojochal Gardens to eat well and explore the beaches. Stay longer at Ojochal if you want a slower finish.

A day offshore

A sportfishing day on the Pacific adds a different view of the coast, and it combines well with a stay in Uvita or Ojochal. Ask the captain how long the trip runs, what the price includes, which fish you target, and whether the catch is released. Confirm that the boat and captain are licensed, and ask whether your fishing license is included. Our fishing license guide explains how the license works.

Written by Insiders Costa Rica — Certified Travel Advisors based in Atenas, Costa Rica.

🌿 The full breakdown — costs, booking contacts, and day-by-day timing — is in the Insider Guide.