Cabo Matapalo

Kayaks on Matapalo Beach

Matapalo is a village in South Pacific Costa Rica. It is in between Puerto Jimenez and Carate (southern entrance to Corcovado National Park) on the Osa Peninsula.

Get in

There is a colectivo/bus twice a day from Puerto Jiménez for US$4. One leaves at 06:00 and the other at 13:30. Buy your return ticket when you buy you ticket to go there.

Hitchhiking might be possible since there is quite some traffic.

Get around

Most of the people walk or have motocycles/quads. It is a small place so you can walk everywhere.

See

Monkeys, waterfalls, amazing beaches, surfers, snakes, birds

Be sure to visit the King Louis Waterfall, accessed from the stream running into Playa Matapalo. Just follow the stream up about a half mile (you'll have to hike through it, so wear shoes that you'll get wet). This is a spectacular 90 ft (27 m) fall.

Do

Surfing at Playa Matapalo is for experienced surfers. If you are there at the right time you can get huge waves with a nice break.

The Pan Dulce beach is a beach for beginners. Surfboards can be rented for around US$20/day.

Buy

There is nothing to buy in Cabo Matapalo. There is a restaurant with high prices.

Eat

One high-priced restaurant serves breakfast for US$10.

Sleep

There are several expensive establishments (more than US$200) and a few budget places like Osa la Vida (US$15 per person). You might want to talk to the owner of Finca Roca Dura at the end of Playa Matapalo.

Like everywhere in Costa Rica camping on beaches is absolutely legal. Since there is a waterfall for showers and drinking water at 10 min walk to Playa Matapalo you might consider camping on the beach. It's safe!

• 1 Lapa Rios Eco Lodge (about 20 km from the nearest airstrip in Puerto Jiménez, a 50-minute flight from SJO; Driving from SJO to Lapa Rios Eco Lodge takes about 7 hours, and from Manuel Antonio, it is 3.5 hours), ☏ +506 2735-5130, info@laparios.com. All inclusive. Set in a private nature reserve. 16 private bungalows built above the sea. Winner of numerous sustainability and eco lodge awards. Full service spa. Many on-site and off-site activities. 1 Nov–19 Dec & 6 Jan–30 Apr: from $1,030; 20 Dec–5 Jan: from $1,690; 1 May–31 Oct: from $780. 13% tax is added to these rates.