The newly renovated jungle villas, Riviera, are located
within lush, tropical gardens bordering the Rio Claro,
the largest and most beautiful river in the Pavones area.
A hike upstream reveals the Conte Burica Rainforest
Reservation. The three main villas are about 150 yards from the
beach. Each shared or private villa includes two or three
comfortable beds, air conditioning, full kitchens,
complete bathroom amenities, and an outdoor shower.
The newly remodeled Rancho Suite, also within the Riviera gardens, has
a more spacious lanai, a custom tiled bathroom, mini fridge and coffee maker. The
Casita is across the street from the Riviera, and has a large private
yard, spacious lanai, A/C, a full kitchen and a king size bed. All of the
accommodations at the Riviera offer optional daily maid service. Guests
are assigned to villas based on whether they have single or shared
occupancy, and on a first come first served basis.
From the windows and lanais of the villas, you can see
howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, scarlet macaws, and
many other tropical creatures that cross or live on the
grounds.
The quaint village of Pavones is situated on the remote
southern Pacific coastal area of Costa Rica, near the
border with Panama. The volcanic, jungle-lined beaches
form points and bays that rise into the hills and
mountains of the Conte-Burica Rainforest Reserve, home of
the Guaymi Indians and one of the most richly biodiverse
areas in Central America.
Pavones truly is a small, safe little town at the end of
the road. Electricity was introduced only in 1997, and
there are more horses than telephones... in fact phone lines were finally
installed in 2008, and there are only two public phones. With the introducion
of phone lines, three internet cafes have popped up if you absolutely must
remain connected. There are no ATM
machines, and local businesses do not accept credit cards
or traveler's checks--just United States Dollars or Costa
Rican money called Colones.
What exists here is a tranquil lifestyle that exudes pura
vida (pure life), tropical waters, beautiful sunsets,
oodles of wildlife, miles of beaches, acres of jungle,
and Central America's longest wave.
There are two ways to get to Pavones from San Jose, by
plane or by land. We highly recommend flying. Nearly all
of our guests fly and taxi to Pavones.
By plane: The plane ride from San Jose to Golfito takes
one hour and costs $108 one-way including taxes and fees.
The taxi ride from Golfito to Pavones takes slightly less
than two hours and costs $60 each way.
Sansa airlines - flights run from San Jose
to Golfito at 5:45AM, 5:55AM, 11:41AM, 2:19PM and 3:31PM (changes
seasonally)
By land: it takes approximately eight to ten hours in a
car or taxi (about $250) and fifteen hours by bus. We do
not recommend driving a rental car. The roads are poor
and the way is not clearly marked. At least one hour is
on dirt or mud road and may require a 4x4 vehicle.
We are happy to book the flights for you--it's exactly the same price
as advertised on the Sansa website. Please
contact us if you would like us to assist you or make travel arrangements
for you . We have preferred flights that coordinate with check in and
check out times. Taking preferred flights also increases your chances
of sharing the cost of the taxi ride.
The best flight over is the 11:41 AM flight (612). That gets you
to Pavones in time for check in at the Riviera at 2:30
PM. Your international flight arrival time in San Jose
(airport code SJO) should be three hours prior to the
departure of your domestic flight. That means you should
arrive in San Jose no later than 8:40 AM. The three hour
layover is recommended in case your international flight
is really delayed. We recommend the 12:54PM Sansa flight
back to San Jose. Then you will be leaving just before
check out time at the Riviera. Also, Sansa sometimes
cancels the last flight of the day during the "green
season" flight schedule without any notification. This
flight arrives in San Jose at around 2 PM. Your international
flight should depart no earlier than 5 PM.
Many of our guests overnight in San Jose (actually
Alajuela, a suburb near the airport). We have two
hotels that we recommend:
The top of the line would be Xandari Resort and Spa
(Xandari.com), which starts at $165 double occupancy
($20 discount for a single). It is a unique resort with 22
colorful villas full of original art and nestled
in a hillside coffee plantation. The decks of the
villas and private jalapas with jacuzzis (for an
additional $25/hour, reservations in advance required)
offer spectacular views of the central valley. Xandari has a
fabulous restaurant, complimentary continental breakfast
and transfer from the airport. Reservations must be made in
advance for spa treatments and packages. Their U.S. number
for reservations is: 800 686-7879.
We also like the Buena Vista
(www.hotelbuenavistacr.com) with rooms starting at $60 single
occupancy. The rooms are very comfortable, spacious, clean,
and have great views (standard rooms 108, 109, and 110
have the best views). Deluxe rooms start at $75 single
occupancy, are much larger and have better views (214,
215 are best). The rate includes continental breakfast and
transfers to and from the airport. Email for reservations and current
pricing info at bvista@racsa.co.cr.
Costa Rica has two seasons: the dry
season from December to April, and the "green" season,
May through November. The roads in Costa Rica are not
well maintained, and many are riddled with deep
potholes.
Costa Rica does not have a military and has not suffered
from political turmoil like its neighbors Nicaragua and
Panama and is considered politically stable. Violent
crimes are uncommon, especially in rural areas. Taking
public transportation, riding in taxis, and driving
rental cars are considered safe. Theft is a problem
throughout the country-- especially rental car
breakins.
Costa Rica has one of the largest systems of national
parks in the world. The Costa Rican government has tried
to promote eco-friendly tourism to preserve its
incredibly rich biodiversity.
