How to get to Drake Bay & Corcovado (the easy way)
Drake Bay is the wild edge of the Osa Peninsula and the gateway to Corcovado National Park, often called the most biodiverse place on Earth. It is also one of Costa Rica’s most remote corners — which is exactly why how you get there matters so much. Here are your options and why most travellers choose to fly.
The long way: road and boat
Driving south from San José is six-plus hours to the village of Sierpe, where you swap the car for a river-and-ocean boat to Drake Bay. It is a genuine adventure, but it burns the better part of two travel days across your trip and depends on tides and weather. In the green season, the final roads and river can be slow or impassable.
The fast way: fly
A charter from San José to Drake Bay (DRK) is about 50 minutes — $1,287 for the aircraft (~$257 per seat for five). You land on the airstrip minutes from the lodges and trailheads, fresh and ready, instead of finishing a long boat ride. For the eastern side of the peninsula, Puerto Jiménez is the alternative gateway.
What you came for
- Corcovado National Park — tapirs, all four monkey species, scarlet macaws and, if you are lucky, a big cat.
- Caño Island Biological Reserve — some of the country’s best snorkelling and diving.
- Pristine, almost roadless rainforest meeting empty Pacific beaches.
Tips for the Osa
- Book Corcovado tours and certified guides in advance — ranger access is limited.
- Pack light and soft — aircraft are small and lodges are rustic-luxe.
- Bring quick-dry clothing and reef-safe sunscreen; this is true rainforest.
- Allow at least two nights to justify the journey.
Compare the routes
See our deeper Osa Peninsula and Corcovado guide for choosing between Drake Bay and Puerto Jiménez. Request a flight or message us on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a road to Drake Bay?
Barely — access is rough and usually involves a boat from Sierpe. Flying is by far the easiest and fastest way in.
How long is the flight to Drake Bay?
About 50 minutes from San José, versus six-plus hours plus a boat by land.
Drake Bay or Puerto Jiménez for Corcovado?
Drake Bay for boat-in tours and Caño Island; Puerto Jiménez for road access to ranger stations and a larger town.
Ready to skip the drive?
Charter the whole aircraft and split the cost — private flights for the price of a regular ticket, booked in minutes.
Book a flight