The main town on the Osa Peninsula and the gateway to Corcovado National Park, set on the calm eastern shore of the Golfo Dulce. A small frontier town of eco-lodges, sportfishing operators, and Corcovado tour outfitters, with scarlet macaws often overhead and the gulf's dolphins just offshore.
Getting there
Reached by a paved road around the gulf off the Inter-American highway, by a passenger ferry or water taxi across the Golfo Dulce from Golfito, or by a short flight to the Puerto Jiménez (PJM) airstrip.
Feria days (farmers markets)
Puerto Jiménez has no weekly feria of its own. The closest markets are listed below.
Feria days and hours shift with the season and holidays. We verify what we publish and never invent a date, but confirm locally before a special trip. See the full Costa Rica feria calendar.
Rainforest lodge on a private reserve at Cabo Matapalo, on the tip of the Osa Peninsula where the Golfo Dulce meets the Pacific. Cabins and houses sit above the ocean with access to forest trails, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife. The property is naturalist-focused and reached through Puerto Jimenez.
Bosque del Rio Tigre is a small rainforest lodge and wildlife refuge in Dos Brazos, run for over two decades by naturalist hosts focused on birding and guided nature walks. It is one of the most established birding-specific lodges on the Osa Peninsula, bordering Corcovado National Park.
Botanika is a 118-room luxury resort just outside Puerto Jimenez, operated under Hilton's Curio Collection, where rainforest meets the Pacific shoreline. It is the largest full-service luxury resort on the Osa Peninsula, with multiple pools and restaurants and Hilton Honors booking.
Vegetarian-friendly cafe in Pueblo Viejo de Puerto Jimenez serving organic juices, kombucha, artisanal burgers, salads, and fresh-roasted coffee. Also known for freshly baked cakes and a relaxed atmosphere. Open daily.
Rainforest fine-dining restaurant at Lapa Rios Lodge in Cabo Matapalo, offering a menu of fresh produce, seafood, meat, and dairy alongside a plant-based option, prepared with traditional and globally inspired techniques. Open to lodge guests and outside diners with reservation.
Family-run Sicilian pizzeria in the town center of Puerto Jimenez, serving handmade pizzas and pasta in a warm, welcoming setting. Also serves broader Italian dishes beyond pizza. Rated 4.7 on TripAdvisor.
Family-run adventure operator in Puerto Jimenez established in 1992, specializing in Golfo Dulce kayaking and mangrove tours timed to the tides for wildlife viewing. Tours run on the calm gulf waters near Puerto Jimenez. The company is listed with the Costa Rica Tourism Board.
Community-driven sea turtle conservation project founded in 2018, protecting 8 kilometers of nesting beach across Carate, Río Oro, and Pejeperro south of Puerto Jiménez. COPROT runs paid morning and night patrol tours to spot nesting olive ridley and Pacific green turtles, plus a VIP overnight package with a stay at their Carate base camp, and registers roughly 7,000 nests per season. Tours require 48 hours advance notice by email or phone.
Corcovado Hiking Tours is a Puerto Jimenez operator led by naturalist guide Rodolfo, guiding in Corcovado National Park for over 20 years. It runs day tours to La Sirena and La Leona ranger stations, overnight hikes, night hikes, and whale-watching trips in Golfo Dulce, and arranges MINAET park permits and boat or car transport.
Alamo operates a rental counter at Puerto Jimenez Airport (PJM), offering cars, SUVs, vans, and trucks for exploring the Osa Peninsula. It is one of the only international rental brands with a physical desk at the airport itself, alongside Enterprise and National.
Blue Osa is a beachfront yoga retreat and spa about 8 miles south of Puerto Jimenez, offering daily yoga classes, massage, and botanical facials using rainforest ingredients. The property runs yoga teacher trainings and wellness retreat packages in addition to walk-in spa treatments.
Clinica Veterinaria OsaVet is a full-service animal clinic in Puerto Jimenez offering ultrasound, X-ray, surgery, laboratory work, dog grooming, and pet export paperwork. Dr. Ricardo Alfaro leads the practice, which also stocks pet food and medication.