ACTIVITIES AT CASA PLATANILLA
Carbonera, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Casa Plantanilla is located in the Matapalo region of the Osa Peninsula, an area that boasts of a wide range of both guided and self guided activities, all within walking distance of the house.  The spectacular coastline boasts three successive beaches, separated by rocky points.  Pan Dulce, is a great swimming beach with a surf break off the southern point that sweeps to the north across the bay offering long rides.  The next beach to the south is Back Wash, and the farthest south is Matapalo Beach, considered the most difficult of the three surf breaks.  The coastline can be walked beyond Matapalo Beach to the 300 foot rock cliffs that comprise the actual cape itself.  There are several streams that can be hiked up for self-guiding wildlife hikes.  The most impressive of the regional waterfalls is King Louis, located about 750 meters from Matapalo Beach.  Matapalo is ideal for exploring on one's own.  However, there are a large number of professional tours and activities offered in this region as well and are described below.

MATAPALO DAY HIKE

Explore Matapalo with a bilingual naturalist guide.  Includes primary and secondary forest, river, beach, and waterfall.  Transport and lunch included.  Departs Puerto Jimenez daily at 0600, returning at 1530, or join tour at Matapalo turnoff at 0645.  $45

TREE CLIMBING

Following an hour long hike through spectacular countryside, including King Louis Falls, climb up the inside of a strangler fig tree.  The parasitized tree is long rotted away, and a weave of branches makes it possible to climb 100 feet up in the inside of the tree to ring the bell at the top.  Climb back down and let yourself out a window in the side of the tree to be belayed down to the ground.  $60 Four hours.  Departs Matapalo Beach.

WATERFALL RAPELLING

Rapell about 100 feet beside King Louis waterfall following a forty five minute hike up the stream bed.  Four hours.  Departs Matapalo Beach.  $75. COMBO TREE-CLIMBING/WATERFALL RAPELLING SAME DAY:  $100

BIRD WATCHING

With over 315 species in the Matapalo region and an avid bilingual naturalist with a telescope, you can´t go wrong.  $35

SURFING LESSONS

Learn to surf on the Pan Dulce breaks.  Foam long boards make it a snap to stand the first time under the expert guidance of local surfing experts.  No age limits, everybody guaranteed to stand their first lesson.    Two hours.  Pan Dulce Beach. $40.

HORSEBACK RIDING

Horseback tours make the run all along Matapalo trails and beaches.  Extensive wildlife.  Gallop on a tropical beach.  Four hours, daily.  $35

OTHER ACTIVITIES:  For sport fishing, you either have to drive into Jimenez to catch your boat or swim out to meet up with them as the regional sport fishing outfitters harbor in either Jimenez, Golfito, or Zancudo.  Also, spectacular Golfo Dulce motorboat tours with Changing Tide Tours depart daily from Puerto Jiménez, and rock diving trips are also available to groups of four.  Mangrove kayaking and sunset dolphin watching tours also have Jimenez departures, and all are well worth the hour and a half round trip ride to do them.  For the Matapalo-bound, Martina's Bar offers an alternative to nature saturation and is conveniently within walking distance.  Right next door, Tierra de Milagro offers daily yoga, and there are a variety of massage therapists that make house calls.

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